Willamette Falls Plein Air Challenge Exhibition

In October, Anna participated in the Willamette Falls Plein Air Challenge at the Blue Heron Falls Overlook. It is now time to come see the final result of Anna and other local artists time and effort at Oregon City Hall Gallery for the exhibition.

You can visit the gallery from December 1st, 2013 - March 31st, 2014 at Oregon City Hall Gallery.  The gallery is located at 625 Center Street, Oregon City, Oregon 97045.  For more information, please contact Elizabeth Klein, CCAA Program Manager at (503) 655.0525.

Here are Anna's two new pieces that resulted from the Willamette Falls Plein Air Challenge.

Blue Heron Swan Song, Oregon City Falls

24 x 18

En Plein Air, Oil on Canvas

View from McLoughlin Promenade, Oregon City

20 x 16

En Plein Air, Oil on Canvas

Tualatin Life Press Release: The Living Room Gallery Solo Exhibition

A nice article was published in the December 2013 issue of Tualatin Life newspaper about my solo exhibition at the Tualatin Library titled 'Tualatin Artist Displays Beautiful Oils at Tualatin Library'.  The exhibit features some of my Plein Air paintings not at the Forever Art Gallery.  Many thanks to artist Angela Wrahtz for writing the article and organizing the exhibition.

You can come view the exhibit at the Tualatin Library Wall Gallery located at 18878 SW Martinazzi Avenue, Tualatin, Oregon 97062 from December 1st, 2013 - January 31st, 2014. Please see below for hours;

Monday - Thursday: 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday - Saturday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 - 6:00 PM

Old Dog, No Tricks!

A bit of valuable advice has finally sunk in that art marketer Marty Rulolph told me some 7 years ago. Had I listened to her, I would likely be in a different place in my art career and painting ability than I am currently.

 I’m grateful to God that I made a last minute decision to enter the Impressionist Society 2013 competition and that I was fortunate to find their Facebook page. Many of the contest winners who have been invited to the exhibition have been posting their entries. Everyone of them would be classified as traditional in plein air or impressionistic style.

Seven years ago, when I shared with Marty, my new direction in painting with a heavy impasto, saturated color and slightly abstracted style alongside my traditional painting she voiced concerns. Marty said, “This new work with its contemporary edge of texture and over the top color may be serving you to open doors of Portland, Oregon venues. If you have any aspirations to market your work outside of Portland, your “new work”, will read as unskilled painting.”

This was hard to receive because it wasn’t until I broke from my traditional painting that I got any response from area galleries. I asked her, “How can I make it as an artist in Oregon unless I’m willing to paint work that will compliment the Mid Century Modern, regional flavor?” She cautioned me that decorating trends change yearly and chasing gallery representation or sales by adopting the flavor of the month will hurt me in the long run. Marty gave the example of Tuscany landscapes with red tile roofs. She asked, “How many real art collectors are ready to puke if they see another Tuscany red roof?” She tried to remind me that, highly skilled, well executed art that connects with the soul will resonate nationally and globally for decades, if not centuries.

 What I’ve found is Portland, OR area galleries that are left standing in this tough economy also subscribe to Marty’’s commonsense view point. Forever Art, the gallery I just got into in Portland, which has been in operation for 30 plus years, is showing my plein air pieces that lean traditional in color and style with just a touch of impasto for interest. Carole Bordak the owner decided take of few of my heavy impasto florals because she said they are fun and have a good compositional flow. They might appeal to a younger collector. All this is just for a 3 month trial basis. If nothing sells, she will evaluate whether to keep me my work in her gallery

Lesson learned, return to my roots of traditional painting and go for improvement from there. Strive to create a good painting, not a trendy painting. You would think that someone who has been painting  since she was 15 years old and working at her painting skill for the last 40 years would have learned that much earlier in development. I’m glad this old dog finally learned "No tricks, just paint."

 

 

 

 

Exhibiting at Forever Art in the Pearl

Anna will be exhibiting at Forever Art in the Pearl from June through September 2013.  Anna will be exhibiting some of her contemporary pieces, Iris Whispering Secrets, Color Burst, Mature Rose Horizon, Floppy Roses, Vibrant Magnolias, Rose Jam, as well as some of her Plein Air landscapes, Windy Window, Sentimental Reflection, and Anniversary Park.

Mature Rose Horizon

Floppy Roses

Anniversary Park - Overlook at Gold Beach Oregon, en Plein Air

Forever Art is open to the public Tuesday - Saturday from 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM and Sundays 12:00 - 5:00 PM.  Forever Art is also a participant in First Thursdays in the Pearl from 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM (please note there will be no First Thursday on July 4th).

Forever Art is located at 516 NW 9th Avenue, Portland Oregon 97209.  For an appointment, please call (503) 227-2010 or visit Forever Art online http://foreverartnw.com/

Portland Open Studios

Portland Open Studios is an annual self-guided tour to visit the studios of 100 artists throughout the Portland metro area.  Anna will be one of these artists this year and her studio will be open the weekends of October 12-13 and October 19 - 20, 2013 from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM.

Her studio is located at 8560 SW Maricopa Drive, Tualatin Oregon 97062. For more information about Anna's participation and Portland Open Studios http://www.portlandopenstudios.com/artists/lancaster-anna/

Sentimental Reflection
Jackson Bottom Wetland Preserve

Sauvie Island Up the Hill

Starbucks Monthly Artist, Tualatin Martinazzi Sqaure

Anna will be featured as Starbucks Monthly Artist at the Tualatin Martinazzi Square Starbucks located at 19321 SW Martinazzi Avenue, Tualatin Oregon 97062 during the month of August.

