Featured Artist Noriko Hirayama, First Friday and more!

Days End by Noriko Hirayama

Noriko Hirayama returns with Smith Rock

Village Frame and Gallery is pleased to present Noriko Hirayama’s show, Smith Rock, in the gallery in April. Read more about Noriko here.

Smith Rock

Noriko Hirayama, smiling broadly, standing in front of colorful trees.

From an early age, I have had an interest in archeology and geology. I am thrilled by the sophistication of ancient cultures and the raw power of the natural forces on the earth beneath them. In my travels to India, Cambodia, Indonesia, China, Egypt, Greece, and Central America, I was amazed by mankind’s highly developed artistic capacity and ability to harness nature in such a long time ago.

Since leaving my homeland in Japan and moving to Oregon, my interests have shifted towards gaining a fuller understanding of the monumental powers of nature separate from culture. I soak in the natural landscapes of the Western United States in my hikes and camping, I am continuously surprised by the geological treasures of Central and Eastern Oregon. Among these surprises is Smith Rock, which I saw for the first time two years ago.

Hearing that Smith Rock was a rock climber’s paradise of cliffs, I sought out more majestic geological forms to explore in the region. Upon visiting Smith Rock State Park to satisfy my curiosity about climbers rather than their medium, I was mesmerized by nature’s beautiful arrangement of large groups of rock faces. Each rock stands proudly with dignity after overcoming such long and cruel, climatic changes and geological forces.

In my return trips to the park at different times of the year, each rock face presents to me a personalized character and keeps me attracted. After struggling with painting these strong characters, I am gradually familiar to them. Whenever I now see them, I feel like “I am beginning to know you.”
–Noriko Hirayama

Spring has sprung with “Summer” and mosaic flower pots by Denise Sirchie!

We are all feeling it. The need to get out in the garden, feel the dirt between our fingers and dodge the raindrops. Yes, spring has arrived! What better way to celebrate than gorgeous new mosaic flower pots by Denise Sirchie. Joining these new works in our large display window is “Nesting,” a mosaic wall hanging designed for the bird lover at heart and “Summer,” a complex and lovely mosaic that harkens warm days and cool lemonade. Read about Denise and see more of her work at mosaicsnw.com.

Also in the window – Sculpture by Chas Martin

Chas Martin returns with “Free” and “Curiosity.” Chas’ playful and colorful sculptures seem to dance and swing in our display window. Read about Chas and see more of his work at chasmartin.com.

It’s First Friday in the Village!

Village Frame and Gallery will be open late to host an artist’s reception in honor of Noriko’s new show! Stop in after 6 pm on Friday April 5th to see the show and speak with Noriko. It’s also a great time to see our cool spring window!

The exhibit is open to the public and runs throughout the month during regular business hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm. We are located at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.

Featured Artist Susan Kuznitsky and First Friday!

Susan Kuznitsky returns to Village Frame and Gallery in March. Join us this Friday, March 1st for First Friday and artists reception to visit with Susan and see her lovely pastel and oil paintings!

About Featured Artist Susan Kuznitsky

Over 30 years of painting and teaching gives Susan Kuznitsky the experience and confidence to paint any subject in either pastels or oils. Plein air painting is her focus and passion. Susan has a keen eye for composition and detail with a great ability to turn an ordinary everyday scene into something extraordinary. Comfortable in both oils and pastels, Susan likes to work in both mediums to keep things fresh.

Born in Chicago, Susan began her art education as a teenager with the late Joe Abbreccia. This was followed by more training at the American Academy of Art. She later studied with great living masters Albert Handell and Richard Schmid. Susan currently resides in Portland.

Susan Kuznitsky holding up one of her paintings and a ribbon it won in an art show

If I can leave the world a bit more beautiful than I found it through my artwork, then I have done good. The beauty is everywhere, my job is to translate it onto canvas and share it, to make the ordinary extraordinary.

This exhibit is open to the public, free, starting at 6 p.m. Friday, March 1st, and throughout the month during regular business hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am – 6 pm. We are located at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.

It’s First Friday!

Snow Day and Last Chance to See Sara Starr Medici in the Gallery!

The snow is falling lightly in the Village. The shops are open and the sidewalks shoveled. The roads are sanded and there’s plenty of parking! It’s a perfect time to visit your Village!

