December 2017 - January 2018
Creative Spirits Gallery
For the next two months we are fortunate to showcase 3 artists! In the photo you meet
(left to right): Cathy Cramer, Susan Spears, and Ron Spears. Each of these artists bring a variety of talent and expression to our art gallery. Be on the lookout for the exhibits of these talented artists in our hallways and sanctuary!
(left to right): Cathy Cramer, Susan Spears, and Ron Spears. Each of these artists bring a variety of talent and expression to our art gallery. Be on the lookout for the exhibits of these talented artists in our hallways and sanctuary!
Cathy Cramer
An Oregon watercolorist, Cathy Cramer paints natural scenes and pastoral landscapes, expressing their light, distance and mood. She hopes to share the intense feeling of a moment in time, whether the restless rustling of the wind and weather, or a sense of peace and serenity in nature. Alongside her professional career in high-tech, Cathy studied watercolor at Multnomah Arts Center, and now is an active watercolor student and volunteer at Oregon Society of Artists. She has taken workshops from internationally known watercolor instructors around the United States and in France. She paints en plein air around the Willamette Valley in annual Oregon Lavender Paint-Outs, as well as throughout the Portland area in weekly Eye on the Sky outdoor paint-outs.
Cathy is a member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon and Oregon Society of Artists, and was recently awarded Third Place in the Watercolor Society of Oregon’s 2017 Fall Watercolor Exhibition. Her award-winning painting, chosen from among nearly 300 submissions, is currently being shown around the state of Oregon in the traveling show of 20 award winners. Her work is in private collections and has been shown in Oregon Lavender Paint Out exhibitions and at many exhibits at Oregon Society of Artists, including the Portland Rose Festival Art Show.
To contact Cathy about her watercolors, please email her at cathycramerwatercolors@gmail.com.
An Oregon watercolorist, Cathy Cramer paints natural scenes and pastoral landscapes, expressing their light, distance and mood. She hopes to share the intense feeling of a moment in time, whether the restless rustling of the wind and weather, or a sense of peace and serenity in nature. Alongside her professional career in high-tech, Cathy studied watercolor at Multnomah Arts Center, and now is an active watercolor student and volunteer at Oregon Society of Artists. She has taken workshops from internationally known watercolor instructors around the United States and in France. She paints en plein air around the Willamette Valley in annual Oregon Lavender Paint-Outs, as well as throughout the Portland area in weekly Eye on the Sky outdoor paint-outs.
Cathy is a member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon and Oregon Society of Artists, and was recently awarded Third Place in the Watercolor Society of Oregon’s 2017 Fall Watercolor Exhibition. Her award-winning painting, chosen from among nearly 300 submissions, is currently being shown around the state of Oregon in the traveling show of 20 award winners. Her work is in private collections and has been shown in Oregon Lavender Paint Out exhibitions and at many exhibits at Oregon Society of Artists, including the Portland Rose Festival Art Show.
To contact Cathy about her watercolors, please email her at cathycramerwatercolors@gmail.com.
Ron Spears
During most of Ron's career, his time was devoted to working in various real estate endeavors. Ron's retirement made for a much more relaxed schedule and he had time to accompany his wife, Susan Spears, on her various painting expeditions. This exposure to the art world in a more focused manner captivated his interest and he was soon found with a brush in his hand and learning more about the new world of watercolor art. The additional benefit was that he could spend more time with his wife with their new found common interest. For the last several years, Ron has had lessons from some of the internationally known watercolor artists including Don Andrews, Chris Van Winkle, Eric Wiegardt and Frank Francese. Plein air painting with local and regional subjects was done with Eye on the Sky from April to October each Friday for several years. Ron is a member of the Oregon Watercolor Society and has been juried into two of their semi-annual shows. Paintings have been exhibited at various venues and are in private collections in the northwest.
All of Ron's life, he has been impressed by the beauty that we see all around us. The world is so colorful and strikingly different in the variety of terrain that it produces wonder in any observant person. As a result, many of the ideas for his paintings originate in nature with only minimal later development in the studio. This hopefully results in a fresh look that represents the essence of the subject, though not necessarily in a precise photographic manner. Watercolor is meant to be a dynamic medium which should allow a freshness of spirit.
