Pictured: Catchin’ Horses, photograph by Rob Hammer in “Shifting Focus: Photography

at Oregon Invitational”

In This Newsletter

Connect with the arts this Spring!

Still looking for a Mother’s Day gift? Stop by the Art Center’s Gift Shop and Members Gallery, where you will find original art created by local artists, in a variety of prices, to celebrate the mothers in your life. 

Join us on Friday, May 10, from 5 – 7 pm, for the Opening Reception of our new exhibit “Shifting Focus: Photography at Oregon Invitational,” featuring 8 selected local and national photographers working in a variety of styles and subjects. 

Although most Spring term classes have started (and are full!), check out our upcoming adult weekend workshops in “Landscapes in Watercolor,” and “Introduction to Scratchboard.” Also, don’t miss our next “Community Art Share” on Saturday, June 15. Summer adult class registration opens soon and classes and workshops start in early July. Get creative this summer and try something new.

Thank you for your support. I hope to see you at the Art Center!

All my best,

Michael Fisher

Executive Director

Maude Kerns Art Center’s 37th annual Art and the Vineyard Festival takes place Friday through Sunday, July 5 – 7, at Alton Baker Park. The festival features the Artists’ Marketplace, Art For Your Garden, a Wine Court, a new Maude’s Art Arena, Main Stage entertainment, and more. Consider volunteering this year. See our Volunteer Call below. 

Last Call!

Artists’ Marketplace

The Artists’ Marketplace features over 100 artist booths located in the heart of the festival. The Marketplace represents the primary focus of the festival and is considered the top attraction by festival patrons. The Artists’ Marketplace is open to all artists and craftspeople producing original art. Commercially produced work, art assembled from kits, or imported art and goods are not accepted.

Submission Deadline: May 3, 2024

For more info and to apply, visit:

Art For Your Garden

The Art For Your Garden area includes artworks within a unique landscape design to emphasize the beauty in nature and to provide ideas on how to incorporate art objects

in a garden setting. Handcrafted garden furniture, pottery, planters, tiles, masks, birdbaths, fountains, bird feeders and houses, wind chimes, lanterns, sculptures, window boxes, gates, and abstract pieces are placed in appropriate, aesthetic settings to suggest to buyers that art belongs in gardens, on porches, and by pathways.

Submission Deadline: May 3, 2024

For more info and to apply, visit:

Call for Volunteers

Help support the Art Center by signing up to volunteer at this year's Art and the Vineyard Festival. Grab a friend (or two!) and volunteer in a variety of festival areas. Provide festival and Art Center information to festival goers at the Information/Membership Booth, help make art in Maude's Art Arena, or assist with art sales in Art For Your Garden. There are many volunteer possibilities. Volunteers receive a free festival t-shirt and 1-day pass.

Pictured: Volunteer Central at the 2018 Art and the Vineyard Festival

To sign up, visit:

The Art Center’s first annual Marvelous Maude’s Art Studio Tour on Saturday, April 13 was a tremendous success! The Center sold 78 tickets and raised $2,962. Many thanks to the host artists who opened their studios for the tour - Tim Boyden, Ann Bumb Hamilton, Rogene Mañas, and Tylar Merrill - and to contributing artists Kathy Frazer, Shelly Fredenberg, Annie Heron, Dave Imus, Demetra Kalams, Rebecca Mannheimer, Patrice Peterson, Holly Phillips, Bea Roberts, and Michael Whitenack, who displayed their work in the host studios.

We are grateful to our Brochure Sponsor, Capper’s Frames & Prints, and to Kristen Gruber of Crystal Impressions Graphic Design for her striking brochure design.

Wine and refreshments were generously provided by: RainSong Winery, Great Harvest Bakery, Sweet Life Patisserie, New Day Bakery, and Metropol. 

Our success would not have been possible without the dedicated work of the Art Studio Tour Committee: Louise Bishop, Ann Hamilton, Rogene Mañas, Caroline Passerotti, and Bea Roberts. We are grateful to our volunteers who made the tour such an enjoyable experience for all participants: Dana Burall, Susan Castillo, Val King, Jeanne Maasch, Satoko Motouji, Nancy Silvers, and Cathy Simard.

Thanks to all!

Pictured: Participants tour the studio of Rogene Mañas

We are accepting artwork donations through the end of September for “Marvelous Maude’s Art Rescue Sale” fundraiser, which takes place October 5 & 6. Donations may include drawings, paintings, sculpture, jewelry, collectibles, posters, textiles, and curiosities.

