This October, the Gallery at the Park presents Artistic Conceptions, a unique exhibition that delves into the artists’ inner worlds by showcasing sketches they’ve done of the world around them. The phrase “artistic conceptions” refers to artists’ depictions of something, highlighting in particular how the artistic view may differ from how the scene actually appears.
The Artistic Conceptions show features art from Dave Poynter, Heidi Elkington, Alex Baugh, Marlene Kingman and Lisa Kaiser.
Dave Poynter has over 30 years of experience drawing all around the Yakima Valley. He enjoys sketching in coffee shops, local vineyards, wineries, treeless mountains and adjoining rivers. Drawing people and places helps him feel closer to them, like he’s somewhat part of their worlds. Find Poynter’s work on Facebook and Instagram—and in some Richland thrift shops—under the name lapoynte.
Heidi Elkington paints in a variety of mediums, including acrylics, oils and watercolor on wood, canvas, metal and on buildings. She draws inspiration from both life and death equally, and she wants to live in a way that makes her proud to die. Her art is an expression of love for this fleeting and profound experience.
Alex Baugh enjoys experimenting with different styles of art, but lately he has gravitated towards discretely sketching people in public—in coffee shops, on the bus, at restaurants and any other place someone is sitting still enough for Baugh to capture their likeness quickly and effectively. The image is finished when he or the subject leaves.
Marlene Kingman has taken classes in oil and pastel painting and attended multiple workshops both en plein air and in studio settings. These workshops taught Kingman the value of sketching, and as she continued to paint and travel, she also carried a sketchbook with her. Now, many years and books later, she looks through them for inspiration and to remember all the beautiful places she sat and sketched.
Lisa Kaiser took several art classes at Columbia Basin College before she eventually settled into a career in science. Over the past two years, she has worked on a series of sketches showcasing repetition in color. Rather than following another artist’s rules, Kaiser creates her own methods. She accepts dribbles and splatters, and she likes seeing how a work evolves over time. She loves art that comes from the heart and soul.
Artistic Conceptions will be on display at the Gallery at the Park from Oct. 5 through 30.
