Whassup at Pynelogs
By Casja Fredin
Executive director
The turbulent times that define our current experience is not one we want to find ourselves in, but they are times that often shape art, an expression of our truest emotions. Often healing, sometimes maddening, I have always thought one of the most wonderful things about art, is its ability to help us tap in and stay the course, to find the beauty in the everyday. Our current exhibition at Pynelogs, A Love of the Land, features the retrospective work of Alan J. Witherspoon, a local artist that many might not know, as he spent much of his life and career as a geological engineer exploring the furthest Valley peaks and forests doing early survey work. It was also where he found his artistic inspiration and personal comfort. While his analytical mind was technical in approach, his brushstrokes reveal a softer side, endlessly searching for the perfect medium and tone through constant study and practice. Ink sketches, colorful watercolors, bold oil paintings, and sculptural woodworking on a hand-built lathe from bike parts, all meticulously strategized and documented, offer a uniquely personal look into the working practice of a man who revered the inspired solitude of the natural world around him. A Love of the Land takes us into Alan’s mind while also allowing us to see his beauty in the everyday. Inspired by the community that helped him, Alan’s dedication to studying the arts is reflected through his continuing contribution to the future of the artists in the Columbia Valley with the Alan J Witherspoon Memorial Arts fund, administered through the Columbia Valley Community Foundation. Applications are open until May 15 and available online at: www.valleyfoundation.com.
We are pleased to offer hard copies of the application at Pynelogs. While we continue to welcome people to the gallery at this time, this exhibit will also be featured virtually; follow us along on Instagram and Facebook @columbiavalleyarts as we tell Alan’s story. The gallery is open from 11-4 Tuesday through Saturday. For further information, email us at: [email protected].
