Heceta Head Lighthouse
Siuslaw Bridge
Florence, Oregon, is a scenic gem on the Pacific coast, renowned for its natural beauty and charming attractions. It has been called The Most Beautiful Town in the United States.
One of the most mesmerizing sights there is the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Spanning over 40 miles, these massive sand dunes offer a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, and are even the inspiration for Frank Herbert’s novel, Dune. Florence is also home to one of the most photographed Lighthouses in the world - Heceta Head Lighthouse, the largest sea cave in the nation - The Sea lion Caves, and a number of other iconic attractions. Strolling through Old Town, you'll encounter beautifully preserved buildings that transport you back to a different era and many public art installations. The Siuslaw River runs adjacent to this district, providing scenic waterfront views and opportunities for boating, fishing, and wildlife spotting.
Florence also boasts a thriving arts community of painters, sculptors, craft artisans, and performers. You’ll find a number of galleries in Old Town, and even preforming arts all year long through the Florence Events Center. The Florence Regional Arts Alliance hold an annual Coastal Plein Air event for two weeks during summer, and during the month of September you can attend the Elements of Art Studio Tours and visit the work space of local artists.
This town is a captivating blend of natural and artistic beauty that enchants visitors throughout the year. Whether it's the awe-inspiring majesty of the Heceta Head Lighthouse or the intricate craftsmanship of locally made jewelry and pottery, Florence is a year-round celebration of both nature and human creativity.
This introduction is brought to you by artist Karylynn Keppol, who has been a member of the artist community in Florence since she was a teenager. You can find her website HERE and her Instagram HERE
“I have been painting and creating art in a multitude of media for many years. Metamorphosis and rebirth are constant themes, and within these themes, an overall awareness of the interconnectivity of all forms of life.
Additionally, I am fascinated with the aboriginal custom of returning annually to sacred sites. For me, each place, or even an animal or an object, seems to take on a sacredness once one has truly experienced it. I often marvel at the beauty of nature unique to each place, animal, or object. They seem to take on an aura of sacredness as a result of the impression they kindle in me.”
See more of Pattie’s art at her Etsy shop and her website HERE
Lynn Anderson
Lynn Anderson is an Anishinaabe, Ojibwa artist known for her exquisite work in traditional and contemporary basket making, beadwork, and quill work. Lynn’s art is a profound expression of her cultural heritage and a testament to her dedication to preserving and evolving Indigenous art forms.
BASKET MAKING: Lynn’s baskets, created using materials like cedar, reed, birch bark and pine needles, showcase her mastery in the craft. Her work features intricate designs and vibrant patterns, as seen in the finely woven baskets and unique pieces such as the fish-shaped basket. Each creation not only serves a functional purpose, but also tells a story, reflecting the rich traditions of the Anishinaabe people.
BEADWORK and QUILL WORK: Anderson is also highly skilled in beadwork and quill work, art forms that are integral to Anishinaabe culture. Her beadwork includes complex, colorful patterns that are often used to decorate regalia and accessories. In quill work, she meticulously hand-dyes porcupine quills and incorporates them into her designs, creating stunning pieces that highlight her attention to detail and artistic innovation.
The art is created for the cultural significance and artistic appeal, bridging traditional methods with contemporary styles. Beyond her artistic achievements, Lynn Anderson is committed to cultural preservation and education. She conducts workshops to share her knowledge and inspire future generations of Indigenous artists. Through her dedication, Lynn ensures that the rich artistic traditions of the Anishinaabe people continue to thrive and evolve.
Jo Beaudreaux is a huge supporter and creator of the Arts since childhood. Throughout her life she continues exploring the arts; growing a deep appreciation and understanding. Beaudreaux continued her studies after high school earning a Bachelor of Fine Art with Honors from San Jose State University with a minor in American Studies.
While studying, she worked at Arts Council Silicon Valley learning how the Arts and Business can fuel economic development and cultural enrichment. The Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce awarded her with a Women in Leadership for young women in school pursuing leadership roles.
