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NEWS RELEASE Media contact:

Colleen Schafroth, Executive Director

(509) 773-3733, colleen@maryhillmuseum.org

 

 

Maryhill Museum of Art Presents

Annual Outdoor Sculpture Invitational, May 16 – October 4, 2009

Exhibition features large-scale works by 11 noted Northwest artists


(GOLDENDALE, Wash., April 28, 2009) –  Maryhill Museum of Art will present its 14th Annual Outdoor Sculpture Invitational May 16 – October 4, 2009. The exhibition features large-scale works in a variety of media by Northwest artists Lance Carleton (Everett, WA), Matt Cartwright (Portland, OR), Gregory Glynn (Bainbridge Island, WA), Tom Herrera (Mosier, OR), Ed Humpherys (Walla Walla, WA), Jay Moody (Portland, OR), Francisco Salgado (Portland, OR), Julie Speidel (Vashon, WA), Mike Suri (Portland, OR), Jeff Tangen (Shoreline, WA), and David Wagner (Portland, OR).


A Sculpture Garden Walk on Saturday, May 16 at 3:30 p.m. will celebrate the opening of the exhibit. Curator Lee Musgrave and participating artists will lead a tour, to be followed by a reception.

 

ABOUT THE EXHIBIT:

First conceived to complement the museum’s extensive collection of Rodin sculptures, Maryhill’s Outdoor Sculpture Invitational has become one of the premier venues for Northwest artists who create and exhibit large-scale works.  Maryhill’s dramatic and rugged setting, coupled with majestic views of the Columbia River Gorge, provides a unique environment for visitors to experience the diverse works featured in the exhibition.

 

"We strongly believe in encouraging the continued development of contemporary Northwest sculpture. Each year the exhibit is a wonderful mix of works by established and emerging artists,” says Lee Musgrave, Maryhill’s curator of exhibits.


Mike Suri’s dramatic iron sculpture, Brushing, was inspired by a tree, swept fully horizontal by the wind, which was thriving on the edge of a cliff. “I was immediately taken with the dynamism between these two powerful natural occurrences — the tree firmly rooted and full of life and the wind blowing hard and constant. The title comes from a term used in the wind power industry to describe the act of trees growing horizontally. When a site is found with this effect it is a sign of constant and high wind force. The bluff at Maryhill will make a perfect setting for the sculpture,” says Suri.


Lakshmi by Julie Speidel is strongly influenced by the artist’s interest in ancient cultures.  "From the megaliths of Europe to the Buddhist caves of China or the temple ruins of Turkey, all hold powerful shapes that connect us as human beings and keep us in a state of awe. My sculpture is a tribute to these ancient monuments and their power to link the world of the senses to the world of the spirits,” she says.

 

Gregory Glynn’s Tuft, constructed and installed as part of the 2008 Invitational will remain on view during the 2009 exhibition so that viewers can see the ongoing weathering effects the artist intended. When Glynn created the sculpture, which is made from 300 milled madrona 2x2’s, he envisioned that it would evolve and change over time based on how the wood reacted to the environment. A year outside in harsh conditions has made these effects even more pronounced.

 

In addition to works in the 2009 Outdoor Sculpture Invitational, visitors to Maryhill can also see sculptures from the museum’s collections that are on permanent outdoor display: works by Brad Cloepfil, Tom Herrera, Alisa Looney, Mel Katz, Heath Krieger, Jill Torberson, Julian Voss-Andreae, Jeff Weitzel and Leon White.

 

RELATED PROGRAMS:

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Founders’ Day

Celebrate Maryhill and all it offers during an activity-packed day honoring its founders, members and friends. Drive the Maryhill Loops Road, see large-scale sculptures created by Northwest artists, take part in a family activity or learn more about Maryhill’s impressive collections. Programs include:

 

Public Drive of the Historic Maryhill Loops Road, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Take a spin on one of the first modern roads in the Northwest, a magnificent drive featuring beautiful scenery and eight hairpin curves. Once a year, in tribute to Maryhill founder Sam Hill, who constructed the road between 1909 and 1913, the historic Maryhill Loops Road is opened to the driving public.

 

Family Fun:  Stories from the Hudson River, 1 to 4 p.m.

Storyteller Teddy Cole and award-winning arts educator Mary Cooper guide children through hands-on learning activities that promise a new appreciation of the art on exhibit. Storytelling at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. Art activity is continuous. Family Fun activities and admission to the museum are free for children under 17 with one adult admission.

