Artist Kyle Evans stands before his work at J. Pepin Art Gallery on December 3rd, 2015
"Dry Rain" (left) "Alien Garden" (center) & "Twilight Twister" (right)
www.jpepinartgallery.com
www.evansfineart.com

This December, J. Pepin Art Gallery features Kyle Evans’s dreamy exhibit, Emotional Atmosphere.  Reading Evans’s artist statement, in which he candidly describes his depression as an “abyss,” may at first seem discordant when juxtaposed with the ethereal, pastel pieces that line the walls.  However, in his closing sentiments Evans implores anyone struggling to seek help, thus casting his verbal message of hope and healing into visual relief.

Evans initially studied journalism at the University of Oregon, and went on to pursue a career in advertising and radio.  As part of his journalism degree Evans studied stone sculpture which first sparked his interest in the visual arts.  Sculpture was his main medium for years, but when Evans and his wife Gayle welcomed their children, the noise from the air compressor proved too loud to continue, and he moved toward acrylic.
Gayle Evans stands before "Purple Skies" (left) & "Little Sun" (right)

Evans currently works in encaustic painting.  It seems fitting that he employs the organic tools of wax and flame to illustrate content that draws so much inspiration from the land and sea.  Encaustic painting can be unpredictable and produces varied textures which in turn affect the finish on the wood.  Evans surrenders to the encaustic process to allow himself more freedom of expression than possible in acrylic painting alone.

Struck by the pastel palette of blues, pinks, yellows, and greens, I asked Evans what draws him to use these muted tones in his pieces, and he said, “I use natural pigments and colors that reflect the sky, the sun, and the clouds.”  Evans draws much of his inspiration from the natural world, which he then amplifies in his pieces to lend a surreal quality to the work.  Each piece has a calming effect on the viewer.  Idyllic scenes that mimic familiar landscapes: rolling hills, waves, and sunsets.  Evans makes these familiar vignettes his own through encaustic.
Evans stands before "Purple Haze" (top left) & "Sun and Surf" (top right)
www.jpepinartgallery.com
www.evansfineart.com

"Sun and Surf" portrays a scene of a wave cresting.  It nearly reaches the soft yellow orb of color illustrating the sun.  As if remembered in a dream, Evans recalls that he "learned to dive in Oregon, and Gayle (his wife) partly grew up on the coast."  The personal tone of his work is undeniable.  Evans conjures memories of peace and beauty, and immortalizes them on wooden canvas.

"Little Sun," another peaceful vignette, portrays a small orb of light suspended in warm cream tones.  It could be on land or sea, and that is the magical, alluring quality of an Evans painting.  These scenes could be anywhere, any dream, but the feeling they produce is universal.  A shared experience, a collective moment captured in wax.

Evans is especially inspired by “Eastern Washington and Oregon, the Palouse where they grow all the wheat, where you get all those big rolling hills and big skies.  Around Arlington where the Gorge beings, going in and out of there.  The views of the sky, the sun, and the clouds.  I went there with Gayle to go camping one spring, and it was all this color that I didn’t expect to see.  I just expected it to be brown, all those hills.  Purples, greys and flowers.  My folks recently relocated to Lewiston, Idaho where my brother lives, and I can drive through all of that when I’m visiting them."  The influence of the Palouse is certainly visible in Evans's work.  The idyllic rolling hills and washes of soothing colors and silhouettes are ever present, most notably in "Purple Skies."  Royal purple clouds churn above the rich brown earth below, generating a vivid rural landscape.
First Thursday guests enjoy Evans's seascapes
J. Pepin Art Gallery
December 3rd, 2015
Portland, Oregon

Evans views encaustic as a medium with freedom to evolve: "With other mediums I’ve tried and experimented with you can only do so much, and in encaustic I’m always finding new things that make you go, 'what if I did it this way, or I push the mix on this gesso, or go another direction?'  Some pieces have more texture that I design in the way I get the wax to flow, or more texture from the bloom that I get out of the gesso.  I can paint the gesso on in certain spots before I paint and then use it sometimes like a resist, a white space.  Sometimes you paint with the encaustic, just color, and lots of times I just use raw pigment and rub it into the gesso surface.  Different colors react differently when they become liquefied in the wax.  Some rise, some sink, and some will rebound off of each other, so you can get different patterns."
"Alien Garden" (left) & "Twilight Twister" (right)
www.jpepinartgallery.com
www.evansfineart.com

