Casey Gardner painting selected for MOTH poster

The organizers for Sisters Folk Festival's annual My Own Two Hands Community Arts Celebration (MOTH) have chosen the poster art for the 2017 event.

"We received some amazing donations to choose from this year," said Sisters Folk Festival's Development Director Katy Yoder.

Casey Gardner's piece, "Follow Your Bliss," captured a sense of whimsy, possibility and adventure that opens the door to imagination. Gardner has a penchant for vintage Volkswagen buses and made that the subject of her painting.

"I wanted to pick a subject that stirs up emotion in me. There's something magical about the old classic VW buses. It represents a sweet and simple way to spend time with family, friends and nature," Gardner told The Nugget. "If those old buses could talk, the stories they would share would be magically magnificent. Just like in real life they would have bumps and bruises along the way. But when they are parked they always have open doors inviting the next adventure."

Gardner added The Three Sisters Mountains and a colorful display of wildflowers for the background.

"I painted in fun little throw pillows, wispy curtains and a peace sign inside the VW and the Follow Your Bliss quote. It was all a part of my vision."

Born and raised in Portland, Gardner was influenced by art in high school. She attended Southern Oregon University and majored in communications and minored in art.

"I started painting in college and haven't stopped since," Gardner said.

You can find her bright colorful artwork at The Cottonwood Café and Angeline's Bakery & Café.

Gardner will be participating in a contemporary landscape art show for the 4th Friday Art Stroll on March 31 at Clearwater Gallery, where she works part-time as a server.

Friday was the last day for intake of donated MOTH art, which will be auctioned as part of the Sisters Folk Festival's major fundraiser.

SFF managing director Ann Richardson was on hand collecting the generous donations. The organizers for SFF make a huge effort for the artists that donate their work.

"Folks have been slowly delivering their artwork for nearly a month now. We usually take in over 100 pieces of art for the MOTH auction," Richardson said. "And about one third of that art is on exhibit at Sisters Art Works for a show that runs through the Friday before the MOTH event on May 13. We jury and photograph the art, organize it, and catalogue it. We try to display the art as much as possible. Then the week before MOTH, volunteers bring the art to a variety of Sisters businesses to get ready for the art stroll on Friday, May 12, and then the volunteers pick up the art that night and bring it all to (Ponderosa) Forge for the live and silent auction on Saturday."

Noted photographer Hadley McCann dropped off his artwork on Friday for MOTH. An amazing photograph on canvas that he took while visiting France a few years ago, titled "Into the World," reflects this year's theme "Opening Doors."

The photograph is of a doorway opens to reveal a beautiful Lavender garden. McCann took the photo inside Saint-Paul asylum in Saint-Remy-de-Provence, since renamed the Clinique Van Gogh.

"It was where Vincent Van Gogh was institutionalized. The building is a centuries-old monastery, and in 1889 he was confined to the grounds of the asylum for one year," McCann told The Nugget. "He walked out of that stark existence to the outside world where there was a garden. He created a few of his famous paintings out in the courtyard when he was there. He loved the nature of being outdoors and talked about it in letters he wrote to his brothers."