Mixed Media by Sara Starr Medici

A snow day is a perfect excuse to visit Village Frame and Gallery. And there’s just two more days to see the paintings of Sara Starr Medici in our gallery – the exhibit ends at close of business Thursday. In case you didn’t know, Sara is co-owner of Casa Vaca Bistro and Bar, right next door! See more of her paintings and read about Sara here.

Village Frame and Gallery is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219 in Multnomah Village.

Big Fish

Blue Bijou by Denise Sirchie
Blue Bijou by Denise Sirchie

“BIG FISH!!” I was standing outside the gallery on Wednesday admiring (she says with a bit of sarcasm) all the available parking in the Village – seriously, Tuesday and Wednesday after the lunch rush there are almost a dozen parking spaces available. “BIG FISH!!” A boy of three-ish years shouted to his mom as they passed, he was jumping and pointing to the mosaic fish in our small display window.

Big fish, indeed. I thought about the movie Big Fish, on my mind because Albert Finney recently passed away. It’s a movie full of love, about a man with big stories and a bigger life. A big fish in a small pond. Kind of like our big fish, Blue Bijou by Denise Sirchie. Blue Bijou measures almost 40 inches across from whisker to tail, painstakingly pieced together from broken china and glass, metal buttons and glass beads. Much too big for our little “aquarium” out front!

You may remember some of Denise Sirchies other work in our gallery. Recently Scarlett graced our holiday window display posing as the Ice Queen in our Winter Wonderland.

Scarlett by Denise Sirchie

Denise is busy now creating mosaic flower pots, just in time for spring. We look forward to celebrating spring with her new work. Watch our windows in April and May!

Empty Parking = Empty Businesses

I’m not kidding when I say I’ve seen a dozen parking spaces available on recent weekdays. Parking can be more than a challenge in the Village, but empty parking spaces are an even bigger problem. Empty parking spaces mean your local businesses could be suffering. We all want to stay indoors during cold and rainy weather, but we also want our local businesses to be here when the temperate weather returns. So I challenge you, don’t put off your errands in the Village – visit the new cleaners, try the new restaurants and bakery, stop in at your favorite older businesses and check out the French Quarter. And don’t forget First Friday! Your local businesses work hard and stay open late to provide interesting art, entertainment and experiences. Whatever you do, think Local first. Don’t default to the internet for gifts and services you can get right here in your Village!

Big Fish Deals on Now!

To entice you to bring in those framing projects, Village Frame and Gallery is offering Big Fish deals right now. Bring in that older piece you’ve been meaning to reframe or that memory from a recent vacation. Mention BIG FISH for ten percent off custom framing! With framing solutions for almost every budget, our experienced designers can bring your vision to life!

Providing fine art and custom framing in Multnomah Village for almost 20 years, Village Frame and Gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.

Do you have a gift for your Valentine yet?

Village Frame and Gallery is your last minute source for gifts for almost everyone! From local and regional fine art, hand-beaded jewelry by Susan Koch, hand-turned wood pens by Randy Bonnella, to fine pottery by Carson Culp and John Berland, Village Frame has all your bases covered!

Your Valentine loves art, but not sure what to give them? Do they have something they’ve been meaning to frame? We have gift certificates available in any amount that may be used for custom framing, artwork and gifts!

Village Frame and gallery is located at 7808 SW Capitol Highway in Multnomah Village. We are open Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm.

Keeping it in the Village – Sara Starr Medici and First Friday!

Featured Artist – Sara Starr Medici

The road that has lead to where I presently find myself has been full of rich exploration and introductions. Some continue, all contribute to the rich tapestry of life experience both formal and informal that guide and define my work. Along this path I often reflect on hours spent absorbing the beauty and lessons of classic masters during study and life in Italy. The contemporary influence of living in New York City . . . encounters with Andy Warhol and Alice Neel. Fortunate opportunities to have worked as gallery assistant on Madison Ave and studio assistant in Portland. Exhibitions in Italy, New York and Portland, along with the generous support of private collectors all add to the collective experience which continues to inspire creative process and the pursuit and evolution of the work.

My paintings are non-figurative expressions of color and image. I work with acrylic paint with the incorporation of tissue-like paper that mimics the encaustic process, but with a lighter more transparent result. Although color remains the dominant subject, the layering of paint and paper creates illusory depth through texture. Never beginning with a preconceived idea or theme, the challenge is to manipulate the medium while allowing the painting to lead where ultimately it must go.

