Spooky or sweet, SAA's Artwalk is the treat

Sisters Arts Association's Fourth Friday Artwalk will have plenty of sweet and a little bit of the unusual. Visit the galleries in Sisters to see what's new this month - including a brand new gallery in town!

Gourds and woven baskets by Leslie Burtt and Chris Warren are the main attraction at The Rickards Gallery. Burtt's weaving techniques combine traditional styles with contemporary methods, and the focus of her work is the use of found materials such as naturally shed antlers, cherry bark, reeds, and grasses. She considers her work to be odes to the primitive containers first used by humans. Warren studied and taught basketry, but her real love was weaving itself. The main emphasis in her baskets is the use of natural materials including bark, kelp, and driftwood.

"The Deschutes Plateau Suite," new landscapes by Mike Stasko, is the featured offering at Sisters Gallery & Frame. The images portray views on a single day's drive leaving the rugged Deschutes River canyon from Maupin and heading south to Sisters. Stasko explores the effects of light over distance and ever changing vistas during stormy weather. The renderings are done on four-ply rag museum board with Prismacolor Premier pencils that are thick and soft, lay down evenly and provide good saturation of color.

Stitchin' Post's new exhibit is "The Stitching Showcase," a collection of fiber arts by individuals who regularly gather for social time and creative stitching of all kinds. Sharing and stitching and learning from each other is what weaves together this eclectic group of women.

Wildflower Studio is featuring framed original paintings by Bill Hamilton, Sandy Melchiori, and Mark Davis. Subjects range from local landscapes to impressionistic atmospheres and mid-century modern designs. Celebrate the autumn season with replenished scents in both diffusers and candles.

Makin' it Local highlights Central Oregon jewelry designer Ashley Scholtes of Mitch Jewelry. Scholtes took a leap of faith to start Mitch Jewelry in 2010 to highlight the fine art of metalsmithing, and create quality pieces that emphasize longevity and design that is somewhere between organic and geometric.

Campbell Gallery brings us joy through "Hugs," monoprint images done by Sisters artist Paul Alan Bennett after the pandemic. When the covid vaccine came out, people dropped their masks and they could hug again! The collection includes self-hugs, hugs of grief, and hugs of objects and pets - all made into "Hug," a book published by the artist.

At Hood Avenue Art, the featured artists are bowl maker Bill Lind and landscape painters Anne Gibson and Barbara Cella. Lind reveals the natural beauty hidden in found and recycled Oregon woods, sourced from arborists, downed trees and wood mill "extra" piles. Known for her plein air landscapes, Cella captures the energy and exhilaration of painting in the wild. She has been experimenting with what she calls her ecstatic landscapes, pushing color and mood filled with exuberance. Autumn days bring quieter trails, warmer colors and crisp night to Gibson's autumn palette. Skies turn deep azure, unless they are choked with smoke. This "new normal" reinforces the importance of making choices to preserve our natural world.

The Flying Horse Gallery at 161 S. Elm St. is a new artist-owned gallery that brings a unique twist to Central Oregon. Resident artists, Brad Earl and Sloane Earl (father and daughter), bring you to a world of fantasy, whimsy and playful nostalgia. The gallery will also spotlight artists from all over the globe throughout the year. The opening exhibit features the premier of original paintings by local Canyon and Cove illustrator Megan Nielsen, and Hailey Nelson's unique creature displays.

As we approach the darkest days of the year, Taylor Manoles has painted a collection called "Sundown," at Space in Common. The paintings explore the deeper rhythms of life that ebb and flow like the setting sun. Just as the seasons change, bringing both storms and calm, our lives are marked by a series of beginnings and endings. Each sunset signifies a close, a need for rest, as well as an invitation to pause and reflect. But in the darkness, there are whispers of hope-a reminder that with every closing chapter comes the potential for renewal.

Toriizaka Art will be closed during Fourth Friday Artwalk, but will return in December.

Remember to sign up for Quick Draw in each gallery that you visit. Two gift certificates, each for $50, will be awarded after Artwalk, thanks to a generous donation from Cascade Sotheby's International Realty in Sisters.