Draft:Michael A. Gibbons

Michael Arden Gibbons (December 18, 1943 - July 2, 2020) was an Impressionist artist known for painting en plein air.

Early Years
Michael Gibbons was born on December 18, 1943 in Portland, Oregon. Showing an interest and aptitude in art at an early age, Gibbons was invited to become a member in the Oregon Society of Artists at the age of 16 after winning the Gold Key, Blue Ribbon and Gold Medal in the Scholastic Art Awards Competition. Michael graduated from Benson Polytechnic High School in 1962. In 1963 Gibbons served in the U.S. Air Force until 1966. After serving in the Air Force, Gibbons worked at Whitney Industries, Inc. (later named Pacific-Italia, Inc.), a small automotive accessories manufacturing firm in Portland, Oregon, as a designer. At age 25, Gibbons left his position and moved to the central Oregon coast to pursue his career as a full-time artist. He established his first studio at the Parish Church of Saint Mark the Evangelist in Portland, Oregon, inviting fellow painter Dwight 'Dee' Boyles to share the space.

Active Years
By 1970 Gibbons had his first solo exhibition at Eastern Oregon College in La Grande, Oregon and at the Golden Legend Gallery in Lake Oswego, Oregon. Throughout the 70's, Michael's art was included in multiple group shows and juried exhibitions including the Artists of Oregon Juried Annual Exhibition at the Portland Art Museum (1974, 1975), Coos Art Museum Juried Exhibition in Coos Bay, Oregon (1974), group exhibits at Maxwell Galleries, Ltd. in San Francisco, California (1975), and a group exhibit at John Pence Gallery in San Francisco, California (1976).

During this time Michael received opportunities to travel to the United Kingdom for art, an experience he drew significant inspiration from throughout his career. Moving away from Portland, Gibbons purchased a small lodge in Yachats, Oregon as his studio in 1976, eventually moving in as his residence in 1978. After his move to the Oregon Coast, the Parish Church of Saint Mark the Evangelist displayed a retrospective exhibition of Michael's works in honor of being the first studio location for the artist in 1979.

Continuing on with his building success, Michael was accepted into the Salmagundi Club Annual Juried Non-Member Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in New York City in 1980. He continued to exhibit his works throughout the United States including in exhibits at Stremmel Galleries, Ltd. in Reno, Nevada, the Arnold Klein Gallery in Royal Oak, Michigan, the Carole Smith Gallery in Salem, Oregon and was accepted into the 68th Annual Allied Artists of America Juried Exhibition in New York City in 1981. Still, Gibbons continued to travel to the United Kingdom for artistic endeavors. On one trip abroad to England, his Yachats studio was destroyed in a fire. After the loss of his studio, Michael purchased the historical vicarage of Saint Mark's Episcopal Church in Toledo, Oregon and moves into the residence to start a new studio space.

In 1982 Michael Gibbons was accepted into the Black Forest International Painting and Sculpture Exhibit in Colorado Springs, Colorado, winning the Award of Merit. His works continued to be accepted into numerous exhibits including the Driscol Gallery in Denver and Vail, Colorado, and Robiard Galleries in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1982. His work was accepted into the Terrace Gallery National Juried Art Exhibition at Columbia Green Community College, New York, the 69th Annual Allied Artists of America Juried Exhibition, New York City, and was accepted and exhibited with the Knickerbocker Artists at the Salmagundi Club, New York City in the same year.

Working with the Galerie de Chevrier in Yachats, Oregon, Gibbons published a signed and numbered limited edition print run of his painting "Farewell to a Favorite Spot" while also showing a solo exhibition at the Galerie de Chevrier which included paintings and drawings of his time in the United Kingdom.

In 1983 Gibbons was accepted and exhibited at the 1st Annual Newport Fine Art and Jazz Festival in Newport, Oregon. That same year Michael had his first feature in Oregon Coast Magazine and exhibited in the 70th Annual Allied Artists of America Juried Exhibition and the 55th Annual American Artists Professional League Juried Exhibition in New York. He became a member of the Allied Artists of America in 1984. During this time Gibbons exhibited in the 4th & 5th Annual Sunriver Juried Competition in Sunriver, Oregon, participated in the Kirsten Gallery International Marine Exhibition in Seattle, Washington, exhibited in the 72nd Annual Allied Artists of America Juried Exhibition in New York, had a solo exhibition at the Abbott Hall Gallery in the William Temple House in Portland, Oregon, and exhibited at the Augustine Gallery in Portland, Oregon. Entering into a partnership with Judith Ross, Michael formed MacGiobuin Fine Arts, a distribution company for his artwork and published limited edition prints of "Snowshill Poppy Field," "Watery Jewels," and "Marsh in Winter."

From 1985 to 1988 Gibbons exhibited at the Greenwich Workshop Galleries in Carmel, California, had solo exhibitions at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, Washington, the Pegasus Gallery in Corvallis, Oregon, the Salishan Lodge in Gleneden Beach, Oregon, and at Oregon State University's Giustina Gallery at the LaSells Stewart Center in Corvallis, Oregon. Michael received a full length feature in Southwest Art Magazine in 1988, and in 1989 Gibbons was honored by Oregon Governor and First Lady Goldschmidt with a reception and solo exhibition in the ceremonial office at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem, Oregon where his painting "Don Gray Country" was selected by Governor Goldschmidt as an addition to the art collection in the Oregon Governor's residence, Mahonia Hall.

In the 1990's, Michael Gibbons begins his relationship with Greenbrier Companies and is commissioned to portray the industrial site of Gunderson Inc., Portland, Oregon in three large paintings. Gibbons traveled again to England and Ireland, including an invitation from Sir Samuel and Lady Roberts to paint for four months at their estate, Cockley Cley in Swaffham, United Kingdom. Gibbons was invited to host a solo exhibition of his work at The Gallery in King's Lynn, Norfolk, United Kingdom. Upon returning to the United States, Michael completed the Greenbrier commission and is honored by Greenbrier Companies and Gunderson, Inc. at a company celebration and formal presentation of the works. Gibbons continued to show his work nationally, including accepting an invitation from Bridger Fine Arts in Bozeman, Montana to participate as one of the exhibiting artists at the Annual CM Russell Auction in Great Falls, Montana. His work was accepted into the Galerie 454 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and again has a solo exhibition at the Abbott Hall Gallery in the William Temple House in Portland, Oregon as a benefit.

Career and Influence
Michael Gibbons began painting original plein air oil works of Newport, Oregon and the surrounding areas with a focus on the Yaquina Watershed. He established his own studio and gallery in Toledo, Oregon and became a leader of the local arts community. In 1993, Gibbons hosted an open-studio tour as a participant of the Corvallis Vistas & Vineyards plein air group which later inspired the beginning of the Annual Toledo Labor Day Art Walk, an event that connects local artists with the general public and attracts thousands of visitors to Toledo, Oregon on an annual basis. Michael Gibbons advocated for the arts locally, teaching numerous painting workshops, promoting artists in the region, and partnering with local industries to host art focused events in the region. Gibbons was the founder of the Yaquina River Museum of Art, an art museum in Toledo, Oregon that preserves, promotes and makes public artists and works of art that are inspired by the Yaquina Watershed. As one of his lasting exhibitions, Michael Gibbons created "Yaquina: A Painted Voice for a Sacred Landscape," a traveling exhibition of his works painted in the Yaquina Watershed over a period of 35 years that has been featured at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center in Newport, Oregon, the LaSells Stewart Center's Giustina Gallery located on Oregon State University's main campus in Corvallis, Oregon, the Chehalem Cultural Center in Newberg, Oregon and is housed at the Yaquina River Museum of Art.

His works are featured in multiple corporate collections, including Gunderson, Inc., Sause Bros. Transportation, Canal Barge Lines, and Alaska Railroad Corp. His painting re-creating the moment when the submersible “Alvin” discovered the hydrothermal vents off the Galapagos Islands in 1977 was given to Dr. Robert Ballard, who was a diver on that expedition. His paintings "Arnold Creek Estuary" and "Don Gray Country" are part of the art collection in Mahonia Hall, the Oregon Governor's residence.

Notable Works

 * "Arnold Creek Estuary" located in Mahonia Hall, the official residence of the governor of Oregon.
 * "Don Gray Country" located in Mahonia Hall, the official residence of the governor of Oregon.
 * "Winter Surf II" painted in collaboration with David Ogden Stiers for the Newport Symphony Orchestra.
 * "Dockside Flowering Plums" located in the Oregon Coast Bank.