Betty Feves Memorial Art Gallery will celebrate its 25th anniversary by honoring the artist for which the gallery is named with an exhibit that shows how influential one person’s life can be.
“Feves Gallery 25th Anniversary: The Legacy Continues” will feature select pieces of Betty Feves’ work surrounded by the work of artists who apprenticed with her. These artists include Aaron Burgess, Jan Dow, Alice Fossatti, Doug Kaigler, Joel Kaylor, Kyoung Sook Kim, Jim Lavadour and David Waln.
In addition to the special gallery show, the silver anniversary celebration will include the Betty Feves Art Home Tour on Nov. 7 from 1-4 p.m. This self-guided tour of four private collections of Feves’ work in Pendleton will serve as a fundraiser for the Gallery. Tickets are $45 per person and must be purchased by Oct. 28 by calling Gallery Director Lori Sams, 541-278-5952. The day will also include special hours from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Gallery at BMCC.
An opening reception for the show will be held Nov. 5 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Betty Feves Memorial Art Gallery in Pioneer Hall on the Blue Mountain Community College Pendleton campus, 2411 NW Carden Ave. The exhibit runs through Dec. 17.
Betty Feves, born and raised in Walla Walla, Wash., settled in Pendleton with her husband, Dr. Louis Feves, in 1945 and raised their family here. She began exhibiting her work in 1952, becoming both a nationally and internationally known ceramic artist. Feves was deeply committed to her family, community and work. She was known for her service to the community. Throughout her career she offered one- and two-year apprenticeships in her studio to visual arts. She taught music to hundreds of local children, brought the Suzuki method of strings instruction to the area, and served on the Pendleton School Board for 15 years.
The Betty Feves Memorial Art Gallery officially opened and was dedicated to Feves on Nov. 25, 1990 – five years after Feves’ death in 1985. In 1983, the Arts Council of Pendleton raised funds to commission a piece by Feves for the Vert Auditorium, but Feves’ passing came before the piece was complete. The funds raised were instead used as the nucleus to build the Gallery at BMCC in Feves’ memory and to continue the educational tradition she began.
The Betty Feves Memorial Art Gallery is open Monday-Thursday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and by appointment by calling 541-278-5952.
