January is going to be a big month for printmaking in the region as various venues showcase the art of printmaking. Guardino Gallery proudly presents nine Oregon printmakers showcasing printmaking techniques including intaglio, lithograph, mezzotint, monotype, monoprint, linoleum and woodblock relief. Artists include: Kelli MacConnell, Chris Darr, Stirling Gorsuch, Heather Halpern, Tanner Henderson, Nicole Rawlins, Margaret vanPatten, Nanette Wallace, Christy Wyckoff.
MAIN GALLERY: January 3rd – January 29th
Kelli MacConnell: Avid hiker and adventure seeker, Kelli transcribes her love of nature and the northwest into large scale, high contrast linoleum relief. After studying art at Portland State she discovered her passion for printmaking. She made the transition to a working printmaker and has since been enjoying life as a full-time artist.
Heather Halpern: Heather was a multimedia photorealist until being exposed to printmaking. Printmaking was so inspiring, Heather founded Whiteaker Printmakers, a non-profit organization providing Eugene with a public space to teach, exhibit and host printmaking events
Margaret VanPatten. Margaret is an accomplished intaglio artist that utilizes nearly every technique possible to create her haunting pieces which include drypoint, etching, aquatint and mezzotint.
Nicole Rawlins: Daughter of an accomplished intaglio relief printer, Nicole was born to be not only an accomplished intaglio printmaker but also a leader as the Adult Visual Arts Coordinator at Multnomah Arts Center inspiring new printmakers while continuing to exhibit nationally and internationally.
Christy Wyckoff Christy retired as Professor Emeritus in 2012 as Chair of the Printmaking Department of the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland. His work has been shown and collected internationally and reflects a sensitive hand with his array of nature focused edition prints, monotypes, paintings and photographs.
Nanette Wallace: Nanette fell in love with printmaking while completing her BFA at Oregon State University. Her career path as a graphic artist led her away from printmaking until she acquired a boutique letterpress studio and then a small etching press. Her work is gestural and energetic, consisting of monotypes with a figurative focus
Chris Darr: Chris s a professional culinary artist for 20 years and son of a screen print artist, found relief printmaking rather recently which revealed his calling as a wood block relief artist.
Tanner Henderson: Tanner, a young entrepreneur and artist, uses gesture and color to explore land and figures with his large format monotypes.
Stirling Gorsuch: Stirling is a nature man of the Cascades, Gorge and Oregon Coast which is reflected in his intense mono print color palate depicting the transformation of our forests by fire and natural occurrence.
FEATURE AREA: January 3rd – January 27th
Devin Bernard’s paintings are inspired by timeless questions: “How do we understand existence? What accounts for our sense of spirituality? What is the best way for people to relate to one another? Historically, answers to these questions have been expressed in myths and metaphors. In the same way, I use visual narratives as a basis for developing meaning in my pictures. Equally important is maintaining a balanced and organized composition through the placement of repeating forms and volumes throughout the painting. This, along with a harmonious balance of color, hopefully results in a feeling of rightness and truth.”