For Pacific Northwest artist Morris Graves, metamorphosis was a spiritually rich symbol of growth and renewal. Drawing from the museum’s permanent collection, this exhibition highlights two aspects of this concept: regeneration and enlightenment. Visions of Metamorphosis was organized by curatorial assistant Lindsay Keast, a 2014 M.A. graduate from the Department of the History of Art and Architecture, under the guidance of McCosh Associate Curator Danielle Knapp.

Karla Chambers has operated Stahlbush Island Farms in Corvallis--the first farm ever to be certified as sustainable by the Food Alliance--since 1985. A self-taught artist, she uses the colors and textures of her produce as the inspiration for her lively paintings.

Chambers’ passion for art began as her last child moved out of the family’s home and she needed to find a creative outlet. Although she had no training in visual art, she has a keen sense for color and uses her profound love of farming and healthy eating as a platform to both express herself and educate others about the benefits of eating organic fruits and vegetables. “Healthy eating,” says Chambers, “has become a recognized value in the ‘life change’ of adults and a ‘way of life’ for growing children today. What better reinforcement of these ‘values’ than through art!” Recognizing the power art can have on educating children about the value of a diet rich in plant-based items, she even created a coloring book to teach children about the healthy “colorful plate.”

This exhibition directly supports JSMA’s work at Edison Elementary School and our school tours this fall. During the winter, work created by Edison students will be displayed in our Artist Project Space to illustrate how Chambers’s work has inspired them not only to embrace creating art for expression, but also to select a healthier plate when making decisions about eating.

The JSMA’s education programs not only focus on introducing art to K-12 and university students, but also on giving them meaningful opportunities to engage in art so they may integrate art into their lives for years to come. Art of the Athlete is one such example: it teaches university student athletes how the process of looking at and creating art translates to better observation skills and serves as an outlet for non-verbal creative expression.

For four weeks over the summer, eleven UO student athletes learned color theory, unique practices in photo transfer methods, and plaster mold casting. They also studied a range of artists -- from historic Greek and Roman artists, who focused on the athletic body as subject matter, to contemporary artist such as Kehinde Wiley, whose work addresses power and race.

The Art of the Athlete outreach program results in works of art for the public to view and writing samples that document how the project makes meaning for them.  The exhibition—our third in three years!--becomes a forum for the student athletes to express what is sometimes invisible on the field and on the court.  The opportunity to record a segment for the museum’s Guide by Cell audio tour program also gives them the experience of evaluating how art and the JSMA benefits not only themselves, but also fellow UO students and visiting K-12 school children.