Ellen Woods Potter brings a background in both philanthropy and business in the Gorge as she takes over for Sally Johnson who was instrumental in leading the Art Center back into a strong financial position. Before her recent hiring at the Art Center, Potter was Co-owner and General Manager at Working Hands Fermentation in Hood River where she managed staff and coordinated events.

“#GoFish” may be the hottest hashtag this summer for families in the Mid-Columbia Gorge area because of a free art engagement program for kids at The Dalles Art Center (TDAC). The School of Fish program is the name of the summer program designed to reel in families that provides free take-home art kits packed with art supplies and instructions to make colorful paper salmon!

The Dalles Art Center is proud to announce, “The Garden Show: Everyday Nature,” an exhibit and event series celebrating the arrival of spring in the Columbia Gorge. This multi-faceted exploration of the natural world will feature over 30 local artists and a range of workshops and lectures co-produced with The City of The Dalles Beautification and Tree Committee.

The September exhibition is the first comprehensive showing of the work an Oregon textile artist from her early years, the influence of her family to her work creating print designs for national fabric companies, to her full-circle journey into personal storytelling through memorial quilts.

Here are two adult classes coming up at The Dalles Art Center in May. Nancy Turner will focus on storytelling for adults as well as mindfulness meditation. Want to know more? Click here.

Sally Johnson comes to The Dalles Arts Center with 12+ years of managing programs, teams, and departments at for-profit and non-profit organizations. Most recently, she was the Director of Business Development for the non-profit organization, Oxbow Farm & Conservation in Carnation, WA.

As one long-term community supporter noted, “I went to summer art camp at The Center and have many fond memories. I keep thinking that if 2% of the population in The Dalles committed $10 a month - we can keep this place alive for our kids and grandchildren.”

On Monday, March 13, The Dalles Art Center sent out an email letting members know that if $3,500 cannot be raised by March 31, the Board plans on moving ahead with “the painful responsibility of closing The Dalles Art Center by April 15th. This is a public appeal to all residents and businesses to help us avoid such a devastating loss to the community.”

TDAC is proud to announce a new open call for artists of all mediums in the Columbia Gorge Region. With the diminished opportunities for artists unaffiliated with galleries, we are excited to provide artists from the area a space to exhibit their work collectively.

Supporters of The Dalles Art Center had a huge turnout of fellow residents to help create a public sculpture on the SW corner of Second and Washington streets. Check out the videos here.

The Dalles Art Center has teamed up with a group of metal fabrication students at Columbia Gorge Community College to fabricate and install a sizable metal display that will greet visitors outside as they approach the Art Center, on the corner of 3rd and Washington streets.

LIttle Art City Strikes again. The Dalles Art Center seeking local artist submissions to us for a three-dimensional sculpture created through the medium of blacksmithing. It will be installed at an upcoming “pocket park” at the corner of 2nd and Washington streets in the spring of 2022.

A partnership between local art organizations is bringing a full slate of interesting art classes for local children in The Dalles, said The Dalles Art Center’s Director Scott Stephenson. Students generally falling into grades second through fifth can explore mosaic tiles, try some bucket drumming, use recycled materials to make mixed media costumes or jump into fiber arts, learning about knitting, sewing and dyeing.

Ceramics as well as throwing a little clay will be happening at The Dalles Art Center this Saturday, May 15 as the gallery showcases its market of incredible pieces brought about by a collaboration of local and regional artists. As expected, five local artists were included in Beyond the Construct: Penny Wallace, Yvonne Wakefield, Savannah Lawton, Tom Bottman, and Jonathan Kranzley. While you're at it, check out the incredible flowers and the newly refurbished floor. Gorrrrrrrrgeous!