It’s the Water, at Giustina Gallery

Exhibition Dates: March 15 – April 28, 2023 
Opening Reception: Saturday, April 8 from 3 to 6 p.m.

Giustina Gallery at the LaSells Stewart Center presents  It’s the Water An Exhibition of Painting and Photography by Seven Artists 

April Waters: Antarctica Paintings 

And invited artists: Rich Bergeman, Duncan Berry, Gary Buhler, Jeremy Burke, Rebecca Kiser and Katia Kyte 

Exhibition Dates: March 15 – April 28, 2023 

Opening Reception: Saturday, April 8 from 3 to 6 p.m. 

More information about It’s the Water 

Giustina Gallery at The LaSells Stewart Center – Oregon State University 
875 SW 26th Street, Corvallis, Oregon (map below)
541-737-2402
lasells.oregonstate.edu 

About this exhibition: 
In both literature and art, water is considered the universal symbol for change. It is forever flowing and can take any  course. The seven artists in this exhibit focus on expressing the power, beauty and mystery of water, showing nature’s  complex interrelationships. In their creative works, the artists use water to symbolize purity and cleansing. Rivers, lakes,  oceans, clouds and ice may suggest ambition, tranquility and life force. We share their insights through this selection of  paintings and photographs in the hope of enhancing and renewing your appreciation and respect for our world’s  precious water. Through their talents, these artists offer new visions and spiritual awakenings to you.  

Artists: 

April Waters 
Oil Paintings
april@aprilwaters.com 
503-569-7681  
aprilwaters.com  

 

 Through my paintings depicting Oregon’s rivers, creeks, and coast, I have  
sought to capture the qualities of reflection, transparency, and movement  
of the bodies of water that connect and sustain us. This fascination with  
water led to opportunities at both poles to explore different forms of  
water at the two most rapidly warming regions on Earth. As a participant  
in the National Science Foundation Antarctic Artists and Writers Program,  
I had a rare experience to be living and working on the Southern Ocean  
and West Antarctic Peninsula, where I was mesmerized observing the sea  
ice, ocean, icebergs, and Marr Glacier. I was also an Artist-in-Residence in  
Ilulissat, Greenland, where I experienced thunderous and stunning  
retreating glaciers. This work speaks to the beauty and vulnerability of our  
polar region’s fragile and susceptible ecosystems. 

Rich Bergeman 
Black & White Photographs, Sky Palettes
rbergeman@proaxis.com  
541-757-3415 

The “patron goddess of idle men,” clouds have fascinated  us for centuries. In the 1800s, scientifically minded cloud  spotters began classifying them into ten categories, each with several species and varieties. The cirrus clouds  fascinate me most. Latin for fiber or hair, cirrus form at high  altitudes and are composed of ice crystals, giving them a  silky, translucent appearance. Using an infrared-sensitive  camera, I can isolate these faint clouds against the sky and  dramatize their shapes, lines, and movement. 

Duncan Berry  
Aerial Photographs
Duncan@bylandbyseabyair.com 
206-697-0204  
cascadehead.org 

Panoramas of Oregon’s only UN Biosphere Region I am fortunate to live at the epicenter of the Cascade Head  Biosphere Region on Oregon’s beautiful central coastline.  This vibrant landscape is my muse and I create these  panoramic photographs to reveal the story of this unique  convergence of salt and water where 3,000 miles of land  meets 5,000 miles of sea. May these artistic creations move  you with their beauty and inspire you to be an advocate for  stewardship of this remarkable place. 

Gary Buhler 
Watercolor Paintings, Impressions of Hope 
gbuhler@georgefox.edu 
971-217-5003 
garybuhler.com 

I paint the light and the darkness because one reveals the  other. Without the darkness we don’t see the true glory of  the light. And without the light, we don’t see at all. The  essence of water as I see it is the cascading stream – intimate, reflecting, transparent, and ever-moving. The  stream gives life wherever it goes. I find that water is a good  metaphor for life, as it is beautiful, essential, and dynamic. May you find inspiration and hope in my work. 

Jeremy Burke 
Color Photographs, Rhythm of the Sea
jburke@newportnewstimes.com 
541-819-1327  
instagram.com/j.burkephotos 

 Water is sacred and purifies my soul. The ocean takes that  so much further. The raw power is mesmerizing, especially  when mixed with the intense beauty created when the  water meets the shore. No matter what the weather is or  how small or large the swell, just smelling the sea gives me  instant peace. I hope that this collection of moments gives  you a similar feeling. 

Rebecca Kiser 
Acrylic Paintings, Clouds
rebeccakiserfineart@gmail.com 
503-560-5771  
rebeccakiserfineart.com 

The ever-changing clouds of Western Oregon are a feast for  the eyes. Clouds are the most abstract element of nature,  and capturing a fleeting moment of atmospheric effect is a  challenge for the artist. My desire is to evoke that intangible  feeling we get when we experience clouds, whether from a  distance or within the mist, and I hope those who view my  paintings will appreciate the ephemeral nature of water in  its most dynamic form. 

Katia Kyte 
Plein Air Oil Paintings, Painting Life
kyteart@yahoo.com  
503-580-1773  
katiakyte.com

My goal is to be authentic, honest, and vulnerable, and to  listen to my intuition. I choose subject matter that excites  me: interesting light, shadow patterns, value contrast,  beautiful shapes, elegant lines, or surprising color  combinations. I prefer painting directly from life because I  perceive it firsthand, and I create work more suggestive  rather than refined to a polished state. The natural world is  my teacher and it has all the visual information I need.  Painting is like life itself – it teaches me to let go,  to support myself.