Please bring donations to the Art Center office during open hours: Weekdays, 10:00 am – 5:30 pm, and on Saturdays, from 12:00 – 4:00 pm (when exhibits are on display). Your donations may be tax deductible. Tax receipts are available at the office. If you have questions or need assistance with a donation, please contact the Art Center at 541-345-1571 or email staff@mkartcenter.org.

“Shifting Focus: Photography at Oregon Invitational” Opens May 10

Eight artists from across the country exhibit work in this Photography at Oregon Invitational. “Shifting Focus,” which opens on Friday, May 10, with a free public reception from 5 – 7 pm, features Barbora Bakalarova (Eugene, OR), Tracy Barbutes (Groveland, CA), Sarah Grew (Eugene, OR), Rob Hammer (Raleigh, NC), Eric Kunsman (Rochester, NY), Willie Osterman (Canandaigua, NY), Osceola Refetoff (Los Angeles, CA), and Nolan Streitberger (Albany, OR). 

“Shifting Focus” showcases a variety of digital and analog photography processes, including the collodion wet plate process, cyanotype, infrared, and pinhole photography. The subject matter touches upon time, technology, culture, and environmentalism. Local artist Sarah Grew highlights the current fragility of the planet in her installation of cyanotype images of plankton. Barbora Bakalarova, also from Eugene, shows work from her series called “Mythos,” featuring manipulated photos that are layered, colored, sometimes torn, and then rephotographed.

A free Artist Talk held in conjunction with “Shifting Focus: Photography at Oregon Invitational” takes place on Saturday, June 1, from 1 – 2 pm. The exhibit is on view through Friday, June 7.

Pictured: Echo by Barbora Bakalarova in the Photography at Oregon Invitational

“At Home in Oregon”

at The Gallery at the Airport

This exhibit features the work of 29 Art Center member artists who explore the theme of “At Home in Oregon” in a wide variety of mediums, including oil, acrylic, ceramics, quilting, photography, steel, brass, and copper metal work, encaustic, pastel, assemblage, papercut, and watercolor. The exhibit is on view through July 9.

Exhibiting artists include Britt Anderson, Kathleen Caprario, Joan Chamberlain, Lona Feldman, Rita Fiedler, Tim Fox, Judith Hankin, Laura Jaszkowski, Staci Johnson, Suzanne Keaveny, Jan Lintz, Patti Lomont, Paul Machu, Rogene Mañas, Aurore Maren, Patricia McConnell, Ginny McVickar, Garland Nichols, Cheryl Owen-Wilson, Marty Schmitt, Laure Shipley, Jane Snyder, Leah Sowell, Indra Stern-Hayworth, Brooke Stone, Rakar West, Edward Teague, and the two exhibit jurors, Bets Cole and Karen Russo. The Gallery at the Airport is located inside the terminal’s main lobby.

Pictured: At Home in an Oregon Vineyard by Rita Fiedler

Upcoming: Two Shows Open June 21

“Tell Me a Story” features the work of Portland, Oregon artists Jeff Leake and David Carmack Lewis. Leake’s paintings combine real and imagined places and the stories associated with them. Lewis depicts real locales that he has seen in daytime and imagines these places at night, with unexpected elements added.

In the Salon Gallery is “In Full Bloom,” showcasing the work of Jennifer Lugris (Rocklin, CA), whose paintings explore the challenges and joys of motherhood. Both “Tell Me a Story” and “In Full Bloom” are on view through Friday, July 19.

Pictured: By the Bay by David Carmack Lewis

Members Gallery and Gift Shop

Work by Art Center members and Club Mud ceramicists is currently on exhibit in the Spring Members Art Gallery. Artwork changes on a quarterly basis.         

Pictured: Honesty Seeds, watercolor by Kathy LaMontagne on display in the Spring Members Art Gallery

Online Members Gallery

Maude Kerns Art Center member artists are invited to participate in our Online Members Gallery. This online venue is an excellent way to continue to share your work with the community. Members can show up to five pieces of their two- or three-dimensional work online in our Online Members Gallery. Interested parties can shop for pieces and purchase them online. Submissions are ongoing.

Please email the Exhibits Coordinator Liberty at exhibits@mkartcenter.org for more information about how to be involved or how to update your submissions. 

