Membership Corner: Amy Mower, Membership Secretary

Please welcome our six new members:

Karen Peterkort was referred to VGA by Kim McLaughlin. She is excited about showing work in the gallery. Karen is retired from working for Alaska Airlines. She oil paints and draws.

Ava Reynolds is a student member and learned about us from coming to one of our ArtChats. She is a student and will be leaving for France at the end of the summer to pursue a degree in Art. In the meantime, she is hoping to get experience being part of an art community. She describes herself as a pop surreal portraitist oil painter!

Aleksa Wood discovered us after a visit to the library next door. She is beginning her journey as a professional artist and is looking to get involved and support community arts and sell her work. Aleksa is primarily an oil painter but has explored various media. She has helped her church with fundraisers and been a TA for elementary school children.  

Nancy Chesler was referred to VGA by Laura Leiman. She is a retired dental hygienist and landscape artist. She joined the gallery to be around like minded people. She has volunteered for us in the past. She is a watercolor artist.  Nancy plays the ukulele and guitar. She is a member of the Folk Music Society.

Emerson Blackaby is a student member and found us when researching places to get involved with an art community. She is a student at PCC and transferring to PSU soon. She joined to get involved with an arts community and meet other artists. She moved to Oregon from Montana a few years ago.  Emerson works in oils and does graphite sketches. She like to paint plein air and is looking for a group to paint with. She is also interested in and studying the process behind illuminated manuscripts and incorporates it into her artwork.

Mary Bell was referred to VGA by one of our members who met her husband at a holiday craft show and suggested she should check us out. She grew up within a heritage of crafting and has been working with textiles from a young age. Since retiring from a career in finance, she now has time to quilt and sew to her hearts content. Her favorite part of quilting is hand quilting – pulling the layers of the quilt together into one, adding new texture and definition to the fabric. Each hand quilted postcard is unique in fabric and form – a great way to send a tiny quilt to a loved one across the miles. 

Anitha Mannoor learned about us by stopping in after a trip to the library. She works as a database administrator and is a mother of 3 girls. She likes to draw and is excited to become a part of our community.