Stocking stuffers for art lovers!

Fun stocking stuffer for your favorite artist…two erasers per set, one with the portrait of a famous artist, the other with one of the artist’s paintings. Latex and pthalate free white eraser.

Art Connection
165 S 5th Street
Downtown Coos Bay
541 267 0186

www.coosartconnection.com

New Products at Art Connection

There are many new additions to the Children's Department at Art Connection.




We are happy to help you choose just the right gift for the child in your life!




Books, kits, sets, basic supplies, easels and more!



Great values for adults too! Check out our blog for more new product information:

http://www.coosartconnection.com/

Art Connection
165 S 5th Street
Downtown Coos Bay
541 267 0186

Art History Lecture at Coos Art Museum

CAM's Fall Lecture Series continues on November 19 featuring Art Historian Anne Sobbota. The illustrated lecture is titled “Form and Fragment: the Purposeful Language of Visual Art” and is an intimate visual and philosophic journey into works from the 15th through 21st century Western culture. This lecture is focused around the premise: "The artist is reflector, predictor and definer of cultural change". Using the Classical Greek form and ideals as the standard for comparison she will examine transitions in artistic representation of the human form and environment, then analyze the way in which these transitions reflect cultural sentiments, stresses and impending changes in historic trends. Ultimately, her talk will lead us to ask a contemporary version of Paul Gauguin's question, "...Where Are We Going?" and perhaps even to draw a few predictions.

Anne is a graduate of California State University, Los Angeles with a Master's Degree in Art History and an emphasis on the development of photography. She taught high school art, photography and television production in Corona, California for 10 years. Sobbota also taught art history as an Adjunct Professor at Pasadena Community College and at Glendale Community College.

The lecture will be held in the museum’s Uno E Richter Atrium Gallery on Thursday November 19 at 7pm. General admission is $5 (free for museum members). CAM asks that you pre-register by calling 267-4877.

Post sponsored by:

Art Connection
Downtown Coos Bay
541 267 0186
http://www.coosartconnection.com/

Art Connection Holiday Sale!

Our 4-page color flyer is now available! Filled with great values for gifts or for your own artistic creations. Stop by Art Connection to pick up your copy OR call the number below (we'll mail you one) OR visit our website to download a copy. See you soon!

Art Connection

165 S 5th St. Downtown Coos Bay

541 267 0186

http://www.coosartconnection.com/

Tree-friendly Blank Cards!

This is a great time of year for hand made greeting cards and Strathmore has introduced an earth-friendly blank card alternative. These cards are made with a blend of alternative fibers and post-consumer waste fiber and they are beautiful!



The sugar cane cards are made of 50% sugar cane and 50% post-consumer waste fiber and have a smooth light cream surface with subtle flecks. The hemp cards are 25% hemp and 75% post-consumer fiber. They are a cooler off-white with slight flecks and a laid pattern. The bamboo cards are 90% bamboo fiber and 10% cotton. They are a warm off-white with a surface rather like a good quality watercolor paper, somewhere between cold press and hot press.

These cards are a beautiful and “green” alternative for your hand-made art cards. Now you can make a statement with your materials as well as your art!


Art Connection
Downtown Coos Bay
541 267 0186
http://www.coosartconnection.com/

Outdoor Origami Paper

You can now bring your passion for origami to the great outdoors. Yasutomo has introduced waterproof origami paper! Each pack contains 14 sheets in 7 vivid translucent colors, great for decorating trees or shrubs or adding color to the holiday wreath on your front door. A welcome addition to the origami department.

Art Connection
Downtown Coos Bay
541 267 0186
www.coosartconnection.com

New Sketch Journals at Art Connection

Newly arrived at Art Connection are the Sedona sketch journals by Cachet. They are available in red and purple in two sizes: 4″ x 6: and 7″ x 10″. Each contains 112 unlined sheets (224 pages) of highly opaque, acid free, 70 lb. medium surface paper suitable for all dry media. Made in USA.


Also new is the 6″ x 9″ Quilt Journal in two designs. Tuck this handy journal in your backpack or purse to hold notes, ideas, sketches and inspiration. The quilted paper cover is handmade with recycled fabric-industry fibers. Inside are 96 blank pages of handmade, recycled paper, plus 64 pages of graph paper with a 1/8″ grid that’s perfect for drafting quilt blocks or any kind of design. The inside back cover features a handy storage pocket perfect for fabric swatches. These are just two of the many sketchbooks and journals available for your creative endeavors!

Art Connection
Downtown Coos Bay
541 267 0186
www.coosartconnection.com

Eat Dessert First at CAM!

Coos Art Museum will be hosting a Dessert Dash fundraiser and Portuguese Taco Feed on September 12. The event will include a social hour with no host wine margarita bar and a light dinner of Portuguese tacos with fresh homemade salsa and chips. The high point of the evening will be the opportunity to bid on delicious and decadent homemade desserts. Bidding is competitive and includes a dash of excitement. Decorations for the evening revolve around a Portuguese veranda theme and will add a colorful continental atmosphere to the event.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, September 12 from 3pm through 6pm. The event will be held at CAM in the Maggie Karl Gallery. Tickets are $10 and can be obtained by contacting the museum at 267-3901.

