A weekend of promise
Toledo’s First Weekend offers ‘Promise’ holiday show and much more
Winter in Toledo has an inspired quality to it — lights and decorations shine from the streets, while the soft glow of lights from the mill seems to take on a holiday spirit of its own.
That holiday spirit will be amplified further this Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 3 and 4, as galleries and studios throughout town throw open their doors to celebrate a festive First Weekend.
This First Weekend the “Promise” holiday show continues at the Yaquina River Museum of Art, with Art Talks by Judy Gibbons and Rev. Pauline Morrison starting at 1:30 pm on Saturday. “Promise” is a celebratory exhibit that features works of art from Latin America and Europe, showcasing the beauty of the holidays. Included with artworks from all over the world are works of iconography from US and European-based creators, both antique and modern.
Gibbons will be offering a talk on her collection of Latin American art that she curated while living in Colombia. Of particular emphasis is “Village Life in Colombia,” painted by Juan B Toro.
“Often compared to a Grandma Moses style, surely someone he never heard of, Toro paints to fill this canvas with scenes he somehow wishes to convey to the viewer albeit in a primitive manner,” Gibbons said. “His details of violence take us to ‘happenings’ we wish to expect we will not see. At the same time, be aware that he is not without hope as his brilliant colors and subject matter lead us to change at the top of this painting.”
Morrison, a deacon in the Episcopal Church and a board member of the Yaquina River Museum of Art, will give a talk about “The Venerable Lady of Korsun,” an icon created by Sherry Lynch of Portland’s Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.
The Yaquina River Museum of Art is located at 151 NE Alder Street, and will be open from noon to 4 pm both days. For more information, go to yaquinarivermuseumofart.org.
Across the street from the museum, Michael Gibbons’ Signature Gallery will be showing the late renowned regional artist’s original works, including “Iris and Roses,” a vibrant piece painted en plein air in Arizona. Like many of Gibbons’ works, the artist featured subject matter that depicted nature amongst or despite the manmade. “Iris and Roses” depicts an unruly collection of flowers in the foreground showing their rich hues against a rigid architectural background of adobe structures. The theme of nature entangling with manmade structures of dwelling or industry is featured throughout many of Gibbons’ works and can be seen in other featured paintings within the gallery.
Michael Gibbons’ Signature Gallery is located at 140 NE Alder Street and is open from noon to 4 pm both days. For more information, go to michaelgibbons.net.
Just up the way on Graham Street, Ivan Kelly Studio & Gallery will be open for the public to see the big game and maritime oil painter’s works. Included in his gallery are new pieces like “Surf Watching,” a dynamic painting showing Kelly’s ability to capture the glowing light of coastal landscapes. Although Kelly is usually more refined in his approach to coastal vistas, this work captures primordial movement from the craggy rocks to the tumultuous surf while also featuring the illumination of the sun through the waves, giving the ocean a transparent quality. Ivan Kelly Studio and Gallery, located at 207 E Graham Street, will be open from noon to 4 pm both days. For more information, go to visit ivankelly.com.
Down on Main Street, Crow’s Nest Gallery & Studio will feature the works of more than 15 artists. The gallery space run by assemblage artist Janet Runger always features new and exciting works for viewers to see. Watercolorist Tish Epperson’s work is a delight for all viewers. Often lighthearted in her work, she creates whimsical scenes of woodland creatures and humans alike living together in fantastical worlds of kaleidoscopic quality. The gallery also showcases works by Runger, found object assemblage art; Alice Haga, fused glass; Val Bolen, tile and ceramic pieces; Paula Teplitz, sculptural jellyfish mobiles; Jeff Gibford, digitally manipulated photographs; Veta Bakhtina, oil paintings; Sylvia Hosie, wildlife photography; and Susan Jones, woven fiber jellyfish. Crow’s Nest Gallery & Studio is located at 305 N. Main Street, open from 10 am to 5 pm both days.
As art lovers stroll along Main Street, they can also discover ART Toledo’s Phantom Galleries in three select locations. Recently, the City of Toledo launched an art revitalization initiative to promote Toledo’s art, industry and history. The resulting Phantom Galleries are an ART Toledo project that promotes available commercial building spaces on Main Street by exhibiting local art. For more information, go to ARTToledo.com.