"Northwest Back Country, Fin and Feathers" April Exhibit at Uniontown, Wash.

The exhibit for the month of April at Artisans at the Dahmen Barn is “Northwest Back Country, Fin and Feathers,” featuring two local northwest artists, David Gressard from Moscow, and John Bergen Jr. from Peirce, at 419 N. Parkway, Uniontown, Wash.

Using two totally different mediums, each artist achieves great detail in their art, John with a torch and welder and Dave with acrylic paint and paintbrush.

The opening reception will be April 1, 2012 from 1 p.m. -3 p.m. The exhibit continues through April 29th.

Dave Gressard graduated from the University of Idaho with a directed studies degree emphasizing art and biology. He is an avid bird watcher and enjoys getting into the back country of the Northwest whenever possible. Every day has the potential for new ideas and inspiration.

A black capped chickadee curiously inspects a monarch butterfly as they scurry through a patch of wild rose and thimbleberry looking for small insects and seeds. These are everyday occurrences in a part of the world few ever see. Sure, most people know these things occur, but to really appreciate them, they need to be reminded. In this lies one of the reasons Dave Gressard paints, not only to refresh his own enjoyment but also to refresh those who view his paintings.

Dave’s art is also the result of his appreciation and fascination for animals and the environment which surrounds them. Whenever Dave is out in the field, he manages to bring back a moss covered branch or some plant samples to use as reference materials. The simplest things can become the final detail to complete a painting. His studio is full of things that have been or will be part of one of his paintings.

John Bergen Jr. is a retired Potlatch welder and now lives in Pierce, Idaho. He is the artist who created the ten stainless fish that grace the design of the Clarkston Entry Project on the corner of Bridge and Diagonal streets.

Starting with flat stainless steel and pipe, John is a master at sculpting lifelike three dimensional fish and their surroundings. The finished sculpture is then colored with a torch. John’s current project is a life-size elk and lodge pole pine but after measuring it is too large for the elevator at the Dahmen Barn. Pictures of the elk in the making will be on display during the exhibit.
John can be contacted at 208-464-1135 or 208-790-3028. David can be contacted at 208-882-0014 or dgressard@turbonet.com.

Artisans at the Dahmen Barn is a non-profit creativity center on highway 195 in Uniontown. Located in the big white barn behind the famous iron wheel fence, a three story facility is fully ADA compliant and has no daily admission fee. Hours are Thursday through Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm. Information: www.artisanbarn.org or 509-229-3414.