Join us at First Thursday, January 7 to meet the featured artists Susan Supola, Renee Bliss Anderson, and Ray Cooper.
Mingle with fellow art lovers in historic downtown Longview. Live acoustic guitar music provided by local musicians. Featured artists artwork is on display all month.
During the January 7th First Thursday, enjoy the eclectic stringed instrument music of Dave Mongeau.
About The Artists
Susan Supola-Silk Painting
Susan Supola
I love stories, hearing and telling them. They connect me to other people, other ways of thinking or doing things, and other cultures. I use art to tell stories about what I’ve seen or done or experienced. Although I work in other media with a different style, these mixed media, collages, and books are the most challenging for me.
By working in layers and with texture, I am attempting to convey content or ideas, and oftentimes, I discover a new idea or opinion or experience during my working process. When these pieces are finished, they are very seldom what I started out to do, but evolved through the art-making process.
“I am not the same”
“Angel from God to three religions”
“The holes in my heart have golden memories”
Renee Bliss Anderson- Sculptor
Renee Bliss
My Papier Maché Sculptures have been described as “Striking” “Hypnotic” and “Mesmerizing”.
I had my children at a young age, and sought my place in the world by studying Chemistry, Philosophy and then ultimately becoming a lawyer. Those pursuits were proved unfulfilling and so I embarked on an inner and outer journey, this time away from the moorings of left brain logic.
As I gave myself the time and space to create, I was drawn to circular and spherical shapes. I created papier mache “canvases” and painted them with repeating geometric patterns. My sculptures are three dimensional Mandalas.
According to the famous Psychologist, Carl Jung, (who, incidentally also intuitively generated round paintings), the Mandala art form emerges during moments of intense personal growth. Their appearance often signals a profound re-balancing process in the psyche. Is it any wonder then that time feels suspended when I’m immersed in my creative process? The act of creating is not only a form of meditation, psychic mountains are moved, one brush stroke at a time.
“Hindsight”
“Cosmic Storm”
“Mandala-Side A”
“Mandala-Side B”
“Sphere of Hope”
Ray Cooper- Painter
Ray Cooper
Ray Lynn Cooper is a contemporary artist who was born in Walla Walla, Washington and is now living in Kelso , Washington. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Painting and Drawing and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting, Sculpture and Art History, both from Washington State University.
Ray began to formally study fine art at Eastern Washington University. During his two years at Eastern, professors Ruben Trejo and Bruce Beal were both influential mentors in Ray’s academic and creative development. Transferring to Washington State University, Ray then came under the tutelage of Jo Hockenhull, Selene Santucci, Patrick Siler, Jack Dollhousen, Robert Helm and Michael Holloman .
Ray is interested in portraiture and figurative paintings, landscape paintings, nonrepresentational abstract painting, airbrush painting and he also produces sculpture.
Currently, Ray works at his private studio located in Kelso, Washington. Since 1999 Ray has taught at Clark College and Lower Columbia College in Southwest Washington as an adjunct professor at both institutions. He has been responsible for teaching courses in art appreciation, design, watercolor, beginning, intermediate, and advanced painting, drawing and figure drawing. He served as a board member for the Washington Community College Humanities Association and art editor for the WCCHA’s annual publication Crosscurrents from 2009 to 2013.
“Autumn”
“Long Beach”
“Ruby Beach”