A collaborative effort of four artists, well known in the Gorge, has resulted in an awesome exhibit at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center in Stevenson.
The exhibit, "Images of the Northwest," features the work of Debby Neely of Woodland, Trudy Woods of Longview, Judy Vader Maten of Cathlamet, and Brad Lorang of Cascade Locks.
Neely is best known for her wood cuts, but for this show she is displaying watercolors and pastels. She has a bachelor's degree from Ohio State University and a master's from San Jose State University. Neely often teaches workshops for all age levels and continues to teach at the Creative Arts Community residential summer arts workshops at Menucha.
Her favorite subject matter is primarily local birds, fish and mammals. Salmon are her preferred subject matter for her wood cuts. However, for this show, Neely has chosen to focus on birds in watercolors and landscapes in pastels. Her expertise in painting birds was confirmed by being commissioned to paint thirteen bird portraits for the Willapa Hills Audubon Society for an interpretive sign at Lake Sacajawea in Longview. The sign was installed early this year.
Vander Maten received a bachelor's degree from Iowa State University and is currently the photography instructor in the art department of the Lower Columbia College, Longview. Her work experience includes being a photojournalist as well as teaching photography and media arts to all age levels.
Vander Matern is a transplant from the Midwest and has lived in the Northwest since 1980 and in Cathlamet since 1987. Canoeing and kayaking give her a personal and up-close view of the Columbia and put her in contact with all the seasonal and wildlife changes. She tries to capture what is unique to the river. She has added to her resume the honor of being published in the AAA-VIA Magazine and the Alaska Sportsfishing Expeditions brochures and web site.
Her contributions to the exhibit include prints from slides, prints from negatives, and archival pigment prints or digital prints. More of her work can be enjoyed at The Broadway Gallery in Longview and at the River Sea Gallery in Astoria.
Woods most enjoys making pottery that people like to use. The relationship between form and function is fascinating to her in that it relates to a recurring theme in another favorite subject of study: biology.
She received a bachelor's degree in biology from Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. She earned her master's in teaching from the Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill. She became a full time studio potter in 1978 after spending several years doing it part time. In 1992, Woods began working part time as director of The Art Gallery at Lower Columbia College and in 2000, she started teaching ceramics classes at Lower Columbia. Her work has been influenced by two African art exhibits at The Art Gallery as well as by a special project involving five other artists which they called WaterMarks. The influence was a very positive one in that her work now seems more energized and alive. Wood's pottery is a very inspiring and beautiful addition to the exhibit.
Lorang is the fourth artist involved in the new exhibit. You could say he was an artist since childhood in that he carved his first sculpture, a bust of his father, out of Gorge sandstone. He was 10 at the time. Born in The Dalles, Lorang spent most of his early years painting and drawing. By age 13, he was commissioned to paint a mural. His professional career began in the early 1970s as a graphic artist and illustrator.
His formal schooling included the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif. In 1976, Lorang began working with bronze casting and sculpting. He has worked with several foundries and has certainly perfected his skills as a patina artist. (Patina is the chemical coloring applied to a metal art work.) His talents have been recognized by several national companies including Quality Collectibles and Chesapeake Reproductions.
Lorang has been commissioned to portrait busts of presidents, historic figures, sport stars and famous singers. Examples of his work can be seen in most Presidential Libraries, The Smithsonian, The Confederate Museum and the Flight & Space Center.
In 2003, Lorang added a new skill, steel wall sculpture. His full color, three dimensional wall pieces depict the Gorge, mountains and wildlife scenes. Currently his work can be found at Primary Elements, Cannon Beach, Ore.; the Columbia River Gallery in Troutdale; Lorang Fine Art Gallery in Cascade Locks; and at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum. His wall sculptures add the final touch to the short term art gallery exhibit.
The staff and volunteers refer to the exhibit as "the awesome four-some."
The closing date is the last week of September.
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