Events at Village Frame & Gallery Archives

May 5, 2023August 11, 2023

Object, Line, Shadow, Sculpture by Dianne Jean Erickson and Chas Martin in the Gallery this month!

Don’t miss this show! Village Frame and Gallery welcomes Dianne Jean Erickson and Chas Martin in the Gallery together for what is an energetic, bold and amazing show! Dianne’s new series Object and Line is a perfect foil for Chas’ bold and colorful sculpture.

Reception!

Join us on First Friday – Friday, May 5th at 5pm for the opening of Object, Line, Shadow, Sculpture and meet Dianne and Chas. The weather, while not warm and sunny is still perfect for a stroll in the Village. Stop in the shops, buy something nice for mom, enjoy the show and have some wine and nibbles with the artists at Village Frame and Gallery, and then grab dinner in the Village. What a perfect evening!

About Dianne Jean Erickson

Dianne Jean Erickson says it best about her paintings: “Each day working in my studio I start not knowing what image will emerge. I allow myself the freedom of indecisions, improvisations, and impulsiveness in my work, and that leads to exciting discoveries. Subjects of my paintings vary depending on ideas that arise. I use multiple mediums including, but not limited to encaustic, acrylic, oil and cold wax. I’m impatient by nature, my process is intuitive, I most enjoy the journey of creating, figuring out what works; what to keep, and what to abandon, until the piece works for me. I have no compulsion to save every work I do, and many become the layered history for a new piece. Creating art energizes me, it’s a place where time is altered, where all my feelings and emotions appear at some time or another; pleased, tired, upbeat, excited, harried, surprised, and hopefully at some point, satisfied.”

About Chas Martin

“My work comes from anthropology and energies of the natural world. My themes include relationships, situations and our role in the grand picture. On a primal level, we all share one community.”

Martin’s sculpture is directly influenced by his exploration of watercolor and acrylic painting. His Portland, Oregon studio is both a gallery and working studio – a collection of finished sculptures, paintings and sketches of works in progress. Martin offers classes, mentors individual artists and hosts meetings for groups like Pacific Northwest Sculptors. Wilderness is his inspiration – both physical and mental. His work combines natural beauty with concepts from physics, mystical influences and spirituality to create images that transcend time, gender, religion, race, politics and culture. Exploration of primal imagery opens doors to self reflection, conversation and growth.

Village Frame and Gallery is located at 7808 SW Capitol Highway, Portland 97219 in the heart of Multnomah Village. Our regular hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday 10 am to 2 pm.

March 3, 2023August 11, 2023

Multnomah Street Scenes II, paintings by Dennis Anderson and First Friday Reception

*Renner’s Grill, Street by Dennis Anderson*

Street Scenes II – Images of Multnomah Village and Portland

Images so colorful, so detailed you feel you are there. Capturing Multnomah Village and Portland in oil on canvas and board, Dennis Anderson’s paintings are fresh, happy and so familiar. Village Frame and Gallery is pleased to welcome Dennis and his paintings back to the Gallery for a month-long featured artist show!

Reception Tonight

Join us tonight, First Friday, for the opening reception of Street Scenes II – Images of Multnomah Village and Portland. Reception starts at 5 pm and runs through 7 pm and Dennis Anderson will be here to chat with you. Come on out! The weather is, well who knows what it will be doing at 5 pm, but you should visit the Village tonight. Shops are open late and you want to support the Village!

Artist Statement

The spirit of my work is contemplative.

I think of my paintings as Interpretive Naturalism, often finding an interest in routine moments of the urban street scene. In my best efforts, what is important
to me— is to elevate those activities of daily life, to give painterly significance—not merely to present a location, but to enliven what is familiar, often remembered, and frequently experienced.

Medium:
I use the luscious properties oil paint, developing a balance of loose brushwork to more painterly passages, all giving reference and impression to uneventful urban street scenes.
– – Dennis Anderson

In The Windows

Look for new work by Chas Martin in the windows this month!

