Mary Lou Zeek Gallery

We are almost ready...

2012-01-23T20:41:00.000-08:00

for the 100 Artist Show and we think this one is the best ever!
Here are a few more photos of artists work...

Tom Haney

Katherine Mead

Diane Trivett

Jane Wynn

100 Artists continued...

2012-01-17T20:05:00.000-08:00

We are unpacking boxes each day and are amazed at the fantastic work that has come into the gallery for our show.
Not all of the images are up because we are still photographing, sizing the images so they can go online. Below are some of the pieces...but not all!
Take a look at what Pamela Huntington wrote on her blog to see her take on this show

http://pamelahuntington.typepad.com/february_2007/2012/01/ready-to-go.html

Pamela Huntington

Mark Flowers

Lynn Whipple

Melanie Westin

Nicole McConville

Katherine Mead

Kris Paul

Sue Mason

Jamie Johnson

Bonnie Schulte

Bonnie Schulte's back of painting showing letter

Elizabeth Frank

Jodie Garrison

Jodie closeup of writing

Melissa McCoy

Felix Oliveros

Mark Poulin

Thomas Rude

Jo Warren

Joshua Stringer

Sue Favinger Smith

William Skrips

Robert Schlegel

Beth Robinson

Kim Robertson

Rebecca Roberts

Sally Prangley

Hilary Pfeifer

Lucy Hewitt

Leslie Peterson

Beth Palmer

Sandra (sloy) Nichols

Dave (nic) Nichols

Kim Murton

Alex Mitchell

Aislinn Adams

Nancy Eng

Harold Mason

Holly Ballard Martz

Anna Magruder

Laura Mack

Jeanne Levasseur

Darcie Leighty

Kristin Kuhns

Jessica Kreutter

Christina Kaiser

Jamie Johnson

Bonnie Hull

Lissa Hershleb

Carol Hausser

Laurie Hall

Sandy Hageman

Robin and John Gumalius

Antonio Greco

Barb Frels

Anne Goodwin

Patricia Giraud

Nancy Eng

Jan Gassner

Ruth Armitage

Carolyn Garcia

karen Croner

Valaree Cox

Dayna Collins

Stephanie Brockway

Paul Booth

Laura Berman

Dave Anderson

Aaron Kramer
"TreeHouse is filled with a tree people family. The Daddy tree picks up each of his children and tosses them into the air. Momentarily separating them from the safety of Mother Earth there is the instantaneous thrill of danger. At once play becomes a lesson in mortality. For that brief moment we "die" and are reborn in the knowledge that we are alive. Time is limited, so we need to embrace the now. Thrill to the moment."

Cuba 2011

2012-01-13T20:32:00.000-08:00

I finally finished my book on Cuba. It was a trip to remember.

Cuba 2011

Book Preview

100 Artists

2012-01-11T19:27:00.000-08:00

Over the last few days, we have been receiving artwork from some of our 100 Artists. Oh my.
I think first I must explain what we are doing for this upcoming show...I'll try.
Last August we sent out our email asking our past 100 artists if they would be interested in our 2012 show...most of the people we heard back from...some not.
Those that did respond, we then explained our show....Art of Communication. We wanted to partner artists with artists, asking each to send a letter to the other. Most of these people didn't know each other but we knew there was potential.

When the artists received their letter, they were then asked to create a piece that responded to what their partnered artist wrote...are you lost yet?

Here is an example of one of the completed pieces along with the letter.

The letter is on the side of this piece. Below you can see the letter after we unfolded it.

Here is another piece along with the letter this artist was partnered with. Interesting don't you think?

So you may ask....What were they asked to write? We left that up to the artist. It could have been one word, a poem, an experience or whatever they wanted.
So now....we are busy unpacking, taking photos and organizing for this show which opens February 1st, 2012. All pieces will be available through a silent bidding throughout the month. Give us a call to learn more and watch our website as we post the images online.

Our year in pictures

2011-12-31T18:27:00.000-08:00

2011 started with our remodeling of the gallery...lots of changes happened and it took us the whole month of January. We've streamlined the space, cleaned out the cobwebs. We opened with new hours and moved the office to the upstairs. We love it and hope everyone else does as much as we do.

Our first show of the year was the 9th annual 100 Artist show. 100 clay artists sent plates to the gallery in support of CERF.

Tina and Roz celebrated their birthdays with handmade party hats and fun.

New shops were opened on State Street...we loved the cotton candy!

One of our favorite artists had a baby (Kim Hamblin and baby Cash).

We visited our art that had been placed in public spaces.

We had our 5th Door Show

We met clients in our Gallery 2 space.

We met with ceramic artists at Mahonia Hall (Governors Mansion) and curated a display of their beautiful work. We also had lunch with the First Lady.

Mary Lou visited Chicago

Class reunions

More art placed in public spaces. Thank you Cory and Marni Redding!

Summer Art Fair party

A few visits to the beach house.

August wedding!

Preparing and distressing envelopes for our 100 Artist show

A new business on State Street! Sugar.Sugar.

The gallery was featured on Art Beat!

We had 9 artists Face the Public with a Diego Rivera painting.

Our new addition to the gallery and our home...Meg

A trip to Cuba...this deserves more than one photo

Visits from artists (Diane Culhane)

Another birthday party

Along with crazy photo...

Our Ugly Christmas sweater party!

Christmas decorating and preparing for a new year at the gallery. We appreciate all your support of the gallery and the artists. Have a Happy New Year! We look forward to seeing you in 2012.

Meg and I....

2011-12-11T16:41:00.000-08:00

drove down to Eugene to visit Beverly Soasey. I drove, Meg rode in the seat next to me and slept the entire time...lucky dog.

There are days like today when I am able to see a studio and feel like I've walked into a wonderful dream. I thiink Meg felt the same way....

We couldn't believe her beautiful home filled with found objects and art from her friends.

Meg had to sit down because she was overwhelmed.

She also decided to scratch herself a nice little resting spot while I picked out work to bring back to the gallery.

Here are a few of the fabulous pieces...they will be out and ready for YOU to see on Tuesday.

