Blue Heron Gallery

Nancy Zufich's new show "Year of the Dog: A Celebration"is a continuing exploration of her well-known love of animals. "I've always loved animals of all kinds but have become fascinated with dogs in the last few years. Tying my work to the Chinese calendar in which this is the Year of the Dog, gave me an opportunity to indulge my fascination and learn more about their human characteristics. I appreciate them all the more." This show combines Zufich's innate playfulness in her approach to her work with that of her subjects.

An Ashland resident for the last 12 years and an artist for most of her life, Ms. Zufich's work has been appreciated and collected internationally. In Ashland, her work is available exclusively at the Blue Heron Gallery.

PHOTO: Nancy Zufich, Dalmations

Houston's Custom Framing & Fine Art

Houston's Custom Framing & Fine Art is delighted to showcase new chine colle etchings by Yuji Hiratsuka. Always colorful, whimsical and compelling, Hiratsuka’s work is truly a mixture of East and West. His enigmatic figures are reflections of such human conditions as wry, satire, whimsy, irony paradox or mismatch that happen in people's daily lives. In addition Houston's represents the works of Russell Chatham, Mayumi Oda, Stephen McMillan, Laurent Schkolnyk and others.

Framing is an art as well as a craft here at Houston's. With a selection that ranges from the simple to the sublime, we are dedicated to enhancing the beauty and integrity of artwork, without overwhelming it. We uphold the highest standards in preservation framing to ensure that your artwork, whether a child's drawing or a priceless masterpiece, will withstand the test of time.

PHOTO: Dance Around the Clock, Chine Colle Etching, 2006, Yuji Hiratsuka.

The Crown Jewel

While many have tackled our region's landscape in art, few have done so with the talent, emotion, and expressiveness of oil painter Michelle Murphy-Ferguson. Her paintings have the ability to blur boundaries, causing some to see impressionism where others see representational art. They cross from the purely visual into territories of emotion, from landscape to the human condition, from the external to the private.

The current show, which opens Friday, August 18th at The Crown Jewel, captures the nuances of her mature style and sheds new light on the local landscape. On the morning of August 18th at 10:30am, Michelle will give a demonstration outside of The Crown Jewel as she paints street scenes. Later, at 5:30pm, all are invited to stop in and meet the artist during the opening and reception.

The Crown Jewel, located in downtown Ashland next to Starbucks, has become a unique and intimate venue for art as well as locally made jewelry and home decor.

PHOTO: Michelle Murphy-Ferguson, "Joyslyn" oil on canvas

Illahe Design Studio and Gallery

Illahe: a Chinook Indian word meaning, "Home; place where I live."Illahe Design Studio and Gallery is a unique combination of ceramic tile showroom and fine arts gallery, focusing on art and design for the home. The Design Studio, in conjunction with Illahe Tileworks, allows us to work directly with clients to create ceramic tile, murals and ceramic art, as well as custom glazes and designs.

The Annual Sculpture Invitational Exhibit returns to the gallery for the second year. Featuring new works by Carole Hayne and Susan E. Springer, the exhibit showcases ceramic vessels and figurative forms in innovative ways. Carole Hayne, a ceramic artist and glaze chemist, is known for her unusual metallic surface and sophisticated glaze technique while Susan E. Springer expresses the human form in clay fired sculptures. These clay sculptures portray the female form with humor, grace and exuberance.

PHOTO :"Earth Goddess"ceramic sculpture Susan E. Springer