During the month of November, the Artists' Cooperative Gallery will be featuring the artwork of member artists Gretchen Olberding, Robert Dewaele, and Cortney Christensen. The exhibit, “The Spirit Within”, will be on display November 3–29. Please join us at the opening reception on Sunday, November 8, 1 to 4 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided.
For Gretchen, the landscape has always been her favorite place to be. A trip to Mesa Verde and some serious hiking through the Southwest awakened her fascination with ancient petroglyphs—and their Shamans, those early wise men of the Anasazi Indians. Inspired by their imagery, she reimagined these ancient spiritual figures in sculptural form, creating her “Animal Spirit Shamans”, and her work has resonated with viewers in ways she certainly didn’t anticipate.
As a wood and bronze sculptor, Robert is continually looking for ways to express his inner thoughts and outward utterances. His work in this show is a further extension of that desire. He considers his sculpture as a way of communicating vicariously to others. Often, he finds direct communication with other people difficult, and the sculpting gives something tangible for them to ponder what mere words cannot effectively express.
On a recent journey to the Southwest, Cortney explored the broad and majestic spaces of the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park, the cramped and intimate passages of Antelope Canyon, as well as many other points of interest along the way. His images range from an expansive view from the North Rim peering down into one of the deepest parts of the canyon, to the small, abstract details of autumn leaves reflected in the rushing waters of the Virgin River. He hopes to convey the beauty of this diverse and unique landscape in hopes of preserving these natural resources for generations to come.
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The Artists’ Co-op has been showing the work of respected regional artists since 1975. This cooperative group of artists conducts educational and cultural outreach activities, and it maintains and staffs a gallery that features works in a wide variety of media, including sculpture, weaving, painting, pottery, photography, glass, jewelry, printmaking, and drawing. Monthly opening receptions provide opportunities to meet member artists and learn more about their work.
