The gallery is pleased to present a new exhibition of work by Portland artist Tom Cramer. His painted wood carvings and wood burnings are dynamic explorations of semi-abstract line and energetic color. Cramer’s frequent travels and wide-ranging interests guide his artistic process and the enigmatic designs of his work. Technology and the patterns of the natural world also seep into his creative process. The results are visually dense carved, painted and sometimes burned wood panels. Whether carved and painted wood reliefs or wood burnings, Cramer’s works captivate the eye with the mystery of their interwoven shapes and subtly shifting colors, sometimes hinting at recognizable images, and other times embracing rhythmic abstraction.
Well-known Portland artist Tom Cramer graduated from the Pacific Northwest College of Art in 1982 and then studied at the Pratt Institute in New York. He has shown his work since the mid-1970s and has been included repeatedly in the Portland Art Museum’s Oregon Biennial. His work is included in the collections of Boise Art Museum, Portland Art Museum, University of Portland and Whatcom County Museum of Art in Washington. His commissions include costume and set design for the Oregon Ballet Theater and Ballet Pacifica. His distinctive painted designs can be seen on murals and vehicles around Portland.