Show at Onda Gallery Opening September 24th

This month
at Onda Gallery, I am
having my first Portand
Art Show.
It opened on
Last Thursday
on Alberta Street which
is quite an event in this
eclectic and creative
neighborhood. The
sidewalks were covered
with street vendors of
all kinds, musicians,
entertainers and all the
galleries and cool
shops are open
for the night.

The show is called "Inside We are All the Same" and it is a collection of paintings and mixed media works that express what I call the essence within us. The pieces for this show incorporate plant, bird and insect imagery with figurative elements. The ideas for each come from my beliefs about how we are all made from the same molecules and therefore come from the same source material. Plants, animals, insects, trees, flowers, fish, birds...all the same stuff. Humans are the only life form blessed with the ability to appreciate all the other life forms and the miracle of earth. I hope I can encourage us all to cherish all life as we do our own kind.

In many of the pieces I use papier-maché and colláge materials to add depth and texture. Most are framed in handmade box frames created for me by Yoncalla High School Shop Class which I then paint to match the piece inside. For this show, everything has a black background, which to me symbolizes the mystery of life. The style of this work is primitive and austere. I tried to create images that were interesting and slightly disturbing to invite contemplation and conversation.

The show will run September 24th through October 27th.
There are about 30 pieces in the show.
Onda Gallery 2215 NE Alberta Street Portland, OR 97211 503.493.1909 http://www.ondagallery.com

The Suffering of Frida and The Lure of Diego














Frida has always been a muse of mine. She used her pain and disappointment to fuel her creativity. Though Diego was once the larger figure, Frida has grown to eclipse him.


Letting Go





"When we let go
of what we are,
we become what
we might be." --Lao Tsu



Recently I lost a wonderful friend to brain cancer. His name was Thomas Rubick. It is hard to think I will forever be referring to him in the past tense. He was an amazing artist, and terrific writer, a skillful teacher, a fabulous graphic designer, and an all round
brilliant man.

But most of all, he was a true friend...not just to me, but to many. He was the kind of friend who let you vent without judgment. Helped you recover when you hit bottom. Took your side in a dispute. Remembered and honored your life events. Shared favorite books, music and movies. Bought you stuff at garage sales you might like. Sent you cards for all the right reasons and for no reason at all. Showed compassion and kindness when you needed it. And knew all your faults and liked you anyway.

I did this piece about him called Letting Go. Though he is gone, his energy is very much alive. It has been released. He was and will always be in inspiration to me. And I will miss him forever.

Letting Go
15" x 19"
Papier-mache and acrylic on board
Sold


Contact:
Rogene Mañas
rogenem@phototidings.com
541-4841623

When Less is More

Inspirations, ideas, concepts, attitudes, beliefs...all swirling around all the time. So I started representing them with plants, insects and birds. This image called "When Less is More" is about attaining stillness. The less you have going on in your mind, the better. I think (and I am trying NOT to think) you can access your inner voice, your higher power, your wiser self, when you stop the nonsensical churning of continual thinking. This painting is a meditation on meditating.

She Saw Potential


















You may not be able to read it, but her dress lists all her hopes and dreams for their future together. His suit is all numbers. She makes the dreams, he makes them come true.
Everybody knows that.

Expectations

It is the miracle
of being alive.
You can actually
envision what
kind of life you want
and create it
for yourself.
So expect good things
to happen.

Personal Growth

This was one of the first pieces I
did in my series of works for this
show. Merging a person with
a plant is one of those themes I
keep trying to express again and
again. In my continuing effort to
still my mind, I try to be present,
not thinking about the past or
worrying about the future. Trying to "just be." Plants represent that to me. They are always just being. I often think that when I reincarnate to a higher life
form, I will become a plant.