Menu
Featured Artist: Ron Evans.
“Signs We Were Once Here”.
WVC MAC Gallery
May 3—June 26, 2024
First Friday Reception: June 7th, 5:00—7:00
For May and June, the MAC Gallery hosts an exhibition of well-crafted and witty mixed-media objects by local legend artist and Comet Magazine publisher, Ron Evans. Many of these works will feel intimately home-grown and nostalgic to residents of the valley, but in addition to his reverence for mid-century design and pop-culture relics of the valley, they also put on display his trademark satire and social commentary, communicating a more bittersweet sense of our existence in this time and place.
Artist’s Statement
Ron Evans: Signs We Were Once Here
A collection of handmade sculptures of miniature signs, advertisements, antiquated structures, and a few old familiar ghosts.
The bulk of these pieces are constructed out of foam board, paper, wire, wood, resins and acrylic paints. And while they would all blow away into the sunset with a 4 mile per hour wind, they hopefully carry a certain weight with a profound sense of nostalgia, a reverence for mid-century design and a genuine appreciation of the aesthetics and pop-culture junk that form the backdrop of our lives.
What began as an attempt at replicating a well-known local sign (Stan’s Merry Mart), morphed into a larger series of local sign miniatures. Along the way I started creating original signs, many with tongue in cheek (or on the nose) satire, social commentary, and innuendo.
After years of building these tiny man-made wonders, I developed a deep respect for the designers and engineers who crafted these amazing utilitarian works of steel, brick, and neon. I also developed a bittersweet sense of the time and place we all occupy for a little while. I hope to convey some of those feelings to the viewer while they traverse this exhibition.
BIO:
Ron Evans, a dynamic mixed-media artist rooted in East Wenatchee, is driven by an unwavering (perhaps inexplicable) passion for robots, rayguns, pinup, mid-century design, and pop culture. While his artistic journey began with acrylic paintings and pen & ink illustrations, Evans has since ventured into the realm of 3D artistry, crafting intricate sculptures from paper, wire and foamboard.
Within his creative philosophy, 1960s Kitsch, nostalgic tacky motels, Saturday Morning Cartoons, and heavy metal album covers are elevated to the status of fine art. Evans strives to infuse his creations with both substance and a sense of approachability.
In 2015, Evans opened a tiny art gallery in his home called RadarStation. The success of these shows – focusing mostly on lowbrow street art and pop-surrealism – led to a downtown gallery/bar/venue which operated from 2017-2019. In 2017, Evans launched The Comet Magazine, an alternative local-centric arts and entertainment monthly which continues to grow in readership and coverage.
