“Life on the Edge” by Mary Burgess watercolor 21×21
About Mary Burgess artist:
Drawing on her travel experience and interest in nature, Mary Burgess expresses herself through watercolor painting. She is especially interested in the effect of light and shadow on her subjects. Each painting is started with a colorful wash, which acts to provide unity in the paintings and masterful color shifts reflect the subtleties found in nature. The paint is glazed, one lay over another to achieve a rich and complex color palette.
Burgess is a resident of Lake Oswego where she lives with her husband and a small flock of chickens.
Her work may be viewed a various regional shows in addition to the Fairweather House and Gallery. She is a member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon and Lake Area Artists. Burgess offers adult watercolor classes at the Village Gallery of Arts.
“Halfway Home” by Helen Brown rice paper and watercolor 25×32 framed.
Q: Rice paper, you say?
A: Yes, indeed. Rice paper is a product made of paper-like materials from different plants. It has been used for centuries in China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam for writing, artwork, and architecture. Rice Paper makes suitable support for drawing media like soft pastel. It can be used for drawing with subtle and well-developed tonal effects.
Helen Brown artist statement:
I enjoy the spontaneity of watercolor. When considering subjects to paint, I am attracted to those with interesting perspective, dramatic light and elements that are meaningful to me personally. Patterns and unique shapes are particularly interesting to me.
My watercolor in the Making Waves show is one in my solo 30-painting exhibit that occupied the Oregon Historical Society in Portland for four months in 2018 titled “My Journey with Lewis and Clark.” This painting is titled “Halfway Home” because when the explorers of the Corps of Discovery arrived at the Pacific Ocean, they were only halfway through their heroic journey. They had to retrace their steps back to St. Lewis, Missouri after finding that there was not a continuous water route to the sea from there. In Seaside, there are two reminders of this journey: the statue at the turnaround, and the salt works where they boiled salt out of seawater for their food.
The painting in this show is a watercolor batik; an age-old process normally used on silk, but I use ginwashi rice paper. As I paint each layer and let it dry, I protect colors and shapes by painting with molten wax. Since rice paper is very absorbant, the wax is needed to create a harder edge. I continue painting in this way until many layers of color have been applied. In the end, I iron out the wax so what is left is simply watercolor on rice paper.
Helen is a member of the Tumalo Art Co. (Bend’s Old Mill District), the High Desert Art League, Arts Central and the Watercolor Society of Oregon.
Fairweather House and Gallery
612 Broadway
MAKING WAVES
July 6- July 30
Fairweather’s July exhibition explores the deep, multifaceted relationship with the ocean.
Art for the exhibition, largely significant pieces include new original work, created entirely by North coast artists.
Featuring selected Fairweather artists: Blue Bond, Victoria Brooks, Paul Brent, Nick Brakel, Karen Doyle, Leah Kohlenberg, Karen Lewis, Emily Miller, Lee Munsell, Richard Newman, Ron Nicolaides, Jan Rimerman, Lisa Sofia Robinson, Peg Wells, Russell J. Young and Dale Veith.
Introducing artists Sharon Abbott-Furze, Phil Juttelstad, Mary Burgess and Helen Brown.
The range in the show reveals the extraordinary impact of the sea and waves.
Grace note:
“I enjoyed meeting you with Mary Burgess, at your gallery this last week. You mentioned that your next exhibit is about waves, so I thought I would send you an image and see if it is not too late to participate in this show.” Helen Brown
And, see, it was not too late to participate in Making Waves. On exhibit July 6- July 20.
Helen Brown is the sister of Mary Burgess.
Mary Burgess participated in the Ode to the Tides Art Show and Sale, Seaside edition, as an artist and a volunteer for the installation May 30.
http://www.fairweatherhouseandgallery.com