Category: 2025

Bloodlines: Nez Perce Art

The title of this exciting exhibit refers to the continuity of Native culture. The art work ranges from purely traditional weaving and beading to contemporary paintings and a new bronze from Doug Hyde. Dug did the wonderful bronze and granite sculpture, “Return,” which stands in the Josephy Center courtyard. The new piece depicts a Nez Perce woman warrior.

Phil Cash Cash, who recently curated the Indigenous Sasquatch show at the High Desert Museum in Bend has three paintings. And ten additional artists from the Nez Perce Reservation in Lapwai, Idaho and the Umatilla Reservation in Oregon are booked for the show. The art work is for sale, with the possibility of a few items that can be taken away on Saturday. Most items will remain part of the show until it ends on June 6.

Thanks to the Nez Perce Tribe for support, to curator Jordan Shawl of Nez Perce Tourism, to Jacy Sohappy of Crow’s Shadow and Nez Perce Wallowa Homeland, and to Stacia Morfin of Nez Perce Tourism for bringing the salmon, providing transportation for artists, and much more.

The show is presented by the Josephy Library of Western History and Culture.

Horizon Lines

Horizon Lines Theme Description 

This exhibit invited artists to explore the concept of horizons—both literal and metaphorical. Horizons can represent boundaries, possibilities, or the edge of the unknown. They symbolize distance, perspective, and the interplay between what is visible and what lies beyond.

We have 59 artists with 106 artworks!

Come enjoy everything from sweeping landscapes to personal journeys, abstract interpretations, and visions of the future. This theme encourages a broad range of creative expression. Whether you’re inspired by the physical world, the limits of perception, or the ever-changing line between here and there, we are excite to share this exhibit with you!

Curator

Silje Harlander is a multimedia artist, graphic designer, and former river guide. She grew up in Wallowa County and believes we have some of the coolest, strongest women and nonbinary people who are comfortable in women-focused spaces. She owns and operates Steep Creek Studio.

Wallowa Works

The Wallowa Works exhibit is a showcase of artwork that celebrates the unique essence of living and working in our beautiful county. This exhibit will run from January 11th – February 18th, 2025, offering a platform for a variety of artistic expressions that reflect the heart of Wallowa County.

Whether your focus is the agricultural roots, history, rugged landscapes, wildlife, community life, or the daily grind of local industries, artists and community members are invited to the opening reception!

About  the curator, Kirk Skovlin: “I’ve lived in Wallowa County for 24 years and have roots here that go back to 1872.  My ancestors moved here from Cove, bringing the first settler’s livestock with them. The recent years living and working on the 6 Ranch has given me lots of inspiration to capture ranch life imagery and beautiful landscapes. Through my art l strive to share my excitement about the beauty of this area l call home. Living on a cattle ranch there is no shortage of rural scenes with an abundance of wildlife and picturesque mountainous terrain. In my paintings and prints I try to create a feeling or mood that speaks to the viewer knowing how the ambient light plays a  part in the overall affect. When choosing the subject, my eye wants to see the landscape as it might have looked in a time prior to power lines, shiny buildings and modern equipment.  This ‘nostalgic filter’ reveals my strong sense of awareness and admiration of the tenacious men and women who carved out an existence with their calloused hands, using a small assortment of tools and a lot of know-how. Their hard work was their legacy and key to their survival. My art will always show that the spirit of hard work and care for the land still exists here today.”