This wall piece was created after Bev went beachcombing on the Oregon Coast. She told me that she couldn't believe all the white pieces of plastic she found all together. I love the bird on the top (all this horrible plastic affects all of our bird life!) and the wishbones at the bottom...wishing for things to change.

I love this birdhouse on a vintage skate...notice her little details and the whistle!

These sweet little wall vases in test tubes are amazing....the dried objects can be taken out and replaced with fresh flowers.. oh my.

These little objects are just plain wonderful....they hold bits of nature and stand alone or in a group. These photos don't give them justice...a must see in person.

Bev also told me about these wall pieces made from recycled cardboard that she found while at IKEA. I love her re-using of this cardboard and her imagination! Move over Dan May!

Last but not least...Bev has made these wonderful necklaces using found objects. She calls them "Objects of Desire". Take a close look at the knife, bottle opener and religious icons. What a perfect combination for a necklace because you never know when you may need these items.... First...blow the whistle to alert everyone letting them know of your arrival, open your drink with the opener, defend yourself with the knife and then say a prayer....I think that's perfect!

Bev is truely one of the best found object artists I know.

We are excited!

2011-12-08T18:38:00.000-08:00

Today we received new paintings by Robert Schlegel and we can hardly contain ourselves. If anything makes us happy, it is to see these wonderful chubby little birds as paintings. When the weather is cold and we know the Spring will be here before we know it, these birds just make us smile. Stop in to see them, they would be the perfect Christmas gift for under the tree.

Where do I even start this?

2011-12-03T08:59:00.001-08:00

I am home from Havana,Cuba and have 2500 photos. yes, 2500. I know my approach...I want to remember EVERY second and try to capture what I saw....The unusual, the faces, the gritty. If I could only take these photos and turn them into a "scratch and sniff", I could relive the Cuban experience everyday. I loved it and would go back in an instant. Beam me there Scotty.

I like to place my age when I take photos...just in case I forget. This was a house number.

Sculpture

Art and artists

Ahem...notice the apprentice to the left.

Children

I took drawing paper and colored pencils to give to the kids

School kids

Friendly people who loved having their photo taken

Beautiful buildings and old cars

We were invited into homes

I saw lots of dogs

Religious icons

Statues

Grafitti

and me.

Shop Small Businesses on Saturday!

2011-11-25T17:07:00.000-08:00

We hope everyone will take some time out to visit the small shops on State Street. Small businesses are what makes the community!
We are having a "Small Things for a Prettier Life" show and can't wait for everyone to stop by. See you soon!

Going to Cuba....

2011-11-05T17:34:00.000-07:00

No, This is not me!....This photo was taken by Steve Anchell, he will be my photo teacher for 10 days.

I will be traveling with 12 photographers...me? I'm just a documentarian, taking shots just for my personal love of capturing textures, old, new, graffiti and people living their lives. I can hardly wait.

Look at this!

2011-10-30T19:50:00.000-07:00

We placed the Face the Public painting on the wall in the gallery and can't believe how great it looks! We hope to see you on First Wednesday for our new show and a peak at this finished piece.

New show!

2011-10-30T19:40:00.000-07:00

We just finished hanging the new show at the gallery...Explorations III by the late John Casey. I feel fortunate to be having this show, John was one of my professors from Western Oregon and I had kept in touch with him over the years. He was a wonderful man, a talented artist and a good friend. John always encouraged me to do my best with the gallery...his thoughtful teachings helped me understand art and artists. He is truly missed by many.

Day 9 Face the Public

2011-10-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

with Carolyn Garcia
What a great Saturday...lots of people stopping in to see Carolyn paint.

She began with thin layers of acrylic

then began adding her lines

adding more layers of paint

Tina and Meg kept close watch...

close up

many colors

Artist at work

Now adding colored pencil over the acrylic..nice detail

Carolyn discusses her painting style with customers

Carolyn's completed square

Our completed painting....be sure and call us if you would like to purchase. Remember this, the sale of this piece helps our artist to artist fund where we assist artists in need. If you have a business where you can show off this painting, you are also showing how much your business cares about the community. Give us a call! 503-581-3229
If you are around for First Wednesday, we'll have it on display at the gallery.

Take a look at the original and compare to our beautiful painting!

Day 8 Face the Public with

2011-10-28T19:31:00.000-07:00

Kim Murton.
What can we say? We've never laughed this hard with one of our Face the Public artists! We had lots of people in to see Kim work AND we loved all that she did. Great Job Kim!

The beginnings....pencil lines.

Black lines to define...

Applying color

Mixing colors

The finished square

All together... Thanks Kim for doing such a great job and sharing yourself with us. We had a great time.

one more artist to go. Stop into the gallery on Saturday to visit with our last artist, Carolyn Garcia!
We can't wait.

Day 7 Face the Public

2011-10-25T19:06:00.000-07:00

Jane Aukshunas was at the gallery today adding her talent to our painting. Watching Jane and catching up with her is always a treat for us.
Before we knew it, Jane was fast at it and quickly added colors.

and not long after her arrival, Jane had visitors who love her work and wanted to meet her in person. hence, meeting "her public"!

Back to work.

A brief break for lunch. Meg was keeping close watch for crumbs.

Tools for the day

The completed square

Did we mention how large this painting is? Jane and Tina had to hold while I took the photo.

Wow. It's coming together! Two more to go.

Day 6 Face the Public

2011-10-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

with Robert Schlegel!
We had a great day with Bob....he works fast and layers his colors while adding texture. We love love love his painting and took a zillion shots.

Tools of the trade

Bob's 2011 sketch book

Finishing touches

Painting clothes

The finished square

So far....6 finished squares.

Day 5 Face the Public

2011-10-19T19:44:00.000-07:00

Sue-Del McCulloch graced the gallery with her style and lovely spirit. We are lucky to have her in our gallery and part of this painting.

Beginning with line.

adding color

I left Meg in charge

I left for a brief moment and came down to see the progress...more color and layering

Adding details and finishing touches

The completed square...wow

5 painters...4 to go.

