Umpqua Valley Arts is dedicated to the belief that the arts are an indispensable element of a thriving and meaningful community, and that arts education should be available to all.
Our exhibition programming is inspired by our energetic community, the geography in which our organization is situated, and the unique history of our region and our institution. When we are willing to consider ideas & art together, we are learning to acknowledge and respect the histories that bind us together, and the changing world that surrounds us.
PAST EXHIBITIONS | 2024
Umpqua Plein Air is an annual exhibition that showcases the result of a paint-out event where artists from across the region come to Douglas County to capture the beauty of our area. This year’s work is juried by Anton Pavlenko.
Gallery II: “Embracing the Journey” – A solo exhibit of works by the Umpqua Plein Air juror, Anton Pavlenko.
The Student Gallery: “Young Artists en Plein Air” – An exhibition featuring plein air works by youth in Douglas County.
PAST EXHIBITIONS | 2023
Annual Members' Exhibit
November 3rd-Dec 22nd, 2023
Umpqua Valley Arts offers a unique place for every person in our community to belong. When a person chooses to become a member, they become a valued part of our family at UVA. Our members are a driving force in our organization and inspire the work we do on a daily basis. One of the ways we say thank you to our dedicated members, is with a special annual exhibition. Each year, all active UVA Artist Members are eligible to submit one piece into this non-juried exhibition.
THE STUDENT GALLERY | CREATIVITY: An art exhibition by Sutherlin High School Art Students
Umpqua Plein Air Exhibit
August 26th-October 27th, 2023
Every year, UVA hosts plein air painters from around the Pacific Northwest and beyond for a special event celebrating the landscapes of the Umpqua Valley. Each Summer, artists connect with nature and fellow creatives for a week of outdoor painting to capture these beautiful landscapes, with a special exhibition showcasing the culmination of their work.
ABOUT THE JUROR: ERIK SANDGREN
UVA is honored to have Erik Sandgren as our guest juror. Erik Sandgren has long been associated with the culture of the visual arts in the Northwest. Erik makes paintings and prints of the light, patterns, and motion of nature that evoke the sensory experience of mythic landscapes. He structures deftly layered pigments and gestural shapes into topographical references which are observed, imagined, and remembered. He has attended Yale and Cornell, which deepened his art experience, and has participated in many sabbaticals to Europe. His work can be found in private and public collections nationally.
2023 Artworks Northwest Biennial
June 11-August 18, 2023
UVA’s annual Artworks Northwest Exhibit is a regional juried exhibit of work from artists who reside in the Pacific Northwest region (Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, British Columbia, Western Montana and Western Wyoming) and is open to all media including—but not limited to—ceramics, printmaking, photography, paint, and drawing.
ABOUT THE CURATOR: ARVIE SMITH
“I am an artist and educator. My paintings have always been based on the Black man’s state of mind, ever-evolving in the layers of complex history and the day’s political, social, and cultural displays. I confront omissions and violations in American history, and I am fascinated by the commonplace allegiance to the denial of truths running through the hall of our government. I extensively research each painting and draw inspiration from scholars and writers, including James Baldwin, Angela Davis, Maya Angelou, W.E.B. Du Bois, Michelle Alexander, and most recently, Isabel Wilkerson. My paintings are tableaus of metaphors, icons, and popularized tropes to address contemporary racial politics. I address my viewers with a warm, vibrant palette, humor, rhythm, and movement punctuated by the derogatory stereotypes created to define Black bodies. At age 84, I paint daily, in my home studio in Portland, Oregon.”
Natural Bonds
March 24-May 26, 2023
IN THE SPIRIT OF NATURE | Hallie Brown Ford Gallery
A group exhibition with prints by Christine Harrison, paintings by Dennis Worrel, and sculptures by Susan McMillan.
SEEING WITH YOUR SOUL | Red Door Gallery
A solo exhibition of watercolor paintings by UVA Artist Member, Judi Danielson.
ON THE VERGE | Corridor Gallery
A group exhibition of abstract works by textile artists Amanda Miller, Diane English, and Janet Hiller.
IF I HAVE TO, I CAN DO ANYTHING | Gallery II
A solo exhibition of mixed-media monotypes and image transfers by Julie Anderson Bailey.
THE PROMISE | Student Gallery
A group exhibition of ceramics, fine arts, photography, and graphic design by Roseburg High School students.
