I have a couple of art events to add to your summer fun. First up is a Saturday Session at the Don Dexter Gallery this Saturday, May 31 at 1:00 pm, our only Indigenous-owned gallery. You’ll meet Native artist Don Bailey and see his big canvases in a show called “Tell Me a Story.”
Born on the Hoopa Valley Reservation in Northern California, Don Bailey’s art begins on Indian Land, where the past is always present. As a child, he drew stories of his landscape and ancestors. When his family moved off the reservation, he encountered new narrative like stories sung by Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash, told by Native activists, and painters like Van Gogh.
One of my favorites is “Two Spirit.” A Native person stands wrapped in an orange and white striped blanket. On either side, crow-like imps on stools elongate their beaks, each whispering into a separate ear. One holds a black umbrella, the other a beach umbrella. Work or play? Ah, decisions, decisions!
Next stop is Dot Dotson’s, where Photography at Oregon’s annual exhibit and auction is in full swing. The art will rotate, but there will be something yummy to see there all through May and June. There are no real prices—you see what you like, then bid on it. You win some, you lose some, but it’s free to play and always a great venue to see remarkable photography.
While you’re out and about on Saturday, there’s a really rare opportunity to visit the open studio of Blunt Graffix at 3709 W. 1st Street in Eugene, all day 10 to 5. Expect amazing screen prints in bold colors and shapes.
That’s a wrap for this week’s Viz City. Get out there and enjoy some art!
