What's New at Local Art Galleries?

ARTISTS ON THE GROW
It’s not like the Broadway Gallery is a new kid on the block, since the art showcase on Commerce Street in Longview has been around for 23 years.

But new things are happening at the gallery, since it annexed the storefront at 1420 Commerce, where for the past few years an antiques and interiors store called “Touch of Class” operated. The new area affords more display space in the existing gallery and more classroom/demonstration space in the annex.

“We got this vision when the building next door came up for rent,”  said Susy Halverson, a long-time gallery member and one of its art instructors. “We thought, ‘Wow! This would make a great classroom." Speaking of the gallery’s art classes, she added, “We’ve been hidden. Now we’re not.”
A ribbon-cutting and reception on Sept. 23 formally opened the annex for gallery purposes, although some minor refurbishing work remains. The new area, which  members have informally dubbed the North Wing, is being used for gallery art classes and a couple of morning Lower Columbia College English classes. It’s also available for use by clubs and civic groups by reservation.

“We hope to attract more people to the gallery – and to downtown Longview – by utilizing this room creatively,” said Michael William-son, in his second year as gallery president. “It will be open at times when the gallery next door is not, and we think it will greatly expand the cultural possibilities of both the gallery and the area.”

He noted that since the Columbia Theatre has begun a modern-ization project and LCC is completely rebuilding its theater, gallery members saw the opportunity to be a part of what some people are saying is a rebirth of culture in the downtown area.

“The gallery opened, coincidentally, about the same time the Columbia Theatre was reborn as a performing arts center, and about the same time LCC’s Center Stage premiered,” Williamson said. “So it must be time for the gallery to make some changes, too.”

Moving classes into the annex means the gallery can use the former classroom for displaying art, and with 70-odd members, that new space is sorely needed.

“As it has been, we’ve had more art than space to display it,” said watercolorist Carol Beaudreau of Longview. “We’ll soon have more room for new art.”

Plans are to unveil the new gallery space – located in the heart of the existing gallery – on Nov. 12 with an all-day reception expected to draw many of the gallery’s members, some of whom will be demonstrating their tools and techniques. The public is invited, and there is no admission fee.
“It will be all-new art, some of it with a holiday theme,” Beaudreau said.
THE BROADWAY GALLERY
(a not-for-profit artists’ cooperative)
1418 Commerce St., Longview, Wash.
Open 10 am. – 5:30 pm, Mon– Sat
Phone 360- 577-0544 
www.the-broadway-gallery.com
Plenty of parking is available off 12th Ave.  behind the gallery. There is a rear entrance.

GO FIGURE
There is a lot to figure out when it comes to drawing. The Broadway Gallery’s figure drawing studio on Sunday afternoons can help.

Someone once said that if you can draw the human figure, you can draw anything. This is really true. Figure drawing is a good way to improve your drawing skills, because it forces you to constantly be thinking about proportions. It also helps to have a model right in front of you for reference.  The same shapes and designs that are found in the human figure can be found in anything else you draw, so the skills you learn will transfer to any other type of two-dimensional art.

In Broadway Gallery’s figure drawing studio, artists can use any medium they wish. The atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. The artists gain experience drawing or painting or sculpting people and learn by watching fellow artists render the undraped model. At the beginning of each session, the model gives 30-second poses to warm up the artists, followed by 15-minute poses which may extend for 30 minutes or longer, as the class prefers. Often, artists suggest their own poses. 

Participating artists must sign up in advance and pay a per-session fee. For more information, call the Broadway Gallery, 360-577-0544.
                    ---Scott McRae, Gallery member and watercolor artist
(Photos courtesy Broadway Gallery)

LOFTED LAIR GALLERY
When you cross the threshold into Lofted Lair Gallery in Old Town St. Helens, you have just entered Bonnie Shoop’s world. Surrounded by beautiful works of art, the burble of an indoor waterfall and soothing music – it’s a nice place to be.

