See some mayor works of art
The jury is in with the verdict on the nine artists selected for the 2021 Mayor’s Show, opening this Saturday, March 6, at the Newport Visual Arts Center.
The artists were selected in consultation with Newport Mayor Dean Sawyer and VAC Director Tom Webb from the 75 Lincoln County artists who participated in the 2021 PushPin & ClothesLine Show during January and February.
“This group is another impressive lot,” Sawyer said. “I’m endlessly excited about the creative talent in Lincoln County.”
The artists featured include Newport residents Barbara Bush, Tish Epperson, Sue Friesz, Helen Kropp, Jill Marks and Jane Myrick, as well as Linda Luckini of Toledo, Diane Peterson of Otter Rock and Doug Yunker of Yachats.
Originally from Colorado, Bush creates recycled art, hand-dyed silks and fish rubbings.
Epperson studied with two noted Southern California artists, Robert Neathery and Moni Gillette. Her vivid, highly colorful watercolor paintings have been exhibited in major galleries along the Pacific Coast from Vancouver to La Jolla.
Friesz’ work has been in national and regional solo and group exhibitions. She holds a BA in Studio Art from the University of Missouri and an MA in Studio Art from the University of Central Missouri.
A signature member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon, Kropp has been represented in numerous solo and group shows, including with the Northwest Watercolor Society.
Luckini ran her own gallery, studio and antique shop in Toledo, and has taught painting at her studio, Linn Benton Community Colleges, Sunriver Resort and the Crooked River Ranch.
Marks works in gyotaku, or Japanese fish printing, and creates wildlife prints primarily in oil and AKUA inks. Her work is currently shown at the New Zone Gallery in Eugene and the Laughing Crab Gallery in Yachats. A Newport native, Myrick delights in capturing the essence of exceptional places in her illustrations and paintings. She took her first art class at the VAC while still in elementary school.
Peterson has taken clay classes with the Yaquina Art Association and at the Lincoln City Cultural Center. Her work is available at different galleries, gift shops and wineries in the Newport area.
Professor emeritus from Boise State University School of Social Work, Yunker served on the BSU Interdisciplinary Humanities Board. His creative endeavors include watercolors, gauche, pen and ink and writing.
"I've been painting almost 75 years,” he said. “Now I enjoy working on subjects I really care about: friends, family and places. It is an honor to be accepted into the Mayor’s Show.”
The 2021 exhibition marks the sixth year for the Mayor’s Show at the VAC. The project was started in 2016 by former Newport Mayor Sandra Roumagoux and the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts to give more exposure to participating PushPin Show artists and to build connections between municipal employees and elected officials with the arts community.
The Mayor’s Show runs through April 3 in the Runyan Gallery of the Newport Visual Arts Center, 777 NW Beach Drive, available to view from noon to 4 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
For more information, go to coastarts.org.