This piece consists of a gold, inverted cornucopia shape that is suspended from the ceiling and a round, inlaid piece in the floor that relates to what appears to be representation of items that might be found in the cornucopia., Clark Wiegman; cornucopia, http://artifacture.org/, The Oregon Arts Commission has ten Regional Arts Councils that provide delivery of art services and information. The Council for this location is: Mid-Valley Arts. You may visit their website at: http://www.oregonlink.com/arts/index.html
A geometric composition that utilizes thick brush strokes to create wavy lines and texture in the surface of the paint. This piece is rendered in pink, red, yellow, orange, and black. Predominant shapes include triangles and rectangles., James B Thompson; 1992; A mystery desired and sought; V, (1996) James Thompson was born in Chicago, Il. He attended Ripon College, receiving a BA in Art/Art History and MFA from Washington University, School of Fine Arts, St. Louis, MO. He taught at Ripon College, University of Alaska and has been a Professor of, jthompso@willamette.edu, http://www.willamette.edu/cla/art/faculty/thompson/, The Oregon Arts Commission has ten Regional Arts Councils that provide delivery of art services and information. The Council for this location is: Mid-Valley Arts. You may view their website at: http://www.oregonlink.com/arts/index.html
This piece consists of painted ceramic tile that has been laid into the concrete of the courtyard in a wide spiral pattern., Betsy Wolfston; orchard ct 2002, http://www.buttersgallery.com/Artist-Detail.cfm?ArtistsID=417, The Oregon Arts Commission has ten Regional Arts Councils that provide delivery of art services and information. The Council for this location is: Linn-Benton Arts. You may view their website at: http://www.artcentric.org/
A mixed media construction loosely depicting shape and color., Angelita Stover; scatsong no. 7; 1980; 22x29.5 inches; mixed media on handmade paper; state printer, The Oregon Arts Commission has ten Regional Arts Councils that provide delivery of art services and information. The Council for this location is: Mid-Valley Arts. You may view their website at: http://www.oregonlink.com/arts/index.html
Egyptian iconography and two human forms intermingle in some sort of drama that takes place over the top of what appears to be collaged shreds of hand-written documents. The written text reads, "You will see the Sun and Moon shining at noon then the gods will appear in the sky and the shades of the departed will walk again upon earth.", Magician's Tale #2; mixed media; 1998, My recent works on paper are inspired by alchemical manuscripts. The alchemists documented their labors in enigmatic texts in which chemical procedures, cosmology and myths are woven together into fantastic allegories. Similarly in my paintings I use imagery of birds, beasts, plants and minerals as symbols of the process of transformation, As an artist I view alchemy as a metaphor for the creative process in which there is progressive transformation and refinement of materials, imagery and ultimately consciousness. In alchemy and art alike the creative imagination is the vital agent of change. The alchemists described their labors as an "art". Like the alchemist I attempt to use physical processes as a mirror of inner experience. The materials become "transmuted" from their initially inert state through creative and chaotic struggle into a new synthesis. In my painting I use physical processes of dissolution, evaporation, heat and gravity which remind me of the alchemist's use of the elements of water, air, fire and earth. Humor is an important element of my work. Likewise humor and paradox were not unknown to the alchemist. The texts abound with cryptic riddles meant to befuddle the literal-minded and catalyze intuitive insight. Hermes, the Greek god of wisdom, was the patron of alchemists and also the trickster who could lead his followers on a search to find "fools gold". Anyone who embarks on a potentially quixotic search to find the elixir of immortality should have plenty of humor and humility to sustain themselves! The homunculus, a human-like creature nurtured in a glass vessel was reputed to have been created in the alchemical laboratory. In the novel "Frankenstein" the renegade doctor studies the writings of Paracelsus, the swiss alchemist, before creating his monster. I see the homunculus as a metaphor for modem technology with all its wonders and potential horrors. The series of "Homunculus" sculptures which utilize remnants of household appliances and found objects explores this theme in a whimsical fashion. The alchemist searched for the "gold of the philosophers"-philosophical wisdom. In their pursuit of nature's secrets they combined scientific experimentation with a mystical quest for illumination. Their holistic view of the universe viewed matter and consciousness as a continuum, anticipating recent developments in physics. Alchemy is the ancestor of modem science; perhaps there is something that can be learned from its legacy? I am inspired artistically by the beauty of the texts and their insights into the mysteries of creation. Hopefully my own fanciful creations convey something of the spirit of that tradition. (Nez, 1998), http://www.augengallery.com/Artists/nez.html, The Oregon Arts Commission has ten Regional Arts Councils that provide delivery of art services and information. The Council for this location is Lane Arts. You may view their website at http://www.lanearts.org
This piece is one of four seasonally-related collagraph prints. Green, blue, and yellow textured paper with white dotted lines are highlighted throughout the piece. One dark blue triangle is on the left side and one light blue triangle is located on the right side. In the middle on the left side is a black and white abstract image., Four Seasons Spring; #6-10; 1991; 30x40 inches; collagraph print with mixed media; James B. Thompson, (1996) James Thompson was born in Chicago, Il. He attended Ripon College, receiving a BA in Art/Art History and MFA from Washington University, School of Fine Arts, St. Louis, MO. He taught at Ripon College, University of Alaska and has been a Professor of, The Oregon Arts Commission has ten Regional Arts Councils that provide delivery of art services and information. The Council for this location is: Mid-Valley Arts. You may view their website at: http://www.oregonlink.com/arts/index.html
This photograph of a section of sidewalk incorporates drawn elements that aid in the translation of sidewalk as landscape., Andrea Benson; Sidewalk Landscape #4; '88; State Office Building- Portland (Geology Dept.), http://www.andreabenson.com/, The Oregon Arts Commission has ten Regional Arts Councils that provide delivery of art services and information. The Council for this location is: Regional Arts & Culture. You may view their website at http://www.racc.org/
A mixed media art rendering of a cityscape photograph. Acrylic and colored pencil were used to create a sketchy look and to make it more abstract. This is the second of two images of the same artwork. In this piece, compared to the duplicate, the objects are more apparent and detailed., Cityscape #2; MaryAnn Johns; Photography; 11 x 14, The Oregon Arts Commission has ten Regional Arts Councils that provide delivery of art services and information. The Council for this location is: Mid-Valley Arts. You may view their website at: http://www.oregonlink.com/arts/index.html
A floral tapastry print in tones of blue, black, gray, and white. There is an orange and black floral border. The inside of the print shows gray birds hovering over gray flowers, all set against a black background. Some of the flowers have blue and white outlinings., John Jay Cruson; Spring Tapestry; justice building, Jon Jay Cruson is a N.W. artist who grinds, draws, etches, and pulls his own prints from the lithographic stone - on a hand cranked late 1800's press. He is one of the few lithographic printmakers that has his own studio - and does the complete printing process by himself. He is also noted on the West Coast for his paintings. (Unknown, 1987), http://www.wlotus.com/JonJayCruson/default.htm, The Oregon Arts Commission has ten Regional Arts Councils that provide delivery of art services and information. The Council for this location is: Mid-Valley Arts. You may view their website at: http://www.oregonlink.com/arts/index.html