The Oregon Coast Council for the Arts presents the 2022 Mayor’s Show from February 12 through March 5 in the Runyan Gallery at the Newport Visual Arts Center. The Mayor’s Show features nine artists selected from the 89 Lincoln County artists who participated in the 2022 PushPin & ClothesLine Show during January. The nine artists were selected in consultation with OCCA VAC Director Tom Webb and Newport Mayor Dean Sawyer. The Mayor’s Show was started in 2016 by Webb and former Newport Mayor Sandra Rouagoux. Operating under COVID-19 protocols, the Runyan Gallery is currently open Wednesdays through Saturdays, noon to 4pm. A soft opening reception will be held February 12, noon to 4pm, with artists speaking at 2pm.
The nine participating artists are Veta Bakhtina, Barbara Flewellyn, Sylvia A. Hosie, Rebecca Hooper, Herb Kately, Julie Lamberson, Janet Runger, Wendy Schwartz, and Carol Shenk.
Veta Bakhtina grew up in St. Petersburg, Russia, at the end of the Communist era, and she credits her exposure to uncharted nature, the rural Russian countryside, and a tradition of heritage for much of her inspiration and working style. She works as a muralist, painter, and author of whimsical children’s books. Her paintings can be seen at Crow’s Nest Gallery in Toledo.
Barbara Flewellyn has spent many years exploring art media—woodworking, welding, ceramics pastels, life drawing and weaving. She studied painting with Sandy Roumagoux. Flewellyn moved to the Oregon coast 17 years ago and has served as the president of the Coastal Arts Guild.
Weaving tapestry is Rebecca Hooper’s favorite means of artistic expression. Over the years she has taken numerous weaving classes including rugs at Weaving Southwest in Taos, New Mexico, rug weaving with Jason Collingwood from the UK, and weaving color with Tein Chu from San Francisco. For the past year, she has studied intensively with award winning, fine art tapestry weaver, Kathe Todd-Hooker in Albany.
Sylvia A. Hosie is a fine art photographer living in Toledo. The digital revolution has allowed her to give a looser, more stylized look to many of her photographs. Represented in two Oregon galleries, her work has found homes throughout North America, Europe, and Australia.
Herb Kately has exhibited work at the West Nebraska Art Center, and the Alliance Carnegie Art Center and had winning entries at the Dawes County fair. More recently, in 2021 he was selected for the 1st round in the Toledo Phantom galleries. He maintains multiple online artist portfolios.
Julie Lamberson is an illustrator, watercolorist, and muralist. She attended Lewis & Clark College and Newport High School. Her work has been exhibited in various galleries, and she has published several art books.
Janet Runger is the owner of Crow’s Nest Gallery & Studio in Toledo. She creates imaginative art where forgotten objects have been assembled into whimsical creatures, impossible vehicles and captivating sculptures.
Wendy Schwartz recently relocated to Newport. She was the co-owner of Stampadoodle, a paper-crafting and art store in Bellingham, WA, for 29 years. Pen and ink work has been her main focus over the past two years.
Carol Shenk is a mixed-media artist living on the Oregon Coast. She recently returned to studio work after decades in local government records and archives, where she helped document the written and visual histories of people, society, and nature, past and present. In 2021, she completed illustration for a children’s book to be published in 2022. Shenk has a BA in fine arts from the University of Oregon.
The Newport Visual Arts Center adheres to all health and safety protocols provided by the Governor’s Office as well as the City of Newport. All visitors to the VAC are required to wear proper masks.
The Oregon Coast Council for the Arts manages the Newport Visual Arts Center and the Newport Performing Arts Center, and serves as the regional arts council for Oregon’s seven coastal counties.