(Above: Detail from artist Rogene Mañas’ Our Lady of Not Taking It Anymore, from her in  series)

By Randi Bjornstad

Barbara Counsil’s Strelizia

As the Phase 1 pandemic guidelines for gatherings come into play following the more restrictive complete shutdowns of the past several months, face masks still are highly recommended and social distancing required.

In keeping with the stricter guidelines, like many other galleries, fitness centers, and other publicly frequented places, the Maude Kerns Art Center added online exhibits, classes, and activities to its repertoire.

Now, in recognition of the loosening requirements, the newest show at Maude Kerns is a hybrid, appearing both on its gallery walls through June 26 as well as being available for viewing online at its website, mkartcenter.org.

The exhibit, titled Inspired Instructors: Works by Maude Kerns Art Educators, features work by artists Amy Albrecht, Mika Aono, Taro Baugnon, Kate Bollons, Barbara Counsil, Carolyn Gates, Shelby Lynn Harvey, Cooper Jeppeson, Linda LaVie, Rogene Mañas, Krista Raasch, Christopher St. John, Sarah Sedwick, Sara Smith Spahn, Craig Spilman, and Jordan K. Walker.

The Juggler, by Sarah Sedwick

Here’s an inventory of the 67 pieces in the show:

  • Albrecht — one large-scale oil painting
  • Aono — five works in various printmaking media
  • Baugnon — four ink drawings with themes of daily life and imagination
  • Bollons — five Oregon landscape paintings
  • Counsil — five oil paintings of subjects drawn from nature
  • Gates — four watercolor paintings of flowers and butterflies
  • Harvey — five ink drawings in illustrative style
  • Jeppesen — three stoneware ceramic vessels fired in traditional anagama kilns
  • LaVie — five paintings of still life and natural subjects
  • Mañas — five paperclay on canvas works, including four from her Everyday Saints series
  • Raasch — four minimalist textile panel pieces with the theme of intimacy and interiors.
  • St. John — one painting and four ceramic bowls featuring stylized animals
  • Sedwick — five still-life oil paintings
  • Smith Spahn — four pieces related to the Trauma Healing Project’s Healing Through Art Support Group
  • Spilman — three semi-abstract graphite drawings based on natural phenomena
  • Walker — four works, including three realist landscape oil paintings and an ink illustration

Serving Bowl by Cooper Jeppesen

The folks at Maude Kerns describe this show as mediums “as diverse as the creators, including ceramics, pen and ink, oil, acrylic, watercolor, textiles, printmaking, graphite drawings, and paperclay,” in styles “from realistic to abstract, from colorful to monochrome, introspective to exuberant.”

Not only does the exhibit enable the art center to keep on showing work by area artists during this time of restricted numbers and “social distancing,” it also supports the artists by allowing them to present their work, much of which is for sale and can be purchased through the Maude Kerns Art Center’s website.

Trees of Heart #2 by Craig Spilman

Inspired Instructors: Works by Maude Kerns Art Educators

When: Through June 26

Where: Online for viewing and/or purchasing, at mkartcenter.org

Details about the Maude Kerns Art Center: Located at 1910 E. 15th Ave., Eugene; normal (non-pandemic) open hours  10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday during exhibits

Information: 541-345-1571 or mkartcenter.org

Sara Smith Spahn’s Sit This One Out