Have you ever....

2011-10-19T09:57:00.000-07:00

wanted to be that fly on the wall, secretly observe someone you admire or just hang out with a cool artist? We think you will LOVE stopping in the gallery to watch the progression of our Face the Public painting. These last two weeks of October, we will have artists in the gallery painting all afternoon. Grab a coffee, tell the boss you have important business to attend to and swing on over. Heck yeah...this IS important!
We need to say though....the best part of this show is when the painting is completed. This years painting; Diego Rivera's The Flower Carrier, will be for sale with proceeds going into our Artist to Artist fund. If you purchase one of our Face the Public paintings (we have three), you will also be helping artists who may be in need of medical assistance. Do you have a business or know a business that is community minded? We think that having this collaboration as a conversation piece in an entry or waiting room starts the discussions about art and artists giving . We also furnish a day by day profile of each of these artists along with photos that show the process, perfect for any public space. We think it's a great way to promote our artists while educating the community.
So....if you know of anyone who would be interested in our painting, we'd love to tell them more about this wonderful collaboration.

Day 4 - Face the Public

2011-10-18T21:36:00.000-07:00

Christopher Bibby.
We can't say enough about Christopher Bibby. He's charming, he's funny, he's talented and he enchanted everyone who came into the gallery.

It didn't take long for Chris to attack the painting with gorgeous color!

Layer upon layer of color

The finished square

The painting is taking shape! Diego would be proud.

Day 3 of Face the Public

2011-10-13T23:20:00.000-07:00

with Elizabeth Bauman
She begins with drawing the outlines

Adding color

Layering color...

Finishing touches.

Finally done...well done Elizabeth

Close up of finished painting.

Three completed squares...6 to go.

Day 2 - Face the Public

2011-10-08T13:13:00.000-07:00

with Alison O'Donoghue.

The beginnings with a black underpainting.

Next...adding the color.

Applying detail...sorry Alison, we gave you a complicated area to paint.

"Commercial Break" to meet Meg, our sweet little rescue dog from the animal shelter.

She's adapting to coming into the gallery.

Back to Alison. More painterly details which distinguish her unique style.

Removing the masking tape.

Our two finished squares.

Watch us on Art Beat!

2011-10-06T19:46:00.001-07:00

http://www.opb.org/artsandlife/arts/article/mary-lou-zeek-gallery-offers-shows-twist/

Todays progress...

2011-10-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

watching Kristin paint...
The beginnings...painting the lines.

Layering.

Details.

Almost finished.

The finished square.

Close up of finished square...We can see her signiature stitching lines.

Day 1-Face the Public

2011-10-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

We are beginning today with our Face The Public painting and here is our blank canvas.

Watch the painting unfold as we progress during the month of October.

Today we'll see Kristin Kuhns and spend the afternoon with her...catching up, watching her paint and enjoying her company.

Lights, Camera and......Action

2011-09-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

OPB and the Art Beat Crew came to the gallery today. So exciting but terrifying. Everyone was extremely nice and so personable. They all settled into filming in the gallery and referenced the various artists whose studios they had visited. Lights were set up, make up was applied and prompters were in view. Even though the gallery is small, I think we made a big splash with our artists today. The walls looked great with fabulous paintings, the sculpture and ceramics stood out with great color...we all looked pretty great if I don't say myself. I do think they liked coming all the way down to Salem. The show will air October 6th so don't miss us!

Of course I couldn't help taking photos to document the day.

First was the make-up for the hosts. Our back room was cramped but seemed to work. I really didn't understand the needing of make-up though..Katrina and Jule looked beautiful before they even sat down in the chairs.

Setting up the computer so Jule and Katrina could read from the prompter.

Hiding the microphone on Jule

Adjusting the make-up on Katrina

Almost ready....

Shooting....

Did I mention that the gallery is small and we didn't have chairs? Jessica Martin the producer is sitting on the floor reviewing each scene.

Watching the shot on the monitor

Yikes...it's my turn.

I'm now asked questions and am suppose to think about my answers...oh my.

and I said what????? Such a blur.

I spent a few minutes talking about our Face the Public show which will be happening when this segment airs.

And that's a wrap. Thank you OPB and Art Beat!

The Bra Ball is movin' on

2011-09-22T21:56:00.001-07:00

to a wonderful shop just a few doors down. For the month of October, Hot Mess Boutique will "host" our one of a kind bra ball! Artful bras are welcome, just bring them in and they'll be added to the ball.

Morning walk in the hood...

2011-08-24T10:59:00.000-07:00

Looking out from our back porch and seeing the sun, I couldn't help but grab my camera and take it to the streets...our neighborhood that is. The sun was out, the air was cool and I couldn't help but notice how everyone had chairs out in their front yards. This pretty much sums up the people who live here...friendly and sitting out in front of their homes in the evenings, greeting everyone who takes their walks...me included.

I also noticed gardens...

Tile

a garden where one can leave a tile message

and last...my two little neighborhood friends who joined me on my walk.

It's hot and what the heck.

2011-08-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

Today a lady came into the gallery asking about a painting...Lady says...."it's a oil pastel and you had it years ago on the wall". Anything else you can tell us about this "painting that we had years ago and should remember?"....it's hot and there are days like this.

Artful hoarding?

2011-08-23T11:45:00.000-07:00

Today we loaded up our globes for a friend to use for a fundraiser. As we pulled out the various spheres that were sitting all over the house AND the basement I thought......oh my. Take a guess of how many we have...they aren't all in this car either, we still have more. oh my again.
Each one has something unique...a base that has an airplane or the one that was a sweet little bank. I'm just going to call this "Artful Hoarding" and be okay with this. okay then.

Weekend...

2011-08-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

Not very often do we get to escape the gallery and go over to the beach. This weekend it was HOT, HOT, HOT so a perfect time to get away. Of course everyone else thought the same thing and we were stuck in traffic for an hour longer than usual.
The best part of this was stopping near this car that is perched in a tree. hmmmm.....we had a fun discussion about this.

Arriving at the beach house always makes us smile. We see many projects that originated from the gallery such as this large ART sign from our "Different Spokes" show.

