Where Do Artists Make Art in Forest Grove?

“My studio (and Gallery) is in a house built in 1875. I paint in what used to be the dining room. The living area is now my gallery. Each year I paint the front steps in a different way. Last year I "tagged" my own steps with the word, "art" with spray paint. All over!   Art Art Art.  Then someone else tagged my steps! They added letters to the "art."   P-Art  W-Art   C-Art  - what a hoot!,” says painter, Helvi Smith.

See where artists make art in your neighborhood during Washington County Open Studios Tour, October 17 and 18 from 11 am to 5 pm. Over 40 artists will be opening their studio doors for you.  And it’s FREE.

Paulina Kriebel, fiber artist describes her new studio, “After more than 35 years of working at home, I moved to a "real" studio 5 blocks from my house.  I love it and should have moved out much sooner.  It's over 1000 square feet, has 2 studio spaces and a dye/print area with a washer & dryer.  I’ve been there about a year and a half and it's hard to remember ever being anywhere else.  It is in a small commercial building with a couple of great neighbors - my husband's cabinet shop (Hardwood Design) and a hard cider brewery (Bull Run Cider).”

Inside or outside, upstairs or down, artists find many creative ways to create.  And they’ll show how they do it and where October 17 and 18 from 11am to 5pm. Free tour map and artist information is on the Washington County Open Studios Tour website www.washcoart.org

Helvi Smith: A Peek into Her Process.

How do artists make art?  The answer is as unique as the art and artist.  And on the Washington County Open Studios tour, you get a peek behind the scenes into the art making process.  Every artist is opening up their studio to you, showing you their materials, inspirations and demonstrating what they do and how they create art.

Helvi, when you begin your work, what inspires you or gets you going?  

“I LOVE a blank canvas.  I may or may not have an idea when I set a canvas on my work table - but it does not stay blank for long.   I use squeeze bottles filled with acrylic house paint to put paint on canvas.  Or brushes.  Or fingers.  Or spatulas.    I am fortunate that I never have "Painters Block."   I love to paint and ideas flow as easily as the paint for me.  

I am a fearless painter and often try new ideas that come to mind.   For example:   I wanted to paint some tall skinny paintings as they are a size that I imagined would fit in a lot of different kinds of venues.  So I tried it.   I call them Room Sticks because everyone has room for art that is 50" tall and 5" across.  I am very pleased with how they turned out.”   

How did you find your way to art, Helvi?

“I have always been creative.  Always.    I started painting when a friend of mine made her New Years Resolution to "Have more art in her life."   I asked if I could join her in the resolution.  So we made a pact that I would go to her house for 2 hours every Sunday and we would make "art."   I had no idea what I was going to do, just that it would be art.    I started painting because I had leftover house paint and some canvas that I found at Goodwill.    That was it.   I could not STOP painting.   Still cannot stop painting.   I paint every day.”

Helvi, do you use a weird, different material or technique and does that inspires you? 

“I use reclaimed and recycled acrylic house paint as my medium.   I get leftover paint from friends and oftentimes I frequent the ReStore looking for bright colors of paint there.   Color does not scare me.  Beige scares me.   I have done my research and have been told by experts that house paint will last as long as any other paint.  It is just a different viscosity from other paints and the pigments a little different.   I am just used to it, and love knowing that each painting is an act of recycling.”

When people come to your studio, Helvi, what will they see you doing? 

“When you come to my studio, you will have to go up the steps that I painted, as the Italianate design of my building has the basement at ground level and the rest of the house is upstairs.   You will walk into my gallery that has bright ORANGE walls.   Then you may see me in my paint apron flinging paint hither and thither on my paint table at the end of the gallery!”

Helvi, can you describe what is unique and inspiring about your studio?

“My studio (and Gallery) is in a house built in 1875.   I paint in what used to be the dining room.   The living area is now my gallery.   Each year I paint the front steps in a different way.   Last year I "tagged" my own steps with the word, "art" with spray paint.  All over!   Art Art Art.  Then someone else tagged my steps!  They added letters to the "art."   P-Art  W-Art   C-Art  - what a hoot!”