During most of Ron's career, his time was devoted to working in various real estate endeavors. Ron's retirement made for a much more relaxed schedule and he had time to accompany his wife, Susan Spears, on her various painting expeditions. This exposure to the art world in a more focused manner captivated his interest and he was soon found with a brush in his hand and learning more about the new world of watercolor art. The additional benefit was that he could spend more time with his wife with their new found common interest. For the last several years, Ron has had lessons from some of the internationally known watercolor artists including Don Andrews, Chris Van Winkle, Eric Wiegardt and Frank Francese. Plein air painting with local and regional subjects was done with Eye on the Sky from April to October each Friday for several years. Ron is a member of the Oregon Watercolor Society and has been juried into two of their semi-annual shows. Paintings have been exhibited at various venues and are in private collections in the northwest.
All of Ron's life, he has been impressed by the beauty that we see all around us. The world is so colorful and strikingly different in the variety of terrain that it produces wonder in any observant person. As a result, many of the ideas for his paintings originate in nature with only minimal later development in the studio. This hopefully results in a fresh look that represents the essence of the subject, though not necessarily in a precise photographic manner. Watercolor is meant to be a dynamic medium which should allow a freshness of spirit.
Susan Spears
Susan Spears received her B.A. in Art from California State University at Fullerton. She went on to obtain a Commercial Art degree from Portland Community College. After working in the illuminated sign business as an electric sign designer for several years, she went on to teach art at Westside Christian High School.
Later she began to teach for Clackamas Community College and the Portland Art Museum where she instructed the students in watercolor, acrylics, and oils.
Susan is a member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon. Her paintings have been picked by national jurors to be in the twice/year statewide show that WSO sponsors.
Seven large acrylic paintings by Susan are in the permanent collection of the Portland City Grill, a restaurant on the 30th Floor of the U.S. Bank tower, six 4’x4’abstract mixed media paintings at the Trainers Club in Lake Oswego, 4 watercolors at Marylhurst, a 6’ acrylic painting of Multnomah Falls at a large medical facility in Vancouver, 7 acrylic paintings in the collection of Deloitte, 3 watercolors at the Allison Inn and Spa, Newberg, plus many in private collections throughout the U.S. Gango Productions posterized 8 of Susan’s palette knife oils and sold them all over the world. More recently, Salem Hospital, Salem, Oregon, purchased 23 paintings for their waiting areas in the new wing. Then printed 2 prints of those paintings for each of the 100 patient rooms. “Susan’s paintings have a healing quality,” commented the Interior Designer.
Susan Spears received her B.A. in Art from California State University at Fullerton. She went on to obtain a Commercial Art degree from Portland Community College. After working in the illuminated sign business as an electric sign designer for several years, she went on to teach art at Westside Christian High School.
Later she began to teach for Clackamas Community College and the Portland Art Museum where she instructed the students in watercolor, acrylics, and oils.
Susan is a member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon. Her paintings have been picked by national jurors to be in the twice/year statewide show that WSO sponsors.
Seven large acrylic paintings by Susan are in the permanent collection of the Portland City Grill, a restaurant on the 30th Floor of the U.S. Bank tower, six 4’x4’abstract mixed media paintings at the Trainers Club in Lake Oswego, 4 watercolors at Marylhurst, a 6’ acrylic painting of Multnomah Falls at a large medical facility in Vancouver, 7 acrylic paintings in the collection of Deloitte, 3 watercolors at the Allison Inn and Spa, Newberg, plus many in private collections throughout the U.S. Gango Productions posterized 8 of Susan’s palette knife oils and sold them all over the world. More recently, Salem Hospital, Salem, Oregon, purchased 23 paintings for their waiting areas in the new wing. Then printed 2 prints of those paintings for each of the 100 patient rooms. “Susan’s paintings have a healing quality,” commented the Interior Designer.