(Above: “Use This One,” a Prismacolor drawing by Sue Markley, is part of a show at the Maude Kern Art Center)

By Randi Bjornstad

“A Blackbird Perspective” is one of Nancy Watterson Scharf’s paintings in the Maude Kerns Art Center’s new show

The title of a new show opening July 20 at the Maude Kerns Art Center is “Shared Habitat,” and it addresses the way three women artists view the intersection that humans have with the natural world.

The three will display their concepts in different media, including sculpture, colored pencil and acrylic paint. The opening reception for their work will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on July 20.

Here’s what the artists say about their approach to this theme:

Sue Markley — As a longtime Eugene artist and retired South Eugene High School educator, Markley has worked in a variety of media, including cast and fabricated jewelry, drawing, and free-form appliqued textiles. This time around, she has selected a grouping of highly detailed colored-pencil drawings inspired by forms in nature.

“Catadon side view” is a sculpture by Laura Buchan in the “Shared Images” show

Nancy Watterson Scharf — The painter from Oakland, a picturesque historic town north of Roseburg, shows acrylic canvases that examine the limits of human perception in a world teeming with other life forms. As she puts it, “I am curious about how we compartmentalize and self-limit our perception — we literally do not see most of the diverse life forms living and working alongside us.”

Laura Buchan — A sculptor from Stevenson, Washington, Buchan’s contribution to the show includes wood-carved pieces that meld forms from plants, animals, and human anatomy. The choice reflects her fascination with both preservation and the process of decay, with a special concern for loss of biodiversity and the growing threat of extinction for many species.

 

 

Shared Habitat

When: July 20 to Aug. 24; opening reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on July 20

Where: Maude Kerns Art Center, 1910 E. 15th Ave., Eugene

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday; and noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday during exhibitions

Information: 541-345-1571 or online at mkartcenter.org