Thornton House has arrived in town. The author of the book, Karen Nichols, will be in the Bromley Room at the Siuslaw Library on Saturday, May 26^th, from 10 AM until 2PM, to present her book, Thornton House. Refreshments will be served.

After the heroine receives an unexpected chance at a new life, the book tells the mysterious story of a woman settling in Florence and building her dream, Thornton House. She finds love that transcends time and opens death’s door. Are the things that occur merely coincidences or events from beyond? What is the secret of Thornton House?

“The idea of this story came to me when my husband and I started looking for a retirement spot. We were picnicking at Honeyman Park and fell in love with the area. One of the early scenes in the book takes place at a picnic in that park and is the inspiration from which the plot was born.” The dog character seems a great deal like Nichols’ King Charles Cavalier.

For many years Nichols wrote and illustrated children’s books that she used in her 33-year teaching career. She has written feature stories for Relay for Life and for Backstreet Gallery. Several years ago, she helped publish the Coastal Writer’s Group’s writing journal. She also writes poetry. Her poetry and art work have been included in several anthologies and as graphic designs for book covers.

Thornton House as well as her Pocket Poetry, hand written poems in original watercolor covers, can be found at Backstreet Gallery where Nichols is an artist-member and also in Porthole Books and on Amazon.com.

Backstreet Gallery is sponsoring a challenge and community event called, MODELS ON THE MOVE.

Artists have the opportunity to decorate a moveable wooden model (also known as an artist’s mannequin) in a creative, clever, flamboyant way to enhance and transform the model into an art piece.

Entry fee and mannequin $10. Models can be picked up beginning May 15 at Backstreet Gallery, 1421 Bay Street.

The model creations will be on display at Backstreet Gallery during the month of August. At the August 11th G.A.L.A .Art walk a reception will be held for all artists.

All models will be for sale, with the proceeds going to Florence’s own GALA Art Walk, which in turn supports local artists and galleries.

SO – get your imaginations hopping!

A silent auction and reception to celebrate the models, will take place in the Bromley Room at the Siuslaw Library, Saturday, August 15^th, from 5 to 7PM.

Come in on May 15^th to pick up your model, get a move on, create, and participate in this worthy fundraising community event.

Jennifer French’s show is entitled “Oregon Feathers N’ Petals” which features unique art work depicting local birds and flowers. Each piece is hand carved into linoleum, mounted on wood. While these blocks are typically used for print-making, Jennifer paints them in colorful acrylics to create very unique wall hangings.  Infused with Jennifer’s love and joy is her 1-of-a-kind card series, Gull’s First Impressions©. “Living in Florence, I enjoy watching hundreds of seagulls dart here and there. It brings me great pleasure to bring these sassy and sociable creatures ashore. My cards share a humorous bird’s eye view of human nature.”   

Her passion for the arts started early. With a background in advertising, journalism, and marketing, it’s no surprise she founded Backstreet Gallery seven years ago, now home to 24 artists. “We are an enthusiastic, creative group of artists and enjoy sharing our new techniques and ideas with each other. Inspiration and motivation is very contagious at our local artist co-operative.”  Writing is another of her creative achievements. “Hoot Owl Shares the Dawn” is a multi-cultural, young adult novel that won honorable mention in the 2005 Independent Publisher Awards. Her second young adult novel, “Fidgets” is about ADHD. She’s working on another book “All Under the Same Roof,” a quirky mystery that takes place in a retirement home. Jennifer’s books are available at Backstreet. In addition to Jennifer’s decorative linoleum blocks and insightful novels, her May display will include some watercolors that reflect her spirit of joy and whimsy.

Important to Jennifer is her deep concern for others, and she supports various social justice groups such as Basic Rights Oregon and PFLAG. Also, an Oregon Certified Ombudsman, she advocates for residents’ rights and dignity, at many assisted living and memory care facilities in Florence. She’s also an advocate for Peace Harbor’s Patient Council.  She is a board member of Seacoast Entertainment Association and member of the Unitarian Universalist Church. For more fun, Jennifer enjoys bird watching, gardening, reading, fishing, cooking, watching spectator sports of all kinds and collecting antique books.  

Meet Jennifer French and find out about her art, May 12^th, 3 to 5:00 p.m. at Backstreet Gallery at 1421 Bay Street. Great refreshments will be served.

We are honored to feature Muriel Wilhelmi as the Featured Artist for April, with her show titled “Seascapes”.  “These outstanding seascapes feature skies filled with glowing sunsets, and waves swelling backlit by the sun.  She is a master of illustrating the light as it plays on the water.  While most of her work is in transparent watercolor using a palate of luscious color, she also works in oils and acrylics.  Muriel has had a lifelong affair with art, beginning with drawing and then moving into painting. A number of workshops, including several presented by noted artist, E John Robinson have inspired her into creating the remarkable work she does today.  

