UPDATE at press-time—Because of a freeze imposed on Oregon due to a surge in Coronavirus, Art Presence Art Center will be closed through December 2nd. You may enjoy a Virtual Tour of the exhibit by accessing it through the Jacksonville Review website, where all the donated artwork is highlighted for Artist victims of the fires. To make a purchase, the gallery will be open by appointment; call 541-941-7057. ~Anne Brooke, Director, Art Presence Art Center

Give the Gift of Art—Season of Cheer, our November/December exhibit in the Main Gallery, continues on display through Sunday, December 27. New artwork in both the main gallery and the Galleria will replenish the gallery as pieces on display find their way to new homes. Letting visitors take their art with them when they purchase it makes it easier to give the most meaningful gift for the holidays—a gift of art—and makes fresh art available throughout the holiday shopping season. Visit our website, https://art-presence.org, or our Facebook page to view a virtual tour of the exhibition.

Our December guest exhibit is the eighth annual Angels Show. It’s hard to believe that artists have been creating Angels for this open show since 2013! From its inspiration in the heart of Mary Kell and first exhibition at the GoodBean, the Angels have come a long way, and the show continues to thrive in its third year at its Art Presence gallery home. This year we anticipate a sweet collection of angels that will help to heal hearts from the incredible stress and strain that the events of 2020 have put on everyone in the Rogue Valley. The show opens Friday, December 4 and continues through Sunday, December 27. Though the Angels must stay on the wall until the show’s end, we encourage patrons to consider them seriously when picking-up holiday gifts for the extra-special people on their lists. We will post a virtual tour of the Angels show on our website and Facebook page as soon as it’s available.

We are grateful to the Jacksonville Review for graciously offering to post a link to our virtual tours on their website! Look for the Art Presence Art Center Virtual Tour image link in the sidebar of their website, JacksonvilleReview.com, and another link under Art in the main menu.

Artists, check out the well-appointed studio spaces still available in our new Loft. Affordable rent with no lease; water is available and you will have your own key. Call Anne Brooke at 541-941-7057 today and make an appointment to see the space.

Featured image: “American Angel,” by Patrick Beste

 

A Steady Rain

this steady rain
washes away pain
burning yet from summer’s flames

in forest and field
fire frees seeds of trees
ash feeds next spring’s beauty

but in town
fire leaves a toxic mess
for us to clean up ourselves

clean up our selves
hearts laid open
burning with pain’s friend

compassion

found ways to help strangers
we forgot our own misery
and became friends

we rediscovered fire
this love leaves no ashes
it feeds a healing spring

we learned love in motion
a steady rain
washing away pain

and

hidden beauty springs
forth from disaster

Hannah West
11/15/2020