Visual Arts at First Presbyterian Church The Visual Arts Committee The primary purpose of the Visual Arts Committee is to promote the creation and exhibition of works of art in order to: Nurture an appreciation of spiritual expression in the arts Encourage the expression of faith in and through artistic media Exercise a responsible stewardship of talent in the congregation Discover signs of God's presence in the human condition through the eyes of artists For more information about the Visual Arts Committee, please contact Loren Nelson or Ron Mittelstaedt. Exhibits The Visual Arts Committee sponsors and oversees art exhibits in the Chapel as part of the Celebration Works series of music performances and fine art exhibits. Each exhibit opens on a Sunday after worship with a reception in the Chapel. Viewing hours in the Chapel are 9:00 am to 12:30 pm on Sundays, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on weekdays, and during scheduled recitals. Exhibits are free of charge, although selected works may be available for purchase. Upcoming exhibits Schedule (pdf) Ming Wei, watercolors The beautiful work of Chinese watercolor artist Ming Wei will be featured in the Chapel. Drawing from Chinese classical technique and the abundant natural beauty of the Northwest, Mr. Wei's paintings are characterized by a classical simplicity and yet have a complexity that invites contemplation and introspection. Art has always been Mr. Wei's childhood dream. Born in Shanghai to a family of Chinese scholars and artists, he began painting when he was seven years old and continued painting throughout his childhood years. It was not until graduation from high school that he put aside his love of art, on the advice of his father, to pursue a career in the field of geology, where he could earn a stable income. Over the next three decades, he became a successful and respected geologist; but even with the responsibilities of marriage and family, Ming Wei held onto his dream of being an artist. As a geologist traveling throughout the world, he discovered the beauties of nature. After retirement, on the urging of his family, he enrolled in art school to receive formal training and transfer a lifetime of memories to canvas. Since the moment he picked up the paintbrushes, he has been captivated with this pursuit, and art has become the everlasting topic of family conversation. Mr. Wei and his family now reside in Beaverton, Oregon, where he continues to paint, exhibiting his work throughout the northwest. Mr. Wei says of his painting: "I would like to introduce the two major traditional Chinese watercolor styles to audience: GongBi and XieYi. Chinese watercolor is a combination of poetry, history, culture, music and visual beauty. I would like to translate my understanding and perceptiveness of nature and human life onto my paintings. I have been enjoying blending the Western and Eastern Painting Styles. "Multnomah Fall," "Mt. Hood" and "Sunflower Vases" etc. are great examples." Mr. Wei's work will be on exhibit in the Chapel through May 25. Individual works are available for purchase; contact the Visual Arts Committee for details or stop by the Chapel on Sunday after worship. Autumn Midnight Multnomah Falls in Spring Mt Hood Beauty Past exhibits Dell Nelson, sketches Garden of God Zimbabwe Artists' Project (2007) Nude Truths Gifts of the Spirit (2007) Works of Faith (2006) FPC Quilters (2006) Shared Expressions (2006) Karen Smith, Faces of Tanzania, watercolor and acrylic Sunny Allen Smith, watercolor and acrylic Mojdeh Bahar, color infusion Loren Nelson, photography retrospective Sandy Keating, fiber collage art Zimbabwe Artists' Project Gifts of the Spirit (2005) Works of Faith (2005) Alejandra Vernon, "Advent-Epiphany" and artists of p:ear FPC Quilters Fr. John Domin, "Light, Darkness, and New Light Gold Bug Calligrapher's Group Betty La Duke, "Honor the Earth: Multi-Cultural Journeys" Sandra Bowden, a retrospective Joel Nickel, "Crosses"