Maryhill Arts Festival features fine art, music, and more August 15-16

August 12, 7:58 AMPortland Day Trips ExaminerDenise Seith

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Maryhill Museum of Art

 Perched high above the Columbia River, just a two-hour drive from Portland, the accredited Maryhill Museum of Art is housed in a stunning Beaux Arts mansion. Although the architecture is certainly impressive, Maryhill’s beautiful park-like picnic grounds is the real focus the weekend of August 15 and 16. Under a canopy of shade trees, 50 artists are displaying and selling their work in a variety of media, including painting, jewelry, woodworking, ceramics, glass, and more. Live music, food vendors, and hands-on art activities for the kids, ensures the Maryhill Arts Festival is an event the entire family can enjoy.

This free festival is an annual summer tradition running 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, August 15, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. In addition to the quality artwork offered for sale, it’s a great opportunity to meet and talk to the personable artists. This year, the Arts Festival also will include a raffle, with prizes donated by participating artists. Tickets can be purchased for $1 each or 15 for $10 on site. Raffle proceeds go to support the museum’s programs and exhibits. The Goldendale Astronomy Club is also providing sun-viewing on telescopes, and save time to stroll through Maryhill’s outdoor sculpture garden as well.

The castle-like Maryhill Museum of Art is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily during the Arts Festival. Permanent exhibits include a large collection of works by Auguste Rodin, European and American paintings, objects d'art from the palaces of the Queen of Romania, Orthodox icons, unique chess sets, and much more. The museum’s extensive Native American collection represents nearly every tradition and style in North America, with works of art from prehistoric through contemporary.

Don’t miss the museum’s special exhibit Ansel Adams: Masterworks, featuring 47 breathtaking black and white photos of pristine landscapes and natural vignettes that Adams personally selected to represent his life’s work. Included are images of national parks throughout the American West, including Yosemite where Adams spent many seasons living and working as a youth, as well as photographs captured in New Mexico, the Great Smokey Mountains, New York City, Hawaii and Cape Cod. The exhibit will be on view through September 13, and is a unique opportunity to see photographs that the artist himself considered to be his best.

Four miles east of Maryhill, is a life-sized replica of England’s famous Stonehenge. Be sure to stop at the ruins before or after the Arts Festival— views of the Columbia River Gorge from both Stonehenge and the art museum are exceptional and definitely worth the drive. After all, Mother Nature is a pretty good artist herself!