After concluding her education in Silicon Valley, she moved to Chicago. There she continued to support and be active with the Arts community while working in academic administration for the University of Chicago before moving to Florence, on the Oregon Coast. The creative blooming of the Siuslaw Area and family is what encouraged her to move back across the country.
Beaudreaux continues to pursue her own art of Photography, Graphic Design, Watercolor, Acrylic and Encaustics art mediums, while supporting fellow artists in the community. She owns and operates BeauxArts Fine Art Materials. Her work has been displayed at numerous shows and locations across America and Internationally. She also does commission and commercial work as well.
See more of Jo’s art on Instagram, Facebook, or on her website HERE
Lauren Suveges is an artist and educator originally from Pittsburgh, PA currently teaching fine art and ceramics at Siuslaw High School in beautiful Florence, OR. She attended Otterbein College in Columbus, OH and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Painting and Printmaking with a minor in Psychology.
Her earlier work focused on portraiture and relationships, knowledge, meaning, and misunderstandings around race and community. After moving to Oregon in 2007, she earned her master’s in Arts and Administration from the University of Oregon, worked in museum education, education technology, and community arts programming before going back to school for her Masters in Teaching with a focus on Arts Education at the secondary level.
Since moving to Oregon, her work has become more centered around the natural world and as a coastal resident, the mountains, the forest, and the sea are central to her inspiration. She has shown at small galleries throughout the northwest including two entries in the Karin Clarke BIennial in 2019 and 2021. Most recently, she has received the Art Teacher Professional Practice Award to attend the 2024 Creative Arts Community at Menucha along the Columbia River Gorge this summer.
You can find Lauren’s work on Instagram and on her website HERE
“My artistic goal is to constantly grow as an artist. My art explores the possibilities of varying styles, techniques, mediums, and subjects. I use my academic training, and my 25 years working for a host of animation studios, to bring movement and personality to my two-dimensional and three-dimensional artwork. I moved to Florence, Oregon in 2020 with my family and 7 cats.”
See mor of Alan’s artwork on Facebook
Kassy Keppol lives with her family among the dragons and fairies in Florence, Oregon. She won her first Illustration award in kindergarten for a picture of a witch in a cage. More recently she won a Margaret Kates Award at the Francelia Butler Children’s Lit. Conference.
When she was eight years old, her mother built her a studio in the laundry room under the stairs. As an adult she has gotten to study illustration under her illustration heroes at Hollins University in Virginia, and is always looking for new ways to improve her abilities. She is an Oregon Writing Project Teacher Consultant, has a Master’s Certification in Children's Book Illustration, a Master’s in Teaching, and a Master’s of Fine Arts in Children’s Book Illustration and Writing.
You can see her illustrations HERE
Maree Beers is a bead artist living in the coastal mountains near Florence, OR. She began doing beadwork at a very young age and continued honing her beading skills through adulthood. She specializes in bead weaving and loves to use high end, precious metal beads and findings to make sophisticated, stylishly modern pieces that sometimes incorporate beads and shells from the natural world.
Maree is also married to a Siuslaw and Lower Umpqua tribal member, and they have two children together. The Siuslaw tribe has a rich, traditional beaded regalia history. Born in the Philippines and being half Nigerian herself, she has found that, other than music and water, beadwork is the most universal thing that ties her family’s cultures together. To that end, she loves designing and creating one of a kind, family heirloom pieces of regalia for her family that incorporates all of the cultures they represent.
This dichotomy of bead weaving styles–contemporary versus traditional, allows her to accommodate a variety of preferences and keeps her own creative mind engaged. Although she does not show or sell in a gallery anymore, Maree loves to do commissioned work and design unique pieces for people who are inspired by her fashion accessory designs.
Find Maree’s artwork on Facebook Main Page, Business Page and Instagram
“After retiring from a 34-year career as an art and pottery educator, I feel as if I am just beginning to think of myself as an artist. For many years, the focus was my students’ processes as artists. It is really exciting to find myself with the option of making art just for me! It has been fun exploring new mediums and techniques. Most recently, I’ve found gel printing and gouache intriguing.
