The Art Center East Orlaske Gallery, formerly the Co-op Gallery, is an international fine art exhibition space that is community-supported and funded by Art Center East annual memberships, private donors, state and regional funders, and sponsors.

 

In 2022, Art Center East rebranded and reimagined its Co-op Gallery space to better serve the community. Community members had the opportunity to honor in memoriam a prominent local artist or art supporter by voting to rename the space. 

 

After a three-month voting period, Art Center East’s Co-op Gallery transformed into the Orlaske Gallery, honoring the late local artist Sue Orlaske.

Sue 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 has 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.  For several years in the 1980s, Sue owned and operated a retail business — a coffee and tea store long before there was a Starbucks on every corner. It was during that time that Sue also 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, Sue sold her business and she and her husband, Mitch Wolgamott, moved to Northeast Oregon, briefly to La Grande and then to Summerville.  Sue then became a full-time artist with a well-equipped studio where she produced ceramic/clay art as well as two-dimensional art (pastels and watercolors, including Batik watercolors).  Her themes often included abstract and representational natural elements: Eastern Oregon landscapes, critters, and plants.

 

Sue was a member of and actively involved with three art co-ops:  Valley Art in Forest Grove, Art Center East in La Grande, and Crossroads in Baker City.  She became well-known in the region for the quality of her work and for her willingness to help and teach other artists.  Her work was in many art shows and won several regional art awards. She was a featured artist on Oregon Public Broadcasting’s “Oregon Art Beat”. Several galleries in Oregon and Southern Washington carried her work.

 

Each exhibition has its own festive opening and closing receptions. Free and open to the public, exhibits remain on display for approximately 1-2 months. Exhibits can be viewed online thanks to a partnership with John J. Howard Real Estate in La Grande. Each exhibition artwork is listed online for viewing. Shop the current exhibition art here.

 

NEW! During Friday evening exhibit receptions (6:00 - 8:00 pm) and on Saturdays (10:00 am - 2:00 pm), visitors may find artisan pop-ups in the ACE Galleries foyer. Read about the ACE Artisan Pop-Up Program here.

 

Exhibiting artists of all mediums are juried by the gallery committee.

The Orlaske Gallery hosts a selection of annual events and non-juried exhibitions.. These include:

 - The Big: Art Center East’s Annual Open Exhibition

- Annual Fiber Arts & Jewelry Exhibition

- Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead Exhibition and Community Celebration

- Annual Handmade Holidays Makers Market

 

The Art Center East Galleries are open Wednesday - Friday from 12:00 - 5:00 pm and Saturday from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm.