Lend Me Your Walls DCAA Supports Art in Redmond

by NOAH NELSON — A&E Feature Writer

The Dry Canyon Arts Association (DCAA) is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to furthering the arts in Redmon and the surrounding communities. Ultimately, they hope to see a community arts center built and developed, offering art classes, cultural events, a member’s studio and more.

Building a formal location to host Redmond’s artists and their work would solve a current issue facing the arts in Redmond: the town does not have a single art gallery where people can display and explore local art.

One way the DCAA achieves its mission, “to encourage people of all ages to enjoy the experience of art and culture,” is through a year-old program called Lend Me Your Walls, conceived and directed by local artist Cathy Huntington. In this program, several Redmond businesses literally lend DCAA their walls to display the work of local artists. Each showing typically stays up for three months, at which point the art rotates to other artists’ work. These shows are not juried, and any DCAA member can participate.

“As well as providing opportunity and access for all ages to see and appreciate many forms of art, the businesses benefit by experiencing increased traffic, and our local artists and artisans are offered opportunities to display and sell their work,” said DCAA marketing chair Toni Morgan. “DCAA believes this is a win for all concerned.”

According to Morgan, the Lend Me Your Walls program started in 2022 because Redmond had no official art gallery. Businesses were asked to allow art to be hung on their walls for one to three months at a stretch. “Depending on available space, shows can feature from one to more than a dozen artists and artisans,” she said.

Also according to Morgan, the Lend Me Your Walls program addresses a major need in the Redmond community; a town with a surprising number of local artists, “Art in Redmond has ebbed and flowed over the years, even though Central Oregon is an epicenter for Northwest artists,” she said. “With the lack of a gallery dedicated to showing art, this program allows people of all ages to see and enjoy the experience of art and culture— whether going out for pizza, an eye exam or visiting a patient in St. Charles Hospital, Redmond.”

Following their mission, DCAA has plenty of plans for the future, “The future looks good as more businesses are volunteering to host art,” Morgan said. “Membership has gone from a couple dozen to now over 150 members who live in Redmond, Bend, Prineville and Sisters.”

In addition, DCAA participates in Redmond’s First Friday Art Walk with twelve businesses now featuring the work of local artists. DCAA also holds a Spring and Fall Art Show, as well as a reception to meet the artists on June 9th at Redmond’s Senior Center.

With more programs, grants and even plans to find a location for that community arts center in the near future, it’s safe to say that DCAA is rising to meet their goal in fostering the arts in Redmond. drycanyonarts.org