Columbia Art Gallery in Hood River, Oregon announces its September Exhibition, “Pacific Northwest Plein Air 2009, Painting Outdoors from the Mountains to the Sea” featuring 32 Regional Artists.  This year’s 5th Annual Pacific Northwest Plein Air exhibit focuses on paintings and about our natural surroundings. The artists for this event are dedicated to the historic tradition of painting directly from life. Through this approach of firsthand observation, they capture atmospheric conditions, light, and beautiful scenery that surrounds us all. The public is invited to the artists’ reception and show opening on Friday, September 4, from 6 - 8pm. The show will continue through September 27. 

I will not be showing and selling work at the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts at George Rogers Park this year; however, my 48 x 36 painting "River Song" will be exhibited and available for sale in the "Artist's Vision Juried Show" in the main hall of the Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S. State Street, Lake Oswego.

   The Mary Lou Zeek Gallery has created a unique show allowing the public to view contemporary art throughout historic Downtown Salem. I, along with 22 other Northwest artists, was invited to "creatively-infuse" a standard wooden door with my own interpretation for the show. This is the fourth year for this award-winning show, and it has become a true Salem favorite. 
   The gallery and seventeen participating businesses will present the doors during the month-long show, including a self-guided, door-to-door walking tour. The show will open on Tuesday, May 5th and run through Sunday, May 31st, with an artist's reception set for First Wednesday, May 6th. Walking tour brochures will be available at the Zeek Gallery, Travel Salem, and all participating businesses.

During the month of February, the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery will be presenting "Inside-Out, Educating Without Boundaries" the 6th annual 100 Artists show. Participating artists received a book through the mail and were asked to use this as their starting point for their piece of art, with a completed maximum size of 8" x 8". Each book was sent "as is", and was not packaged, but rather processed directly by the postal service firsthand. The stamps and addresses on the back will remain a part of the artwork for identification and for evidence of the actual mailing. The public will be able to bid on their favorite artwork. Friends of Pimpollo, this years non-profit organization that will benefit from the sales of these books, is dedicated to serving the needs of underprivileged youth and their families. Go to www.zeekgallery.com for a preview.

Plein air artists paint the Columbia River Gorge landscape, exhibit at Columbia Center for the Arts, Hood River, Oregon.