Alexandra Boyden - Pastel Painter
Alexandra works in pastel on sanded paper and her main subject is the landscape with an exploration toward abstraction. She first became fascinated by the landscape while on a trip with her grandmother to Antarctica where she was exposed to an "amazing landscape so unlike any other." The South Pole became her first subject. Now she begins with one of her photographs, a memory, or her imagination, and then plays with color, line, gesture, and ultimately a more instinctive approach.
"Not always having the right color can force a serendipitous substitution. I think it is this happy accident and intuitive abandon which can bring newfound integrity to a piece. I strive to make images equally compelling to their origins, but different," says Alexandra.
Alexandra majored in graphic design at The Rhode Island School of Design. She worked in galleries, museums, and as an exhibit designer at the Boston Childrens' Museum. Before moving to Lake Oswego with her husband and three children, her art was shown by galleries throughout Boston and in Maine.
Sam Hingston - Wood/Mixed Media Sculpture
Sam and his wife Chandra live in Beaverton where he creates his art in the studio he built in his backyard. His sculptures are mixed media but primarily made of wood; and his designs are inspired by nature and biology with a focus on form and structure. Sam says, "I find sea life and flowers to be particularly fascinating subjects. They embody what I love about nature - its absolute perfection. When people see my sculptures, I want them to marvel at them, study them, and wonder how they were made."
Sam's "Bloom" series currently consists of 26 completed fantastical flowers; his long term goal is to complete one hundred! He begins in the design phase and finds this part of the experience to be exhilarating since it challenges his imagination and allows him to come up with new forms that will challenge him technically.
"Color is not usually a part of my initial design phase. The tints I use are usually chosen as a sculpture comes together and the wood types are selected. I use a variety of woods in each piece and choose which types to incorporate based on workability, natural color, and grain. Saws and grinders are used to make the basic shapes for the individual parts, and then fine details are perfected using a rotary tool and sand paper."
Sam is currently in school studying for a degree in mechanical engineering, which means less time in his studio. He expects that in the future, however, his education will open doors to a wealth of creative possibilities.
Elaine Tan - Jewelry Design
Elaine was born in China and now resides in the West Slope community of Portland. She believes her Asian background and upbringing have given her the ability to bring a multi-cultural sensitivity to her art, which is often inspired by life, nature, and feelings or reactions to an event. What excites her the most creatively is the process of weaving together the elements of color, texture and composition.
Elaine uses a variety of natural semi-precious stones, organic materials, metals, and other unusual materials to create her designs, and her work is known for its balance vs asymmetry, simplicity vs complexity, and its sense of "yin and yang" - and always finished with unique custom findings. Many of her materials are selected during her trips abroad and lend authenticity to her designs.
"To ensure durability, I use the highest quality coated steel wire for stringing, paying particular attention to the finish work and quality of materials. My work is comprised of limited edition pieces and one-of-a-kind pieces," says Elaine.
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