"Alien Garden" stands out as playful in both title and content.  Evans gestured toward this piece as he described rubbing raw pigment into the gesso surface.  The affect is striking.  Rich blue tones mimic the sea, while blooms of light green and purple draw the gaze toward soft spheres in the center of the garden.  Evans's organic process produces a dynamic, imaginative piece; a true delight.

 Evans is kind, gentle, and intuitive: qualities he conveys through his work.  Evans hopes people will take the time to take it all in.  “I have always been interested in subtlety, so I build that into the work.  I just hope that people will look at it close enough to get it” (Laughs).

Emotional Atmosphere will be on display at J. Pepin Art Gallery through January 2nd, 2016.

Thank you to Kyle and his lovely wife, Gayle.

Thank you to Jennifer Pepin.
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  1. Artist Kyle Evans stands before his work at J. Pepin Art Gallery on December 3rd, 2015
    "Dry Rain" (left) "Alien Garden" (center) & "Twilight Twister" (right)
    www.jpepinartgallery.com
    www.evansfineart.com

    This December, J. Pepin Art Gallery features Kyle Evans’s dreamy exhibit, Emotional Atmosphere.  Reading Evans’s artist statement, in which he candidly describes his depression as an “abyss,” may at first seem discordant when juxtaposed with the ethereal, pastel pieces that line the walls.  However, in his closing sentiments Evans implores anyone struggling to seek help, thus casting his verbal message of hope and healing into visual relief.

    Evans initially studied journalism at the University of Oregon, and went on to pursue a career in advertising and radio.  As part of his journalism degree Evans studied stone sculpture which first sparked his interest in the visual arts.  Sculpture was his main medium for years, but when Evans and his wife Gayle welcomed their children, the noise from the air compressor proved too loud to continue, and he moved toward acrylic.
    Gayle Evans stands before "Purple Skies" (left) & "Little Sun" (right)

    Evans currently works in encaustic painting.  It seems fitting that he employs the organic tools of wax and flame to illustrate content that draws so much inspiration from the land and sea.  Encaustic painting can be unpredictable and produces varied textures which in turn affect the finish on the wood.  Evans surrenders to the encaustic process to allow himself more freedom of expression than possible in acrylic painting alone.

    Struck by the pastel palette of blues, pinks, yellows, and greens, I asked Evans what draws him to use these muted tones in his pieces, and he said, “I use natural pigments and colors that reflect the sky, the sun, and the clouds.”  Evans draws much of his inspiration from the natural world, which he then amplifies in his pieces to lend a surreal quality to the work.  Each piece has a calming effect on the viewer.  Idyllic scenes that mimic familiar landscapes: rolling hills, waves, and sunsets.  Evans makes these familiar vignettes his own through encaustic.
    Evans stands before "Purple Haze" (top left) & "Sun and Surf" (top right)
    www.jpepinartgallery.com
    www.evansfineart.com

    "Sun and Surf" portrays a scene of a wave cresting.  It nearly reaches the soft yellow orb of color illustrating the sun.  As if remembered in a dream, Evans recalls that he "learned to dive in Oregon, and Gayle (his wife) partly grew up on the coast."  The personal tone of his work is undeniable.  Evans conjures memories of peace and beauty, and immortalizes them on wooden canvas.

    "Little Sun," another peaceful vignette, portrays a small orb of light suspended in warm cream tones.  It could be on land or sea, and that is the magical, alluring quality of an Evans painting.  These scenes could be anywhere, any dream, but the feeling they produce is universal.  A shared experience, a collective moment captured in wax.

