<p>Lam Quang and Kestrel Gates use paper and wax to make lamps that are as much sculpture as light source. Submitted photo</p>

ASTORIA – During April, RiverSea Gallery will present a narration of beauty and light with the work of three Portland artists and the exhibition “Geisha and The Lantern.”

An opening night reception and artists’ talk will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 7. This event will be followed by an artist’s reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 14, in conjunction with Astoria’s Second Saturday Art Walk, during which a new series of Paula Blackwell’s dreamlike encaustic paintings will be presented.

Stacy Polson, a longtime fiber artist, has merged storytelling with her passion for color and texture. Her “wool paintings” combine the richness of visual aesthetics through composition along with her skilled technique of needle felting, a process in which fiber is adhered to fabric. Her intricate “paintings” are comprised of hand-felted wool along with just about any other fiber she can get her hands on to work within her mythical tale of the Geisha. When discussing the origins and inspiration of her work she stated, “Once upon a time, I began to wonder how old Japanese woodcuts might look made of felt because I loved the colorful kimonos and cartoon-like faces. I’d worked with felt in the past, making intricately appliqued tapestries on my sewing machine and had enjoyed it. But for this project I found that my store-bought felt was limiting me from achieving what I’d envisioned. I was mulling over the messy prospect of dying it when I discovered, tucked away in the nook of my local yarn store, a few items labeled “needle-felting.” Since this discovery she’s found endless inspiration from bundles of wool, velvet and other materials. About her process she said, “It’s allowed me to experiment like never before because I can simply remove a mistake by plucking out the wool. And what other medium lets you paint and sculpt and virtually needs no cleanup?”

Lâm Qu?ng and Kestrel Gates, who comprise the artistry behind HiiH Lights, are a Portland couple who create unique handmade lighting. Working with natural materials, they work collaboratively from concept and design to the final creation of their original paper light sculptures, utilizing both traditional and self-taught techniques. Inspired deeply by the natural world and natural life cycles, the couple also draws extensively from Asian aesthetics. “For us, this work feels both functional and expressive. These materials offer great flexibility, allowing for intricate and exacting lines as well as loose, organic forms. Sometimes we use the absence of color, other times we use soft, watery hues or bold, striking color to bring life to each piece. A layer of wax transforms the paper into a skin-like transparency, preparing it for our final medium, which is light itself.”

Qu?ng, who is originally from Vietnam, was inspired at an early age by the lamps of moon festivals that etched vivid memories as a child. He met and joined forces with Gates in 2004. It was her background with the performing arts that added another dimension to the lamps. Together the function of light, the craft of paper and the art of sculpture have merged to create the perfect marriage.

RiverSea Gallery is located at 1160 Commercial St. and features original art, fine craft and jewelry by established and emerging artists from the Northwest and beyond. Business hours are 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call the gallery at (503) 325-1270 or visit the website at www.riverseagallery.com