The unique floor is covered with gray square tiles. Not glued down, the slightly loose tiles make music
of a sort when you walk on them. Shoop said that 75 percent of the men who enter the gallery want to fix the floor.

In 1973, Shoop left Ohio where she’d been raised, and, with a sense of adventure driving her, traveled across the country to Oregon. She fell in love with the Pacific Northwest, a feeling readily reflected in the art displayed in her gallery. Most is by local artists. The remaining pieces are by selected national artists whose work struck a cord with Shoop.

The Lofted Lair features paintings, sculptures, word carvings, pottery, stained glass, metal and fiber
art and what Shoop calls “functional garden art.”Shoop said she enjoys meeting the artists that come in. She was inspired to open a gallery featuring local artists after a trip to Ashville, North Carolina. “I discovered a huge colony of artists with literally hundreds of shops and galleries.” She opened Lofted Lair last spring.

Shoop and her husband, Steve Gibons, own Scappoose Kayaking. They live in historic riverfront St. Helens, not far from the gallery. Recently, Shoop began serving lattes, espresso and snacks in the gallery’s remodeled back room..

Now, art lovers can relax in soft chairs and enjoy the art, the waterfall, soothing music and Bonnie Shoop’s company.
Lofted Lair Gallery: 290 South First Street, St. Helens, Ore. 
Open 7 days, 8 am – 6 pm.
Phone: 503.366.3600. 
www.loftedlairgallery@opus.net

Downtown Gallery & Coffee House
89 Main St., Cathlamet, Wash.
Open 7 am– 5 pm,  Mon–Fri; 9 am – 3 pm , Sat    
Phone: 360-95-3363
Everything in Ruth Doumit’s gallery was created by artists who now live or have lived in Wahkiakum County. Current displays include paintings, photography and blown glass, along with Doumit’s stained glass, tile and ceramic work. The building also houses Doumit’s upstairs studio, where she pursues the goal of becoming a full-time artist. In the meantime, she takes delight in serving food that is “artistically” presented.

SE Gallery at Teague’s Interiors
1267 Commerce Ave., Longview, Wash.
10 am – 5:30 pm, Mon – Fri; 10  am – 3 pm, Sat
Phone: 360-636-0712
Teague’s special gallery exhibit changes the first Saturday of each month and currently features original works of acrylics on paper and canvas by Shirley Bailey. The gallery contains ongoing displays glass, mirrors, accessories, tapestries and furniture.
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Keeping Your Critters Warm this Winter
by Christy Cabellero

With summer behind us and autumn well under way, another Northwest winter feels as near as a shiver. When the mercury dips in Washington and Oregon, it’s bound to be wet, cold and maybe snowy too. It’s not too early to gear up for your pet’s special winter needs, whether they live indoors or out.

If your favorite Fido lives outdoors, there are probably times you feel defeated before you start. His idea of a favorite play date likely ends with him wet and muddy. The important thing to remember for dogs and cats that weather the elements is that they are likely to get wet from time to time, but they must have shelter and a place to dry out.

Whether you want to go farther with the outdoor arrangements or consider a move indoors for the four-footed family members can also hinge on their age.

As time brings more aches and pains of my own, my empathy toward aging pets increases. If your pet is getting up in years, winter might be the right time to invest in a good bath and grooming before moving them indoors beside the fireplace.

A garage is an in-between option, but don’t scrimp on the bedding. You’ll want some serious padding between your fur kid and the cold concrete floor. Cold floors bring new drama to joint aches and pains.
Garages come with a few of their own dangers, like anti-freeze, which can leak onto the floor. No matter how well-fed pets are, anti-freeze draws them like candy. It’s sweet and syrupy, like an after-dinner liqueur. Your job is to watch, watch, watch for and clean up spills and seepage. Consider switching to Sierra anti-freeze, which doesn’t contain the poisonous ingredient ethylene glycol. Bear in mind, however, that no matter what brand of anti-freeze you use, once it has been in your car, it picks up other toxins from the radiator, like lead, copper and other trace minerals. A good radiator flush when you change coolant will help eliminate a lot of those loose toxins — like rinsing out a milk jug after you empty it.
A third shelter option, a good weather-proof dog house (or cat house, which can bring on a snappy conversation if you ask to buy one at the feed store), can protect a pet from the elements. Hold out for good qualities like an insulated or raised floor and draft protection.