    Evans is especially inspired by “Eastern Washington and Oregon, the Palouse where they grow all the wheat, where you get all those big rolling hills and big skies.  Around Arlington where the Gorge beings, going in and out of there.  The views of the sky, the sun, and the clouds.  I went there with Gayle to go camping one spring, and it was all this color that I didn’t expect to see.  I just expected it to be brown, all those hills.  Purples, greys and flowers.  My folks recently relocated to Lewiston, Idaho where my brother lives, and I can drive through all of that when I’m visiting them."  The influence of the Palouse is certainly visible in Evans's work.  The idyllic rolling hills and washes of soothing colors and silhouettes are ever present, most notably in "Purple Skies."  Royal purple clouds churn above the rich brown earth below, generating a vivid rural landscape.
    First Thursday guests enjoy Evans's seascapes
    J. Pepin Art Gallery
    December 3rd, 2015
    Portland, Oregon

    Evans views encaustic as a medium with freedom to evolve: "With other mediums I’ve tried and experimented with you can only do so much, and in encaustic I’m always finding new things that make you go, 'what if I did it this way, or I push the mix on this gesso, or go another direction?'  Some pieces have more texture that I design in the way I get the wax to flow, or more texture from the bloom that I get out of the gesso.  I can paint the gesso on in certain spots before I paint and then use it sometimes like a resist, a white space.  Sometimes you paint with the encaustic, just color, and lots of times I just use raw pigment and rub it into the gesso surface.  Different colors react differently when they become liquefied in the wax.  Some rise, some sink, and some will rebound off of each other, so you can get different patterns."
    "Alien Garden" (left) & "Twilight Twister" (right)
    www.jpepinartgallery.com
    www.evansfineart.com

    "Alien Garden" stands out as playful in both title and content.  Evans gestured toward this piece as he described rubbing raw pigment into the gesso surface.  The affect is striking.  Rich blue tones mimic the sea, while blooms of light green and purple draw the gaze toward soft spheres in the center of the garden.  Evans's organic process produces a dynamic, imaginative piece; a true delight.

     Evans is kind, gentle, and intuitive: qualities he conveys through his work.  Evans hopes people will take the time to take it all in.  “I have always been interested in subtlety, so I build that into the work.  I just hope that people will look at it close enough to get it” (Laughs).

    Emotional Atmosphere will be on display at J. Pepin Art Gallery through January 2nd, 2016.

    Thank you to Kyle and his lovely wife, Gayle.

    Thank you to Jennifer Pepin.
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  2. Artist Cammy Davis stands before her work "Letting Go" (left) and "Come Back to Me" (right) in early October
    www.cammydavis.com
    www.jpepinartgallery.com

    The October Opening at J. Pepin Art Gallery featured Southern Oregon artist Cammy Davis.  The show, Letting Go explored Davis's desire to escape as she describes it: "the protective cage of my mind."  Davis sought more freedom of expression in this show, and explored heightened mixed media methods as she produced the explosive work.
    The vibrant colors and textures constructed in acrylic, metal, and molding paste serve as a dramatic stylistic departure from her previous work.  While the expressive pieces possess a commonality in their rich color palettes and nearly violent bursts of concentrated color, each piece certainly commands a unique presence.  Ultimately, the pieces blend seamlessly and complement each other beautifully.  
    I was so grateful to meet Cammy.  She is such an effervescent person, and her work conveys her heightened, emotive awareness of the world. 
    While several of the pieces have already sold (!!!) many are still on display at J. Pepin Art Gallery in the Pearl District.  Take a look; photos could never do these pieces justice.
    "Softer than a Lullaby"
    Cammy Davis
    J. Pepin Art Gallery
    Portland, OR
    www.cammydavis.com
    Photo: Allie Galiardo
    www.alexandragaliardo.com
    Sara & I serving local Oregon wine to the gallery goers.  First Thursday always feels magical and inspiring.
    Photo: Allie Galiardo
    My massive head nearly eclipsing one of my favorite pieces, "Quiet Solitude"
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  3. Photo: Sara Jane Stewart