January 6, 2023August 11, 2023

It’s First Friday! Last Chance to See the Paintings of George Woodcock, Closing Reception 5:30 pm Tonight!

Don’t miss your chance to own a painting by our friend, neighbor and local artist George Woodcock! George and his wife Marie were fixtures in Multnomah Village, their studios located just above Fat City Cafe. You can read more about George here.

Tonight we are celebrating his artwork once again, but this is your last chance. Come out to the Village, all the shops are here and it’s a lovely winter evening. See you soon!

Paintings by George Woodcock
Closing Reception
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Friday, January 6th

December 22, 2022August 11, 2023

Last Minute Gifts for your Holiday List!

We’re getting down to the wire! The last pictures for Christmas delivery are on our work tables ready for their frames, Lynne has flown off to warmer climes to spend the holidays with family (a brilliant move given our weather for the next few days), and the Village is here to help you with your last minute shopping!

At Village Frame and Gallery we have lots of last minute gifts! In our windows we have Raku pottery by John Berland, mixed media sculptures by Chas Martin, hand-beaded jewelry by Susan Koch and gorgeous mosaics by Denise Sirchie – all uber local artists!

*Our Town, original watercolor by Kaye Synoground*

A Very Special Kaye Synoground Painting

Kaye Synoground was well loved in the Village. Her iconic images of The Village were collected on the posters she issued every holiday season. In 2001, after 9/11, she created “Our Town,” a quiet snowy Multnomah Village, American flags flying, watched over by Mt. Hood and a snowman sentinel.

Village Frame and Gallery is pleased to offer “Our Town” and another Kaye Synoground original watercolor, “Moon Lit,” both framed with Museum glass and both with Kaye’s original sketches for the images on the back. You can see both paintings in our window. Unfortunately, prints are not available for these and other Kaye Synoground images.

Mesa Dancer, Risk and Leap by Chas Martin

Chas Martin describes his sculptures:
“Why limit paintings to flat surfaces? Why limit sculptures to flat color? I paint sculptures. It’s not new. The Greeks did it. I combine paint, storytelling and a fascination with dimensional figures. I turn petroglyph-inspired characters into archetypal figures. It begins with pencil and watercolor sketches. Sketches become wire armatures – like line drawings in space. I reposition arms, legs, hips and heads until the character’s gesture works. It’s like the interaction between director and actor, exploring how each nuance amplifies their story. I cloak these mixed media characters in paint as a costume designer dresses actors to project their personalities.”

Extended – George Woodcock Paintings in the Gallery
We are pleased to have George Woodcock’s paintings in the gallery through January 7th! There will be a closing reception on First Friday, January 6th at 5:30 pm.

Holiday Hours
Village Frame and Gallery will be closed December 27th through December 31st for a well-earned break. Besides, Lynne isn’t here so…what fun is that? We will reopen, ready to help you with all your picture framing needs on Tuesday, January 3rd. We wish you a Merry Christmas and healthy and happy New Year!

December 1, 2022August 11, 2023

Celebrating George Woodcock, Holiday Gala and Golden Tickets!

Village Frame and Gallery is pleased to present the paintings of our friend, neighbor and local artist, George Woodcock. George was scheduled to show his work in the Gallery in August of 2016, but fate had other plans and we celebrated his life instead.

Long overdue, this month we have the honor of presenting George’s oil paintings. George and his wife Marie were fixtures in Multnomah Village, their studios located just above Fat City Cafe. You can read more about George here.

Paintings by George Woodcock
Opening Reception
5:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Friday, December 2nd

Holiday Gala – Friday, December 2nd, 5 pm to 8 pm

Village businesses are going all out and the Holiday Gala is sure to be magical!

It’s Golden Ticket Time!

