David Bates

David Bates is an Oregon journalist with more than 20 years as a newspaper editor and reporter in the Willamette Valley, covering virtually every topic imaginable and with a strong background in arts/culture journalism. He has lived in Yamhill County since 1996 and is working as a freelance writer. He has a long history of involvement in the theater arts, acting and on occasion directing for Gallery Players of Oregon and other area theaters. You can also find him on Substack, where he writes about art and culture at Artlandia.

Hallie Ford Museum of Art at 25: A ‘greatest hits’ show offers something for everyone

Pieces in a show highlighting the Salem museum's permanent collection range from a Yangshao ceramic pot and an 18th-century print by Piranesi to work by Oregon artists Arvie Smith, Lucinda Parker, Henk Pander, and George Johanson.

‘Where We Belong’ at Oregon Shakespeare Festival tackles colonialism, language, ethnocide, and assimilation

Madeline Sayet's play, at the festival in Ashland through Oct. 15, strives to reconcile whether an Indigenous person can love the most famous writer produced by a colonial power.

‘Blame It on Art’ at Linfield University pulls art into public discourse on homelessness

The show, in the McMinnville gallery through Oct. 6, features work by artists from Outside the Frame, a nonprofit that mentors unhoused youth.

Falling for art in Yamhill County

From the annual Art Harvest Studio Tour to metal and fiber arts exhibits, a double handful of autumn gallery and studio shows to catch in Yamhill wine country.

Newberg’s Gather Repertory Theatre offers an artistic response to political strife, this month with ‘A Feminine Ending’

Born following a ruckus about “political” symbols in local schools, the professional company -- part of Yamhill County's thriving theater scene -- aims to create a safe space for minority communities.

Aaron Akers: ‘The Bob Ross of Oregon’

The McMinnville plumber taught himself to paint by watching YouTube tutorials during the pandemic. This fall, he's teaching classes at Back Door Studio.

‘Pride and Prejudice’ at Gallery Theater: Not your grandmother’s Jane Austen

Director Katrina Godderz calls Kate Hamill's adaptation a “wink-wink, nudge-nudge” take on the romantic comedy.

Third Angle takes flight at the Evergreen Aviation Museum with ‘1000 Airplanes on the Roof’

The Portland-based ensemble performs Philip Glass’ science-fiction music drama under the Spruce Goose as the finale to its season exploring the human mind.

Terroir Creative Writing Festival returns to Newberg with workshops and advice

After a 3-year pandemic hiatus, the event for writers of all levels returns April 29. Festival participants Emily Grosvenor and Lisa Weidman talk about what to expect.

‘Rita Robillard: Time and Place’ at Hallie Ford Museum mixes mediums and moods

The Portland artist’s nearly half-century of work is informed by her travels and curiosity about subjects ranging from ecology to Asian art.

Melissa Gregory Rue: From participant to chair of McMinnville Short Film Festival

The former Oregon resident says the festival, which starts Thursday, is unusual in its focus on celebrating filmmakers and making connections.

Newberg show by Surface Design Association obliterates old notions about fiber arts

The medium is “having a moment in the arts world” due to interest in studio crafts and handmade work, sustainability, and local cultures.

At East Creek Art Camp, a community of potters gathers around the anagama kiln

Near Willamina, Joe Robinson has created a haven for ceramicists working with the wood-fired kiln. “When you stand next to a fire,” he says, “you feel like you belong."

Getting in the flow: Eduardo Cruz brings intricate imagery to Wild Arts Festival

The self-taught McMinnville pyrographer and etcher says creating art is integral to his life. “When it comes to doing what I’m passionate about, it’s close to meditation.”

Metal Arts Gift Show: ‘Crazy people who light things on fire and hit them with big hammers’

The Dec. 10 show at the Yamhill Valley Heritage Center features 30 artists who make everything from jewelry to Viking armor.

A holly jolly mood at Gallery Theater, Pentacle Theatre, and Theatre in the Grove

Theater companies in McMinnville, Salem, and Forest Grove stage holiday plays, including a new “Christmas Carol,” and look ahead to their 2023 seasons.

‘Paper Gardens’ anthology showcases work by Yamhill County youth

Judge Henry Hughes calls the work in the 29th collection of poetry and prose “exceptionally high quality,” despite a pandemic hit to the budget and fewer contributions from adults.

Yamhill County calendar: A stone-age musical, art shows, and a new ‘Christmas Carol’

Theaters and galleries ramp up for the holidays with a stone-age musical, a new adaptation of Dickens’ classic, art sales, and a Pride Winter Ball.

Willamina Coastal Hills Art Tour is a good reason to visit tiny Willamina

The 30-year-old event, last held in 2019, takes place on the West Valley Community Campus, an up-and-coming center for art and culture.

Northwest Coast art at Hallie Ford Museum challenges expectations about Indigenous art

More than 100 pieces from the George and Colleen Hoyt collection show that Native art is both contemporary and as much about beauty as utility.

Richard Keis: Photographing the craftspeople of Oaxaca 

A show at Newberg’s Chehalem Cultural Center focuses on Mexican artisans, many in trades on the cusp of vanishing.

Yamhill County’s Art Harvest Studio Tour returns with record number of artists

The self-guided tour over two weekends includes 49 painters, sculptors, book and jewelry makers, ceramacists, and fabric artists, among others.

Intisar Abioto: Black lives writ large in Chehalem Cultural Center show

The Portland photographer says she is interested in the “lived history of Black place,” the legacy of Black artists in Oregon who came before.

Yamhill County calendar: Pastel Artists of Oregon’s show scores on ‘wow’ factor

Coming months also see the return of the Walnut City Music Festival and Art Harvest Studio Tours, as well as Gallery Theater’s season and a Scottish festival.

‘Rural’ at Umpqua Valley Arts: ‘Art that makes sense in a world of rural values’

The Roseburg show of nearly 100 pieces in various media explores the gap between urban and rural Oregon -- and strives to bridge it.

Art Conspiracy gives youth in rural Yamhill, Polk counties a deep dive into the arts

The nonprofit offers two-week immersive classes in everything from print-making to Ghanian drumming to performing in a Shakespearean play.

Egypt through 19th-century eyes: David Roberts’ paintings at Hallie Ford Museum

The Scottish painter created images from the Middle East, traveling “at a time when things looked very different,” the exhibition curator says.

Pentacle Theatre delivers Antarctic blast with ‘Terra Nova’

Ted Tally’s surreal play about Robert Scott’s ill-fated expedition to the South Pole is seldom staged, but you can see it this month in Salem.

Aquilon Music Festival returns with Ukrainian music, opera about immigration

The festival, which starts Thursday, includes musical chestnuts as well as concerts benefiting Ukrainian relief and “Ourland,” a modern, dystopian opera.

Make Music McMinnville hits the high notes on summer solstice

Nearly 40 bands and musicians attend the inaugural event, offering everything from Aztec dance to a “vibrational sound bath.”