    I haven't written for far too long.
    Regrets; I am going to post regularly from now on.  I love it more than I ever imagined I would, and I hope you enjoy reading.
    Brief update:
    I have been working two retail jobs since I graduated.  I recently left one, leaving more time to write, interview, and photograph the incredible, inspiring people in my life.  I'm working on transcribing an interview with Sophie we recorded before she left for Paris.
    I'm excited about my job-I honestly didn't imagine myself doing it, but it feels right for now.
    Fashion is something I have always felt drawn to, as superficial a subject as it may seem.  To me, getting dressed concerns so much more than the garments themselves.  It is art in movement.  The fit of a piece can accentuate, protect, and even conceal the body.  Clothing is the only physical barrier between your body and your world, and it is up to you to direct it.  You are free, and sometimes that means jeans and a tee shirt.  My mood often dictates my style.  A vintage silk button-down means yes, I studied literature & I'm a romantic, but pairing it with a short faux leather skirt and gold choker means-no, I'm not going to be a teacher-please stop asking.
      Functional and architectural, clothing is sculpture that breathes.  
    Perhaps that sounds over the top-but to me, clothing is an accessible, artistic conduit that is an ever-evolving part of my daily routine.  And truly, what could possibly be more transcendent than the mundane?
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  4. It was a rare thing.  Such a fluke.
    I had a weekend off.
    So, after work on Friday afternoon (two weeks ago-sorry this is late) we made the snuggliest bed in the back of my lil black Suburu, and we drove to the beach.  No plan.  We drove for over an hour listening to the Gotye CD I've had in my car's CD player for years.  It was so relaxing to be on the road in that manner of darkness, and to know that we were getting away.  
    As we approached the small coastal towns, deer began to appear on the side of the road.  They froze and stared as we drove past.  It was eerie, but what majestic creatures, especially at night.  Their lithe, muscled forms cast long shadows, and their eyes glowed in the moonlight.
    When we finally reached a town, it was almost ten.  We walked into a small diner and after ordering beers, we told the waitress our dilemma, and she laughed.  She grabbed a map of the coast from a visitor's guide, and asked for my phone. Her name was Julie.  My best friend's name is Julia, so I remembered Julie.  Julie and Julia both have those kind eyes that make you feel like you must've known them forever when you first meet them - you just didn't quite know it yet.
    Julie looked up the tides-she said the best thing to do was sleep on the beach.  What are the cops going to do if they see you?  They'll just tell you to leave-fuck 'em it's worth it.
    Naturally, we listened to Julie.
     We thanked her endlessly, tipped her generously, and promised that we would come back to tell her about our adventures.  We made our way to the beach she circled on a map for us.
    That night we ran around on the sand dunes, and splashed in the ocean, and fell asleep to the sound of waves, a sound I have missed for far too long.

    P.S.
    We went back to the diner before driving home & left some salt water taffy for Julie.  She wasn't there, but she made the weekend what it was.
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  5. My good friend Sara is a photographer and writer.  Her palpable enthusiasm for art is contagious, and she is always bubbling with creative energy.  I interviewed her over a chocolate milkshake at a fifties diner in the mall using a quickly downloaded free recording app (how postmodern).  Between cheerful interjections of our eager, mustached, and bow-tied waiter, I asked a few questions about her creative process and vision.
    On Creative Inspiration 
    For visual inspiration: everyday life, as corny as it sounds, is inspiring.  I feel like most artistic people would say that.  I am especially inspired by just really low-income stereotypical “white trash” culture, and the huge disparity right now in our world.  From celebrity culture to the homeless people on the street that I see everyday.  I don’t know.  That’s a really hard question because I think it’s just whatever you see on a day-to-day basis.
    Film 
    In the last couple months, I've picked up a script that I started back when I was twenty-one.  I feel like I’m finally at the point where I know how I want it to end and who I need to talk to when I’m done with the draft-to actually move everything forward.  So that’s really exciting, but it’s kind of like my child in the sense that it’s always on my mind and I’m always taking notes and working on it everyday.  Until it’s finished I feel this little weight, I feel like I need to give birth to it. 
    The Process 
    It’s really hard because I feel like for me I’m not a regular, typical writer.  Like, I had to start with a bunch of notecards-hundreds of notecards.  I had the whole idea, and different parts of the story in my head but instead of going step by step, I wanted to get all those main points down.  Then I’ve created a file system for myself, from the art direction, to certain lines, and themes.  So in terms of that, I think in the next two months I’ll be able to start meeting with some mentors that I have to move forward into editing and drafting scripts that I can give to people that don’t know me, that I would feel comfortable having them read it.  I would prefer it to be a film, that’s what I’m writing it for.  I know that sometimes it can be hard to set something in stone-I just want to get farther along in the process. 
    For now, I want to keep the concept to myself.  I’ve realized that the more you put things into the universe they tend to manifest-like idea wise.  I had a whole notebook for a year before Portlandia came out about random experiences in Portland, and I was so f-ing pissed when it came out.  (Laughs) I was like damn, I’m so young, and I wanted to do something like that, damn.   It (the script) is definitely a comedy, a dark comedy, in terms of a genre.  Anything other than that, though, I don’t want to give away.