Don’t forget to shop the Village and bring your Golden Tickets! At Village Frame and Gallery you can save 10% off new custom framing orders with a Golden Ticket, just in time for the holidays! Speaking of which, we are still framing for the holidays, but bring your projects in soon!

July 1, 2022August 11, 2023

Outside In – A Lifetime of Work by Pat Leach, Opening Reception and First Friday in the Village!

The weather is warm, a long weekend promises fun and relaxing times with family and friends, and it’s First Friday in the Village! Stopping in at Village Frame and Gallery is a must while you browse the shops in the Village. We’re honored to host Outside In – A Lifetime of Work by Pat Leach, opening today at 5 pm!

“I am an outsider in the art world, meaning I have never taken lessons or classes in how to paint and draw — at least not since the one class taught by Mr. Beck when I was a boy. I have always enjoyed looking at art displayed in museums and am a frequent visitor to libraries where I study art books and magazines.” – – Pat Leach, 2022

Fun and thought provoking, surprising and charismatic, Outside In – A Lifetime of Work by Pat Leach, delights the senses at every turn. With a story of recovery, acceptance and friendship, Pat Leach’s life shares the same indelible qualities. Every picture tells a story, literally – Pat has written his thoughts and prose on the back of many of his paintings. His imagery, untrained and loose, flows from still life to the sea, from the female form to animals. Many pieces were reworked over time to please the artist.

Artist’s Statement

Pat Leach’s paintings are a living testament to the healing and restorative power of art. Created as part of his personal recovery since 1995, his paintings were private possessions in his home until his April 2022 diagnosis of glioblastom — an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer. Each painting is a tangible moment from his decades of recovery and sobriety. Now he has decided that sharing his healing with the world is a part of his larger purpose — in the hope that each painting comes alive as it finds a new home where it can continue its job. See more about Pat’s art and writings here.

About Pat Leach

Born and raised in the Buffalo area near Niagara Falls on a large island surrounded by the Niagara River, Pat is the son of a bricklayer. His mother was a secretary. After graduating from Cornell University in 1972, he earned his Master’s Degrees from Washington State University in Sociology and Education. Pat has lived a stone’s throw away from Multnomah Village for much of his adult life.

“The problem for me,” he says, “has been that I could never decide what I wanted to do to earn a living using my degrees.” After pursuing careers in teaching, technical writing, and as executive director of a small university agricultural institute, Pat found his purpose in his early fifties. “It took me years to know I was best off working with my hands and skills outdoors doing gardening, caring for clients’ yards, and painting and writing whatever I want without trying to support myself through my art.”

Village frame and Gallery is pleased to feature Pat’s large body of work in the Gallery through the month of July. We are located at 7808 SW Capitol Highway, Portland 97219 in the heart of Multnomah Village. Our regular hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 am to 4 pm and Saturday 10 am to 2 pm.

April 7, 2022August 11, 2023

Donna Stevens Don’t Miss Events – Virtual Reception and In-Person Gallery Demonstration!

It’s always exciting when Donna Stevens walks through our door. Her particular view of the world is matched only by her enthusiasm to share what she sees through her paintings. The color, the softness, and the sharpness of detail she creates with pastel surprises and pleases the senses. Village Frame and Gallery welcomes Donna’s new collection, 60º North Latitude and Beyond, as well as more recent work in the Gallery through the month of April.

*Mackey’s Bench by Donna Stevens (sold)*

Read more about Donna and her show 60º North Latitude and Beyond here.

Special Events

Virtual Reception via Zoom – Friday, April 8th, 4:30p–6:00p
Please RSVP to Donna@DonnaStevensFineArt.com, and Donna will send you a link to the Zoom event. Bring your own beverage and snack, and ask lots of questions!

In-person Gallery Demonstration – Friday, April 15th, 1:00p–3:00p
Donna will have her “field” gear set up to show you the pastels and other tools and methods used when painting.