 

Lecture: Place and Culture: The Mid-Columbia River, 2:30 p.m.

Historian William G. Robbins presents the Oregon Chautauqua program, Place and Culture: The Mid-Columbia River. America was once characterized by broadly distinct regions: New England, the deep South, and the Midwest. Do these designations still have meaning amid worries that the homogenizing influence of a global economy is eroding many a sense of place and local culture?  What do we mean to say when we identify the place we live as the Pacific Northwest? Robbins is one of the Pacific Northwest’s foremost authorities on the interplay between history and landscape. His recent books include Landscapes of Conflict: the Oregon Story, 1940-2000 and a short history of the state, Oregon: This Storied Land.

Sculpture Garden Walk, 3:30 p.m.

Celebrate the opening of the Outdoor Sculpture Invitational with a garden walk led by curator Lee Musgrave and participating artists. A reception for artists will follow.

 

The Northwest Wine Auction, 6 p.m.
Add some exceptional Washington and Oregon wines to your cellar and support Maryhill Museum of Art at the museum’s first wine auction. Bid on a specially curated collection of wines from Columbia River Gorge appellation, which runs on both sides of the Columbia from Maryhill to Hood River. There will also be fine art and other unique experiences on auction. This elegant evening, with delicious cuisine, directly supports Maryhill Museum of Art and its wide range of programs. Tickets are $75/per person. A portion of the ticket price is tax-deductible. Check online at http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/ for updated information and auction items.

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ABOUT MARYHILL MUSEUM OF ART:

Housed in a glorious Beaux Arts mansion on 5,300 acres high above the Columbia River, Maryhill Museum of Art is one of the Pacific Northwest’s most enchanting cultural destinations.  Founded by Northwest entrepreneur and visionary Sam Hill, Maryhill opened to the public in 1940; today the museum boasts a world-class permanent collection, rotating exhibitions of the highest caliber, and dynamic educational programs that provide opportunities for further exploration by visitors of all ages.

 

The museum’s collection includes more than 80 works by Auguste Rodin, European and American paintings, objects d'art from the palaces of the Queen of Romania, Orthodox icons, unique chess sets, and the renowned Théâtre de la Mode, featuring small-scale mannequins attired in designer fashions of post-World War II France. Baskets of the indigenous people of North America were a collecting interest of Sam Hill; today the museum’s Native American collection represents nearly every tradition and style in North America, with works of art from prehistoric through contemporary.  

 

Maryhill’s Outdoor Sculpture Garden features work from the permanent collection by Tom Herrera, Mel Katz, Heath Krieger, Alisa Looney, Jill Torberson, Julian Voss-Andreae, Jeff Weitzel and Leon White.  Each year the museum also hosts an Outdoor Sculpture Invitational showcasing artists of the Northwest. The Maryhill Overlook is a site-specific sculpture by noted Portland architect Brad Cloepfil; nearby are Lewis and Clark interpretive panels. Four miles east of Maryhill is a life-sized replica of Stonehenge, Stonehenge Memorial, which Sam Hill built to memorialize local men who perished in World War I. Nearby, the Klickitat County War Memorial honors those who have died in service of their country since World War I.

 

The museum was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. In 2001 the museum was listed as an official site of the National Historic Lewis and Clark Trail and in 2002 was accredited by the American Association of Museums.

 

VISITOR INFORMATION:

Maryhill Museum of Art is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 15 to November 15. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and $2 for children age 6-16. Admission to the Stonehenge Memorial is free; it is open from 7:00 a.m. to dusk daily.

 

Sandwiches, salads, espresso drinks, cold beverages, and freshly baked desserts and pastries are available at Café Maryhill; the Museum Store features art and history books, jewelry, Native American crafts and other mementos.

 

Maryhill is located off Highway 97, 12 miles south of Goldendale, Washington. Drive times to the museum are 2 hours from Portland/Vancouver, 3.5 hours from Bend, 4 hours from Seattle, and 1.5 hours from Yakima. For further information, visit maryhillmuseum.org.

 

Image above: Brushing near completion in Mike Suri's studio.

 

High-resolution images are available for publication, click here.

Maryhill Museum of Art | 35 Maryhill Museum Drive | Goldendale, WA 98620 | 509-773-3733
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