    Photography
    I’m still working on developing my photography skills, which is awesome.  I feel like in terms of composition and playing with the camera I’m having a lot of fun with it, but teaching myself Photoshop is making me want to hurt someone.  So I have a couple friends who are photographers and are established and love editing, so I’m lucky enough that they said they would sit down with me and help me with a couple basic techniques. 
     Interior Design
    I try to be “balling on a budget” as I like to say.  Most of the things in my living room are from Dollar Tree, but I’ve broken down the frames.  When I was younger, my parents went through bankruptcy when I was six.  It was really hard, even at that young age.  It was hard to have really nice things and then have really shitty things.  But over the years I’ve found that it’s a really fun, creative, thrifting project to see what you can make out of just anything.  I think Portland is great for that type of recycled mentality.  I live right next door to a thrift store that’s really helpful.  It’s the Union Gospel Mission Thrift Store, it’s super nice, and you can kind of barter with them (Laughs).  They’re always like, “ok – five things for five dollars.”  They have people who maybe are in group-homes working there.  They’re always really friendly and I like to support them.  They also donate to a women’s shelter. 
    I’m trying to get more into design because the interior decorating process is so important to me.  In terms of how it affects me being able to write or do other creative projects.  I want to feel comfortable.  For years I had roommates, so it’s nice to have my own space now to let go.
    Union Gospel Style

    The Future
    I also kind of want to make myself a brand, as corny as that sounds.  So I’m working on YouTube ideas, continuing with the photography, and I also want to get all of the amazing women in my life to bring together their creative strengths in one way or another, and see if we can come up with some kind of long term artistic business endeavors. 
    All of these things I would want to help educate others.  Our culture and world have so many terrible issues, but I feel like there are so many things that we can do if we work together.  I think art can be very powerful that way. 
    I interviewed Sara on 9.25.15.  Photographs are all from September 2015. 
    Instagram: sara.jane.stewart
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  6. I've been going to the Bread & Ink Cafe on Hawthorne since I was little.  I loved to tag along with my mom on weekend brunches with friends.  I would order one giant pancake, eat half of it, and fall asleep in her lap while she and her friends chatted at the table above me over lengthy sips of coffee and tea.

    The atmosphere is laid back and cozy-the restaurant manages to harmoniously conflate a brunch/dinner vibe with a full bar.  David & I went for happy hour after we sold some clothes down the street.  I got the black bean cakes with tomato soup, and he got a burger and beer.  Food pictures are tricky!  Here's what I managed to capture:
    Black Bean Cakes & Soup
    Happy Hour Burger & Boneyard RPM IPA

