Impressions of the Oregon Coast by Yaquina Art Association Photographers
When: Opening reception and meet the photographers, Thursday, March 13 from 4-6pm with light refreshments. Exhibit runs from March 13 – September 7.
Where: The Galley Gallery of the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center. 333 SE Bay Blvd., Newport
Cost: Opening reception is free
Contact: 541-265-7509
The Oregon coast is a special and unique environment. Geologically, it comprises a complicated mix of ancient seafloor sediments and massive lava flows from central Oregon, lifted up by tectonic forces and reshaped by erosion. It is a dynamic entity, oscillating up and down over periods of hundreds of years as the subsea Juan de Fuca plate to the west dives beneath the North American one, first pushing the coast up, and then letting it drop back down as stressed undersea faults break loose. To the west, the Pacific Ocean extends in an unbroken five-thousand-mile reach, allowing space for titanic waves to form and slam into its beaches and bluffs during winter storms.
The diversity of fresh and salt water habitats has allowed a vast variety of living things to flourish – towering spruces, hemlocks, and cedars; salmon; seals and sea lions; and birds by the millions – wading birds, aquatic birds, raptors, and scores of others. The ebb and flow of ten-foot ocean tides creates a daily dynamic rhythm too, to which all coastal life is attuned.
Native American peoples inhabited the Oregon coast for millennia before European, and later American, colonialism pushed them from much of it. The land remains theirs, in a spiritual sense, though now possessed by others. Subsequent introduction of European technology and commerce has produced the iconic lighthouses, waterfronts, and bridges that help characterize the coast today.
This show highlights the beautiful shorelines, sunsets, night skies, wildlife, and icons of the central Oregon coast. Viewers will experience the region through the collective lens of Yaquina Art Association Photographers. Each participating member has selected images that are meaningful to them, creating a stunning visual story of the coast and the life that animates it.
About Yaquina Art Association Photographers
In the autumn of 1983, Newport photographers Scott Blackman and David Cohen founded a group dedicated to the art of photography. Their first meetings were held in the backroom of Moby Dick’s, a local pub. In the spring of 1984, their search for an exhibit space was realized with the opening of the Newport Visual Arts Center (VAC). At that time, management of the VAC was shared by the Oregon Coast Council of the Arts and the Yaquina Art Association (YAA). As a result, the new photography group came under the umbrella of YAA. This gave the group, now named Yaquina Art Association Photographers (YAAP), access to exhibit space, a classroom for meetings, and a darkroom. Members quickly outfitted the darkroom with the necessary equipment for black and white and Cibachrome color printing.
In April 1984, YAAP held their first exhibit in the VAC’s Runyon gallery. This became an annual event showcasing the talent of its members until it was discontinued several years ago. In the 1990s, YAAP joined the Columbia Council of Camera Clubs (4Cs), a collection of 30 or so camera clubs in the Pacific Northwest, to gain expanded opportunities for sharing and judging the group’s photographs. In early years, YAAP competed very successfully in 4Cs competitions with themed slide shows set to music, and, more recently, in digital image competitions after sensors replaced film.
Fast forward 30-ish years to today. YAAP’s core mission continues to be to provide the encouragement, advice, and camaraderie that help members of all experience levels grow as photographers. Advanced photographers mentor less experienced ones and learn from each other. Our programs include speakers from a variety of photographic genres, and we collectively share our knowledge of behind-the-camera techniques and the various software tools available for processing images or creating photo-based artwork. YAAP continues to maintain a membership in the 4Cs and participates actively in its monthly and quarterly electronic image competitions. Members exhibit and sell their artwork in the Yaquina Art Association’s Cloe-Niemela gallery on the Nye Beach Turnaround, and mount a special members’ exhibition there each April. The tradition of annual YAAP shows in the Runyon gallery is scheduled to resume in 2026. YAAP meetings are held via Zoom on the first and third Mondays of each month throughout the year. Learn more at www.yaaphotographers.org.