We have baseball bats that are the balusters for the stairs. My husband was a baseball coach for many years and has quite a collection of these various bats and it seemed logical to use them this way. Recycle and reusing at its best.

We spent some time visiting various places that are near our house...this is Barking Dog Farm. Heidi Erickson has her studio in a huge barn plus has fabulous organic vegetables for purchasing. We were able to catch up on how Tracy MacEwan was progressing and then started planning an event for October to help benefit Tracy.

We are always visiting our artist friends, discussing art and visiting artful locations so we never leave the gallery far behind.

Facing the Public...

2011-08-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

as many know, we do our Face the Public event during the month of October. For this annual show, we have artists from the gallery come in during the month and they paint a small section on one panel. When all artists are done painting their square the completed piece represents a famous painting.

After it is finished, the painting is displayed in the gallery and is offered for sale. When or if the painting sells, we are able to help "artists in need" throughout the year from the proceeds. These artists that donate their time have helped with funeral costs and have assisted fellow artists who have gone through chemotherapy. We have helped those that have had surgeries while others who have had to deal with overwhelming medical costs.

This year one of our artists, Tracy MacEwan had a serious stroke and has been in critical care for quite some time. Tracy always has been in our Face the Public exhibits and would be one of the first artists to say "yes" when asked to come and paint for a day.
We always loved having him here with us...his cheerful demeanor, compassion for the arts, and love for life brought clients in when he would paint for the day, everyone loved seeing Tracy. I know he would be happy to know that we were able to contribute to his paypal account from our Face the Public sales.

This year means much more to us than ever when planning this upcoming show. We all have Tracy in our thoughts and talk about him each day...as you can tell, he's one of our favorite artists from the gallery.

So where am I going with this crazy conversation? Well.....yesterday was a wonderful day. Out of the blue, one of our clients was looking for a particular piece to "fit a space" and in discussing what would work best we pulled out "Cape Cod Morning" by Edward Hopper (painted by 12 different artists 2 years ago). The client gasped and said..."This is it". She was thrilled to have a section that had been painted by each of her favorite artists and loved knowing that her purchase was going to our "artist in need fund".
What a happy day for us all. Get well soon Tracy, we love you.

Art Park Fun.

2011-08-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

We celebrated summer and our Art Park by having dinners out in front of the gallery.

Art + Food + Friends....

2011-07-31T10:02:00.000-07:00

This is a good combination...and yes, do add wine to the mix.
I love setting a table and probably get more out of doing this than cooking...and last night was no exception.

I could hardly wait for night to fall. A good dinner with company was had by all.

There is no place like home....

2011-06-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

but I do LOVE to travel. I LOVED Chicago and we just got back from a short whirlwind trip while absorbing all the amazing art;

Went out on a boat for an architectural tour of all the beautiful buildings...

Had some delicious dinners...

Fell in love with the BEAN!

Couldn't get enough of the Chicago Art Institute...

We hit the streets looking for more art and architecture...

visiting the Old Town Art Festival

taking fun photos for my next blurb book celebrating our 38th wedding anniversary...

We had to see Wriggly Field

Finding a few more 38's

We rented bikes for the day and rode all over the city

We stopped at the Flat Arts Building and saw the artists studios

and rode around looking at the beautiful buildings

Of course we had to visit the Sears Tower and experience the glass ledge.

And before leaving we had lunch at the Art Institute surrounded by gorgeous colors

10 Years....

2011-06-01T16:00:00.000-07:00

and we think we are still looking pretty good!

It's hard to believe but we are celebrating our 10th year at the gallery today. I pulled out our first show card

Kristin Kuhns was our first show...we "tongue in cheek" asked everyone to wear black shoes for the opening...I wore green. I guess that was my first statement of having the gallery, trying to be a little different for Salem. I've been pulling out old mailers and photos that document the last 10 years and can't believe how the gallery has changed.

We have had 5 Door Shows...

9 100 Artist shows which raised money for many charities...(thank you artists for all your beautiful work!)

Face the Public shows where we have raised money for artists in need. By doing this show, these artists helped with funeral expenses, cancer treatments, hospital bills and lots of good will for their fellow artists.

We were given the opportunity to transform a old iconic hotel...Different Spokes show

We had artists gather to create a "bra ball" to raise awareness for breast cancer

We hosted "art camps" at the beach and hung out with our artists

We've helped artists with commissions and have placed art throughout Salem and beyond.

We've delivered artwork...

We've opened our second gallery space called Gallery 2...we love meeting our clients to discuss their needs.

We've had small openings in Gallery 2

and just remodeled the gallery

so
we are still here and are looking for another 10 years of bringing art to all of our wonderful patrons...we at the gallery and the artists appreciate all the support over these last 10 years.
Thank you.

Visiting a gallery...

2011-05-25T23:06:00.000-07:00

can be intimidating. Some people are nervous because they feel they can't "talk about art" while some "talk too much". We want our clients to not only fall in love with what they see but understand more about the process and more about the artist.

"it may be the almost imperceptible tension between antecedent and descendant that finally gives this painting its subtle resonance....huh? Okay....that was something you won't here at the gallery.... What you will hear us say is....John VanDreal is from Salem, John studies and reports moments by continually sketching, writing and painting on multiple canvases. He also captures the actual pure color remnants from his pallet and employs it compositionally throughout the work providing a work that is a representation of artistic process, from basic subject sketch and composition through creative interpretation and the use of material and medium.

Jed Thomas....we promise not to carry on with...."This painting upholds the validity of not making things that evoke effect simply for the sake of effect. The viewer is then free of extraneous baggage. hmmmmm.
we do promise to tell you more about his narrative figures and how they tell a story to involve the viewer.

We hope that when you stop by the gallery you enjoy YOUR experience of viewing the artwork. We'd love to tell you more about all of our artists. See you soon.

Once a year...

