Crossroads is thrilled to share more details about the upcoming final major gallery show and retrospective of contemporary western artist Gary Ernest Smith in 2024.  Gary was born and raised in Medical Springs and his 6-decade art career painting the people and places of Eastern Oregon.

Schedule:

Crossroads will be opening Towards Home on Memorial Day Weekend of 2024, and we will be announcing specific dates in time in the months ahead.  The show opening will be in conjunction with the reopening of the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. 

Show:  Gary is busy painting new work and bringing out early figure studies/small paintings of some of his most iconic works.  He is planning to show over 50 paintings.  Crossroads will be producing a catalog for the show which will be for sale.  The show will be open for 6-weeks and conclude on Sunday of Miner’s Jubilee in 2024.

Banners:  Crossroads is collaborating with Baker City Downtown and will have Banners made for Main Street for the 6 weeks of the show.  Each banner will feature a different Gary Ernest Smith Image and will be sponsored by individuals, businesses, or organizations for $125. The donor’s name will be on the banner, signed by Gary and at the conclusion of the show given to the Sponsor to keep.  If you want to sponsor a banner, please contact Crossroads.

Special Events:  Crossroads staff are busy doing pre-planning for an assortment of events and activities during the 6-week show.  Inspiration Series will give local artists and community members voice to share what has inspired their lives work.  Gary’s career was inspired by Baker County-- it is important that our youth hear from an eclectic group of people of their inspiration story.  Special Days:  Crossroads will collaborate with the community to bring new audiences to see this show.  We will have Senior Citizen Day, Veterans Events, Family Days, etc.  En Plein Aire Event:  Crossroads will host an En Plein Aire Event (“Painting in the Open Air”) the week of Miners Jubilee of 2024.  The artwork created will then be on display at Crossroads for the final two weeks of July of 2024.  Gary has long been a Plein Aire painter, and this will honor his artistic legacy.

Marketing:  Crossroads is working with DDRC Marketing in LaGrande to promote this event and the communitywide Homecoming in 2024 and staff are busy writing grants to help support these efforts.

Crossroads will continue to share information with the community in the months ahead! Mark your calendars!