Support for Ukraine

Donna Stevens Fine Art will donate 10% of net proceeds from the sale of her artworks featured at Village Frame and Gallery during the month of April 2022 to Direct Relief to support the provision of medical supplies to Ukraine. For more information on Direct Relief, visit https://www.directrelief.org/.

April 1, 2022August 11, 2023

60º North Latitude and Beyond, Donna Stevens returns to the Gallery with a new collection and recent work!

It’s always exciting when Donna Stevens walks through our door. Her particular view of the world is matched only by her enthusiasm to share what she sees through her paintings. The color, the softness, and the sharpness of detail she creates with pastel surprises and pleases the senses. Village Frame and Gallery welcomes Donna’s new collection,
60º North Latitude and Beyond, as well as more recent work into the Gallery beginning April 1, 2022.

An opening reception will be held First Friday, April 1st from 5 to 7 pm.

Artist Statement

Spend time in nature, sit still for a while, observe the light, and listen to the water, the air, trees, grasses, and animals. Even still water has its own sounds. Dried grasses add their voices to the breeze. A dead tree can have expressive gestures and a sense of character. While making my artworks, I am remembering the times spent within these scenes, the sounds of the wind moving among the trees, and the many moods of the water and sky. I use soft pastels on sanded or other sturdy papers. My works are souvenirs of that soothing internal connection with nature’s special places.

As a child, I drew all the time, usually with graphite or ink. When I returned to art from a long hiatus, during which I enjoyed a rewarding science career and raised my son, I began with charcoal. The tactile nature of using soft pastels on sanded papers seemed a natural transition from charcoal to color.

From Here To… by Donna Stevens Winter is Coming by Donna Stevens

60º North Latitude and Beyond is a collection of pastel works inspired by a 6-week driving and camping vacation through British Columbia, Yukon Territory, and Alaska.

In August and September in these northern latitudes, fall is already peaking. The “golden hour” lingers for several hours at both ends of the day. The rivers are wide and deep, and they emanate a quiet sense of incredible power. The permafrost shapes the land and the lives of the people in unique ways. The sky is vast; one indeed feels as if they are standing on the top of the world. On the rare sunny and golden days, the sunlight lifts the spirit and draws everyone out-of-doors.

The paintings in this collection represent some of my favorite memories of this trip, and I hope you will enjoy them, too.
– – Donna Stevens

Support for Ukraine

It’s First Friday!

Village Frame and Gallery is pleased to host an opening reception for 60º Latitude and Beyond on First Friday, April 1st from 5 pm to 7 pm. Join us in the Village for art, food, drink and specials at many of your Village shops and restaurants!

ZINC Bistro & Bar is Open!

ZINC Bistro & Bar is open next door! Previous Casa Vacca proprietors, Sara and Nick, are bringing their own special vibe to delicious small plates and drink specials. Their hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 4 pm to 9 pm. Village Frame and Gallery is thrilled to welcome them (back) to the neighborhood and look forward to dining al fresco in front of the Gallery this summer!

March 4, 2022August 11, 2023

Spring Starts Early with First Friday in the Village!

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs the month of March was my least favorite month. Anticipation for the first lovely snow long passed, the grass was soggy brown, humps of dirty, salty snow slowly melted next to driveways and streets, and the weather! Temps ranging from the teens to the forties; rain, wind, snow or “gasp” the elusive sunny day! March seemed to come in, and out, like a lion. Here in Portland my crocuses are blooming, the buds on the dogwoods down the street are starting to swell and my husband just cut our lovely, green, grass for the third time this year!

And Spring has sprung in the gallery, too. Village Frame and Gallery is pleased to present collage paintings by Eileen Downes for the month of March. Her images of foliage and flowers have created a bright and friendly riot of a garden on our featured artist wall. A most cheerful start to spring!

