Art Center East (ACE) is pleased to announce the opening of Sue Orlaske Retrospective, an exhibit to honor the late Sue Orlaske, longtime studio artist and Union County community member, in ACE’s Orlaske Gallery. The public is invited to attend a free opening reception on Friday, July 8, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Sue Orlaske Retrospective will be on display July 8 – September 3.
Orlaske was born in southwestern Michigan but moved to Oregon in 1977 to attend graduate school and continued to live in Oregon until her death in October 2021. She had both a B.S. and an M.S. in Biology. She had no formal art training but from a young age was interested in art and produced detailed pen and ink drawings. In the 1980s, Orlaske became interested in pursuing art in a more serious way. She started taking classes in pottery at Valley Art Center in Forest Grove.
In the early 1990s, Orlaske and her husband, Mitch Wolgamott, moved to Northeast Oregon, briefly to La Grande, and then to Summerville. Orlaske then became a full-time artist with a well-equipped studio where she produced ceramic/clay art as well as two-dimensional art. Her themes often included abstract and representational natural elements: Eastern Oregon landscapes, critters, and plants.
“ACE Staff and the Board of Directors continue to thank the family of Sue Orlaske and the community for their grace and generosity,” said Darcy Dolge, ACE Executive Director. After Orlaske’s passing her art collection was donated to ACE for the purposes of fundraising – Sue Orlaske Retrospective will include a large collection of Orlaske’s pottery, oils, prints, pastels, and Batik watercolors. In honor of Orlaske’s legacy, proceeds from this exhibit will go towards ACE’s Youth Scholarship fund and Gallery Program. Altogether, it will represent an investment in the community arts for all.
A closing reception for Sue Orlaske Retrospective, free and open to the public, will be held Friday, September 2, from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. The closing reception includes an official ribbon cutting for the newly named Orlaske Gallery.