2011-05-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

we do an exchange of pottery at Mahonia Hall (Residence of the Governor).
We've been doing this exchange for over 10 years, displaying these beautiful pots for the various tours that pass through the house. Each year when we do the change over, new potters bring work for the cabinets and previous potters remove their work.
All the work is on loan for one year thanks to these generous artists. Thank you to the Governor for enlightening the public on great art!

We were delighted to have lunch with the First Lady, we had great conversation and photo opportunities!

Each potter chatted and explained their processes.

Even the "First Dog" got into the action!

Proud to be a potter on this particular day.

Visit Salem...visit our Door Show!

2011-05-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

The Door Show is off to a great start and we can't wait to see everyone at the gallery! Stop in to pick up the nifty brochure (pocket size and an art piece of it's own), say hello and see our remodeled space. We love how it looks and enjoy showing it off.

Meet Ashley...she was our marvelous intern from Willamette University...lucky us. She assisted in curating our Door Show.

Not only do we have 4 of the doors at the gallery but we also have one painting by each of the Door Artists on display.

Here's a closer look at a few of the smaller works....
Jane Aukshunas

Deborah DeWit

Jan Gassner

Ruth Amitage

Robert Schlegel

Did we mention how if it wasn't for Salem Electric, Pioneer Trust Bank and Ear, Nose, Throat and Facial Plastic Surgeons that we wouldn't be able to do this wonderful show? These sponsors believe in our community, they feel that by having a walking art tour shows their belief that Salem is unique and our downtown businesses are worth visiting.

Here are a couple of doors in their locations...
Salem Conference Center

Arbor on State

Our evening preview for the Door Show....

2011-05-02T22:03:00.000-07:00

was packed with artists and our sponsors.
The food was fantastic and artful!

We posed for pictures....Roz, Mary Lou and Tina

being silly...

visiting with everyone!

Renee came down for the opening along with her sweet little dog Olive

What a night!

Be sure and stop by to pick up one of the brochures with map!

Thank you!

2011-05-01T08:38:00.001-07:00

Revisiting....

2011-04-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

businesses who have invested in art just makes a girl happy. We installed these pieces 5 years ago and they look stunning!

Thank you Tim and Karen Hensley for investing and believing that art can make a difference in commercial buildings. Stop by and see this for yourself, it's in the hallway and stairwell at the Mission Oaks building (corner of Mission and 12th Street, Salem, OR.).

Kristin Kuhns

Paul Strauch

Jon Jay Cruson

Pat Horsley

and Jed Thomas

New Baby!

2011-04-25T10:38:00.000-07:00

Kim Hamblin (amazing artist at our gallery) just brought in her latest creation...... her new baby! Welcome to this crazy world of artists!

Roving Roz....

2011-04-17T20:12:00.000-07:00

our traveling "art correspondent" traveled to Seattle this weekend. She always sends me fun shots of what she sees when out of town.
We wanted to share a few of her shots.
A interesting table....rubberbands or colored string?

Artful food...yummy rubarb sorbet with ground peanut butter.

Did we mention that Roz LOVES boots? I think she was stalking these...

and of course...our Roz in front of the "gum wall".

We believe that openings CAN be fun...

2011-04-07T10:58:00.000-07:00

and lively. Last evening at our First Wednesday, we heard that a neighboring business was planning their "Grand Opening" WITH COTTON CANDY!!!!
Now who can't resists this? We couldn't!
Welcome Hot Mess Boutique to State Street, what a great addition. Stop in and meet Kasheral!

Tina enjoying her cotton candy in front of Alison O'Donoghue's fabulous painting!

Of course I couldn't resist a bit of this pink fluffy stuff. (Kim Hamblin's art behind me).

Close-up and personal...

2011-04-07T10:48:00.000-07:00

is something that needs to happen when viewing Doug Dacar's new show at the gallery. I feel that for one to REALLY appreciate an artists work is 1.... to know the artist, 2.....to understand how they work, and 3.....learn a bit of history of their past works.
With this show, I do believe one can spend hours looking at the layers of color, texture and mediums he uses to create this body of work. Love, love, love it.
Come on in and take a close look...we promise to not get too personal.

Airplane....ceramic

looking close in....

Art can be anywhere...

2011-03-31T20:05:00.000-07:00

I carry my camera with me everywhere and take shots daily. Art surrounds us...some good.

some playful....

some will make a statement...

some arrange to make an art statement...
.

while others make you go huh?????

I'm happy to see it all.

Sue-Del McCulloch is amazing....

2011-03-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

and this painting proves my point.

We hung this painting by Sue-Del in Waterplace....downtown Salem. Just stunning.

Combined efforts...

2011-03-29T08:04:00.000-07:00

Recently my dear friend Kristin's father passed away after a long illness.
I was fortunate enough to have been asked to throw the cremation urn for the burial. My friend Kristin then took the leather hard piece and carved a tribute to her father. He worked many years for the Department of Forestry and had a passion for native american lore. The lid was then turned from old growth by Kristin's brother and the beautiful woven piece underneath was woven by Kristin's mom.
There was such peace throughout the project, passing from one hand to another, a tribute to a special father and husband.

It's a sad day at our house....

2011-03-18T18:10:00.000-07:00

Today we had to put our sweet little Cooper dog to sleep. He's been with us and our family for 16 years...many happy memories with this little guy.
A crazy dog that ate birthday cakes, could grab a sandwich out of your hand and gobble it up before you even knew it was gone. He will be missed by his little friends Gramps, Maddie, Thor, Porkchop and T-bone.
Good bye Coopie.

You've got to see this movie...

2011-03-17T19:27:00.000-07:00

I will never look at my trash the same way after viewing the documentary titled "Waste Land".

The renowned artist Vik Muniz embarks on one of the most inspired collaborations of his career, joining creative forces with Brazilian catadores -- garbage pickers who mine treasure from the trash heaps of Rio de Janeiro's Jardim Gramacho landfill. In this Oscar-nominated documentary, the catadores prove to be unique and surprising individuals in their own right, waxing philosophic as they impart a valuable lesson about what society discards.
This is one of the best documentaries I've ever seen....and yes...I did cry with joy to know that many artists that I meet each day have these same characteristics.

