Toledo’s First Weekend Event in June to Feature “Something Old, Something New”
On Saturday and Sunday, June 1 and 2, Janet Runger and Keith LaMarr, who recently opened Things Found Marcantile and Gallery on Main Street in Toledo, will be the featured artists for Toledo’s monthly First Weekend event. June’s theme is “Something Old, Something New,” which is a perfect fit for the innovative artwork made from found objects that is found inToledo’s newest gallery.
Janet Runger and Keith LaMarr have interest in collecting old things. They have taken these old things and made art out of their found objects. Janet does assemblage art using various found items to make surreal, whimsical, and unusual art sculptures. Keith turns watch parts, metal objects and jewels into steampunk jewelry. Their work is displayed in their new store, which has hundreds of items artists can use in their own assemblages and mixed media art. A sewing section includes fabrics and buttons. The kitchen section has old kitchen things, such as silverware, that artists can use. The art section offers many art and scrapbook supplies, as well as a mixed media library where you can sit and get ideas. Muffin tins hold hundreds of items such as beads, bones, game pieces, and many other doodads. You can find all sorts of rusty items in the rusty metal section. Fly-fishing gear is an added bonus. Come to Things Found Mercantile and Gallery to not only see the artwork, but also for items similar to those found in the artwork that you can purchase to create your own art.
The Yaquina River Museum of Art, official sponsor for Toledo’s annual Art Walk event, is getting ready for the event’s big 20th anniversary celebration this year on Labor Day Weekend, August 31-September 2, with guest artist Rick Bartow. The Permanent Collection of the Museum will be shown through July. Refreshments will be served by the Friends of the Museum, and the Museum will be open from 11 to 5 each day of First Weekend. It is regularly open noon to 4:00 pm Wednesday through Sunday. The School House (Circa 1887) Exhibit and Office space is located at 151 NE Alder Street in the Uptown Arts District. For more information, call (541) 336-1907 or email yrmaoffice@questoffice.net.
Join Michael Gibbons as he shows his paintings of the past, as well as new work. The
artist works exclusively in oil. He works plein air (outdoors on location) and is presently beginning a new series in Shreiner’s Iris Garden, Gervais. Wine and cheese refreshment will be served in the gallery. Gallery Michael Gibbons is located at the 1926 Vicarage, 140 NE Alder Street and will be open from 11-5 Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call (541) 336-2797 or email michaelgibbonsart@charter.net or see www.michaelgibbons.net.
Join Ivan Kelly during first weekend when he will be honoring his 20th Studio-Gallery Anniversary with an artist reception, featuring new coastal on-location oil paintings. “U.S.G.C.- COWSLIP”, a 20 x 30 oil painting juried into the Allied Artists of America 85th National exhibit at the National Art Club, New York, NY, in 1998 and also included in the Ivan Kelly “Featured Artist Exhibit” for the 5th Regional A.S.M.A. exhibit held at the CoosBayArt Museum. In June, it will be included in the Grand Opening of the Pacific Heritage and Maritime Center Art Show. Ivan has been a “Signature Member” of the American Society of Marine Artists since 2000 and his marine paintings have been included in several national and international shows since then. Open Saturday, June 1st, 11:00 am – 5:00 pm and June 2nd, 12:30 – 5:00 pm at Ivan Kelly Gallery-Studio, 207 East Graham Street, Toledo (one block above Main Street). (541) 336-1124, www.ivankelly.com / info@ivankelly.com.
Becky Miller Studio will be closed this month as she will be spending the weekend celebrating her son’s high school graduation with family.
Heather Fortner will be following through with a recurrent them in her work. She is interpreting the “something old, something new” theme by combining gyotaku from previous years with new gyotaku, or printed seaweeds. Featured will be a school of Coho Salmon. She printed the largest salmon about eight years ago in Sarasota, Florida (he had been a donation from Oregon Fish and Wildlife), and then this last January she found a smaller coho washed up on Moolack Beach and she has printed him with the larger coho for the perfect combination. Old fish, new fish, dead fish, red fish. Heather Fortner’s studio is located in the Floweree Community Center.