Artist Statement – Eileen Downes

What does it mean to be a “layerist” painter? My collage artwork is composed of many layers, each significant in the process of my art making. I use bits of torn magazine papers as my “palette of paint” working the image by adding and subtracting tonal values of this paper until I create the effect that I desire. Words, phrases, and imagery from the materials that make up the collage become visible upon close observation of the work adding to the meaning of the piece.

I am continually amazed by specific words that appear almost magically between the torn edges as if they are themselves part of the creator of the artwork. Often I use unusual collage materials such as band-aids, gum and candy wrapers, hierloom family photos, and sentimental letters from which to create my layered images. I add a small amount of oil pastel to each piece to increase the textural appeal, and I leave the rough collage edges visible to add to the layered effect. I hope you enjoy looking at my artwork as much as I enjoy making it.

Artist Reception and First Friday

Village Frame and Gallery will be open late for First Friday with an Artist’s Reception for Eileen Downes from 4pm to 7pm. Your Multnomah Village businesses work hard to bring you fun and unique events and items to browse and buy. It’s time to visit the Village!

Artist Update

Donna Stevens, featured artist and friend of the Gallery, is a Signature Member of the Northwest Pastel Society. Her painting “The Watchers” has recently been selected for the NPS Signature Members Show announcement card. The show runs March 4-26, 2022 at the Scott Milo Gallery in Anacortes, WA. Signature status in this society is awarded after an artist has had works selected by Jurors into the NPS Annual International exhibition in three different years.

Donna will premier her new work,
“60° North Latitude and Beyond,” at Village Frame and Gallery in April!

What’s Going on Next Door?

There’s been a lot of banging and drilling and painting going on! And two days ago there were delectable scents of cooking wafting down the sidewalk. We’re told that ZINC Bistro & Bar will open its doors on March 16th in the space previously occupied by Casa Vaca. Village Frame and Gallery is looking foward to welcoming our newest neighbors!

November 5, 2021August 11, 2023

In the Gallery – Emergence: Intuitive Paintings on Paper by Mary LaCasse and First Friday in the Village!

Village Frame and Gallery is pleased to present Emergence: Intuitive Paintings on Paper by Mary Lacasse. The colorful images wrought by Mary have movement and purpose. The subjects fluid and playful, familiar, and yet unfamiliar all the same.

About Emergence: Intuitive Paintings on Paper

These paintings were inspired by “finger painting” with my grandkids several years ago. I saw how much fun they were having and feeling liberated, began to scoop up paint in my hands and smear or smack it onto wall-mounted paper. The painting “emerged” as I worked with the shapes that appeared—figures, snakes, chickens, or monks and those characters guided the narrative and composition. I never knew who or what would show up on the paper.

“I, Thou” and “Mox Nix, the Monkey Doesn’t Matter” by Mary LaCasse

For a while, some characters appeared to be standing in water, often playful but in other narratives, the figures were presenting more serious or political ideas. Eventually, some paintings felt complete and the ideas compelling enough to share. Pushpin holes, tape and the informal nature of the process all became part of the artworks. I hope you enjoy the exhibit and remember, we are never too old to “finger paint.”

Mary LaCasse, November, 2021

It’s First Friday in the Village!

Get an early start on your Holiday shopping – come to the Village for First Friday! Start at one end – Switch and JP General, PeachTree and Mad Sass Soap, where you’re sure to find great gifts for those on your list. Cheers will undoubtedly put you in a celebratory mood. Then on to Yalla and Level Beer and grab a bite and a pint. Stop in at Root and Arranged for something green, and Indigo Traders for everything else you need for your home!

Finally, stop in at Village Frame and Gallery where we are hosting an artist’s reception from 4 to 7 pm for Mary LaCasse’s show Emergence: Intuitive Paintings on Paper.

It’s Holiday Framing Time!

It’s never too early to bring in your holiday framing projects! Whether you’re framing a photo for a gift or getting your home ready for Holiday entertaining, now is the time to bring your projects to Village Frame and Gallery!