We are officially 4 days away from this year’s Washington County Open Studios Tour and with over 60 artists opening their studios to the public, you are in for a treat! Some of these artists applied to be mentors in our mentorship program and we have been following their progress along with their mentees. Let’s take a look at our final 4 mentorships and see what they have created!
Jo and Sheila Collage
Artist Jo Reimer and mentee Sheila Chuganiart Baumgardener explored collage as an art form resulting in two lovely works.
Sheila shares the following, “Sunita is both a portrait and a remembrance, created in honor of my mother, Sunita. The piece features a graceful woman whose flowing hair is formed from my mother’s silk sarees, fabric that carries her presence and memory. I chose three different sarees to compose her hair, letting the silks cascade like a river, alive with movement, texture, and light. A separate piece was used for her blouse, giving the figure a quiet dignity and grounding her in the traditions she carried so gracefully.
In Wrapped in My Mother’s Sacred Love, a woman wraps herself in her mother’s saree shawl, feeling the embrace and presence of love that endures beyond loss. The work incorporates the Gayatri Mantra, written in Sanskrit, which my mother taught me as a cleansing prayer—one that clears energy much like sage in Native traditions. Through fabric and mantra, the piece becomes both remembrance and sanctuary, a tribute to a mother’s sacred love and the spiritual legacy she passed on.
These pieces would not have been possible without the patient coaching and support of collage artist Jo Reimer. Jo not only taught me the fundamentals of collage but also guided me in discovering how to incorporate fabric into mixed media art. Learning about design, materials, and the many approaches to collage has expanded my creative repertoire and given me the confidence to create work that feels uniquely my own. I now feel equipped with the tools and knowledge to experiment with new ideas and explore a variety of collage techniques. I am deeply grateful for Jo’s generosity, guidance, and kindness, and I also thank Washington County Open Studios for providing the opportunity for this internship.”
Jo is stop # 48 on the Washington County Open Studios Tour this year!
Anya and Regina Fiber Art
Fiber artist Anya Doll mentored Regina Lucas who had previously taken a workshop with Anya and enjoyed it so much, she pursued the mentorship opportunity this year!
Anya guided Regina in the process of making a HeartCenter flag using fiber collage and freestyle machine stitching as well as reviewed some color theory to create specific effects in the work.
Anya is stop #45 on the WCOST this year!
Shari and Sierra Golden Open Acrylics
Artist Shari shares the following: “ Sierra CC Vial, a recent BFA graduate, is shown working on her painting that captures a soon to be lost scene in the changing landscape in her local agricultural community.”
Sierra is learning to paint with Golden Open Acrylics in her mentorship with Shari Erickson, Studio #41 in Forest Grove. Come see CC’s painting during the Washington County Open Studios Tour on October 18th and 19th!
Gretha and Asha Soft Pastels
Artist Gretha Lindwood and mentee Asha Jagannathan have been hard at work in their mentorship!
Gretha shared, “ Asha is painting with soft pastels on an artist sandpaper. She is also a photographer so she already has a great eye for composition and detail. Asha will have some of her work available at my studio, #23 this year during the WCOST!”
Thank you for following along as we shared our 10 mentorships with you in previous blog posts! Many of the artists invited mentees to have their work shown in their studio during the WCOST this year and I encourage you to ask questions about the experiences and keep your eyes open for future mentorship announcements!
Washington County Open Studios Tour is this Saturday, October 18th and Sunday, October 19th from 10am -5pm so, be sure to grab a map guide and plan those stops!
Until next time, stay creative!
Sam Combs – WCAA Volunteer Coordinator
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