Friday, September 2nd, 5:30 pm–9 pm
Art is the blood of the culture in downtown Wichita, and the First Friday Gallery Crawl brings it to life on the first Friday of each month.
Recognize the importance and beauty of all kinds of art as local galleries, studios, museums, restaurants , and retail shops around Wichita stay open late to welcome visitors. This free event brings the community together to appreciate creativity and uniqueness.
Join us this Friday, September 2nd, from 5:30 pm – 9 pm at Reuben Saunders Gallery for the opening reception of their newest exhibition featuring mixed media photo collages by Valery Haring and oil-painted portraits by John Oehm!
Valerie has an arts education rooted in naturalism and traditional materials. Over the span of her career, she has explored conceptual subject matter and allowed the materials she works with to yield to the concept while leaning on the formal elements and principles of design.
“Drawing from observation is like an exhilarating physical workout when one relies on muscle memory to carry one to the finish line. Working non-representationally, or conceptually, is like hiking into unknown territory; looking for something to latch onto and transform.” – Haring
Since retiring from Butler CC in 2017, Oehm has worked as a portrait painter full-time. His portrait work can be found in Midwest and Southwest United States collections. In 2021, John Oehm and Valerie Haring were married, and they currently live in Bel Aire, Kansas.
“My work reflects a lifelong interest in a tradition of figure and portrait painting that includes the likes of Rembrandt, Titian, Alberto Giacometti, Lucian Freud, and Jenny Saville. Each of these painters demonstrates a fascination with the illusion of forms in light and space. If it were possible, I would only paint from life.” – Oehm
“HARING OEHM” | Exhibition runs September 2nd through September 24th!
(Note: There is designated parking behind RSG marked with signs. There is also overflow parking behind Traditions, located across the street from the gallery!
Main image (top of post): Valerie Haring, “Becoming,” Photocollage Giclee Print.