The University Mills International Center’s 2010 Winter Art Show is set to host local and international artists eager to share vibrant color, fresh design and creative art with students and the community.
“Winter Blues … and greens, yellows, reds …” is the selected theme for the show, and has been chosen in an attempt to combat the notorious winter blues. The opening ceremony will include dancing, music and refreshments, as well as showcase artwork from the contributing artists.
Following the opening ceremony, the Mills Center will be hosting a continuous event featuring sunshine-themed activities, including a Hawaiian game night. The center will also have a “sunny corner” set up, equipped with full-spectrum “happy lights” to provide some artificial sunlight to those in need. Art curator Kelly Tavares, who organized the event, said the purpose of this art show is to share the beauty and power of art with everyone who is interested.
“This is a community-based art show, and the Mills Center is a space for anyone to come and experience art and culture,” Tavares said.
Tavares, originally from Rio de Janeiro, said that she came up with the exhibit’s theme, “Winter Blues … and greens, yellows, reds…” because she often found herself struggling with the Oregon weather. Coming from Brazil two years ago, Tavares has used art to help fight off the winter blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder.
“The Winter blues, or SAD, is something real and it is a problem,” Tavares said.
“However, I wanted to embrace this problem and find ways to brighten the days with colorful artwork. The show is about just believing in the healing powers of color; we can use something visual to create a powerful sensation.”
In addition to organizing the art show, Tavares will contribute her own artwork.
One piece that she will be featuring in the show is a photograph she took while in a Parisian cafe. The photo is of a glass of beer with people rushing by on the streets in the background. The silhouettes of people are visible through the beer glass. Tavares said she enjoys this piece because of the bright lighting and the concept behind it.
“The light and color in this give you a warm feeling,” Tavares said. “It also reminds you to have time to relax and enjoy what is going on around you.”
Joan Milligan of Cottage Grove is one of the local featured artists, and said she has chosen colorful and joyful work to contribute to the show’s collection. Mulligan will have the largest piece in the show at approximately 6 feet 6 inches by 8 feet 6 inches. After taking a break from painting, Mulligan says this piece was her big comeback into the art world and provides what she calls a color explosion.
“For me, it was just me busting out of all the things that were weighing me down and taking me away from my creative self,” Milligan said. “This piece is me saying, I am here and I am going to paint. The painting is dominated by brilliant, deep blues, a vibrant yellow and orange; there is a progression from dark that sort of begins to step into the light.”
Milligan also created a piece specifically for the art show, which she calls “The Wave.” This is a painting of a photo of a bright blue curling ocean wave. Milligan said this seemed like the perfect subject for a painting for a show in the dead of winter.
“It has a great sense of rolling movement and a bright reflection with light and water,” Milligan said. “I didn’t even have any black or earth colors on my palette when I painted this; it is the perfect summer color.”
Marina Hajec, who is originally from Guatemala, is one of the international artists who is contributing her work to the show. She said most of her artwork is inspired by the Mayan culture. While her artwork is not necessarily colorful, Hajec believes her pieces have the ability to distract one’s mind from the gray skies.
Hajec explained the pieces she chose to contribute are more mind-stimulating than colorful. Her piece called “Mother Corn” is a representation of Mayan culture because she says the Mayans believed they originated from corn. The piece features corn cobs with faces and also a sphere that resembles the world.
“Corn is not just important to Mayans, but is important to other countries too,” Hajec said. “This is not colorful, but it will bring you something new to think about and distract your mind from the thought of winter.”
Milligan, who grew up in New Mexico and spent most of her adult life in Los Angeles, said she now lives in Oregon because of the beauty and more gracious lifestyle.
However, she finds a lot of people struggle with the winter color of gray.
“Gray is something that we all struggle with,” Milligan said. “But this group of international artists who live and think in vibrant color help to create a carnival of culture, and even in the dead of winter, we can invite our imagination to explore art and color.”
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