It has been a long, long two years

Life was looking good the Fall of 2019.  The annual Arts Alliance of Yamhill County  sponsored Art Harvest Studio Tour  was great.  Driving around Yamhill County with the 2019 Fall colors is pure joy. We were fortunate to interview and film several of the Tour artists. We went to their studios and learned a lot about different art mediums. 

Master Painter Jess Anderson

We visited Master Painter Jess Anderson at the studio just outside of Sheridan, Oregon. 

 

 

Felt Artist Jennifer Bencharsky

 

 

We visited Jennifer Bencharsky who does beautiful felt work and lives in Newberg which is on the other side of the County. 

 

As the Tour does, it gave us an excuse to travel from one side of beautiful Yamhill County  to the other and see some fantastic art and meet and talk with many great talented artists. You can see those at Arts Alive: Art Harvest Studio Tour on Youtube.

 You all know what happened in 2020 and this year 2021.  The Art Harvest Studio Tour cancelled both years. All of the Arts seemed to go into a stress induced shock and a kind of hibernation. For Liz and I at Meadowlake Studios the Arts Alive video interviews were shut down.  At least we hope it is hibernation because there are signs the Arts are beginning to wake up and roam around the landscape again. 

One art exception to hibernation might be writing and writers.  Literary journals expanded across the internet.  I guess for many writers the social isolation was a fantastic excuse to finish that novel, write short stories, work on a movie script, and scratch out some poems.  

Unfortunately with our video productions stymied, with my Poetry On Demand events at art and wine gatherings cancelled, going out to crowded restaurants for dinner or out to clubs to hear music was impossible, I went into a personal hibernation, which I'm finally beginning to wake.  

I really missed the Poetry On Demand events. During McMinnville and Newberg downtown association wine and art nights, we set up a table in a busy wine tasting bar, sat behind our manual typewriters, wrote poems as topics were given to us under pressure to finish while the people were sipping wine or having dinner.  It was wonderful to hand a freshly typed poem to the person who had given the topic and see their reaction to the poem they had prompted. The past two years I missed that stress and creativity.  One good thing. We did publish a collection of our 2018 and 2019 Poetry On Demand poems.

I've been off and on with this blog over the years. I have excuses. Now in late Fall 2021 as I am beginning to stir from my almost two year long stupor, shaking off the stress, emerging lean and hungry, I will try to pick up this blog which I've neglected.

Art's Alive 2019 Art Harvest Studio Show

Recently Meadowlake Studio began producing Art's Alive. Arts Alive was a long time studio TV show on McMinnville Community Media sponsored by the Arts Alliance of Yamhill County. Host Lynda Phillippi retired 4 years ago. Arts Alliance asked us to begin to produce and continue the show's highlighting the arts and culture in our area. We decided to begin by visiting several 2019 Art Harvest Studio Tour artists. For this show we visited with Kathleen Buck, BJB Hickerson, Eve DellaValle, and Natalia Novikoff.
Here is the show on our Arts Alive Youtube channel.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lVmEoA8cQ8 

After a nice rest we return

We have had a good four year rest. Now we're back. There will be Arts Alive videos about the artists and culture in our sweet piece of the the world. There will be writing and poetry adventures. And there will be the random information or observation which attacks our interest. 
 

We are always forming and changing shape

Our Excellent Art Harvest Studio Tour Adventure: Chris Stubbs

Chris Stubbs studio

It was a beautiful sunny morning.  The winding road past mansions and vineyards on the was up to Chris Stubbs house is a wonderful part of Yamhill County.  Her studio is at one end of a large house.  Stepping across a landscaped water way make you feel as if you are stepping into an enchanted place.  Well yes you are.  Lining the walls of her studio are her sensitive water color paintings.  When one of her portraits looks out at you, there is the feeling that it is not only you who is being looked at.


The flowers, the lily, the iris, the daffodils all float with color and calm.

Our Excellent Art Harvest Studio Tour Adventure: Brad Speer

Brad Speer at his pottery.

I'm a potter and clay worker so going to see Brad Speer at his new studio is a special treat.  It is clear that Brad works with his hands, with his mind, and with his heart when he is crafting his utilitarian pottery.  He is developing mastery of all levels of the art.

His work is made to be used and to become part of your every day life.  The elegance of one of his cups or bowls is a pleasure to hold.  It in riches a person's morning even before that first sip of coffee. 

Our Excellent Art Harvest Studio Tour Adventure: Dwight Evalt

Dwight Evalt at his studio

Dwight Evalt's studio reflects his multi-media interests.  His sculpture, his pottery, and his paintings all show his expertise and his quest for discovery and surprise.

Dwight is one of the leaders of the Art Harvest Studio Tour.  He helped put together the wonderful all Tour show at the Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg.

Our Excellent Art Harvest Studio Tour Adventure: Jeanne Drevas and Adele O'Neal

Jeanne Drevas talks with Liz

Jeanne Drevas does unique art.  She lives at the end of a long curving dead end road on a side hill in a very unique house.  Adele O'Neal's jewelry is designed and crafted.

Visiting them at Jeanne's house was worth the trip.