Much of her inspiration in seascapes came from living and working in Mendocino. There she owned the Village Art Gallery where she showed her own work as well as that of 12 other artists.  Muriel’s paintings are included in many private collections in the U.S. and abroad. She has won numerous awards in California and in Oregon, and is also a member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon.  Muriel’s work has been displayed in various shows and venues around the area, including the FEC, The Blue Heron, the Rhodie Show, Florence Library, Ona’s in Yachats and the Mind Power Gallery in Reedsport.

Muriel and her husband, Jerry, share their home which is situated near a woodland pond, with ducks, a few chickens and three cats. They have four children, five grandchildren and four great grandchildren and still find time to travel, go to jazz festivals, and dance. Muriel also crochets and knits.  “I’m just kicking back and enjoying life. It’s a joy to be here in Backstreet Gallery,” she says.

Please join Backstreet in honoring Muriel April 14th, 3-5 pm at Backstreet Gallery. Refreshments will be served.

Pamela Vosseller & Denise DeKemper

I have come full circle,” says Pamela, who returns to Backstreet after a few years’ hiatus. “I sold my first painting at the old gallery on Laurel St, the first gallery to encourage me as an artist.”For the twenty years she’s been in Oregon, Pamela has been known for her serene transparent watercolors. After joining the Altered Art group, she says, “I am taking a new path in my art work.” This pathway has led her to working with a variety of media: fabric, paper, oils, metals, paints and found objects resulting in unique altered art pieces and art journals showing at Backstreet.  

Pamela’s artistic interest began in childhood. With her father, a graphic artist, working at home, she experienced art first hand. Pamela began working with graphite, before moving into watercolor.  In addition to her art, she is an independent contractor, a legal and general transcriptionist.

Her work, being shown in homes and businesses world-wide, is also popular with local collectors.  “Art is just fun,” is why she enjoys teaching and sharing her art.

Denise brings a new medium to Backstreet. Her beautiful silk paintings are framed as two-dimensional pieces, displayed on flowing silk scarves or as ornaments.  Denise’s work is gutta-serti, French for rubber fence. This medium is much like batik, using a rubber-based gutta resist instead of wax. She draws a picture or pattern on paper then traces it onto silk using the resist. Next she paints dyes onto the silk. The dyes are set by steaming the silk.

While in New Mexico, she saw a silk painting. Denise extended her trip to attend a workshop to learn the process.  As an artist, she was discovered at a state fair when submitting one of her works to the homemaking department. There she was sent to the fine arts department due the quality of her work. At the fair, she met a gallery owner who was the first to display Denise’s work in a gallery.

Her interest in art began as a child. Denise designed and her mother sewed her clothes. Denise and her sister tie-dyed together. She’s also worked in stained glass and mosaics.

Join Backstreet in welcoming these new artists as well as a reception honoring watercolorist, Muriel Wilhelmi on April 14th from 3-5pm  where you can meet the artists and find out about their work.

Kathryn Damon-Dawson is March featured artist for Backstreet Gallery.  Her new series, “Barefoot on the Beach” captures Oregon kids loving the sand and surf with titles such as “Sophia’s Treasures,”  “Golden Boy of the Dunes,” “Ready Set Run.”   She chose to paint on 300# Fabriano hot pressed watercolor paper because it is appropriate for the bright visual experience of churning water, sun and sand.   These impressionistic paintings capture action and movement.  Kathryn gathered images for this series during her own enjoyment of our gorgeous coastline.   A quote by Donald W. Patterson, is appropriate, “Artistic vision comes from seeing with your eyes and feeling with your heart.”   

Kathryn’s exposure to the arts began early with an excellent public school program in New York State and continued throughout her life.  Early retirement in 1990, gave Kathryn the gift of time to follow her passions and to take occasional water-media workshops; first with Virginia Cobb and most recent with Ted Nuttall.  Kati Davis was locally influential.

Kathryn is an active member of Watercolor Society of Oregon whose mission includes education and exhibitions.  Her 2011 WSO entry “Arbitrage and Lace” was 4^th place winner and will appear in “Notables,” American Artist Watercolor Magazine along with four other award winning Watercolor Society of Oregon painters.    

Join us in celebrating Kathryn at her reception,  Saturday, March 10, 2012, 3:00 – 5:00, at Backstreet Gallery 1420 Bay St., Florence, during GALA Art Walk.

Kathryn  invites you to a book signing celebration for her book
“Dogs, Crows and the Corn Chip Dance.”

Saturday, March 17, 2012
Bromley Room Siuslaw Public Library, Florence Oregon
Any time: 10:30 to 4:30