The Bend Artists’ Studio Tour, proudly sponsored by SageBrushers Art Society, is back for another exciting year!
September 13 & 14, 2025
11:00am - 4:OOpm
Scrolll down to see the amazing artists participating in this years tour
See pull down tab for map!
Questions? Contact Jesica Carleton: jesica@carletonmanormosaics.com
Barbara Alford – pastels
https://barbaraalfordfineart.com - Barbara Alford is best known for her vibrant pastel paintings that blend impressionistic realism with a contemporary edge. With a background in interior design, she brings a strong sense of color and composition to her work, whether in pastel, oil, or mixed media. A self-taught artist, Barbara has shaped her own creative path through workshops, museum visits, and continual exploration. Her subjects reflect the landscapes of the Southwest and the Pacific Northwest, and recent pieces venture into expressive, experimental territory. “I want my viewers to finish my paintings in their own mind’s eye. Enjoy!”
Bob Lercari – fused glass
https://arttoharmony.com - As a retired aerospace engineer turned fused glass artist, I bring a lifelong appreciation for creativity into a new and colorful chapter of life. Though relatively new to the world of glass art, I was introduced to the medium through my wife, whose passion for fused glass quickly became my own. What began as a weekend hobby has grown into a full-time artistic pursuit. I focus on creating functional art—ranging from night lights and dishes to clocks, mirror frames, and wall hangings. My designs draw inspiration from local flora and fauna, as well as the vibrant sea life of Maui, where I once lived. I strive to highlight the natural brilliance of glass through bold color and a variety of fusion techniques, crafting pieces that are both beautiful and practical.
Bob Rowley – oil, pastel, watercolor
https://robertrowleyart.com - With a background in marine biology and a PhD in kelp-bed ecology, I bring a scientific curiosity and sense of exploration to my second career as a painter. Over the years, I’ve honed my skills through college art courses and workshops with professional artists, eventually becoming a juried member and board president of the Santa Barbara Art Association. I work primarily in oils and pastels, drawn to the drama of landscapes and the possibilities within abstraction. Since relocating to Bend seven years ago, I’ve focused on capturing the beauty and diversity of Central Oregon’s terrain—especially the high desert, lava flows, and Cascade range. My work reflects a blend of structured inquiry and creative expression, grounded in both observation and experimentation.
Denise Rich - watercolor
Denise grew up in a small coastal community in Central California, where her love of art began at an early age. Since moving to Oregon in 1991, she has found endless inspiration in the region’s breathtaking landscapes, which fuel her creativity both in the studio and on location. A longtime member of the Sagebrushers Art Society and a founding member of the Plein Air Painters of Oregon, Denise also owned Sage Custom Framing and Gallery for 24 years. Now retired from the business, she is devoted full-time to painting and expressing her deep connection to nature through her work.
Dianne Lay – watercolor
https://www.dlaystudio.com - Based in Sunriver, Oregon, watercolor artist Dianne Lay captures the quiet beauty of everyday life through the fluid and expressive nature of transparent watercolor. Her work is rooted in personal memory and a strong connection to place — from the open skies of her Nebraska childhood to the lush greens of the Willamette Valley and the high desert light of Central Oregon. Working primarily in the wet-in-wet technique, Dianne embraces watercolor’s unpredictability, allowing pigment, paper, and water to guide the mood of each piece. Her paintings reflect a gentle dialogue between memory and presence, light and emotion — inviting the viewer to pause and find beauty in stillness.
Jesica Carleton – glass & mixed media
https://carletonmanormosaics.com - Jesica Carleton is a multidisciplinary artist whose lifelong passion for exploration and creative expression fuels her innovative approach to mosaic art. From a young age, Jesica learned the importance of standing firm in her artistic vision, a lesson shaped by her mother’s fierce support early on. Her diverse artistic journey spans sewing, quilting, batik, ceramics, welding, acrylic pours, glass fusing, and more, reflecting a restless curiosity and refusal to be limited by any single medium. While mosaic art is her current focus, she continually pushes its boundaries, blending abstract, representational, and whimsical elements across varied scales and settings. Jesica embraces experimentation and the lessons found in both success and failure, while also dedicating herself to teaching and inspiring others to unlock their creative potential through the accessible and inclusive nature of mosaics. Beyond her studio, she enjoys hands-on work at the DIYCave and cherishes life with her supportive family and pets.
Karen Bandy – acrylic & oil
https://www.karenbandy.com - Karen’s abstract paintings are inspired by the bold yet soothing colors of nature and the expressive beauty of wildlife, especially birds. Her work blends flowing, gestural forms with rich, gem-like hues to create textured, vibrant compositions that evoke emotion and invite personal interpretation. Rather than aiming for photorealism, she weaves animals and natural elements into imaginative scenes that speak to mood, movement, and energy. Her art enhances both modern and traditional spaces, offering a visual connection to the natural world that is uplifting and timeless.
