Elemental Breath: Cathy Stearns

Distant Light: Brian Evans

January 14 - February 4, 2023

Astoria Visual Arts welcomes artists Cathy Stearns and Brian Evans for a joint show featuring a collective body of work by each artist. The exhibit opens during Astoria’s Artwalk, on January 14 from noon to 8:00 pm and runs through February 4. Both Stearns and Evans reside in the Astoria area and both employ a wide color palette that provides an expressive signature style to their work.

Cathy Stearns’ exhibit Elemental Breath explores the power and beauty of the ocean and the feeling of being tossed and pounded by currents, limbs wavering, and torso twisting. Stearns’ paintings and drawings explore an experience from memory or observation, stylizing lines with a free range of orchestral color, fluidly conveying matter and energy flowing around and inside, and inside out.

Brian Evans’ body of work is collectively titled Distant Light, referencing the guiding force that informs his intuitive process. Evans' work includes figures, landscapes, and still lifes, each rendered in vibrant detail. Brian Evans grew up on the Gulf Coast where his art background includes building sculptures for Mardi Gras for over a decade while also painting murals and working on animation projects. Evans moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2014 and has lived in Astoria since 2021.

Show dates: January 14 - February 4, 2023

Opening reception: January 14, 12 - 8 pm

See the show: Fridays and Saturdays 12 - 4 pm or by appointment

AVA Gallery: 1000 Duane Street, Astoria

AVA Gallery Hours:

Fridays + Saturdays

12 - 4 pm

2nd Saturday Artwalk 12-8 pm

1000 Duane Street, Astoria, OR 97103

Also, open by appointment: astoriavisualarts@gmail.com

Have a great project or program proposal? We are always interested in ideas that could be pursued in partnership with AVA. We’re especially interested in projects that help develop diversity, equity, and inclusion for all of the members of our community. If you have an idea for a program or project please email us at astoriavisualarts@gmail.com.

Exhibition Proposals: We welcome exhibition proposals (especially from AVA members!) via email to astoriavisualarts@gmail.com. Please include a short narrative about the proposed exhibition, a brief bio of the artist(s), and 3-5 images of artwork. In the narrative, please include the benefit the proposed exhibition would have for the artist(s) and for our community. The AVA Gallery committee will review and reply. Please allow a minimum of 30 days for a response.