The Summer Showcase brings together the finest visual artists in the area

Starting this month, the Brookwood and Shute Libraries will continue their yearly tradition of support for the Washington County Art Alliance with a Summer Showcase. Each year, the showcase brings together the finest visual artists in the area to exhibit their work for sale. I reached out to Luis Jiminez, local Pyrographer and mixed media artist of The Elysium Art Empowerment Collective, who is curating this year’s show.

Here is what he had to say: There is something truly special that happens when a community of artists comes together to share its creativity with the public. Every artwork offers a unique way of seeing the world—a personal story or an inspiration born from nature, culture, and life experiences.

The Summer Art Showcase, organized by the Washington County Arts Alliance (WCAA), celebrates that diversity. Featuring nearly forty visual artists and close to one hundred works of art, the exhibition invites visitors to experience a wide range of artistic styles, techniques, and creative expressions.

As curator of this year’s exhibition, one of the most rewarding experiences was watching the collection gradually reveal its own natural organization. As I studied each artwork, visual conversations began to emerge, giving life to spaces dedicated to landscapes, wildlife, birds, photography, abstraction, color, and many other themes.

More than arranging artwork on a wall, the process became one of creating an experience where every piece could find its place and engage in a dialogue with the others.

One of the exhibition’s greatest strengths is the diversity of its participating artists. They come from different backgrounds, cultures, and artistic journeys, yet today they all share one community: Washington County, Oregon. That blend of perspectives transforms the Summer Art Showcase into a celebration of local talent and of art’s remarkable ability to bring people together through shared emotions.

Presenting this exhibition in Hillsboro’s public libraries makes art even more accessible. While people visit the library to read, study, or spend time with family, they also have the opportunity to discover a gallery that is open to everyone. It is a meaningful way to integrate art into everyday life and introduce it to audiences who might not otherwise visit a traditional gallery.

The Summer Art Showcase will be on view at Brookwood Library and Shute Park Library through August 31. The public is also warmly invited to attend the Artists’ Reception, which will take place on August 6, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at Brookwood Library. Guests will have the opportunity to meet many of the participating artists, enjoy live music and celebrate the creativity that enriches our community.

As always, please support your local artists and art institutions. Now more than ever our communities need the creative enrichment the arts provide.

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