Photographers, Poets Celebrate the Oregon Coast

Using the Oregon Coast as their inspiration, more than 20 local photographers and 16 poets have assembled an exhibit of images and words that opens Nov. 3 at the Giustina Gallery at the LaSells Stewart Center at Oregon State University.

A public reception with refreshments and poetry readings will be held Friday Nov. 4 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the gallery, located on 26 Street and Western Blvd. on the OSU campus. Poetry will be read beginning about 7 p.m.

Organized by the Willamette Valley PhotoArts Guild, "The Oregon Coast: Visions and Perspectives" features more than 50 photographs by area photographers done in a variety of photographic media, from traditional silver prints to digital prints, and including color, black-and-white, hand-colored, and alternative processes.

In addition, works by 16 poets from across western Oregon are on display among the photographs.

The exhibit is the latest edition of the PhotoArts Guild's biennial project to inspire the community with artistic interpretations of the region's visual heritage. Previous exhibits have celebrated Mary's Peak in 2001 and the Willamette Basin in 2003.

The words and images celebrate the ecological character, scenic beauty and emotional significance of the Coast, which PAG President Owen Bentley said "holds a special place in the hearts of all Oregonians. It's a place where we can experience the beauty and forces of nature, as well as meditate on the timeless cycles of the world around us."

Commemorative posters featuring reproductions of selected photographs will be available for sale at the reception, as well as chapbooks containing the poems on display.

The exhibit runs through November and December at the gallery, which is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and evenings and weekends during public events.