James Dowlen has been creating art continuously for more than fifty years, working across illustration, digital media, and fine art. Beginning with his intricate pen-and-ink drawings and imaginative paintings of the 1970s, his career expanded into pioneering early digital illustration and animation for clients including Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, LucasFilm, and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment.

Today, from his Willamette Valley studio, Dowlen continues to produce paintings, prints, murals, and design work with the same inventive spirit that has defined his practice for decades. This retrospective highlights the breadth of his lifelong creative journey.

In her latest exhibition, Susan Opie revisits the animal as muse—this time through a playful and imaginative lens. Her new felted portraits reimagine art history’s greats: Max Beckmann, Picasso, and Keith Haring are reinterpreted in wool, alongside magical creatures inspired by illuminated manuscripts and medieval bestiaries. Each felt piece carries her signature wit and craftsmanship, blending reverence for art history with a distinctly personal touch.
 
Complementing the felts are bronze pendants—small-scale sculptures infused with mixed media details. These intimate works carry the same spirit of curiosity and invention as her larger bronzes, balancing whimsy and symbolism in a form that invites close looking.
 
Together, Opie’s felt and bronze works explore how animals, myths, and artistic icons continue to shape our imagination—proving that even the most familiar subjects can be reborn through the artist’s hand.

Join Denise Slattery for a fun, fast introduction to needle felting and learn how to turn soft wool into adorable 3-D creations — tiny animals, mushrooms, flowers, even faux foods! Denise will cover essential tools, techniques, and tips while guiding you through a simple project. All materials are provided, along with a resource list for future felting adventures.

Learn to paint radiant, old-master–style floral works in acrylic using Wayne Jiang’s signature layering and glazing techniques.