“Autumn” watercolor by Bev Birdwell
Artists enjoy painting gourds and fall harvests for their rich symbolic meanings, vibrant colors, and compelling textures. These subjects serve as a metaphor for the cycles of life and offer artists engaging, organic forms to explore in still life compositions.
Bev Birdwell has called Vancouver, Washington, home for the past 32 years. During this time, she has had a painting studio, Arts Desire, where classes and workshops are held. She spent about 13 years as a staff teacher for Susan Scheewe Publications and has been teaching painting workshops at various art conventions in recent years.
Bev has published two instructional books titled “Garden Collection” and “Garden Collection 2” on painting in acrylic, watercolor, and oil, which have been well received. Bev was also one of the artists featured in the “Northwest Artists” coffee table book.
She went to Taiwan representing Martin F Weber/Susan Scheewe Acrylics on four different teaching trips at K Kingdom, each lasting 2-3 weeks, where she taught with Scheewe Acrylics and watercolors.
Bird Birdwell’s original works are represented in the Fairweather House and Gallery.
“Traveling” original watercolor
Birds migrate in the fall primarily to find food and survive cold temperatures. As winter approaches, food sources like fruits and seeds become scarce, and the days get shorter, making it difficult for birds to find enough to eat. Migrating to warmer climates allows them to access food.
The Pacific Flyway is used by a vast array of birds, including waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds. This major migration route stretches southward along the Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Patagonia. It is crucial for millions of birds traveling between overwintering grounds, with popular stopover sites in places like the Oregon Coast.
“Frit Tree” fused glass platter
Artists are inspired to create autumn works in glass for its vibrant colors and symbolic themes of change. The season’s rich palette of reds, oranges, and yellows offers striking visual appeal. At the same time, its cycle of decay can symbolize the theme of impermanence, evoking reflection.
Frit-infused glass is a term for glass created using frit (crushed glass) to add color, texture, or decorative patterns. This technique involves melting and fusing glass particles onto a base sheet of glass, resulting in designs that are part of the final product. The frit can be applied in various forms, from powder to coarse chunks, to achieve different artistic effects.
Infused glass coaster by Christine Downs
The Pacific Northwest is known for its significant glass artists. Portland artist Christine Downs pays homage to the area through her fused forms.
Downs says that although she has basic ideas for what her pieces will look like, it’s the unexpected results that excite her. “Some colors combine with others and react in various ways because of the chemicals in the pigments,” she says. “Or bubbles will form. I like to play with the colors and shapes, and this medium gives me the most inspiration.” She earned an art therapy degree and a master’s degree in special education., Downs divides her time between making her artwork and teaching special education.
“Glass basket” by Bob Heath
Oregon-based artist Bob Heath creates beautiful glass art that is both decorative and functional, using a variety of fusing techniques.
Bob has been working with glass for over 20 years. During that time, he has been privileged to work with and learn from many of the leading artists in the Art Glass field. He served for over 10 years on the board of directors of the Oregon Glass Guild, including two years as the organization’s president. He was selected as a finalist in the prestigious Bullseye Emerge Glass Competition, which is a bi-annual, international event to recognize and reward emerging glass artists.
Fairweather House and Gallery is pleased to represent the glass artworks by Bob Heath.
Fairweather House and Gallery
612 Broadway Street
In the Historic Gilbert District of downtown Seaside
Representing an exceptional group of regional artists for over nineteen years.
From traditional to transitional, contemporary to realism, and from Impressionism to emerging art.
