The Arts Center of Corvallis (700 S.W. Madison Ave.) hosts an opening reception 5:30 to 7:30 pm Thursday, July 16, for a fantastic new exhibit, Subtext: An Exploration of Language in the Visual Arts. The show runs through Aug. 22 featuring three Oregon artists: painter, drawer and printmaker Pat Boas, whose work focuses on the act of reading; Portland sculptor Marie Sivak, whose dreamy, gauzy carved-stone pieces explore “the psychology of memory and the nature of human relationships”; and Robert Tomlinson who works in silver gelatin-based photographs and mixed-media drawings.
Wake up and wrap yourself in a patchwork quilt of Springfield murals from 10 am to noon Saturday, July 18, starting at Wynant’s Family Health Foods (722 S. A Street). Downtown Springfield especially has become a mecca for art al fresco, far surpassing downtown Eugene’s painted walls. Oregon Supported Living Program’s resident artist Mija Marie Andrade will lead the “Springfield Mural Walking Tour” of 20 murals, introducing several muralists along the way including Alison McNair, Shelley Albrich, Jim Evangelista, Bayne Gardner and many more.
If you haven’t had a chance to see one of Oregon’s best art exhibits of the year, Rick Bartow: Things You Know But Can’t Explain, then Saturday, July 18, at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art is the time. The JSMA hosts “A Conversation with Rick Bartow and Barry Lopez” at 2 pm. Barry Lopez, author of Artic Dreams and Of Wolves and Men, is a longtime friend and collaborator of Bartow; the two will discuss “their reflections on life, art, philosophy and the natural world.” Bartow is disarmingly candid and witty — seeing him speak live is a must for any art lover’s bucket list. The exhibit runs until Aug. 9 in the Barker Gallery.
The Eugene Symphony Guild hosts “The First Hundred Years of Eugene Architecture” from 6 to 8 pm Friday, July 24, at the Octagon Building, 92 E. Broadway; $30. UO Associate Professor Emeritus of Architecture and preservation architect Don Peting will present a slideshow, and wine, cheese and hors d’oeuvres will be provided. Reservations required; call 541-344-1365.
The second annual Springfield Art & Chalk Fest is Aug. 15, and organizers are still looking for artists to enter, especially in the youth category. Applications are due by Aug. 1. For details, visit eugenespringfieldartproject.org. Cash prizes will be awarded in both the adult and youth categories, with first place receiving $600 and $300 respectively. The fest is also looking for plein air painters. Last year’s inaugural fest was a hit, with some temporary masterpieces such as Wanda Sigafus’ bee-and-flower tableau and Brent Burkett’s recreation of Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring.”