Special Preview Artist Reception for Grace Bishko: View From the Top May 6, 2010

Nationally known Oregon Artist, Grace Bishko Presents: "A View From the Top" May 6 through May 30, 2010

Special Preview Artist Reception: Thursday, May 6, from 5 to 8pm.

Meet the artist, enjoy refreshments, live music and more during this very special preview reception.

First Friday Artist Reception: Friday, May 7, from 5 to 9pm. Meet Grace during the Bend, Oregon First Friday Gallery Art Walk.

Featuring both new paintings and a Retrospective Exhibition featuring artwork from Grace Bishko's long career. Meet the artist, enjoy refreshments, live music and more.

High Desert Gallery is pleased and honored to host “A View From the Top,” a stellar exhibition of paintings and hand-pulled prints by nationally acclaimed Oregon artist, Grace Bishko. The solo show opens at our downtown Bend Oregon gallery location, 10 NW Minnesota Avenue at The Oxford, with a Preview Reception Thursday, May 6, from 5 to 8pm, followed by the First Friday Gallery Walk Artist Reception on Friday May 7, from 5 to 9pm. The exhibition and Sale extends through May 30, 2010.

“A View From the Top” will highlight both new work and a Retrospective show, featuring paintings pulled from the artist's personal collection of favorites. The theme - “A View From the Top” - relates to Grace's long career as a painter and artist, as well as a light-hearted reference to her studio, which is located on the third floor. Included will be new fine art hand-pulled prints from her Atelier 6000 studio time, in preparation for the 6XA6 Fine Art Print Show in September, as well as a figurative series titled Blues I, II, and III, (Original Painting as shown) painted in acrylics on handmade paper.

"In my mind, these three figures have a stillness about them. Two of them are not moving. They are in a quiet zone of thought perhaps? The horizontal piece is touched with some form of power. All together, they present themselves in privacy with their backs to the viewer. The bold painting, of the nude figures and the cactus plants, was inspired by the beautiful heavy, dark handmade paper, which you can see in between the black stripes of the borders. Also, I should mention the incredible brightness that's possible when painting with acrylics.” Grace Bishko, Bend, Oregon 2010.

Be sure to save these dates:

Thursday, May 6, from 5 to 8pm, for the special Preview Artist Reception.

Friday, May 7th, from 5 to 9pm, for the First Friday Bend Gallery Association's Art Walk, including live music, wine and more.

May 6 through May 30, 2010 – Solo Show “A View From the Top” featuring artwork by Grace Bishko.

About Grace Bishko: Grace lives in Central Oregon, hikes the trails, and paints her memories of what she has seen. A serious and honest painter, she paints from her heart and of her memories and experiences. Her imagery contains an ever so slight surreal edge to grab and retain the viewer's attention, while at the same time satisfying their deep emotions and enjoyment. High Desert Gallery is truly honored to represent Grace Bishko. In the 1970's she decided to stop painting directly from "life," and to develop a vocabulary that would allow her to paint through her personal feelings. Through education, and experimentation, her creative endeavors evolved in many stages. The results of this adventure are embedded in the artwork she is involved in today. Now, Grace is honored that her paintings are appreciated and understood across a wide multicultural expanse. Winning all possible awards at the Cleveland Institute of Art, she went on to receive her Master of Fine Arts degree from Rutgers, The State University, Mason Gross School of the Arts. After receiving her M.F.A. degree, Grace taught life drawing at Rutgers, design at University of the Arts, and lithography at Moore College of Art. Since then, she has focused on her own art, exhibiting yearly in solo and group exhibitions. High Desert Gallery & Custom Framing of Central Oregon is honored to represent Grace Bishko exclusively in Central Oregon.

About High Desert Gallery: High Desert Gallery & Custom Framing, The Art & Soul of Central Oregon™ is an award winning fine art and custom picture framing gallery with retail gallery locations in Bend, Oregon and Sisters Oregon. High Desert Frameworks! the award-winning framing studio for the gallery is located at 61 NW Oregon Avenue at Lava in downtown Bend, Oregon. The gallery specializes in Central Oregon Artists & Beyond™ and Stellar Custom Framing. For more information please visit: www.highdesertgallery.com or call toll free 1-866-549-6250.

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