Birthday time for Tina

2011-03-07T18:21:00.000-08:00

Tina works at the gallery and today and we celebrated. Candles with wishes,

Crazy birthday hats,

wonderful food,

good friends,

What a great day.

Plate it Up book is done!!!!!

2011-02-14T18:01:00.000-08:00

I just finished our Plate it Up book which shows all the artists involved. Although it is published...I'm now waiting on my sample copy to check if there are any mistakes. Keep your fingers crossed.
If you'd like, click onto the book icon and it will take you directly to the online book. You can then "preview" the entire book before ordering. I'm excited! 154 pages of wonderful art.
The price is what Blurb lists it at and I have not added anything to their price. I'll let you know just as soon as I get my book!
As for now...you can look online.

Plate It Up 10...

Ceramics for CERF+

By Mary Lou Zeek

Book Preview

Plate it Up...First round.

2011-02-12T09:05:00.001-08:00

We closed our bidding on numbers 1-45 and the bidding was brisk and fun. People were having a great time watching others "sneak" around to make quiet bids on their favorite plates.

Here is one of our favorites by Kate Speckman...the lucky winner was Rich Harcourt!

Remember.... bidding continues with the next round of numbers 46-90 ending the 18th of February. Hope to see you soon!

Ask US about CERF+.....

2011-02-03T10:13:00.001-08:00

Last night was the opening of Plate It Up! We had a great time showing off all the wonderful contributions by artists from across the U.S....wow was the comment of the night.

Our table was set....

and Tina explained the bidding process.

We had visiting artists who were part of the show....
Anna VonRosenstiel and her new little one

Elizabeth Bauman...

Chris Giffin visiting with my husband Alan...

Don Hall came up for the show from California...wow

Robert Schlegel and Alan inspect the new remodel (Robert's Cow painting on wall)

We now have 39 people actively bidding on the plates and hope to have many more throughout the month. Give us a call to place a bid...we can't wait to hear from you.

What a whirlwind of a month...

2011-01-31T19:50:00.000-08:00

We started on the 26th of December and finally finished with our remodel over the weekend. To top things off, we were also setting up our Plate it Up show which will start tomorrow.

Here is a look at the inside space.

We finally took the paper from the front windows and felt so refreshed...after one month, we got to see the light of day.

I had to take this shot from the upstairs office.

Friday night I celebrated a long month of work and went out with the neighborhood girls. We had a great time relaxing, visiting and discussing "fun times" in the hood. We decided to place a few "partial bodies" around for some fun and late night pranks!

Sunday...I saved a day just for me and another friend. We took a fantastic class up in Portland and learned how to make desserts from felted wool. I was able to finally spend a day doing something besides gallery business. This doesn't happen very often so I really relished in this pleasure....Here is my cupcake.

Hope to see you all at the gallery!
Mary Lou

Our remodel....

2011-01-20T08:43:00.000-08:00

is nearing completion. We've moved everything out, repainted all the walls and redesigned the interior...on top of all of this we've been receiving 6 to 8 boxes a day for our Plate it Up show! Did I mention anything about " packing peanut hell"?

We are so excited and can't wait to reopen with our fresh look! We plan to rehang the gallery in the next few days and then will focus on hanging the Plate it up show...which is going to be GREAT! Watch for the upcoming plates on the website!

Of course....Cooper has the perfect life in front of our fire this morning. Lucky dog.

Plates are landing at the Mary Lou Zeek Gallery!

2011-01-15T15:35:00.000-08:00

AND.......we are jumping up and down with excitment! Our "Plate it Up" show is off to a great start! Ceramic artists are sending plates from all across the United States...all in support of CERF+ (Craft Emergency Relief Fund).
We will begin photographing all of them in the next week and will post them online for everyone to see. Here is a sneak peak at a few of the plates that will be in the show and part of the silent auction.
Take a look.

Kim Murton

Joseph Pintz

Robin Slakey

John Gumaelius

A happening night for all...

2011-01-06T20:31:00.000-08:00

who came out to see just "what the heck" they were talking about. Yes...our darkroom door made its official debut out in front of the gallery. Enter in to see the "viewing" of our paint by number collection....close the door and see them change.

We had a few "famous" artists who added their own art to these masterpieces!

There were a few who needed a reassurances that we wouldn't lock them in while they viewed the art.

While others couldn't have had more fun (all 4 at once inside!). Also notice that the pen wasn't only used inside the darkroom but on their faces!

So...If you didn't have the chance to see this wonderful crazy experience in Downtown Salem, you may see us again when you least expect it!

Now...onto the remodeling and soon to be updates! Plus...all my new best friends are rapidly sending in their plates for our next show...Plate it Up!

Remodeling doesn't have perks....

2010-12-29T18:51:00.000-08:00

when it comes to "doing it yourself".

These last few days we've been packing artwork into safe places and have been removing walls at the gallery. Everything is covered in plastic and dust bunnies are being swept up.
Today we took down one of the show walls and turned it over...

I couldn't believe all the holes that had been pounded into that wall. My husband is sure I am out of nails after seeing this...nope, I have more and can't wait to hang the next show!
but....in the meantime....we will be having our "Artroom Door" in front of the gallery!
That's me testing it out!

Stop by on First Wednesday...we'll be out on the sidewalk, wear your coats though because I'm sure it will be chilly. You really don't want to miss this!

Just the other day....

2010-12-13T14:58:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to see some old friends....meaning "art pieces" that have left the gallery and are now in a cozy home.

I love this house and the owner. Everywhere I looked I saw art pieces instead of "stuff" (stuff: that is an object that has been manufactured by machines...many of...knock offs of artists work, etc) We like to say how houses have "soul" when filled with art which reflect on the people living there. Yes, this person has a beautiful soul and walking through the door I felt the life within her walls..not to mention she has 5 wonderful kids that add to her beautiful home.

Looking around I peaked at wonderful art objects from our 100 artist shows...

a door located near the kitchen from our Door Show (by Alison O'Donoghue)

Ceramic letters by Doug Dacar...perfectl for this time of year....and actually all year round!

