Artist, Sandi Whetzel Featured at SUVA Gallery: Gala Grand Opening Celebration in Canyonville, OR, March 5, 2010

Earth, Wind, Fire 30x24 acrylic ©Sandi Whetzel

SUVA Gallery, (South Umpqua Valley Arts) is the new tourist attraction located in downtown Canyonville, Oregon at 525 Main Street.  The First Friday Artist Reception and Grand Opening Celebration of SUVA Gallery is Friday evening, March 5, 2010, from 5-8 pm at the SUVA Gallery.  Refreshments, Hors d'oeuvres and  live jazz music will be served  against the backdrop of amazing art by some of the area's local artisans.  This is a great opportunity to take in the art and meet the artists, while celebrating  the opening of the gallery.   SUVA Gallery's normal business hours are 10 am-5:30 pm, Tuesdays -  Saturdays. For information, call 541-839-4282.

The Bead Mecca, next door to SUVA Gallery, will also be open the night of SUVA's opening and is having a 25% off sale.  Bead Mecca is a retail Bead Store committed to providing quality beads and beading supplies with superior customer service.  They offer a creative and supportive environment for learning the art of beading and jewelry making with free tutorials and beading tips. You can visit Bead Mecca's website here . That makes two storefronts brimming with creativity and curiosity, side by side on Main Street, Canyonville.

A number of artists are represented in SUVA Gallery.  Among them is Sandi Whetzel of Days Creek, just 10 minutes from the gallery.  As you walk into the gallery, Whetzel's vividly colored abstract works nearly pop off the wall opposite the entry door.  Her current exhibit is in keeping with the focus of the gallery: contemporary craft that makes you feel good--Colorful, whimsical and nature inspired.  Her current exhibit is all of that and more.  Anchoring her graceful, playful abstract series of dancing trees is a a larger painting of a curvaceous trio of trees swaying in the wind; rooted in a brilliantly colored swell of earth and silhouetted against a scarlet blazing sunset. It lives up to its title, Earth, Wind, Fire.  It is a painting that stimulates your senses.

Sandi is excited to be involved with SUVA Gallery which is practically in her back yard.  She will be hosting the gallery on the first Saturday of each month as her schedule permits in between other exhibitions.  "I always enjoy meeting the art viewers, getting their feedback about my work and answering any questions they have.  This will be a unique opportunity to meet new people and be involved with the sales process in a completely different venue.  How many artists get to be part of the gallery experience?  I hope to learn a lot in the process," Whetzel stated.  "It is exciting to think that Canyonville may become an even more popular hub of tourism.  Canyonville needs a gallery to entertain visitors from Seven Feathers Casino and RV Resorts that border our town and to contribute to the culture of our community.  This is a great opportunity to help Canyonville prosper, " Sandi continues.

Canyonville is a small historic town in Oregon, located 98 miles North of the California border and 25 miles South of Roseburg on the I-5 Corridor  With easy access off and on the freeway, Canyonville is the perfect stopping point for travelers.  Stroll down Main Street through the historic and picturesque downtown and shop for antiques and gifts, or visit Pioneer Park.  The quaint 4 block downtown has a nice mix of retail and service businesses, including a Post Office, Bank and restaurants.  Canyonville is a pedestrian and bicycle friendly community.  The charming city is also home to Seven Feathers Casino and RV Resort.  Seven Feathers is a luxurious resort, Indian casino and versatile conference center.  The RV Resort offers a quiet and pristine setting for RV guests, located in Southern Oregon's beautiful "Land of the Umpqua".

Earth, Wind, Fire: A Painting to Stimulate your Senses

Earth, Wind, Fire 24x30 Acrylic
Originally uploaded by sandiwhetzel

I am happy to report that this painting is hanging in the Coos Art Museum at present from April 26, 2008 through July 5, 2008 as part of the Expressions West 2008 Exhibit in Coos Bay, Oregon. Over 200 artists from the thirteen states of the western United States, including Alaska and Hawaii submitted over 400 painting images to be juried by Gary Faigin, the juror for the exhibit. Faigin is the Artistic Director and co-founder of Gage Academy of Art in Seattle. He is the monthly art critic on Seattle’s NPR station, KUOW. A retrospective of his paintings was presented at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle in July and August of 2001. Faigin selected 65 paintings by 60 artists to be included in the exhibit. I was very glad to be among the artists accepted into the show. You can tour the entire exhibit by visiting this link: http://www.coosart.org/expressions/expressions_entries_index2008.html

The inspiration for this painting came from a photo of a very washed out, almost entirely pale green wooded scene on flat ground. Because I admire the grandeur of gracefully leaning trees, I could see the opportunity to exaggerate the curves and colors and invent the curvy patterns in the barks to create my vision of a dramatic early evening scene. In a thumbnail sketch I arranged the trees and branches with exaggerated leaning curves and anchored them into rolling banks of earth. Then I decided to add the flaming sunset. The whole painting is about wondrous curves, luscious colors and movement; a painting to stimulate your senses. When I was done painting, the rolling earth, fiery sky and leaning trees said "Earth, Wind, Fire" to me.