Featured Artist of the Month

This month’s Featured Artist is Rebecca Mannheimer, a regular exhibitor at the Art Center over the years. Mannheimer is an abstract artist, who paints in acrylic mixed media on canvas. Inspired by the landscapes and changing weather patterns of Oregon, she creates multi-layered works that allude to the themes of a journey or a search. For a video about Mannheimer and her work, visit here!

Pictured: Ravine by Rebecca Mannheimer

Maude Kerns at the LCHM

“Blue Vesper: Maude Irvine Kerns (1876 – 1965),” a companion exhibit to the Art Center’s “In the Realm of the Spirit: Work by Maude I. Kerns” (January 12 – February 9), continues at the Lane County History Museum. The LCHM exhibit features archival paintings on paper, correspondence, and personal objects.

Mayor’s Teen Art Show: Deadline May 31 Teen artists ages 13 – 19 years living in the greater Eugene area are invited to submit original 2- and 3-dimensional artwork for the 25th Annual Mayor’s Teen Art Show, September 6 – 27, 2024. Original 2- and 3-dimensional media will be considered, including painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, photography, printmaking, digital art, video art, collage, fiber art, costumes or wearables, jewelry, and assemblage. Awards offered include cash prizes, art supplies, and more, including the Mayor’s Choice Award.

The submission deadline is Friday, May 31. Applications may be submitted on paper or digitally from our website: www.mkartcenter.org.

Día de los Muertos Exhibit: The Art Center is accepting submissions for our 31st annual Día de los Muertos Exhibit, October 11 – November 2. Work must be original and must focus on the Mexican Day of the Dead, which blends the ancient harvest rituals of the Aztec god of death and the Roman Catholic holidays of All Saints and All Souls Days. All artists, working in all mediums, are eligible. Up to 5 pieces may be submitted for consideration.

Applications may be made online or with a paper application. For online entry, go here to submit and pay the $20 fee via our online application form. For mail or in-person entry, include a flash drive with jpeg images, a completed application, a resumé, an artist’s statement, and a $20 submission fee.

Entries are due or must be postmarked by Monday, August 9. For more information, call 541-345-1571 or email exhibits@mkartcenter.org.

Spring is in the air! We have weekend workshops that offer creative opportunities. See the possibilities below.

Weekend Workshops

Landscapes in Watercolor

Saturday, May 4

12:00 – 3:30 pm

Register here!

Join instructor Hannah Becker to learn how to paint beautiful landscapes. You will select reference photos for inspiration and be guided on how to build a landscape composition and layer in your watercolors. This workshop is packed full of tips to enrich your art practice!

Intro to Scratchboard

Saturday, June 1 & 8

12:00 – 4:00 pm

Register here!

Discover the intriguing art of scratchboard over two Saturdays. On day one, you will be introduced to the history and evolution of the scratchboard art form. Discover how to select the perfect photo reference and begin creating your first scratchboard. Day two will be an open class with demonstrations by the instructor and one-on-one feedback as you continue working on your design. By the end of the workshop, you will walk away with your very own scratchboard masterpiece!

Private Lessons

Do you have a budding artist? Private Lessons are available for Youth (ages 6 – 10) and Young Adults (ages 11 – 16). Lessons include (4) one-hour sessions guided by an Art Center Instructor. Held once a week, lessons include instruction in drawing or water-based painting mediums customized to fit each student’s creative interests.

Private lessons are available between Monday and Friday and are scheduled on a case-by-case basis. If interested, please fill out the private lesson form on our website located on both the youth and young adult web pages.

Thank You to Our Volunteers!

A hearty thank you to our stellar afterschool program and spring break camp volunteers. We are so grateful to the following:  Hannah Beckett-Taylor, Joan Chamberlain, Aramenie Fabián, Aiva Landweber, Melissa Lund, Wendy Maltz, Zorka Pataki, Evelyn Pruse, Kaley Salgado, Ellena Spahn, Wendy Strong, and Virginia Watkins.

Pictured: Hannah Beckett-Taylor volunteers for “Discover Drawing and Painting”

Middle School Summer Labs

Summer is right around the corner and there are still spaces available in our middle school summer labs.

Drawing and Illustration

June 24 – 28

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Register Here!

Join us for a fun week of learning to draw and illustrate! We will be focusing on scenes with characters: human figures, anthropomorphic animals, and animal characters. Using example illustrations, we'll study how the image was made and create our versions inspired by them.

Making Comics: Webcomics, Manga, and Beyond

July 8 – 12

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Register Here!

