Toledo’s art scene rocks
As the warm summer days stretch into August and colors continue to bloom along the streets of Toledo, the riverfront town once again ushers in a new month with First Weekend, an opportunity for artists and the general public to meet and have a look at what’s new within its galleries and studios.
At the Yaquina River Museum of Art, the Schoolhouse Exhibit space continues its final installment of “Toledo Treasures,” through Aug. 14. The exhibit is a selection of 13 works from the Permanent Collection depicting iconic views of buildings, roads and landscapes found within Toledo. The artists featured in this exhibition represent a wide variety of styles and techniques used to interpret their subjects. From a random growth of native flowers or leaves of grass or from a Main Street corner building to the Georgia-Pacific Mill, these artists have found their inspiration almost anywhere.
The Yaquina River Museum of Art is located at 151 NE Alder Street and will be open on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 pm. For more information, go to yaquinarivermuseumofart.org.
Across the street at Michael Gibbons’ Signature Gallery, original paintings by the late renowned artist will be on display for gallery-goers. The featured work for the month of August is “Summer Afternoon at Salishan,” a painting that perfectly captures a summer day by the seashore on the Oregon Coast. The foggy marine layer obscures the blue sky with soft light as the sun still catches the waves, making them glitter.
The Michael Gibbons’ Signature Gallery is located at 140 NE Alder Street and is open on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 pm. For more information, go to michaelgibbons.net.
Just up the way on Graham Street, Ivan Kelly Studio & Gallery features Kelly’s coastal landscapes and maritime paintings. Kelly’s paintings often capture dramatic light across his scenes as shown in “Yaquina Cliffs.” The dawn scene glows as the sun casts its easterly light across the hills and rock formations, making the seawater reflect a green hue. Kelly has been an awarded Signature Member of the American Society of Marine Artists since 2000.
Ivan Kelly Studio is located at 207 East Graham Street and is open on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 pm. For more information, go to ivankelly.com.
Down on Main Street, Crow’s Nest Gallery and Studio will be featuring the works of 15 artists. The gallery space run by assemblage artist Janet Runger always features new and exciting works for viewers to see. Painter Veta Bakhtina’s work is shown prominently in the gallery and is a feast for the eyes. Her detailed pieces bring viewers along a journey, making admirers feel as though they’ve stepped into a fairytale. Other featured artists at Crow’s Nest include Alice Haga, fused glass; Val Bolen, tile and ceramic pieces; Paula Teplitz, sculptural jellyfish mobiles; Jeff Gibford, digitally manipulated photographs; Tish Epperson, watercolors; Sylvia Hosie, wildlife photography and Susan Jones, woven fiber jellyfish.
Crow’s Nest Gallery and Studio is located at 305 N. Main Street and is open on Saturday and Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.