Sara is co-owner of Casa Vaca Bistro & Bar, right next door to Village Frame and Gallery! We are pleased to feature Sara’s work during the month of February.

First Friday in the Village!

Village Frame and Gallery is hosting an artist’s reception for Sara Starr Medici beginning at 6 pm on Friday, February 1st. It’s a great opportunity to meet Sara and see her beautiful paintings. Then, perhaps you can drop in next door at Casa Vaca Bistro & Bar for a small plate and a glass of wine!

The gallery is free and open to the public, Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.

Last Week to Save on Fine Art and Extra Savings too!

Our Annual Fine Art Sale Ends Thursday, January 31st. Don’t miss out on our lowest prices ever on framed fine art! And to sweeten the deal, were offering an addition 15 percent off. Don’t dally, the sale ends in just one week. We’ll see you soon!

Act Fast for 10% off New Custom Framing Orders!

Time to bring your framing projects to Village Frame & Gallery for 10% off all new custom framing orders. Don’t wait, this coupon is only good through February 2nd.

Print and bring into the shop or just show us this image on your phone.

Feel Free to Share This Post with a Friend

Know someone who needs an expert custom framer? Share this coupon with them and tell them why you trust Village Frame & Gallery for your framing needs.

The gallery is free and open to the public, Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.

Winter Framing Coupon and Incredible Fine Art Specials!

Secret Alphabet #2 and #9 by Martha Pfanschmidt

Artist Statement:
As a child I sat at the kitchen table drawing with crayons while my mother cooked dinner. I lost myself in the activity of drawing. It was my first experience of the infinite.

In school I loved making things—scratchboard drawings with black crayon over colored boards, linoleum block Christmas cards, clay figurines glazed in garish colors. At home I continued to draw, and found opportunities to express my creativity in other activities like making gingerbread houses and planting a garden. As an adult I continue to find much joy in the act of creation. Whether I am making a collage or painting I am the alchemist, turning raw materials into beautiful and provocative objects. I am deeply moved by beauty and need it around me for my well-being; it is a pleasure and a necessity.

Martha Pfanschmidt’s work is found in local, national and international collections and two of her encaustic works are on sale now at Village Frame and Gallery. Secret Alphabet #2 and #9 are float mounted and beautifully framed using TruVue Conservation Clear 99% UV protective glazing. Measuring 34 1/2 inches wide by 20 1/2 inches tall, both pieces are offered at $700, more than 25 percent of regular price!

Limited edition prints by Susan Koch

An award-winning watercolorist, Koch tries to evoke a place of familiarity or belonging—a feeling of “being home.” Painting began as a childhood passion for Susan. As far back as she can remember she was intrigued with drawing what she saw. She always knew painting was what she would do with her life and was determined to go to art school.

She studied watercolor at the American Academy of Art in Chicago under the late Irving Shapiro, one of the great watercolor artists of our time. Right out of art school, she found a job as a professional artist—doing graphic design for Yellow Pages ads.

With the exception of a few years after her second daughter was born, Susan has been painting all her adult life. “I have to do it,” she says. “It’s too much a part of me. I’ll never retire because I’ll always be painting. Since then, she has won many awards, including “Best of Show” and “Peoples’ Choice” several years running in the Watercolor Society of Oregon annual shows.

Barnyard with Sheep and Farmhouse on the hill are extraordinary examples of Susan’s intense, almost photographic watercolor renderings. These signed and numbered limited edition prints are conservation framed with TruVue Conservation Clear glazing. Measuring 33 1/2 inches wide by 28 1/2 inches tall, the framed prints are offered at $510, more than 20 percent off regular price!

Village Frame and Gallery has these and many other beautiful pieces on sale now at 20% to 70% off regular prices. The sale runs through the month of January, but stop in soon for the best selection!

Act Fast for 10% off New Custom Framing Orders Starting Tomorrow

Staring at the walls waiting for the rain to stop? Grab those items you’ve been meaning to get framed and bring them to Village Frame & Gallery for 10% off all new custom framing orders. Don’t wait, this coupon is only good January 23rd – February 2nd.

Print and bring into the shop or just show us this image on your phone.