Develop a four- to six-page sequential art story. In this lab, we will learn techniques for making comic art, drawing inspiration from different art styles, including manga, newspaper strips, and webcomics. We’ll analyze how cartoonists tell visual stories and learn how to make characters, environments, and objects to create stories of our own. Learn penciling, inking, and coloring to make your comic art the best it can be!

Watercolor Painting Lab

July 15 – 19

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Register Here!

From transparent watercolor painting to opaque gouache, learn to use a range of watercolor paints!

Digital Design Lab

July 29 – August 2

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Register Here!

Design in the digital world! This week you will learn composition techniques, and focus on shape, line, and color theory while using Procreate. You will learn how to create emotionally rich environments and work on human figures and other characters. We will provide iPads with Procreate during the lab this week!

Wearable Art Lab

August 5 – 9

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Register Here!

Challenge yourself to create art that can be worn on the body. Using both traditional and non-traditional materials, you will explore sculptural techniques and thematic concepts, learning to manipulate and transform materials in new and creative ways. No experience required.

Drawing Animals Live and Photo Reference

August 12 – 16

9:00 am – 12:00 pm

Register Here!

Back by popular demand! Join us for a week of drawing live animals that visit our studios. You will immerse yourself in learning the basics of the anatomy of each visiting animal and hone your drawing skills in rendering fur, scales, and feathers. You will work with with colored pencils and transform drawings using collage and other creative methods.

Summer Volunteers Needed!

If you like to encourage youngsters ages 6 – 11 and enjoy supporting a teaching artist in the classroom, please apply to volunteer! Our summer program has 8 weeks of different camps from June 17 – August 12. Choose which themed week best interests you, from movie making to enchanted storytelling to drawing live animals. If interested, please fill out the Volunteer Form.

Pictured: Heidi Bucholtz volunteers for Summer Art Camp 2023

The Art Center currently offers scholarships for 50% of the cost of tuition for classes and camps. Scholarships are available for all age groups through the Susi Larsen & Cameron Serbu Memorial Scholarship Fund and the Madeleine Christenson Scholarship Fund. You can apply today on our website! 

Hans-Dieter Honscheid, or HD (“Hah-day”) as he was called by family and friends, passed away at the end of March after a long battle with cancer. For many years, beginning in 2012, HD would drive from his home in Roseburg to attend the Friday Open Studio life drawing sessions at the Art Center.

A favorite with the models and other artists, HD would add levity to the sessions as he timed the poses for the group by commenting, “Don’t forget to draw in the third leg.” HD exhibited his life drawings and watercolor paintings in the annual Art for All Seasons Membership Show and in the Members Gallery. He was a fan of the Art Center’s cats, Lily and Alex, often donating to what he called the “Kitty Benevolent Fund.”

HD’s family has kindly donated his collection of art books and art supplies to the Center. He is much missed!

Pictured: Nude by HD Honscheid

We're excited to announce that we've partnered with McMenamins East 19th St. Café for another Friends & Family Night Fundraiser!

You can check out our Instagram for more updates as the fundraiser draws near but expect to see us there on May 14th in the evening! 50% of any purchase you make at the East 19th St. location of McMenamins any time on May 14 will be contributed to our organization (dine-in orders only).

Register for the Emerald Print Exchange

The Emerald Print Exchange wants YOU to participate in 2024! Register Here!

Intro to Screen Printing

Brit Howard teaches an introductory screen-printing workshop on May 12 &19.

Mokuhanga: Japanese Woodblock Printmaking

Yuji Hiratsuka will be teaching mokuhanga, the traditional Japanese woodblock printing technique, June 8 & 9.

We have partnered with Market of Choice to provide you an easy way to support the Art Center! It will only take a moment of your time to register and will help every time that you shop to support our programs and facility.

Here’s how:

Register your credit card. Each time that you use your card at any Market of Choice, Maude Kerns Art Center will receive 4% of your purchase price! Simply sign up at: eScrip Market of Choice and you will be prompted on how to enroll.

Thanks for all that you do to support the Maude Kerns Art Center. It makes a difference!

Thank You to the many volunteers, Board members, Staff, Art Center friends, and patrons who generously donate their time, talents, and treasure for the benefit of Maude Kerns Art Center.

MISSION STATEMENT

To nurture artistic expression and creativity in the individual and

to cultivate an appreciation and understanding of art and culture

in our community.