Coos Art Museum opens its galleries to new works by artists from Oregon: The CAM BIENNIAL and the People's Choice Award, October 10-December 6, 2008

I am happy to announce that I have three acrylic paintings on display at the Coos Art Museum in Coos Bay, OR as part of the CAM BIENNIAL: The Art of Oregon. Continuing the tradition of supporting contemporary Oregon artists, Coos Art Museum opens its galleries to new works by artists from around the state. The CAM Biennial provides Oregon artists an opportunity to exhibit their work within an art museum setting without the extensive jurying process. The artworks exhibited in the CAM Biennial range from paintings to photography, ceramics to glass, textiles to metals and more. Galleries will be covered from floor-to-ceiling with participants’ works, professional and amateur hung side-by-side. CAM Biennial 2008 will be displayed throughout all five of Coos Art Museum's Galleries from October 10 through December 6, 2008. Come to CAM and see The Art of Oregon.

Voting for a People's Choice Selection will be conducted by Museum visitors during the entire run of the exhibition through the closing at 4:00 pm on Saturday, December 6, 2008. The winner will be given a solo exhibition at CAM in 2009!

Two of my wine series, Wine on the Vine II and Wine on the Vine III are displayed on the wall facing the entrance to the main gallery and one of my succulents, Tequila Sunrise, is hanging in one of the two galleries upstairs. I don't happen to have any friends or family living near Coos Bay to cast votes for any of my paintings but I am hoping that enough visitors will vote for my red orange Wine on the Vine II painting. This surrealistic painting was conceived and executed entirely from my imagination. It is defined as surrealistic in that it involves the combination of images that would not normally be found together, as if in a dream. I'd say it's only slightly surrealistic because it's not too far from reality. The images of grapes growing inside wine bottles suspended from grape vines aren't normal but I think I've portrayed them in an almost believable fashion. The painting and it's predecessor, the original Wine on the Vine, have drawn a lot of favorable attention. You can preview this painting by clicking on my wine series of paintings.

It would be great to win the solo exhibit at the CAM in 2009! If any readers plan to visit the Coos Bay, OR area between Oct. 10 and December 6, 2008, I highly recommend checking out the artists of Oregon at the CAM and please vote for your favorite painting. The museum is located at 235 Anderson in Coos Bay, OR. Museum hours are Tues.-Fri., 10 am - 4 pm. Sat. 1 pm-4 pm. Closed Sun., Mon. & holidays. Group tours available upon request.