This is Sandy Brown Jensen, and you’re listening to Viz City, KLCC’s Arts Review Program.
This gorgeous summer weather is made for daytripping and getaways. I recently got to Astoria, which has quite the trending downtown. My top recommendation in Astoria is the Jim Fitzgerald exhibit called “A Banquet of Light” at the LightBox Gallery.
Jim Fitzgerald is an old school photographer who creates hand-crafted carbon transfer prints. Carbon transfer is one of those arcane processes invented in 1855.
I’ve had it explained to me, but what counts are the breath-taking results--photographs where the black surfaces are actually raised from the surface of the paper; they gleam and catch the light. “A Banquet of Light” is photographs of the redwood trees in California. The combination of big trees and strong black and white make this a must-see in Astoria.
Lincoln City has something pretty cool coming up, too. July 21-24 on the lawn of the Lincoln City Cultural Center, you can see a full half mile of landscape paintings, a project called “For the Seventh Generation.”
It is a panoramic mural featuring hundreds of paintings, each one two feet by four feet. This is part of the Oceans Festival Art Picnic on Saturday, July 24. In addition to the mega art project, there will be plein aire painting, live music, and food trucks. Talk about a great day trip for art--this event has everything.
Eugene and Springfield are also exploding with summer art. Take your out-of-town visitors to the Emerald Art Center. Upstairs in the gallery is a stunning photography show by PhotoZonemembers that I think is really worth slowing down to see carefully.
The juried show “Be Here Now” is another feast for the senses at the Maude Kerns Art Center and will be open through July 16.
On July 14, the Karin Clarke Gallery opens an exhibit showcasing the Eugene Biennial Award Winners one year later. The White Lotus opens June 18 what promises to be a very rich show called “Summer: Reflections of the Season.”
So pack a picnic and get out there and Daytrip for art.
This is Sandy Brown Jensen for KLCC.