The Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council and the Walters Cultural Arts Center (527 E. Main St., Hillsboro) are pleased to announce the exhibition, “Hillsboro Painted,” a project by Artist-in-Our-Community Dawning McGinnis in collaboration with hundreds of Hillsboro community members. The exhibition will open as part of First Tuesday Art Walk on October 2, 5 – 8 p.m., at the Walters.
“Hillsboro Painted” is a community-generated art project shepherded by Dawning McGinnis, Hillsboro’s inaugural Artist-in-Our-Community. Launched by the Hillsboro Arts & Culture Endowment, the Artist-in-Our-Community Project sought to embed an artist in the city to create an inclusive community-based project.
McGinnis spent the summer engaging hundreds of community members of all ages in painting postcards at pop-up booths around the city, at more than 25 host venues including laundromats, parks, pubs, and libraries. McGinnis has collaged the postcards into large scale mosaic-style pieces reflecting common themes she found in participants’ paintings, including a set of butterfly wings perfect for taking selfies. Each postcard is a visual answer to the question “what do you love about Hillsboro?” and together they make a powerful representation of what this city is all about.
An interdisciplinary artist, McGinnis looks to nature, history, and culture for inspiration. She has worked as a muralist, art instructor, and independent artist, as well as assisted on previous community-based art projects. Born in Tillamook, Ore., McGinnis travelled extensively from an early age. Her life experiences have given her in-depth contact with many different cultures and communities, spurring her studies in cultural diversity, history, psychology, and mythology.
Project participants will be able to find their contributions in the large-scale pieces and their photo on the gallery walls, and can join us for a 6 p.m. group photo shoot of all participants. Additionally, visitors can enjoy classical piano from Mia Tognoli, a pop-up shop featuring local artists and artisans, a chance to make your own “Greetings from Hillsboro” postcard, engage McGinnis in a Q&A about the project, and enjoy light sweets from our sponsor, Decadent Creations.
The Hillsboro Arts & Culture Endowment was formed in 2013 to create a stable source of funding for our local arts community. Since 2015, the Arts Endowment has provided funding for non-profit arts organizations, as well as for individual artists, to encourage the creative expression of diverse sections of the community. For more information, visit Hillsboro-Oregon.gov/ArtsEndowment
The First Tuesday Art Walk is free, open to the public, and takes place on the first Tuesday of every month throughout Downtown Hillsboro from 5 – 8 p.m. Exhibitions at the Walters Cultural Arts Center are open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. – 9 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Walters is located at 527 E. Main St. and is situated on the corner of Northeast Fifth Avenue and East Main Street in a one way grid in downtown Hillsboro. Parking can be accessed from either Fifth or Sixth Avenues, and the Walters is conveniently located just two blocks off the MAX Blue line.For more information call 503-615-3485 or visit www.Hillsboro-Oregon.gov/Walters.
