A Contemporary Bestiary

For immediate release: Aug 12, 2014
Media contact: Andrea Foust
Membership and Public Relations Manager
Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University | 503-370-6867
Public contact: 503-370-6855 | museum-art@willamette.edu

Animals Abound in Bestiary Art Exhibition

SALEM, Ore. — The exhibition, “A Contemporary Bestiary,” will open Sept. 13 and continue through Dec. 21 in the Maribeth Collins Lobby and Melvin Henderson-Rubio Gallery at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art. Organized by Director John Olbrantz, the exhibition includes 56 works that brim with animal imagery created by 22 artists from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia.

Paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings, photography, ceramics, and even embroidery celebrate the richness and diversity of animal imagery in contemporary regional art and reflect traditions and themes that date back tens of thousands of years, while exploring each artist’s unique approach.

For the late David Gilhooly, frogs, dogs, cats, and even banana slugs were used to parody art, religion, politics and pop culture in playful ways.

With Oregon artist Rachel Denny, her surprising wall-mounted mixed media creatures intersect with yarn and even twine to explore the often complex relationship between humans and animals.

In Robert McCauley’s paintings, he attempts to re-tether our connection to nature with animals that seem ready to engage us in intimate conversation.

Deborah Butterfield has long admired the beauty, majesty, and the grace of horses and works to convey this through her colossal horse sculptures created from scrap metal and cast bronze.

Painter Rick Bartow (Wiyot) and printmaker Robert Davidson (Haida) focus on animal imagery as a reflection of the stories, myths and legends of their native cultures.

Viewers are invited to discover terms of venary, or words for groups of animals, that appear throughout the exhibition as quotes from James Lipton’s book “An Exaltation of Larks.”

EXHIBITION RELATED EVENTS
In conjunction with the exhibition the museum is offering a range of special complimentary events.

An Evening for Educators
Tuesday, Sept. 16, 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Hallie Ford Museum of Art
This free workshop focuses on the exhibition and is designed to help teachers prepare students for field trips as well as broaden curriculum concepts for use in the classroom.
Advance registration for this free workshop is required by Sept. 12. Call 503-370-6855.

The Rainbow Creek Dancers from British Columbia
Saturday, Oct. 4, 7:30 pm
Hudson Concert Hall, Mary Stuart Rogers Performing Arts Center
Enjoy an evening of traditional Haida stories, dances and songs with this internationally recognized dance troupe. Admission is complimentary, although tickets are required. Individuals may pick up to four general seating tickets at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art starting Sept. 1. Museum members are invited to a special pre-show reception that will include reserved seating at the dance performance.

Family Activity Day
Saturday, Oct. 11, noon to 4 p.m.
Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Maribeth Collins Lobby
Enjoy the exhibition, animal-related art projects and storytelling.
Free and open to the public

Tuesday Gallery Talks
Starting Sept. 16 and continuing through Dec. 16
Tours commence at 12:30 p.m.
Join docents at the museum for a guided tour of the exhibition.
Free and open to the public

Financial support for the exhibition and special events has been made possible in part by grants from the City of Salem’s Transient Occupancy Tax funds and the Oregon Arts Commission.

For more information visit willamette.edu/go/hfma or call 503-370-6855.

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ADDITIONAL PRESS KIT ITEMS

About the Hallie Ford Museum of Art
Oregon's third largest art museum features works by Pacific Northwest and Native American artists, and includes a diverse collection of traditional European, American and Asian art, as well as artifacts that date from antiquity. Frequently changing exhibitions include lectures, special events, tours, artist demonstrations and educational opportunities for children and adults.

The museum is located at 700 State St. in Salem. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. The galleries are closed on Monday. General admission is $6, $4 for seniors and $3 for students 18 and older. Students 17 and under and children are admitted free. Admission is free for everyone on Tuesdays. For more information call 503-370-6855 or visit willamette.edu/go/hfma.