REFLECTIONS
JANUARY 20-MARCH 17, 2023
FILAMENTS | Hallie Brown Ford Gallery
A traveling exhibition from the Weaving Guilds of Oregon showcasing fiber arts using contemporary styles, designs, and landscapes.
JON LEACH RETROSPECTIVE | Red Door Gallery
An exhibit of PNW artist Jon Leach’s mixed-media paintings that demonstrate the act of breaking through the traditional, expected, and routine.
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE | Corridor Gallery
with Rich Bergman – 25 photographs exploring the transformative effects of infrared light on Pacific Northwest landscapes.
J. LYNN PETERSON RETROSPECTIVE | Gallery II
An exhibit of beloved Douglas County resident, artist, and UVA member J. Lynn Peterson’s artwork.
DIVERSITY, INCLUSION, & BELONGING: SHARING OUR WORLD… | Student Gallery
Works by Douglas County Students of Color Student Union
Rich Bergman, High Sky Over Mt Jefferson, Infrared photograph
PAST EXHIBITIONS | 2022
Umpqua Plein Air Exhibit
Aug 27-October 28, 2022
Every year, UVA hosts plein air painters from around the Pacific Northwest and beyond for a special event celebrating the landscapes of the Umpqua Valley. Each Summer, artists connect with nature and fellow creatives for a week of outdoor painting to capture these beautiful landscapes, with a special exhibition showcasing the culmination of their work.
This year, UVA welcomed Yong Hong Zhong as our guest juror, and 48 artists came together to fill our galleries with beautiful paintings of the landscapes within our county.
RURAL Exhibit
Jun 17-Aug 19, 2022
During this time of unimaginable and rapid change when the URBAN | RURAL differences are highlighted in political rhetoric and policies, artwork created in Oregon’s rural areas offers the possibility of connecting with those parts of Oregon considered remote and removed. We look to bridge urban and rural differences for greater understanding. Umpqua Valley Arts was thrilled to showcase the breadth and depth of artwork created throughout Oregon’s rural areas in this exhibit!
PAST EXHIBITIONS | 2021
Shannon Agee | Michele Avanti | Julie Bailey | Debi Bates | Jani Brown | Jim Brown | Kevin Carson | Hellene Chapman | Maria Chugunova | Trinity Clark | Vicki Cooper | Jemma Crae | Lorraine Crammer | Jana Cunningham | Judi Danielson | David Douthat | Andrew Duclos | Jayden Dukes | M. Elaine Dunhm | Kevin Eckerman | Susan Escobar | Marjorie Feldman | Sandy Ferguson | Corienne Geddes | Mary Gilbert | Art Gilbert | George Graham | Patti Hagan | Norma Hall | Margot Harper | Denis Hellawell | Suzie Helmuth | Patty Hendricks | Carolyn Hibbard | Lisa Hill | Tiffany Hokanson | Sarah Holborow | H.D. Honscheid | Jan Horn | Lisa Hubbard | Holly Huchko | Bari Isaacson | Raino Isto | Ted Isto | Nancy Jolley | Cleo Kale | Katherine Elisar | Tara Kemp | Richard Kirk | Jeanmarie Kollenkark | Cora Larson | Jeanette Le Grue | Susan Lehman | Missy Lynne | Dana McCraw | Sandee McGee | Patti McNutt | Vickie Meguire | William Mehlhoff | M. V. Moran | Elaine Moriarty | Laurie Morris | Fritz Meyers | Judy Nigh | Jim Norris | J. Lynn Peterson | Buffy Rainsberry | Marie Rassmusen | Shirley Reade | Susan Rudisill | Larry Safley | Selma Sattin | Sharon Sawicki | Shannon Schmidt Breslin | William Shedd | Sally Stone | Serena Swanson | Marcy Tassano | Lory Utz | Martha Waardenburg | Joellen Waldvogel | Bob Walker | John Waller | Judy Waller | Nancy Watterson Scharf | Catherine Wayne | Diane Williams | Emily Free Wilson | Richard Worthey | Paul Zegers
2021 Annual Members' Exhibit
Nov 5 - Dec 23, 2021
Every year, the Umpqua Valley Arts Center celebrates its artist members by hosting a Members’ Art Exhibit. UVA’s artist members share the art they have created with the entire community. This event showcases their dedication to their studio practice and to the community through the making and showing of their artworks. All of our galleries will be filled with their newest work so we can all see, experience, and support their progress and practice.