    The food was amazing, and our waitress was very sweet.  It was fun to rediscover an old favorite, and to see what they have to offer apart from pancakes the size of your face!  I might just have to order one the next time I'm there-for old time's sake.
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  7. David's mother is an artist, and sometimes she works for trade.  Yesterday, David & I got to spend the night at the Hotel Monaco, one of the nicest hotels in Portland.  When we arrived it was wine hour, so the lobby was full of people eating, drinking, playing games, and listening to the pianist.  There was even a tarot card reader!  I was too shy to take pictures in the lobby, but the decor is extravagant.  The color palette consists of rich jewel tones, and you'll find whimsical wallpaper around every corner.  The furniture feels luxurious yet comfortable.  There are giant velvet pillows, two fireplaces, and enormous gold mirrors on every wall.  We sat down on floor pillows and had our tarot cards read while we drank wine-it felt surreal.  I've never had my cards read before, it was eerie and ominous, but a very cool experience.  The hotel has a sort of mysterious quality, it's certainly decorated with the past in mind, but the vintage aesthetic extends beyond the interior design to the hotel's general feel-it's quite old world.  The moment you walk through the lobby doors, you're submerged and transported back to an excessive, gilded age.
    The hotel carries C.O. Bigelow, which amplifies the vintage, eclectic atmosphere.  Everything smelled lovely & I may or may not've slipped all of the above into my bag this morning.
    I'm the worst packer, so I didn't bring anything except my pajamas, and whatever was already inside the little bag in my purse.  Nivea cherry lip balm, Almay mascara, Russian Homeoplasmine I sketchily got on Amazon, & a mini wet brush.  I've loved Bioderma forever, but I recently tried this Simple cleansing water and I actually prefer it!  It's great for mascara which is usually the only makeup I wear, & it's more affordable than Bioderma.
    The living room between the bedroom & bathroom was so luxe; comfy couch.
    Going cross-eyed for this vintage inspired wallpaper.
    Hello Portland-we're bougie for the night.
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  8. Director Park
    Director Park is my favorite park downtown.  It's quite small compared to other Portland Parks, but on a hot day the fountain feels amazing on tired feet.  Anytime I walk by, I can't help but slip off my sandals and wade around in the water as the sun beats down through the glass canopy, and children laugh and splash around in the water.  If I'm ever having an off day, I'll walk out of my way to slip into the cool water for a moment.  My heart always feels so much lighter afterward; it's a mini metropolitan oasis.

    The Opening
    Just a few blocks away from the park in the Pearl District, Jennifer Pepin opened J. Pepin Art Gallery in 2013.  Pepin's mission is to exclusively feature artists with mental illnesses in an effort to de-stigmatize the diagnosis and broadcast a spectrum of creative talent that is often overlooked or underrepresented.
    J. Pepin Art Gallery: Art by Chris Foster
    jpepinartgallery.com
    Photo by: Sara Jane Stewart

    I went to the First Thursday opening on August 6th with David and my friend Sara to see multimedia artist Chris Foster's Exhibit titled: "Intuition and Metaphysical Musings."  Foster's work, in short, is incredible.  His meditated use of vibrant colors and deeper earth tones dazzled as the show managed to convey his extensive vision, elucidating the dreamlike quality of his aesthetic.  The rich tones in many of Foster's pieces seem to mirror the color palette of the natural world, while the textured layering also lends an organic quality to the work.
    Pepin, Sara, and I met years ago, so when the gallery began to get crowded that night, Pepin asked us to serve drinks to the guests while she spoke with interested buyers.  It was such a wonderful night, and I feel so grateful to have been a part of it.
    This coming First Thursday marks the gallery's second birthday, and Sara & I will be back to assist.  I can't wait to see the show! 
    Serving drinks at the opening reception with Sara
    Photo by: David M.
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  9. A lil sunfish sailboat
    Beach nap
    One pieces are in again ok
    Cava
    Sauvie Island Farm

    This is a little late, but I wanted to share anyway.  July 1st was my birthday, and after work my boyfriend took me to Sauvie Island.  We went swimming, lazed around on the beach, and drank Cava from blue plastic cups.  Later, we walked around the wildlife reserve and got attacked by a swarm of mosquitos; it was the best birthday yet.
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  10.  Portland Art Museum Sculpture Garden


    Pianos in the Parks Benefit Concert

    Free Popcorn!

    Casual Selfie in the Alley

    A few weeks ago my boyfriend & I went to the Portland Art Museum's "Fourth Free Friday."  Admission is free & there is music, a beer garden, pizza, and free popcorn!  Admission is always $5 on Friday, so we had actually just been to the museum the week before, when the kind ticket attendant mentioned that the following Friday was free.  There was a benefit concert for Piano in the Parks in the courtyard and a beer garden in the sculpture garden.  It was such an incredible night, and so much fun to experience the museum in a different atmosphere.
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