Store hours are Monday - Saturday 5:00 AM - 9:00 PM and Sunday 5:30 AM - 8:00 PM.  For more information, please call (503) 612-1614.

Beaverton Arts Commission, Mayor's Hall Exhibition

If you are in the neighborhood, please stop on by the Mayor's Hall and view some of the amazing fine art pieces on exhibit by Anna Lancaster through the month of August.  The Mayor's Hall Exhibition is sponsored by the Beaverton Art Commission (http://www.beavertonarts.org/) in association with the City of Beaverton (http://www.beavertonoregon.gov/index.aspx?nid=171).

Anna's artwork will be on exhibit from August 1 - 31st, Monday through Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM in the Mayor's Hall, located at 4755 SW Griffith Drive, Beaverton Oregon 97005.  For more information, contact Elaine Orcutt of the Beaverton Art Commission at (503) 526-2299.

2013 Centennial ArtSplash, Tualatin Commons Lakefront

Join Anna Lancaster for the 2013 Centennial ArtSplash Art show and sale July 26 - 28 at the Tualatin Commons lakefront.  The Tualatin Common's lakefront is located at 8325 SW Nyberg Street in Tualatin Oregon.  For more information, www.tualatinoregon.gov/recreation/artsplash

Hours are Friday 12:00 - 9:00 PM, Saturday 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM and Sunday 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

ArtSplash along the Commons Lake

Spring 2013 Exhibitions

Spring 2013 Exhibitions Preview

Fine Artist and Tualatin resident, Anna Lancaster, will be the participating in the following art exhibits for the spring 2013 fine art exhibition season in Oregon.

She will have her oil impasto, mixed media painting “Warm Gathering for Tea” at the Emerald Spring 2013 National Juried Exhibition, which runs April 30th to May 31st, 2013. Artwork for this exhibition was juried in by nationally recognized artist, Marla Baggetta, of West Linn Oregon, whose artwork is represented by galleries in Oregon, California, and Illinois. The artists reception and awards presentation for this exhibition is Saturday, May 4th, 2013 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM.

The Exhibition and artists reception will be at the Emerald Art Center, located at 500 Main Street, Springfield Oregon, Emerald Art Center. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM.

This juried annual is a national exhibition featuring artists from across the United States. 

Anna will also have her acrylic painting 'Golden Anniversary Peak' which was painted en plein air at Golden Anniversary Park on the Oregon Coast, in the Gresham Art Committee 2013 Annual Juried Exhibition. This exhibit runs from April 9th to June 6th, 2013. The artists reception and awards presentation is Tuesday, April 23rd from 5:30 – 7:00 PM.

This juried annual exhibition and artists reception will be at the City of Gresham Visual Arts Gallery Public Safety and Schools Building located at 1333 NW Eastman Parkway, Gresham Oregon. Gresham Visual Arts Gallery hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Paintings for this exhibition were juried in by watercolor artist Mike Hill of Oregon.

Anna also has a solo exhibit at the Starbucks at Martinazzi Square, located at 19321 SW Martinazzi Avenue, Tualatin Oregon. This exhibition runs through the month of February. Starbucks, Martinazzi Square, store hours are Monday through Saturday from 5:00 AM – 9:00 PM and Sundays 5:30 AM – 8:00 PM.

Come see Anna’s artistic development as an oil painter of realistic form with a contemporary flair.

Art Direction and History of Anna Lancaster Fine Art

Anna Lancaster

Recently, Anna has directed her observational painting skills as a member of the Clackamas County Plein Air Painters. She has fallen in love with many of the breathtaking scenic opportunities of the Oregon landscape including the spectacular views approaching Mount Hood and on the Oregon Coast. Participating in local plein air painting challenges and venues such as the Hillsboro plein air competition have become a regular discipline for the artist.

Anna Lancaster was born in New Jersey and moved to Oregon in 1991, at the same time she made the decision to shift her career focus from graphic illustration and design to professional fine artist. She enjoys diverse styles of painting which include portraiture and figure painting in traditional and contemporary styles. She also enjoys painting plein air landscape and still life painting in oils. Anna has expanded her contemporary art to include vibrant mixed media using watercolor, soft pastel, oil and acrylics paints.Anna identifies herself as a, 'Beautiful Art Revivalist'. She markets her work under the auspices of her company, Anna Lancaster Fine Art. She has sold and exhibited in Oregon since 1995.

Anna’s vibrant contemporary portraits, landscapes, seascapes and still life reflect the influence of her Oregon experience. Anna was originally trained in traditional realism, a style which she often returns to for her commissioned portraits. The artist began developing her vibrant, highly textured style from her experience as a regular exhibiting artist of both Onda Galleries in Lake Oswego and on Alberta Street, Portland.

Her area gallery associations include exhibitions at such venues as the former Onda Galleries; Forever Art in the Pearl; the Gresham Visual Arts Gallery in Gresham and the Emerald Art Center in Spring Field, Oregon.

She has exhibited in area art fairs and festivals including, The Lake Oswego Arts & Crafts show at George Rogers Park, Willamette Festival of the Arts at Willamette Park, Tualatin Art Splash at the Tualatin Commons, the former Tualatin Studio Tour, Washington County Artist Studio Tour and the Christmas and spring in the Country Bazaars at the Clackamas county Fair Grounds.