Shakin’ up the VAC
Chasse Davidson brings her vision to the Newport Visual Arts Center
By Leslie O’Donnell
For the TODAY
Building a community of local artists and an exhibit space for their work are key parts of Chasse Davidson’s focus as she takes the helm at the Newport Visual Arts Center.
From its perch at the Nye Beach turnaround, the city-owned arts center has been a calling card for both tourists and locals since it opened in 1983, and Davidson hopes to expand that role.
“I’d like to broaden the VAC’s involvement with different parts of the community and showcase and support local artists,” said Davidson, who began her new position in August. “I want to learn why things are the way they are and to hear what people in Newport want to see coming out of the VAC.”
Davidson, who has lived in Lincoln County since 2007 and in Newport since 2010, cites her membership on the VAC steering committee and her years as a practicing ceramic artist as valuable experience she brings to her new post.
She majored in studio art and minored in art history at Western Oregon University and also operated the former Clayworks in Toledo, where she ran the studio and taught classes in a “creative, community place.”
Looking back at her years with Clayworks, which closed during the COVID pandemic, she said, “I want local artists to have a home here. I hope my experience as a local artist will help me engage with other local artists.”
She is also eager to support youth arts education, whether it be the Oregon Coast Art Bus, studio classes or coordination with the Lincoln County School District.
Davidson found her calling in art while in high school, and said, “I want to create those opportunities (for youth) here.”
The VAC is managed by Oregon Coast Council for the Arts for the City of Newport, and director Jason Holland said he is excited to have Davidson on board.
“I like what she will be bringing to the organization,” he said, citing her work with Clayworks, as well as her teaching experience. “She has over 25 years of experience as a professional ceramic artist. There is a lot of energy and synergy going on, and I’m really excited.”
Although her new job will keep her busy, Davidson said she will continue making pottery in her home studio, albeit with a new focus. While inspired by nature, especially the coastal forests, Davidson is looking in a different direction.
“I’m really excited about being free to create my art in the direction I want, rather than what might sell in a gallery,” she said. “I’ve pulled out of all my galleries except Mossy Creek, and I’m excited about being able to teach ceramic artists in the area.”
In that vein, she and other ceramic artists on the coast are in the process of forming the Pacific Pottery Guild.
“There are a lot of us on the coast, and what would it mean if we worked together at the VAC?” she said, noting the success of the Paper Arts Festival held annually at the arts center. “That festival is a big thing and a huge draw for Newport. I’d like to see something similar for ceramics. By gathering with other ceramists in the area, we could come up with plans to use the VAC as a meeting place. The Paper Arts Festival brings people to Newport from outside the area to engage with local artists. The possibilities are exciting, and people can become more connected to the VAC.”
While the schedule for the center’s Runyan Gallery is full until August, the smaller galleries will be on Davidson’s radar in the coming months. And she hopes to use the facility’s Coastal Oregon Visual Artists’ Showcase space for three-dimensional art.
“There are not a lot of showcase opportunities in Newport for art,” she said. “When local artists can’t find that kind of space, it can be very frustrating. Being an artist here and trying to find ways to support yourself and sell your art is hard.”
Davidson hopes to find a way for the center to step in and showcase local art in all of its galleries, and said she frequently hears that people want to see more local art on display.
She’s also contemplated dividing the Runyan Gallery in two for some shows — utilizing the large space to showcase more than one artist at a time. And she is a proponent of moving gallery openings back to Friday evenings, complete with music and refreshments.
“If we want local artists to be able to sell their work, they need to have people come and see their work,” she said.
The Newport Visual Arts Center, located at 777 NW Beach Drive, is open Wednesdays through Sundays from noon to 4 pm. For more information, go to coastarts.org or call 541-265-6540.