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About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 31, 2020)
2 Wednesday, December 31, 2020 GO! magazine — A&E in Northeast Oregon Art shows open on the fi rst day of 2021 BAKER CITY — January’s First Friday art walk in downtown Baker City is on New Year’s Day. Three art galleries will be open with new shows to usher in 2021. Crossroads Crossroads Carnegie Art Center, 2020 Auburn Ave., will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. with “Mug Shots,” a display showcasing private collections of mugs collected from local, regional and national artists. The idea was inspired by Terri Axness and Debbie Penning. Al- though items in the show aren’t for sale, Crossroads will have an inventory of mugs that will be available to purchase. “Our goal is to inspire patrons to begin their own collection of functional artwork,” said Crystal Rainwater, community art direc- tor. “Some ceramic artists may not normally create mugs in their practice and this is an opportunity for ceramic artists to break out of their comfort zone and do a limited series of mugs, a collector’s item for fans.” Included with “Mug Shots” will be recipes available for patrons to take home and test out in their new collectible mug. Popular dishes from restaurants and traditional family recipes have been gathered especially for this show. After 5 p.m., access to the build- ing is through the Second Street entrance. Patrons must sign in and will be entered for a gift certifi cate drawing to the Eltrym Theatre. Crossroads will be closed on Saturday, Jan. 2. “Mug Shots” runs through January. Royal Artisan Pat Val Alstyne is the featured artist for January at Royal Artisan, 1912 Main St. Van Alstyne was born in Cali- fornia in 1946. From an early age she was interested in art but only Submitted image The Royal Artisan is featuring the work of local artist Pat Van Alstyne. Her show opens Friday, Jan. 1, during the First Friday art walk. found time to pursue her interest of watercolor painting after mov- ing to the Eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains in 1985. She lived in Mammoth Lakes, California, for 15 years, then moved to Carson City, Nevada, in the year 2000, living only a short distance from the great, rugged Sierra Mountains. After retiring in 2007, Pat and her husband moved to Baker City. She has taken art courses and attended workshops from diverse instructors over the years and will always be an art student — however, she considers herself a mostly self-taught artist. Most of her pictures are created from photos she takes of the landscapes and animals found in nature. She especially enjoys plein air painting when the weather permits. Churchill Hall Pass Gallery Brian Vegter will feature a va- riety of his paintings at Churchill Hall Pass Gallery, 3451 Broadway St. The show will be open 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 1. Vegter’s exhibit is a collection of dog paintings and portraits of musicians. Half of all portrait sales will go to the musician portrayed in the painting. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been crazy about dogs,” Vegter said. “Now I make my living creating pictures of my favorite creatures. There’s nothing I’d rather depict than a dog. I get so much joy from just being around them.” In 2003, he walked away from a successful career in television and video production to focus on paint- ing and his passion for dogs. The move “has been more cre- atively satisfying than I could have ever imagined,” he said. “Capturing the essence of my subject is the focus of the commission work I do, but (I also focus on) movement, light and color.” When he moved to Oregon from New York City, his goals were to open a gallery and continue to grow as an artist. “Oregon has nurtured my cre- ativity and fostered a commitment to the art community in Baker City where I live,” he said. In 2008, he and his wife, Corrine Vegter, a sculptor, built the Dusty Dog Studio and Gallery. For 10 years Vegter and fellow artist Tom Novak ran the Short Term Gallery, a cooperative gallery on Main Street that represented more than 40 regional artists. Now he and Corrine run the Hall Pass Gallery at Churchill. “I’ve been infl uenced by other Oregon artists to try new things creatively in both medium and style,” he said. “The newest style I call ‘Abstract Representationalism,’ (which) focuses on abstract back- grounds with realistically rendered main subjects.” He said living in Eastern Oregon has helped him realize the goals he set after leaving New York City. “Dogs infl uence my work with gesture and movement, and the abstract backgrounds let me play with color in a way I might not have done had I stayed in New York,” he said. When he’s not painting, he’s working on a preservation project at Churchill or pulling shots of espresso at Sweet Wife Baking. The cover of this week’s GO! features one of Vegter’s portraits. Be safe, wear masks, stay distanced: we will get through this. Thank you. Mae Specializing in HOMETOWN Real Estate Keisha Anderson Real Estate Agent OPEN for private classes only. Please call 541.519.8802 to schedule. Or, email mbybakercity@gmail.com 541.910.8827 1923 Court Ave, Baker City, Oregon www.johnjhoward.com (541) 519-8802 Mobile App WEEKEND OUTLOOK FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY High 39 Low 34 High 41 Low 38 High 43 Low 33 Bit of rain, snow A shower possible A shower possible
