Artwalk welcomes autumn at Sisters galleries

This month, the Fourth Friday Artwalk kicks off an entire weekend of art exploration sponsored by Sisters Arts Association. Stroll through the galleries of Sisters and see their featured artists, while enjoying light refreshments on Friday. Then, on Saturday and Sunday, take a leisurely tour to visit artists in their home studios. Pick up a Studio Tour Guide from any of the galleries, many businesses, or online at www.sistersarts.org.

Wildflower Studio will be featuring original artwork by Mitch Saba and John Runnels. Saba works in stained glass using shape and color to show movement in his original designs. Runnels paints with palette knife and uses color and line to emphasize dimension in his landscapes. Wine and light appetizers will be served between 4 and 7 p.m.

Sisters Gallery & Frame Shop will have its grand opening at 222-C W. Hood Ave., with four local artists who will continue to meet with the public at the gallery through the weekend during the Artist Studio Tour event.

Photographer Steve Giardini from Bend will unveil color images of Smith Rock and the Painted Hills, the latter depicted in such a fashion that almost evokes the spread of watercolor paint across a canvas.

Speaking of canvas, Kay Baker of Bend, another longtime artist at Sisters Gallery, will display new and favorite plein aire paintings of Central Oregon.

Jennifer Hartwig, lovingly known as The Scratchboard Lady, is doing working demonstrations of scratchboard art and she will show new original work along with prints, notecards, mugs, and jewelry that feature her designs.

Prismacolor artist Mike Stasko will round out the quartet; his original landscapes are timeless depictions of scenes in Central Oregon.

Fine art giclee reproductions will also be available.

Hood Avenue Art is featuring three of their 40 Central Oregon artists. Carolyn Platt creates a variety of pieces from drawing to wildly textured collagraphs, inspired by the geological wonderland around us. Sharyl Parker McCulloch designs, weaves, and knits unique and wearable fiber art with a passion for color and texture. Kathleen Keliher explores Central Oregon landscapes in oil and occasionally pastel, going above and beyond strictly representational. Appetizers and wine are served from 4 to 7, with music by Jim Cornelius.

Toriizaka Art features two artists: Yuji Hiratsuka from Eugene and Don Zylius of Sisters. Born in Osaka, Japan, Yuji Hiratsuka has a bachelor’s in art education from Tokyo Gakugei University, and degrees in printmaking from New Mexico State University and Indiana University. He is a professor of printmaking at Oregon State University. Zylius, a longtime Sisters artist, paints in watercolor in a style that depicts the landscape of the Northwest as it might be portrayed by the brush of a Japanese artist. Both will also be on site during the Studio Tour.

Clearwater Gallery focuses on oil painter Garth Williams.

He is the featured artist for this month’s Meet the Maker dinner on Thursday, September 22.

This is a six-course dinner curated by Open Door Executive Chef Julia Rickards, an artist meet-and-greet, live demonstration, and sale of the onsite painting.

Space is limited and reservations are required.

Call 541-549-6076 or visit opendoorwinebar.com/specialevents.

Artist Garth Williams loves fly-fishing and the great outdoors, admires our landscapes, and imagines how they translate to canvas.

His concept of realism allows shapes and colors to weave together until an image appears.

He uses a palette knife technique to create eye-catching aspens and dramatic landscapes.

Coming from the Big Sky Country of Helena, Montana, Garth was fortunate to grow up acquiring a deep love of the outdoors.

He remembers his dad packing him on his back across a trout stream so they could get to the next fishing hole.

The best time to fish was always in the fall when the streams were low and the autumn colors were spectacular.

Every time Garth paints fall aspens, these special memories come to mind.

At Stitchin’ Post, opening Friday, Journeys Art Quilters present “Exploration.” Journeys is a group of women who explore textile design and media. This time, they picked magenta as the common color in each of their original works. The color can be subtle or more pronounced.

Bryan Lee Brown of Metals Jewelry Studio is always trying something new, like the Mokume Gane cup he is featuring this month. He welcomes you to stop by for a visit.

Raven Makes Gallery explores fresh perspectives on jewelry and art from outstanding American Indian, Alaska Native, and First Nations artists.

The Campbell Gallery’s show, “Life After” by June Park, continues this month with multidisciplinary art inspired by the rhythm and energy of the natural world.