You know how much colder it is when wind is a factor. To dodge drafts in a pet house, you can use a clear heavy vinyl swinging door or a blanket hung in front of the doorway. Some pet houses are even built large enough to have an off-center door, with a panel behind it. The pet can zigzag into the cozy inner chamber, but the wind can’t.

When choosing a house for your pet, size matters. Choose one big enough for comfort, and small enough so your pet’s body heat will raise the inside temperature. A good rule of thumb is to choose a house no more than 12 inches longer and three inches taller than its occupant.

If your cat or dog lives inside a larger out-building, like a shed or barn, make a house for them to curl up in inside the other structure. You can even use a heavy cardboard box. It doesn’t have to be waterproof, since it’s inside another building, but it will help your pet stay warmer. This less weatherproof version will still need to enclose your pet so their body heat can bring up the wee house’s temperature. And if the house is cardboard, add some weight in the bottom or secure the house somehow, just enough to keep it stable when Fido or Mittens come and go through the door.

Lots of soft bedding will make any pet house warmer and more comfy. Giving outdoor cats a better place to curl up may help keep them from being tempted to snuggle up under the hood of your car, near the warm engine. At any rate, it doesn’t hurt to bang on your hood or honk your horn on cold days before starting your car.

Winter calls for means feeding adjustments. Typically, moving a pet indoors means less exercise and fewer calories burned up. Being overweight isn’t good for any pet, especially seniors. Outdoor pets may need extra food during the cold season, since their bodies will burn up more calories keeping warm.
You may notice extra pet dandruff in winter. The Humane Society of the United States recommends adding one teaspoon of vegetable oil to your pet’s food for every 30 pounds of body weight, especially during winter.

Don’t confuse the benefit of adding vegetable oil with the negative impact of feeding fatty table scraps, which aren’t recommended for pets. It’s no healthier for your pet to eat fatty foods than it is for you.
Chilly winter weather may cause pets to back off on their water intake (especially if their water dish is frozen; keep an eye on it). It seems wacky, but dehydration can be more likely during winter’s chill than in summer’s heat. Try jazzing up dry pet food by moistening it with warm water. Besides giving your pet a warm tummy on a cold day, it will get more water in their system.

Even if you typically feed a dry kibble, keep a few cans of special dog or cat food on hand to use for a special home brew cold weather treat. You can make a tasty, thin broth from a little bit of canned food mixed with warm water to pour over dry food. One can of food stretches several days if need be, just keep it in the fridge with a snap-on cover. Test your “recipe” first, to make sure it’s a hit before an ice storm hits.

Remember: the only pets equipped to live outdoors have been gearing up for it since before the first frost, with the heavy winter coat that nature provides. If anything messes with that – even a surgery with a significant shave area — ask your vet about whether your pet will be able to stay warm enough outdoors. Be sure not to leave a post-surgical pet in a cold area. And make sure all sedation is long gone, as it can impair an animal’s ability to regulate body temperature.

If you walk your pet in areas where salt or chemicals have been used to melt ice from the walkway, clean its feet! That stuff is irritation waiting to happen, whether on your pet’s feet, or licked off and in your pet’s belly. Better for you to see to it with a damp cloth, or a pre-moistened pet wipe.

It can be a messy chore, but don’t forget to groom pets in the winter. Otherwise, their coats can’t keep them insulated against the cold. If you’ve let Fido’s or Mittens’ coat get totally out of control, bite the bullet and pay for a mid-winter visit to a pet groomer. That way, your pet can be groomed, bathed and fully dried before it goes out and gets dirty all over again. At least you can start with a clean slate.
And, thankfully, spring is coming.
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