UMPQUA PLEIN AIR EXHIBIT
August 31 - Octber 29, 2021
In 2021, UVA hosted beautifully captured paintings of the wild and stunning landscapes of Douglas County through the eyes and paint brushes of the 2021 Umpqua Plein Air Artists! The exhibit was on display in all of our galleries from August 31st to Ocotber 29th, 2021
ARTWORKS NORTHWEST BIENNIAL EXHIBIT
June 11th - August 22nd, 2021
UVA’s annual Artworks Northwest Exhibit is a regional juried exhibit of work from artists who reside in the Pacific Northwest region (Northern California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, British Columbia, Western Montana and Western Wyoming) and is open to all media including—but not limited to—ceramics, printmaking, photography, paint, and drawing.
ABOUT THE JUROR:
Grace Kook-Anderson was appointed The Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art in January 2017. Prior to joining the museum, she was an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Art in the school of Art + Design at Portland State University and worked as an independent curator and arts writer. From 2008 – 2015, Kook-Anderson was the Curator of Contemporary Art at Laguna Art Museum. KookAnderson received a dual B.A. degree in art history and art practice from the University of California, Berkeley, and received her M.A. degree in Curatorial Practice from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco.
Stories Told by Water by Artist Member, Leah Wilson
Red Door Gallery
June 11th – August 22nd, 2021
Leah Wilson is a visual artist and writer who lives and works in Eugene, Oregon. After earning her Master of Fine Arts degree from the San Francisco Art Institute, she lived in Nevada City, California, located in California’s Gold Country in the Sierra Nevada foothills. From this home base, she spent years making art and teaching whitewater kayaking. Letting her interests overlap, she created a pivotal project influenced by the environmental decision-making processes of scientists, resource managers, and special interest groups during the FERC relicensing of her local watershed, the South Yuba River. This experience, as well as Wilson’s many years of running whitewater, is the inspiration behind her creative process.
Curator for “A Watched Pot Always Boils,” Serena Swanson:
Curator for “A Watched Pot Always Boils,” Jayden Dukes:
A WATCHED POT ALWAYS BOILS
Hallie Brown Ford Gallery
April 2nd – June 4th, 2021
2020 saw the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women’s constitutional right to vote. While this amendment sounds ideal in theory, the truth was that many women of color found themselves still unable to exercise their legal right to cast a ballot, depriving them of their voice. As the New York Times noted in an editorial evaluating the 19th Amendment’s centennial, “millions of other women… remained shut out of the polls until the voting rights act was passed in 1965.” This history has informed and structured today’s American society. UVA’s artistic celebration of the 19th amendment’s anniversary examined agency, access, and opportunity through an intersectional lens to highlight what it takes for one to participate fully in American society, tell their story, and shape the destiny of their community. This show celebrates voices and identities of those who have found ways to narrate their own histories and define agency within these social spaces.
Postcards for a Beautiful World
Cooridor Gallery
What are our hopes and dreams for the future? How do we weather our collective storms while continuing to cultivate a sense of belonging in our community? These questions and more prompted responses in the form or artistic postcards crafted by community members throughout the Umpqua Valley.
Inspired by beloved instructor and longtime UVA family member Victoria Carnate, UVA put out a call for community members to design their own postcard to be featured in this deeply heartfelt exhibition.
Wood, Water and Oils
Red Door Gallery
A group exhibit in UVA’s Red Door Gallery featured the artwork of UVA’s Artist Members, Debi Bates, Andrew Duclos and Dick Worthey. This showing included works done in watercolor and oil paint as well as carved out of wood. Each piece clearly showcased the creative and masterful hands of each of the three artists. Bates, Duclos, and Worthey transformed raw materials into incredible works of art that celebrated place and community while also resonating with the natural world.
ROTATING PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
Typewriter Art by Paul Smith
Known worldwide as the “Typewriter Artist”, Paul Smith is a lauded artist with a story spanning eight decades, seven of which he spent creating typewriter art. Having severe spastic Cerebral Palsy that affected his speech, mobility, and fine motor coordination, Paul persevered, expressing himself through his artwork and painting intricate pictures with only a typewriter.
