Oregon By Nature

Oregon By Nature was a 2013 exhibition of natural history specimens from the Benton County Museum collections.

Examples of birds, mammals, fossils, rocks, minerals, plants, and state symbols were selected, not in an effort to be scientifically comprehensive, but rather to demonstrate the diversity, beauty, and mystery of Oregon's natural environment. Informational labels were available on touch screen computers or visitor's mobile devices.

Promotional poster by Harold Wood.

Philomath Open Studios

November 2, 2012 - January 5, 2013

Participating artists included Laura Berman, Katheryn Byram, Carolee Clark, Dale Donovan, Babette Grunwald, Lee Kitzman, Judith Sander, Debbie Sundbaum-Sommers and Harold Wood.

Kimono

January 11 - March 2, 2013

Kimono is a unique exhibition of Japanese textiles and Japanese dolls from the private collection of Louise Meadows, supplemented by kimonos and dolls from the museum collections. Many of Louise's kimonos are available for purchase.

Annual Willamette Valley Scholastic Art Awards

March 8 - March 30, 2013
 

Art: The Fourth 'R'

April 5 - May 4, 2013
Benton County Historical Museum's longest running tradition. Philomath School District students K-12 exhibit their artwork.

Staff Picks

May 10 - June 16, 2013

Just like the old-school video stores, our staff has chosen their favorites from our art collection for this exhibition at Benton County Museum.

Raining Cats and Dogs

June 21 - July 27, 2013

"Raining Cats and Dogs" was a juried art exhibition at Benton County Museum in summer 2013.

New Quilts from an Old Favorite: Baskets

August 2 - September 28, 2013

Benton County Museum was pleased to host a travelling exhibition from The National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky, during Quilt County 2013.

Expressions of Nature by Karla S. Chambers

October 4 - November 30, 2013

Karla S. Chambers is a native artist who paints the natural world with vibrant colors and textures. As a farmer in the Willamette Valley, she depicts in her paintings a lifetime of agricultural influences. In her mind, beauty and harvest have always gone hand in hand.

Mark Allison and Lee Kitzman:
Designs in Paint and Clay

December 6, 2013 - January 18, 2014

Mark Allison and Lee Kitzman are both artists and educators at heart.  Kitzman taught art classes, including ceramics, for 23 years at the Children’s Farm Home and later at Corvallis High School. Allison has worked as an art instructor at Linn Benton Community College from 1994 continuously to the present. “A good teacher is a good student who has learned to find that place inside where the distinction between work and play disappear, where there is a total absorption in the interplay between paint and thought, a living, breathing, active awareness that moves us progressively through changes” reflects Allison.

Kitzman is a master potter with diverse talents creating ceramics.  His specialty is Japanese-influenced raku.  “It’s all about attempting to do the absolute best quality,” Kitzman said.   Recently, Kitzman has been working with new glazes and both low fire and high fire techniques on raku plaques and stoneware.