The kitchen....

and even the bathroom thoughtfully showcases Kim Murton's ceramic swimmers.

I even found one of my ceramic jars that I made years ago.

So...this holiday season, visit a gallery, visit an artists studio and please support the arts.

Worry of the day...Kim Murton

2010-11-30T11:37:00.000-08:00

Our friend and artist Kim Murton has been creating "worry of the day" for over one year.
For our holiday month, we asked Kim to create a few of these for the gallery. We love them and if you want to see more...go to her blog...funny to read and some good belly laughs.
Here are a few....

Look for more under her name on our artist page.

We also have some wonderful "small paintings" by Anna Mcgruder! I'm sure she was in my high school class!

Kim Hamblin dropped off a few pieces that are in her "nesting series"..I think because she's pregnant these are dear to her.
I love them all. Check them out on her artist page!

Last but not least...we have these wonderful little paintings by Elizabeth Bauman, all 6" x 6" and very sweet.

Rainy day...

2010-11-18T20:05:00.000-08:00

But...we are bright on the inside! I just had to take some shots to show how great the gallery looks and feels. Everytime I walk in the door, I am greeted by these walls...color, character and texture. I had to take a picture. Reminds me of having warm soup on a cold day. yum.

Even Frida looks happy to be inside where it's warm.

Take a close up look at this Michele Maule painting...love the detail.

Just in...new jewelry by AMUCK!
Bryan and Andrea covet pieces from city streets and random locales; items like street signs and license plates. They then combine their treasured findings with precious metals to create their unique style of fine art jewelry.
You've got to love this!

Also...this sweet little bowl by Jenny Mendes! She so "rocks" as a potter!

Tweet!

Roz on assignment....

2010-11-08T16:07:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, our Roz (fashion diva slash art correspondent) was up in Seattle, Washington for a few days and shot some great photos. This first image shows the creative energy of Anthropology clothing store...just genius and out of the box thinking!

Next are shots at the market. A great way to light using sculpture.

Saving the best for last...Roz got some fantastic shots of the bubblegum wall!

Now some people may say...what the heck. We say, art is everywhere! Thanks Roz!

Man Cans and Boy Toys...What??????

2010-11-05T12:22:00.000-07:00

The show for this month is right up my alley...no, not the Man Cans name but all the ceramics, textures and colors! I love seeing the various surfaces on all of these pieces and how many firings each piece must go through before it's finished.
Being a potter for many years, I feel that I'm back at home when looking at all of these pieces. I find myself going off into a "teaching mode" when describing how these were created.

If you are looking for a "statement piece" for that loft or entry, these pieces will bring lots of conversation to the table....yes, you can place these on your table!

This is Jasper (Jim's 2 year old son)...the inspiration for all this amazing work!

Meet Frida!

2010-10-29T19:39:00.000-07:00

Here she is, glorious, beautiful and confident Frida....representing the many wonderful artists from our gallery. Thank you to all of our painters for contributing their days painting in the gallery....Teaching, sharing and being our friends.

If you are interested in purchasing the finished painting, it is now for sale. The profits from this sale will go to our "Artists in Need" fund. This fund is for when one of our artist needs assistance, we will help.

With this fund, we have helped artists that have had bouts with cancer, dealt with painful surgeries and have been faced with unfortunate deaths in their family. Thank you to all the "artists helping artists", all those who share their talents to help others in need.
Thank you.

Sue-Del McCulloch completes our painting!

2010-10-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

Today was the last day of painting for our Face the Public. Sue-Del McCulloch put her finishing touches on our Frida and we couldn't be happier. I enjoyed the day with Sue-Del, visitors came in to see her paint while the sun warmed our space.

Finishing touches.

Ahhhh...the face!

2010-10-27T18:51:00.000-07:00

Deborah DeWit dropped in today to complete the final touches to Frida's face. Finishing in oil transformed the square, giving the face depth and a beautiful glow. Just look at those eyebrows!!!!

Jane Aukshunas day!

2010-10-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

Today when Jane walked in I had to do a double take. She came in dressed in purple with a purple wig! Of course if you knew Jane, you would understand that she has a great sense of humor.

For Jane's square, we always look for the part of the painting that resembles hills.

Jane also had the challenge to do the detailed writing and Frida's name.

Count down time....

2010-10-24T19:25:00.000-07:00

Saturday Carolyn Garcia came into the gallery to Face the Public and spend the day with us. I was curious as to just how Carolyn would approach her square but knew whatever she would would be terrific.
Carolyn is such an amazing artist. Her attention to detail draws you into whatever she creates. She began painting with acrylic and then went over to create the detail with colored pencils. I had to laugh because she brought her own electric pencil sharpener.
Great work Carolyn!

Here is a closeup.

This shows her completed square.

Shannon Richardson

2010-10-22T19:33:00.000-07:00

Today was a day I looked forward to. Anytime that I can spend time with Shannon is great. You know how it is...just being around someone that has enthusiasm for painting and life, someone who you feel like you've known for a thousand years...someone who makes everyone around her feel comfortable. Shannon is that girl. I feel lucky to have know her and to carry her beautiful paintings in the gallery.

We've all been waiting for the flowers! Shannon brought the painting to life!

Meet Robert Schlegel!

2010-10-20T22:13:00.001-07:00

Today was Robert Schlegel Day!
Beginning with ripped paper and applying this to the canvas, Bob painted over the texture with acrylics and charcoal. The day was perfect with the sun shining in, a warm breeze through the door...perfect for watching him paint.

Wow...I can't believe how great this looks! No...I do believe it because our painters are fantastic!

Deborah DeWit Faces her public!

2010-10-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

This is a bit out of sequence but I wanted to blog about our dear friend Deborah DeWit and her spending the day for Face the Public.
As always...it is truly a wonderful day when Deb comes to visit.

She knows that when we plan out the painting that she will have the most difficult part...the face. On this day she painted an undercoat in acrylic and will be back on the 27th to do an overpainting with oil. If you missed seeing her on this day, please stop in and visit when she returns. If you can play hooky on the 27th...do it, she is worth meeting.