Post sponsored by:

Art Connection
165 S. 5th Street, Downtown Coos Bay
http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/

Graceful Envelope Contest

The following link will delight anyone who loves to letter or just appreciates lettering art. Each year the Graceful Envelope Contest is sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers and administered by the Washington Calligraphers Guild. Calligraphers from around the country vie for top honors by creating an envelope design. In addition to promoting the art of calligraphy, the Graceful Envelope Contest celebrates the role of letters in binding people together and serves as a reminder that the people who deliver the mail are career government employees who take pride in their work and care about the communities they serve.

See this year’s winners and learn more about the contest at http://calligraphersguild.org/envwinners2009.html

This year’s theme was Address the Environment. Entrants were urged to design an envelope that promotes the preservation of our natural world and address it artistically. A trio of judges looked for skill in lettering, effective use of color and design, and creative interpretation of the theme. Enjoy!

Art Connection
165 S. 5th Street
Downtown Coos Bay
(541) 267-0186
http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/

PanPastel for Artists and Crafters

Imagine the softest pastels in the world...PanPastel colors are genuine artists' quality pastels, uniquely packed in a pan format. The advantages of PanPastels are...

-Achieve more painterly effects in pastel

-Block in large areas of color in seconds

-Less dust! Cleaner work area

-Apply ultra thin glazing layers and veils of color

-Use every bit of pastel, no waste

-Apply controlled marks - from intense to delicate

60 colors are currently available...20 pure colors with 20 tints and 20 shades. 20 extra dark shades will be available soon. See our blog for more details...stop by the store to try them!

Art Connection
165 S. 5th Street
Downtown Coos Bay
(541) 267-0186
http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/

Encaustic - Painting with Hot Wax!

Encaustic painting, painting with pigmented hot wax, is an ancient method that is currently enjoying a resurgance. Encaustic painting allows a wide variety of working techniques from delicate layering of thin, transparent glazes to the creation of heavy impasto textures. The wax paints are gently warmed to the melting point in their tins on a pancake griddle and applied with natural bristle brushes. The wax cools and hardens quickly but can be re-heated and re-worked endlessly.

Enkaustikos® Hot Cakes® brand of wax paints are now available at Art Connection. They contain only the finest artist grade pigments which are lightfast and engineered to withstand the heat requirements of the encaustic process without colorshifts. Hot Cakes are also solvent-free! The colors are rich and creamy.

For more information see our blog: http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/

Art Connection

Downtown Coos Bay (near the Library)

541 267 0186

And the Winner Is.....

Three artists have won top awards at Coos Art Museum’s 16th Annual Maritime Art Exhibition, they are Austin Dwyer of Mukilteo, Washington who received the “Best of Show Award” for his oil painting “The Whalers,” Harold W. Johnson of SeaTac, Washington who received the “Port Award”, selected by the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay, for his oil painting “Tillamook Bay” and Frank Gaffney of Kirkland, Washington who received the “Directors’ Award,” selected by the museum’s Board of Directors, for his oil painting “Nice Row of Seats.”

Tonight's Wine Walk (Friday 7/17) is a great opportunity to see these paintings. Hours of the Wine Walk are 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. (See post below for further information).

Yet to be selected is this year’s “Peoples’ Choice Award”. Visitors to the museum will be able to vote for their favorite work through the end of August, at which time this important honor will be given to the work with the most votes.

The “Best of Show” juror and featured artist of the 16th Annual Maritime Art Exhibition was Buck Braden of Tualatin, Oregon. He commented upon how difficult it was to select only one “Best of Show” from such an outstanding body of works and that many more deserved special recognition. He chose three works to receive “Awards of Merit”:
“Walking Through the Dunes” an oil by Richard Boyer of Salt Lake City, Utah
“Monkey Fist” an oil Jon L. Olson of Seal Beach, California
“Exploring the Pacific” an oil by Grant Saylor of Everett, Washington

Coos Art Museum has been a cultural focal point of Oregon’s scenic Southern Coast since 1966. It occupies a historic 1936 Art Deco US Federal Building in downtown Coos Bay and offers a wide range of arts activities including exhibitions, art classes and lectures. Hours are 10:00am to 4:00pm, Tuesday through Friday and 1:00 to 4:00 pm on Saturday. Museum admission: $5 general, $2 students and seniors, free to museum members.

This post sponsored by:
Art Connection
541 267 0186
http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/

Customer Show and Tell

This lovely old desk was finished by Art Connection customer, Carolyn Sutton. In Carolyn's words...

"The beautiful paper I used to decoupage the drawer fronts of this old seen better days desk was purchased from Art Connection. I now have the little desk in my space at Leaf's Tree House on 3rd in Coos Bay. The paper has a nice handmade look about it with beautiful script and ginko leaves. It was the perfect paper for this project, just what I wanted. Thank you for being there when I needed the perfect paper."

