April Artist Feature – Sue Smith at High Desert Gallery, Sisters, Oregon April 1, 2010

High Desert Gallery is honored to announce Oregon artist Sue Smith as our April 2010 Artist Feature at our Sisters Oregon Gallery, located at 281 W Cascade Avenue at Oak. The Exhibition and Sale will run from April 1 through April 30, and will feature new landscapes from the artist's Paintings From the Oregon Outback series.

Artist Feature: April 1 through April 30, 2010

Artist: Sue Favinger Smith

Where: High Desert Gallery 281 W Cascade Avenue Sisters OR 97759.

Hours: Open Daily 10am to 5pm (Spring Hours)

Meditation: Steelhead Falls

“While I love to paint water, the real essence of this painting is the relationship of the light as it first defines the transparent water rushing over the rocks, and then the warmth radiating upward beneath the spiky shrubs along the rocky bank. There is both action and stillness, moisture and aridity. The poetry in these contrasts add to the richness of being alive in this place.”

Across the Valley

“The idea that interests me in this painting is that of unexplored territory, not just following a path but forging your own. I find myself increasingly drawn to the idea of emptiness, of what it was like in this place centuries ago, when there were no highways or towns or fence lines to get in the way between man and the horizon. There is a stillness in this painting, and a moment of anticipation.”

Sue Smith, Redmond, Oregon 2010.

About Sue Favinger Smith: Working mostly in oils, Sue Smith is interested in discovering a sense of place and capturing that unique essence. Her work ranges from abstract to realism, but remains centered on the landscape. Influenced by the ideas of modern master Quang Ho, each painting makes a unique visual statement. “Whether abstract or realism, it is first, the relationship created as light flows across a form or through a space that excites me, and second, discovering what poetic secrets the natural world holds. I want to be surprised by what I'm seeing, and I try to find a single visual statement that communicates the energy of a particular time and place – and that can be either in reality or the imagination. They all tell stories.” Sue Smith began her award-winning career at the age of 50. She received a degree in art from Oregon State University, where she was honored with the Distinguished Student-Department of Art award. Over the years Sue has participated in national and regional exhibitions, solo and three-person shows. She is an associate member of Women Artists of the West and Oil Painters of America, and a peer-juried member in the prestigious National Association of Women Artists, the oldest professional arts organization for women in the country. Her work is in private collections across the country.

Official Website: http://www.highdesertgallery.com