First things first this holiday season
As winter approaches, the mill town of Toledo sparkles with color along its streets. So too, does the arts community celebrate the changing of the season with its monthly First Weekend celebration, taking place this Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 2 and 3.
The Yaquina River Museum of Art will showcase “Promise,” a Christmas show of craft art from Latin America and Europe. The show features antique and modern pieces from Colombia, Guatemala, Peru and Ecuador alongside European icons, all from the collection of Judy Gibbons.
Visitors to the museum can also see a range of hand-carved Celtic-style wood Christmas ornaments by Portland-based artist Rusty Brown, cousin of museum founder Michael Gibbons.
Brown will deliver a talk about his work at 1:30 pm on Saturday. Christmas goodies and wine will be served.
The museum is located at 151 NE Alder Street, open from noon to 4 pm on both days of First Weekend. For details, go to yaquinarivermuseumofart.org or call 541-336-1907.
Across the street from the museum, Michael Gibbons Signature Gallery will display Gibbons’ “Soap Creek School,” the only available oil painting from a series of six the late artist painted on site just outside Corvallis. Reproductions are available as limited-edition prints and mugs for sale in the Signature Gallery.
Located at 140 NE Alder Street, the gallery is open from noon to 4 pm both days. For details, go to michaelgibbons.net or call 541-336-2797.
Just up the way, Ivan Kelly Studio & Gallery will feature the seascape “Driftwood, Cape Meares,” along with many of Kelly’s other maritime and big game paintings. Kelly paints plein air for most of his work and this particular scene on the Oregon Coast is intriguing in the mystery of access through driftwood to the sea.
Ivan Kelly Studio & Gallery is located at 207 E Graham Street, open from noon to 4 pm both days. For details, go to ivankelly.com or call 541-336-1124.
Down on Main Street, the Crow’s Nest Gallery continues a tradition of showing artwork by 15 artists from around the area. Owned by assemblage artist Janet Runger, the gallery space is filled with exciting work by artists including Tish Epperson, a watercolorist; Val Bolen, tile and ceramic pieces; Alice Haga, fused glass; Paula Teplitz, sculptural jellyfish mobiles; Jeff Gibford, digitally manipulated photographs; Veta Bakhtina, oil paintings and muralist; Sylvia Hosie, wildlife photography; and Susan Jones, woven fiber jellyfish.
Located at 305 N Main Street, Crow’s Nest Gallery is open from 10 am to 5 pm both days. For details, call 541-207-8088.