There are many other designs of the 12 x 12 sheets that Carolyn used for this project. We also have larger sheets in a variety of fibers, colors and patterns. Thank you Carolyn for sharing your work with us!

Art Connection
165 S 5th Street
Downtown Coos Bay
http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/

Sumi-e Painting Tools in Coos Bay

Japanese and Chinese painting styles are increasing in popularity in the U.S. We have expanded our sumi-e department with the addition of the Yuming Asian Art Brushes developed by Yuming Zhu, produced by Connoisseur®. Originally trained in China, Yuming Zhu is an accomplished sumi painter and teacher. Brushes used in sumi are usually wolf hair and sheep hair in bamboo. “Wolf hair” can actually be horse hair, boar bristle or other animal hair. The brush’s ability to hold and retain a point is critical to a sumi painter, since one brush is used to create the widest and thinnest of lines. The hairs used in each brush are determined by its use in painting. Soft, absorbant sheep hair holds generouse amounts of ink for flow and coverage. The thicker, sturdier hairs provide support and springiness. Yuming brushes are available now at Art Connection with special introductory pricing of 30% off list.


Art Connection
165 S. 5th Street
Downtown Coos Bay
(541) 267-0186
http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/

New! For kids of all ages

If you or your kids love modeling with wet sand on the beach you will love Moonsand™ . It molds and holds its shape like wet sand but never dries out! Moonsand™ holds fine detail and is endlessly re-useable. The starter set comes with a tray and molding tools. Additional sand is available in 5 pound bags. Use it indoors or out, any spills are easily vacuumed up. Its like bringing the beach home with you!

Art Connection
165 S. 5th Street
Downtown Coos Bay
(541) 267-0186
http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/

Maritime Art Coming to CAM

Coos Art Museum's 16th Annual Maritime Art Exhibition opens in July. The museum is partnering with the prestigious American Society of Marine Artists (ASMA) to present this annual event. The exhibition is also ASMA's regional competition for the entire western United States and also the only continuous annual maritime art competition on the West Coast.

The exhibition's kick off event is a dinner and art auction fundraiser on July 11. The event features a silent art auction, great food, music, beer and wine. Tickets are available in advance at the museum or at Art Connection. Mark your calendar and get your tickets now. Many of the participating artists attend this event, it is great fun.

This post is sponsored by:

Art Connection
165 S. 5th Street
Downtown Coos Bay
(541) 267-0186
http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/

Summer Fun for Coastal Kids

Help your kids make the most of their summer with art and craft materials. Try a kit or book to get them started then keep them going with paper, paint, pencils and brushes.

At Art Connection we’re proud to claim the largest supply of creative materials for kid’s on the Oregon Coast with great values and lots of help and advice.

Art Connection
165 S. 5th Street
Downtown Coos Bay
(541) 267-0186

http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/

Artist Trading Cards on Display

ATC's from the June Swap are now on display at Art Connection!

If you suffer artist's block staring at a large white canvas or piece of paper you should try artist trading cards. Only 2.5 by 3.5 (the size of a baseball card) they are an easy, fun and inexpensive way to spur your creativity. Cut your own material to size or buy pre-cut cards, paper or canvas and paint, draw or collage you way to creative freedom! Then trade them with fellow artists if you choose. Stop by Art Connection to see these and other samples.

Art Connection

165 S. 5th Street

Downtown Coos Bay

(541) 267-0186

http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/

Artist's Board Books

Board books are an exciting new outlet for creative expression. Mixed media artists are going wild with these little books. New at Art Connection are blank board books ready for your creative inspiration. They come in both white and black in a variety of sizes. The manufacturer, CT Publishing also has a great line of books with tips, techniques and inspiration.

Stop in to see these fun new surfaces for the mixed media artist.

Art Connection

165 S 5th StreetDowntown Coos Bay

541-267-0186

http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/

Photo Exhibit Opening at Coos Art Museum

The opening reception for the Oregon Coast Photographers’ Association Exhibition will take place at Coos Art Museum Friday, May 29 from 5 to 7 pm. The event is free, all are invited to attend.

The works on display are predominantly of scenic nature but still life and the man-made world are also represented. Both color and black and white imagery are included. The OCPA consists of photographers both professional and amateur from the southern Oregon Coast. Members work in a wide range of techniques from traditional film through digital technology.

Also at CAM through June 27 is Expressions West 2009 a juried exhibit of paintings by artists residing in Arizona, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. Coos Art Museum has been a cultural focal point of Oregon’s scenic Southern Coast since 1966. It occupies a historic 1936 Art Deco US Federal Building in downtown Coos Bay and offers a wide range of arts activities including exhibitions, art classes and lectures. CAM is on Anderson St, just a couple blocks from Art Connection.

This post sponsored by Art Connection
165 S 5th Street
Downtown Coos Bay
541-267-0186
http://coosartconnection.wordpress.com/