Local artists make our homes and public spaces sparkle: Fill Your Spring with Art

This month, rather than telling you about art events that have happened, I am instead giving you some great suggestions about having an art adventure of your own.

The Valley Art Gallery in Forest Grove has an upcoming Show, Hip 2B Square, opening 4/5, 5-7pm. The show will be entirely 12×12 square artworks in both 2 and 3D.

The Walter Cultural Center has a current show, Afterlife, described as a “journey into the afterlife through original pen and ink drawings, diving into the narrative of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy and exploring concepts of mortality, mythology, and time and space” by artist Sean Wilkinson. The drawings will be on show until 5/16. Starting 4/1, another show, “April Showers Bring May Flowers,” will open featuring bright and colorful botanical works in a variety of medium. Both shows are open to the public M-F 8-5.

The Hillsboro libraries support visual artists with shows throughout the year. The current show at the Brookwood Library, “Fine Art Three Ways: Abstract, Portrait, Nature,” featuring Steve Carboni, JoAnn Pari-Mueller, and Zsuzsanna Vamos offers personal reflections by artists working in a variety of styles and mediums. Starting 5/1 the library will show the “Warrior Women Nation Portrait Experience”. The show features photographic warrior portraits of women who are battling and surviving cancer by Danyel Rogers. You can view all the shows during library hours.

The Shute Park Library current show, “Do you Remember”, by Christina Collins is a series of works of the artist’s son from childhood. Starting 5/1, the library will also have “Telling Paper Stories”, by artist Brenda Bokenyi. The show, running through 6/30, offers collage illustrations of homemade colorful, textural paper that are joyful and bring out the child in the viewer.

The Shute Library will also feature a show from the Young Artists Club 5/1-6/30. Currently the Hillsboro School District has no elementary art teachers, so the Young Artists Club, a non-profit, has provided art supplies to the Mooberry Elementary School for the last 5 years. The show displays work from the classes and highlights the importance of providing creative outlets for young people.

The Village Gallery of Arts in Cedar Mill will show the glass works of artists Eileen Milsap as their featured artists for April. The gallery will also have a Spring Show and art chat with Ms. Milsap as well as announcing the winners of the juried show on 4/13, 3-5 p.m. Additionally, the gallery will be having their annual Art Dollars for Scholars show running 5/6-6/2. The show, featuring artworks 10×10 and 6×6, will benefit two scholarships awarded yearly.

Lastly, The Reser will open its show “Infinite Possibilities” 4/4-5/24. The show “brings together eleven regional and international artists who transform paper in unexpected ways.” There will be several interesting supporting events. Go to Thereser.org for more information.

I hope the start of spring finds you all enjoying the beauty our community has to offer. As always, support local art and artists who make our homes and public spaces sparkle.

Amy Mower is a local artist and lifelong Beaverton resident. She is passionate about the future of the arts in our community.