Feel Free to Share This Post with a Friend

Know someone who needs an expert custom framer? Share this coupon with them and tell them why you trust Village Frame & Gallery for your framing needs.

The gallery is free and open to the public, Tuesday – Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.

Sonata and Hill Town on Sale Now!

Sonata by Gholam Yunessi

Master of poetic juxtaposition of classic and contemporary styles, Gholam Yunessi powerfully blends sensitive tonality with vibrant color to create art that transcends visual aesthetics. His creations stir subtle emotions that take residence in our unconscious. This talent has been molded through years of dedication to the master of his native Tehran – starting with one of Persia’s most famous sculptors, his uncle. At the age of five, this uncle nurtured, shaped, and chiseled the foundation of Gholam’s creativity.The development continued through high school, under the guidance of the renowned Persian artist, Shaness – Yunessi’s teacher of drawing and charcoal rendering. Next he studied the history and the techniques of the fine art of painting at the Tehran College of Fine Art.

Yunessi also frequently traveled to Europe to gain a personal understanding for the masters and the styles that characterized European art. As a result of this exposure he was able to move beyond the familiar and create a truly personal style that is born of passion not custom. Finally, with this rich balance of the near-eastern and European influences, he moved to America, where he now lives and where he continues to create and produce work that is recognized and exhibited around the world. 

Since 1972, Gholam Yunessi has been exhibiting his art in galleries around the world. The wide variety of cultures that have played backdrop to his development is clearly evident in the stylistic and expressive weave of his unique work.

Sonata, measuring 33 inches wide by 45 inches tall, is an excellent example of Yunessi’s work. A limited edition embellished giclee (number 98 of 175) is archivally framed with Conservation Clear glazing and is offered at $570 – 50 percent off retail!

Hill Town by Anne Belov

Anne Belov has been painting and drawing for more than 25 years. She received her BFA from Philadelphia College of Art (now University of the Arts) in Philadelphia, PA and her MFA from the University of Washington. Her work is in many collections and has been exhibited in Alaska, California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C. and Washington State. Her work has been featured in “American Artist Magazine” in 1988, 1990, 1993 and 1995.

Anne Belov states, “My objective is to create a sense of place and time through light, color, composition, and relationships between objects. My work contains both still life and landscape images, sometimes in the same painting.

“I was attracted to the art of etching by my love of drawing, and the line illustrations of an earlier era. Building my compositions through line, texture and tonalities satisfies an impulse that is different than painting with acrylics or watercolors. It is my sincere belief that different media and techniques feed each other, and that I bring things to etching from my paintings, and then back again to printmaking.”

Hill Town, measuring 30 inches wide by 43 inches tall, is a rich, textural look at an Italian hill town. A limited edition hand-colored etching (number 43 of 250) is archivally framed with Museum glass and is offered at $600 – 50 percent off retail!

Village Frame and Gallery has these and many other beautiful pieces on sale now at 20% to 70% off regular prices. The sale runs through the month of January, but stop in soon for the best selection!

The gallery is free and open to the public, Tuesday – Saturday 10 am to 6 pm at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.

Artwork by Richard Hall, Now on Sale!

Richard Hall is the kind of artist who refuses to fit into a category. He works not only in the media of serigraphy, monoprint, and etching, but he creates large wall reliefs and freestanding steel sculptures as well, and he paints in acrylics and in other media on large canvases. Some of his works display remarkable depth and antiquity, others possess a style both romantic and timeless, and still others are minimalist and ethereal. The single quality common to all of his works is that they are universally and enthusiastically sought. Read more about Richard Hall here.

During our annual framed artwork sale, Village Frame and Gallery is pleased to present four works by Richard Hall at truly amazing prices. Horizon I and II, measuring 25 wide x 29 1/4 high, custom framed with Museum glass, are offered at $300 each. Classical Code I and II, measuring an impressive 34 1/4 wide by 45 1/2 high, are also custom framed with Museum glass, and are offered at $450 each or both for $800.

Village Frame and Gallery has these and many other beautiful pieces on sale now at 20% to 70% off regular prices. The sale runs through the month of January, but stop in soon for the best selection!

The gallery is free and open to the public, Tuesday – Saturday 10 am to 6 pm at 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219.

Village Frame & Gallery, 7808 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219 ● (503) 245-8001
Open Tuesday - Friday, 10am - 5pm, and Saturday 10am - 4pm, or by appointment.