An Oregon State University gallery is holding a water-themed art show from March 15 to April 28 that includes paintings from a Salem-based painter who traveled to Antarctica to document the changing landscape and has strong ties to an Oregon State scientist who studies the continent.
"It's the Water: An Exhibition of Painting and Photography by Seven Artists" includes work by April Waters, who in 2018 spent several weeks in Antarctica drawing inspiration for the paintings on display. Six other Oregon artists are also featured.
The work is being exhibited at the Giustina Gallery at The LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis. It's free to visit the gallery, which is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and evenings and weekends when events are scheduled. An exhibition reception will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. April 8. It is also free to attend and open to the public.
Waters traveled to the Southern Ocean and West Antarctic Peninsula as part of the National Science Foundation Antarctic Artists and Writers Program. (That program is now known as Polar STEAM and led by Oregon State and funded by the NSF.)
Prior to her trip, Waters communicated with Kim Bernard, an associate professor in Oregon State's College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences who studies how climate change is impacting Antarctic krill, which support populations of whales, seals, seabirds and penguins.
Bernard, whose research in Antarctica is noted in the exhibit, and Waters spoke about Bernard's personal experiences with climate change at Palmer Station, the Antarctic research station where Waters spent her residency. Bernard also assisted Waters in identifying the geographic features (islands and mountains) depicted in Waters' paintings. Since 2000, Bernard has made 16 expeditions to Antarctica and spent 36 months at Palmer Station.
Waters is exhibiting five paintings drawn from what she saw in Antarctica and one from an artist residency she did in Greenland. They depict the ocean, icebergs and glaciers, with one being as large as 7 feet by 9 feet and another that is more than 17 feet long.
The exhibition also includes black and white photographs from Rich Bergeman; acrylic paintings by Rebecca Kiser; aerial photographs from Duncan Berry; color photographs from Jeremy Burke; watercolor paintings by Gary Buhler; and oil paintings from Katia Kyte.
