(Above: Photograph by Jon Christopher Meyers is part of his show at the Emerald Art Center, titled A Portfolio: Twenty Years of Crafting Photographs)

Edited by Randi Bjornstad

Painting by Jack Mantel at the Willamalane Adult Activity Center

Presented by the Emerald Art Center, the city of Springfield’s Second Friday Art Walk on March 10, 2023 features nine stops on its self-guided tour:

  • Willamalane Adult Activity Center, 215 West C St.
  • Emerald Art Center, 500 Main St.
  • Springfield History Museum, 590 Main St.
  • Academy of Arts & Academics, 615 Main St.
  • Memento Ink, 525 Main St.
  • Swallowtail Spirits Distillery & Cocktail Bar, 111 Main St.
  • Hearts For Hospice, 444 Main St.
  • The Pedaler, 416 Main St.
  • The Festival Boutique, 327 Main St.

At the Emerald Art Center, tour-goers will see pictures by commercial photographer Jon Christopher Meyers, whose work has taken him all over the country, capturing images from mountain landscapes to birds of prey. Meyers will give an artist talk at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21, at the art center. His work can b e seen online at StudioMeyers.com.

Painting on Yupo, a “paper” created from recycled plastic, by Sharon Dobra, part of her show, “The Oregon Collection,” at the Emerald Art Center in March 2023

Two members of the art center also have featured exhibits during March. Sharon Dobra’s show is titled The Oregon Collection and includes 45 paintings created over a 15-month period, all watercolor or alcohol ink using Yupo, a non-porous, acid-free, waterproof “paper” made of recycled plastic, resulting in extraordinarily vivid color.

Artist Jo Dunnick also has been experimenting with the medium, and she calls her display, Yupo Explored. She describes Yupo as “a recyclable, waterproof, tree-free, synthetic paper that is extruded from polypropylene pellets and manufactured into various grades, weights, and thicknesses and is commonly used for labels and packaging becasue it is super smooth, durable, waterproof, and will not tear.”

When used for painting, the result on Yupo is “vibrant, free-flowing or precise,” Dunnick said, and always reacting “in ways that are unique” to its particular composition.

It has another unique characteristic, Dunnick said, knowing that with Yupo, “at any time I could take the painting to the sink, wash it off, and try again.”

As usual, the Emerald Art Center also has new work by other members on display during each month, from March 7-31. Regular gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Second Friday Art Walk in downtown Springfield

When: 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 10, 2023

Where: Nine locations, including eight on Main St. plus the Willamalane Adult Activity Center at 215 West C St.

Information: 541-726-8595 or online at emeraldartcenter.org