Eclectic mix of 3D art feature in gallery show

Located in the Columbia Arts building in downtown Hood River, the show opens on Friday, March 3, and runs through Sunday, April 2. The public is invited to the artist reception on Friday, March 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. Hors d'oeuvres will be served.

A wide variety of shapes and textures, both hard and soft, and colors both bold and soothing are the common threads that hold this uncommon show together.

Heather Marlow, White Salmon, curator for the show, says: "People who love art that's uncommon...but art that "feels good" in their homes and gardens...these are the people who would get the most out of this show."

Dawn Elle from Maupin, Ore., will be displaying highly stylized ceramic pieces that are likely to start a conversation in any home. Glazed in shiny, bright colors, Elle describes her art as "combining both fun and function."

Tom Herrera, Mosier, Ore, will be displaying whimsical pieces of garden art, which combine steel, recycled metal objects, glass and various types of lighting.

He says: "If I see people smile when they look at my art, I feel I've done my job as an artist."

Marlow specializes in a new and non-conventional medium known as silk fusion. The focus of her work is on creating richly colored, sculpted pieces that stand out and say "look at me." She says she feels successful when her art ends up not just in delighting the senses, but also in "engaging the viewer in an exploration of the boundaries between two and three dimensions."

Melody Robichaud, Hood River, Ore, who specializes in mixed media, says she wants her art to "stir people's spirits."Her art awakens a sense of something wonderful and magical in people...something outside the ordinary. Her entry into the show titled "Choice" is a good example. It's a piece that stems from the old-wives tale of "Counting Crows" where one crow is for sorrow, two are for joy. Robichaud says that "Choice" calls on us to decide whether we will choose joy or sorrow in our lives.

Zewei (Willa) O'Connor, who lived in Hood River until two years ago, and who now lives in Salem, Ore., was born in Shanghai, China. A student of Chinese painting for many years, she now focuses on textile art, and has won numerous awards for her work. One of her most notable awards was the coveted first place prize in the New York Quilt Festival.

Dave Sherburne, Trout Lake, makes a variety of "uncommon" common objects, including tables, lamps and water features, out of a mix of media, including concrete, steel, ceramics, glass and "found" objects. His pieces range from traditional to humorous to abstract.

Marlow sums up the show by saying: "These are some of the most "tactile" sensitive people I know. We all love the feel that working in our respective media gives us, but just as important, we want people to be fascinated by what we do, and to make what we do a part of them."