Karen McQuown - ceramics
Kathleen Veenstra – oil, ceramics
Inspired by the vivid colors of trees, water, shifting skies, and the layered textures of the Oregon landscape, this artist expresses her vision through both oil painting and stoneware ceramics. These two mediums offer a creative balance that enriches her overall practice. She often sketches or photographs scenes outdoors, then develops the work in her studio, focusing especially on color as a primary expressive element. Her goal is to create colors that feel spontaneous and fresh—appearing to float effortlessly off the brush, even if achieved through many layers of paint. Striving for a harmony between abstract expressionism and realism, she brings depth and emotion to her landscapes. Her educational background includes a Master of Fine Arts from Miami University, a BFA from Michigan State University, and studies at Calvin University and Interlochen Center for the Arts, along with a graduate degree in Counseling Psychology.
Kay Baker – oil, pastel, watercolor
https://www.kbakerstudio.com - Kay Baker is a lifelong dreamer and artist whose work reflects a rich tapestry of travel, emotion, and connection to place. Originally from the Midwest, Kay earned a degree in Advertising Art before embarking on an adventurous life abroad in Tripoli, Libya. Those formative years in North Africa deeply influenced her creative spirit. After settling in Texas, she studied oil painting and developed a successful art career, later expanding her practice to include watercolor and pastels after relocating to Bend, Oregon. A transformative moment came when artist Bill Herring encouraged her to explore the “horses of her soul”—the emotional undercurrents that now infuse her landscapes with meaning. Kay’s work, rooted in storytelling and connection, is represented by Sisters Gallery and Framing and created in her Bend studio.
Ken Meyer – photography
https://kmeyer14.zenfolio.com - Ken Meyer is a nature photographer whose work is driven by a deep personal connection to the outdoors rather than commercial ambition. For Ken, photography is a hobby and a heartfelt way to share the beauty of the natural world and encourage its conservation. Whether hiking through a wildlife refuge or wandering a quiet mountain meadow, he is always seeking the intricate details of wildlife, flowers, and landscapes that feed his spirit. His favorite subjects include colorful blooms, vivid sunsets, and reflections in alpine lakes—moments that capture the essence of a place. Raised in rural southern Oregon, Ken’s early love for exploring nature continues to guide his camera lens as he strives to reflect not just the scene, but the soul of the wild.
LauraJo Sherman – pastel
https://www.laurajoshermanart.com - Laura Jo Sherman has been passionate about art her entire life, a passion that led her to a 30-year career as an art teacher before becoming a full-time professional pastel artist. She honed her skills through workshops with renowned pastel artists like Richard McKinley and Jennifer Evenhus, ultimately choosing pastels for their forgiving nature and vibrant possibilities. Working quickly and intuitively on sanded surfaces, Laura Jo embraces spontaneity—often revising and reworking pieces directly on the surface. Her subjects range from animals and birds to flowers and the striking landscapes of Central Oregon, blending imagination, plein air experience, and photographic references. Represented by the Artists Gallery in Sunriver, her work captures both the beauty of the natural world and the fresh clarity of her environment.
Melissa McGlenn – mixed media
https://www.inspiredmelissa.com - Melissa McGlenn is a mixed media artist whose work serves as a channel for healing and transformation, inspired by dreams, hypnotic visions, and a profound connection to nature. As a multifaceted creator, she explores beauty through painting, jewelry design, digital art, clay sculpting, and mixed media collage. Her artistic journey is an alchemical process, fueled by the metaphysical power of creativity and her own personal healing experiences.
Shana Laursen – mixed media
Shana Laursen is a versatile artist whose work spans acrylic, soft pastel, encaustic, printmaking, and mixed media, constantly exploring new mediums and styles to capture the essence of ideas, moods, and the natural world. Through thoughtful use of color, texture, and composition, she celebrates the beauty and importance of wildlife and protected spaces. For Shana, art is a journey of discovery—a dynamic dialogue between intention and material that reflects life’s rhythms and transformation. Her work invites viewers to connect with deeper truths and fosters a sense of awe, inspiring greater stewardship and hope for preserving the environment amid today’s urgent challenges.
Susan Hood – oil
https://www.susanhoodstudio.com - Inspired deeply by the landscape’s light, rhythm, and quiet mystery, this artist works primarily in oils, both en plein air and in the studio, striving to translate the natural world into a compelling visual language. After years of exploring experimental art and earning signature status with the International Society of Experimental Artists, a move to Central Oregon and retirement from a social work career in 2012 sparked a renewed passion for representational landscape painting. Immersed in the environment, painting outdoors keeps her connected and responsive to the moment. She has studied with respected artists such as Mitch Baird, Matt Smith, David Santillanes, and Barbara Jaenicke. Whether on location or in the studio, her work seeks to convey the wonder she experiences in nature and to share that sense of stillness and beauty with viewers.
