Local artists shine at Country Fair Art Show

Blue skies and a cool summer evening proved the perfect ambiance for artists and guests that kicked off the Friday-evening art show and silent auction for the annual Country Fair held at the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration.

This year a transition to the format of the art show was noticeable. Fewer rows of crowded art gave artists more of a spacious atmosphere to mingle among visitors.

Volunteer Jan Shaver, co-coordinator/chairman for the art show, was on hand to talk to The Nugget about all the changes to the annual show.

"We are doing something totally different this year. We have less artists, no jurying and we are featuring all the artists without an entry fee," Shaver said. "We had the art show by invitation only this year. Our goal was to have four rows of easels instead of a crowded five. We spread it out and hung the art, so it looks better."

Shaver co-coordinated the art show with Frank Guthrie, who is board treasurer for both the art show and Country Fair.

"This is an experiment for us," Guthrie said. "We needed to cut back the amount of art because last year it was overcrowded. We sent out invitations to artists on their past sales record."

Art enthusiasts browsed through an invigorating display of fine art, interacting with the artists. The winetasting and hors d'oeuvres brought on the usual elegant atmosphere where folks enjoyed an evening with friends, while making new acquaintances.

Guests enthusiastically bid on items that showcased the entryway that lead into the art show.

The auction with items donated by local artists and businesses was run by Jennifer Rambo, who took over for Gayle Rodriguez last year.

"We have 145 entries for the silent auction this year, and everything is going great," she said.

Jenn Rambo included a pair of tickets to the 2019 Sisters Rhythm and Brews Festival with a CD by Mr. Sipp as an auction item, since he was a crowd favorite.

Artist Katherine Taylor from Bend had nine paintings on display at the show. She loves capturing really unique lighting situations into her landscapes and still-lifes that draw the observer in.

"I try to draw a person's focus into the painting with light. I love showcasing light along with dark. It's the rich darks behind the light that make it pop," explained Taylor.

Taylor studied art in Italy and was enamored with the style of Caravaggio, a renaissance painter who had a strong sense of contrasting light and dark.

Bend resident Barbara Slater has been an artist most of her life. She's been painting animals in oils for over 40 years. Her love of painting led her to a very active and successful freelance career in the art world.

"I was a teacher and a counselor in a junior high school for years and used to paint in the evening," Slater said.

Her work frequently appears on the magazine Ranch and Country and most recently has hung in the Oil Painters of America show in Carmel, California.