Meet Nancy Lindburg!

2010-10-19T19:54:00.000-07:00

Today we had a beautiful day at the gallery. Sunshine, visitors and Nancy Lindburg painting "Face the Public"!
As you can see, Nancy enjoyed the sun and company almost as much as we enjoyed having her at the gallery.
Those that stopped by were enchanted by this wonderful lady.

The painting is progressing! Hello Frieda!

Saturday in Portland...

2010-10-18T20:45:00.000-07:00

was spent visiting artist studios...but I didn't get far.
My first visit was with Anna Mcgruder.

Her paintings were so intriguing!

I LOVE figures and loved everything!

This one in particular!

Watch for her wonderful work at the gallery...coming soon!

Next...
I've been waiting to meet Scott Conary, he is such a spectacular painter. This was a must see in person.

Watch for more of Scott's work in our Gallery 2 space (appointment only) coming this Spring!

My last stop was to visit my little friend Gramps. You've got to love this face!

Of course Cooper spent most of his day bedded down in the backyard by the airstream while Alan worked on the Portland house. He was pretty comfortable in his blanket.

Finally we headed toward I-5, only to see the most breathtaking sunset for the entire ride home. What a great way to spend and end the day.

Last evening we had the pleasure...

2010-10-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

of showing works by Elizabeth Bauman at our "appointment only" gallery space. These small shows are "Conversations" with the artist and we loved introducing Elizabeth and her wonderful work. Here is Elizabeth as she spoke about her paintings.

There were many lively "conversations"!

Deborah DeWit

2010-10-14T21:47:00.000-07:00

Today Deborah DeWit was "Facing the Public"! She worked most of the day but will be back on the 27th to finish!
She was working on the "unabrow"!

Kristin Kuhns!!!!!!

2010-10-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday (our fourth artist for the month) Kristin Kuhns arrived, took a small break to visit the Farmers Market and just whipped out her square with confidence and style. Kristin has painted on our "Face the Public" paintings each year and has always said yes to our asking.

What I love about watching Kristin paint is her use of only primary colors...red, yellow and blue. Looking closely at her finished square, one would think she used a ton of colors.
I found myself in a trance, watching her mix her paints, seeing her apply the layers to suddenly expose a transformation of depth to this painting. This was quite the learning lesson.

Meet Elizabeth Bauman!

2010-10-13T16:22:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday we had the pleasure of visiting with Elizabeth ALL DAY! Lucky us! Watching her paint taught us so much about her style and technique.

I think she was a little nervous when we asked her to "face the public" but as you can see...nerves didn't cause her to falter. The finished square is fantastic!

Meet Renee Hartig...Facing the Public!

2010-10-09T09:19:00.001-07:00

Friday was a busy day at the gallery!
Renee's ability to chat, paint and pet animals at the same time had all of us in stitches! We loved finding out more about this girl...she just got married, moved to Oregon two years ago from Michigan, doesn't like driving a car and walks everyday to her NW Portland painting studio with her little dog.
She's adorable!

Here is her finished square (directly above Mark Clarke's square)

Face the Public update!

2010-10-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Close up of Alison's square...my oh my!

Alison is here!

2010-10-06T15:05:00.000-07:00

We LOVE watching Alison paint! Stop in this evening and she'll still be here!

Face the Public!

2010-10-05T17:39:00.001-07:00

Today was our first day for Face the Public. We couldn't have asked for a better day to start...warm breezes in the door, a talented Mark Clarke to visit with...we couldn't have asked for a better way to spend the day.!

Our first shot shows the blank panel.

Next is a shot with Mark painting...we learn so much about the artists when they come into the gallery.

We just had to take a closeup showing the blending of paints and the brush.

Here is a closeup of Mark's square...I love the brush strokes and soft blending!

Baby Break!!!!!!
Mark didn't seem to mind when we cuddled "Baby Lemhouse"!

Here are the paintings that we are showing in the gallery during the month. Each artist is represented with one of their pieces so please stop in to see their wonderful work while they paint using their unique style!
We feel the importance of making that personal connection when buying art. Learn more about the artist that you admire, spend time listening to their story! We are sure you will love them as much as we do.

Deborah DeWit- "Summer Evening" $2,000

Carolyn Garcia- "Sheltered By the Rain" $800

Elizabeth Bauman - "The Snow Would Catch Them" $900

Jane Aukshunas - "Lush Landscape" $1800

Kristin Kuhns - "Electron Cloud" - $550

Mark Clarke -Untitled $475

Nancy Lindburg - "Meditation I" $500

Renee Hartig - "Wild Growth" $320

Robert Schlegel "House with Barn" $1450

Shannon Richardson "The Infinite Parade" $2700

Alison O'Donoghue -

Sue-Del McCulloch "Comes October" $1400

Imagine this...

2010-09-29T20:44:00.000-07:00

sleeping in the sun, your favorite toys surrounding you. Life just couldn't be better.

Really now.......

2010-09-23T17:52:00.000-07:00

I just got home from vacation and was excited to learn about the happenings around town by reading the Statesman Journal.
I was a little surprised at what I found. I understand that imitation can be the best form of flattery but really now...

This is what has happened.....Someone has taken our "Door Show" concept and has decided to copy us. We agree, this idea that we came up with many years ago was REALLY good.

We LOVED our idea so much that we have spent thousands of dollars promoting and perfecting this show. (Did I mention how much we LOVED OUR IDEA!!!??) We know that some people can take an idea, change it up a bit and create something fun and fresh. But....this didn't happen. The people who took our idea also used most of the wording from our past Four Door Show press releases! Come on now...( did I mention that this business is just down the street from us? )
A while ago, these people asked me for "ideas" to help them fundraise for their event. I happily spent time with them, gave them some great ideas that would have been unique for them ( I NEVER offer them to use our Door Show idea to use as their own).
We are just sad that they didn't come up with their own idea.

Sour grapes? yup.

So...if you see something that comes up in October about doors, it's not us. You'll see us this coming May with our Original Door Show #5.
okay...I've vented and you won't hear another word about it.