See Helvi making art and get inspired during the 2015 Washington County Open Studios tour October 17 and 18 from 11am to 5pm.  Get a FREE tour map and information online at www.washcoart.org

Inside the Studio: Sierra Lonepine Briano.

Creating art takes more than talent and inspiration, it takes time and space.  Every artist’s space is as unique as the art they create.  And that’s what makes the FREE Washington County Open Studios tour unique, too.  You get to visit the artist and see them create in their studios across Washington County. 

Here, you can get a quick inside look into one of our artists on this year’s tour.  As well as an insight into their art process and what you might see on our tour.

Sierra, can you describe your studio for us?

“The inspiration for my studio came when a friend was getting new windows in her house and she had a bunch of beautiful 1930's windows to get rid of. I took them and stored them for about 2 years before work began on my studio. The process has been going on for about 5 years now!

I love the space. It has great light and contains a "cob" earthen wall that I built myself with the help of friends. Since my workers were a variety of folks, some who knew what they were doing and some who didn't, my studio is "eclectic". It has great light and a large working area, but I'm still working on getting some of the problems with it solved. That will probably only take about 10 more years!!!”

When you begin your work, Sierra, what inspires you?

“I am inspired by all kinds of things. Nature, dreams, visual images, weird things that I see or experience, sarcasm, humor, politics, color, design. I never know when I'm going to get an idea about art. Often times the final piece is a process that comes out as I am working.”

Sierra, how did you find your way to art?

“Graduating from Art school at age 39, I was a late bloomer. I was interested in art as a younger person and even began painting, but I was not encouraged to be creative when I was growing up. As a result I did the traditional things, got married, and had a child. After "tuning in, turning on, and dropping out" in the sixties, I began to access more of my creativity. Finally, Art school became a reality. It's hard to believe that was 26 years ago.” 

What weird, different material or technique do you use, Sierra, and does that inspires you?

“Using a variety of materials is what I love. Constant discovery of "stuff" is my passion. Found objects, yard debris, decorated papers, things found in hardware stores, old things, dirt, rocks, rusty stuff, recycled things, photos, old paper, just to name a few. A recent find was the paint chippings off a fishing boat that was being repainted! Yum!!!”

Sierra, when people come to your studio, what will they see you doing?

“When visitors come to my studio I may be painting, embossing tin, working with found objects, painting fabric or smearing mud on my earthen wall!! My studio is another world for me, a haven, a place where I enter another dimension.”

See Sierra’s studio and get inspired October 17 and 18 from 11am to 5pm during the Washington County Open Studios tour.  FREE tour map and information online at www.washcoart.org

What Inspires the Art in our Artists?

Creating art is a mysterious process even to artists.  No matter whether it’s clay, painting, mosaics or drawing, how artists find their way to making art is a unique and individual path.

Here, a few of our 2015 tour artists talk about what inspires their work.

For some artists, the materials they use spark their art.

Angel Neiwert

“I love the process of transforming the clay into hand-coiled and slab-built sculptures as well as throwing on the wheel,” says Angela Neiwert, clay artist.  “ I am always in awe regarding the versatility of clay and its endless possibilities continually excite me and challenge me as an artist.”

Helvi Smith

Painter, Helvi Smith says, “I LOVE a blank canvas.  I may or may not have an idea when I set a canvas on my work table - but it does not stay blank for long.   I use squeeze bottles filled with acrylic house paint to put paint on canvas.  Or brushes.  Or fingers.  Or spatulas.    I am fortunate that I never have "Painters Block."   I love to paint and ideas flow as easily as the paint for me.”  

For others, inspiration comes from natural life and, sometimes death.

 

Emma Weber

For Emma Weber, it’s where she lives, in Washington County.  “As a primarily nature-inspired artist, the ease of stepping out your door and finding farmlands, mountains, forests, beaches, and wildlife that one has living in Washington County is an important muse for my work.”

 

Lynn Adamo

Lynn Adamo, mosaic artist, says “My initial inspiration comes from the natural world and decay of the man-made built world. I take photos of things that interest me wherever I go, and keep these ideas in mind when it comes to starting new piece.”