Almost half my life was lived on the plains of Montana and now I have resided 30+ years on The Oregon Coast. Whether working with clay, watercolor, printmaking or the written word, a sense of place is the heart of my work. My inspiration is found in nature’s beauty and textures, along with the feelings of home and community.”
Se more of Kim’s artwork on Instagram
“I’m Kary, and I’m an artist from the Oregon Coast currently living in Seattle. My work is inspired by my adventures in the Pacific Northwest, drawing from my personal experiences exploring its forests, mountains, and coastlines.
With my background in illustration, I’m interested in narratives and how viewers will see different stories in the same picture. My paintings transform my own everyday moments into enchanted scenes, and bring to life a cast of characters on imaginative journeys. I’m just trying to share some extra magic in this already magical world.”
Located in the beautiful, historic, coastal town of Florence, Oregon, Backstreet Gallery can be found on Bay Street along the Siuslaw River. Founded in 2005, it has grown from a tiny Gallery in a small house to the impressive Gallery now located in the heart of Florence’s Old Town. Backstreet Gallery is a member-owned cooperative, a place where artists show their work and interact with the community. Its membership has grown since its beginnings to 30+ members.
The Gallery often offers the opportunity for community members to also display their work––through Community Challenge shows. It has earned the Best Art in Florence Award for several years and is often said to be the best gallery on the Oregon coast.
With a wide variety of various media and subject matter, there is something for everyone. You will find amazing paintings in watercolor, oil, mixed media, and acrylic. Sensational weavings, fiber art, driftwood creations, and paper painting collage are displayed alongside fine woodworking and assemblages. An elegant variety of jewelry offers gifts for any taste. Gorgeous photography, gleaming fused glass, and unique pottery pieces cap the array of arts. Backstreet is a magical place to find one-of-a-kind cards, fine art, unique jewelry, and even books at reasonable prices.
The public is invited to attend Backstreet’s gala after-hours (at various times) and artists’ receptions (every second Saturday). Each reception features live entertainment and great food and wine. Backstreet is a terrific place for the community, as well as visitors, to gather and enjoy music and view exceptional art. It has earned the Best Art Gallery in Florence Award!
Backstreet Gallery is located at: 1421 Bay Street, Old Town, Florence OR 97439. Phone number: 541-997-8980
Find more info on Facebook, Instagram and on their website HERE
Florence Regional Arts Alliance (FRAA), located in Florence Old Town, has its mission to unify and support all of the arts, enrich cultural life and stimulate the economic vitality in the Florence area. We accomplish our mission through events, classes, working with our community on arts programs, and offering a Gallery for local artists. We are an all-volunteer organization with about 150 members and 80 artists represented in the Gallery across many mediums such as painting, photography, jewelry, ceramics, fiber art, glass art, wood working, lapidary, the written word and mixed media.
We host 3-4 arts festivals each year with the goal of showcasing artists and engaging community members with art and its benefits. FRAA also hosts a variety of art classes including a weekly oil painting class, weaving, watercolor painting, drawing, glass mosaics, creativity, open mic poetry and poetry workshops. Volunteers create over a hundred greeting cards for each holiday and donate them to seniors and shut-ins with the goal of keeping them connected to a caring community. We are proud to be a local artists’ community meeting place through open studios and artists just stopping in.
FRAA fosters youth art growth by hosting a space in the gallery for art created by local youth. We showcase youth artists including art created with the assistance of grants we receive to work with youth. We enjoy participating in Florence’s 2nd Saturday Gallery Tour featuring one of our artists each time as well as a youth artist or group, along with a local musician sharing outstanding local art, music and food with the community and public at large.
Florence Regional Arts Alliance is located at 120 Maple Street (mailing address PO Box 305). Florence, OR 97439. Phone number is 541-997-4435