Former Portland Open Studios artist Dawn McConnell was diagnosed with stage 4 lung and liver cancer earlier this year. This last Friday, Sept 7, 2007, the community gathered together for a benefit to help with Dawn’s mounting expenses. Among the attendees were Dawns students, friends, family, and artists. Many donated art that were auction off during 2 silent auctions, and of course, many bought art.
Dawn’s own painted pots proved popular, and all ooh’ed and ah’ed over Dawn’s painted vanity, desk, and bike, which are also for sale. If you would like to purchase any of the pieces (3 of which are shown here), please email Myrna or Kristin.
You can see more of Dawn’s work on her web site at: http://www.dawnmcconnellstudio.com, and read more about what’s happening in her life at: http://www.buffalodawn.blogspot.com/.
Below, the bike, vanity, and desk painted by Dawn:
And here’s Dawn with the bike:
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September 15, 2007 at 2:31 am
Bonnie
The bike was painted for Portland Open Studios as part of the Go By Bike program to encourage people to ride their bikes to the studios instead of driving their cars. Dawn was selected for the way she paints, each shape flowing on to the next into a complicated beautiful network. Her experince with painting furnature as sculptural objects let her fully realize the potential of painting a bike, a very hard assignment with its small round surfaces. It is a beauty.
The vanity was made for an exhibition of North Portland artists at Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center severl years ago. The exhibition called ” Living Roots and Routes” asked artists to make visual comments on living on the Peninsula. The scene is of Peninsula Park at night, a daily round she took with her dog Murphy. The Oregonian featured it in an article about the exhibit and it was pictured in one Portland Open Studios Tour Guide.
Dawn’s work definately followsthe definition of functional art and sculptural objects–and delicious painting.
September 18, 2007 at 2:45 am
Camiseteria
Very good