Mysteries of Metal

Although she lived as a child in Chile with her family, Heidi Marie Balmaceda has spent most of her life in the Pacific Northwest. Her paintings often start with natural objects like trees or clouds which she then stretches and curls into something whimsical and fantastic. With solid color backgrounds and shapes in gold, copper or silver foil, her paintings are bold and graphic yet they suggest delicate mysteries of the cosmos. Much of the work in this new show is inspired by the Columbia Gorge, incorporating the artist's poetry as in the painting above: "Lost in a ring of trees/ I have forgotten myself/ Staring at the tangled roots/ For a past of path/ A way into a dream." Balmaceda is one of Onda's represented artists, and her work has been shown at both the Alberta and Lake Oswego locations. Her active exhibit schedule has also included two shows at Gresham City Hall (2009), a one person exhibit at Teatro Milagro (2009), a group show for Latin Heritage Month at Portland City Hall (2008), and exhibits at commercial venues such as Anthropologie in the Pearl District, Dragonfly Café, Borders and Cinetopia. She is scheduled for a show at the Sundance Resort in 2010. With a degree in Ocean Marine Technology, Ben Dye worked as a commercial diver and, with art classes at Clackamas Community College and Marylhurst, he interprets his experience in the natural world. He uses recycled materials as raw stock, combining the original colors or rust patterns to create the finished look. He is interested in bringing a story to life from each piece.