Everyone assumes that artists are passionate about their work and have a compelling need to make it.  But then what?  Some of the best of the best, not unlike musicians (or bull riders!), take to the road.  Portland is home to quite a few travel -experienced professionals.  Gail Pendergrass, a local potter and Melissa Stiles, jeweler, have mastered not only art, but also the art of shipping, display, selling, bookkeeping, and travel.  And they maintain a vigorous schedule, covering the US at sometimes-weekly intervals.

Art In The Pearl is put on by an all volunteer artist board that has the collective experience to put on Portland’s huge three-day event. They all know what it takes to get their stuff from here to there and have experienced first hand the foibles of it all such as lost luggage or sudden stormy weather.  Consider the solitary artist making exquisitely executed personal art in the basement, struggling to get it together in a booth despite the airlines, teamsters, mother nature, etc. and then calmly and coolly selling it to the public (as in “we artists clean up real good”.)  Just the cost and planning required to transform a 10×10 canvas tent into an appealing mini-gallery might daunt casino online the uninspired.   Then will it go by land or air and how many times will it be handled before it’s carefully unpacked in a narrow window of time before the public shows up?  When said art doesn’t show up at the correct location or snow, wind or torrents make their appearances, how does that artist cope? And let’s not even mention digging out the “artist show clothes” or how shy persons have to master taking personal risk and speaking regularly to the public. 

 Those 20 artist board members have seen it all and bring that understanding to make sure that 100 tents will be full of the finest art in the country, on time, looking spectacular.”

Kina Crow will return to Pearl this year after completing some of the biggest best shows in the country this spring and summer.  Describing herself as “self-taught, self indulgent, self-absorbed and self-depreciating,” Kina's humor and insight infuses clay and mixed media sculptures that blew Pearl's visitors’ socks off last summer (and she nearly sold out).  Crow’s little characters exude big notions and no doubt meeting with her would be as funny and engaging casino online as her work. Guaranteed cool!

 Arunas Oslapas will also return after a summer of shows with an entirely different visual story to tell.  Anyone who has ever encountered that metal strapping used around lumber, pallets or cartons, knows it is a sharp, spring-loaded beast.  Arunas makes the most beautiful baskets and quilts with the stuff; exquisitely colored and rusted, it’s a visual “ahhh”.  WAY wonderful!