26 ART IN NEWPORT WIND DRIFT GALLERY 414 SW BAY BLVD., NEWPORT Wind Drift Gallery was established over 40 years ago and is located on the Historic Bayfront. Locals and tourists alike enjoy the large selection of knick knacks and local treasures. Step through the center threshold and enjoy the many local, regional and world renowned craft and jewelry artists. There is something for everyone. With a collection of gifts and ocean themed pottery, t shirts, magnets, hand soaps and lotions, kitchen towels, and more. One of the best gift shops in Newport, Wind Drift has committed to stocking only the most high quality items. They even feature local artist’s pottery! While on your next stroll down the Bayfront, drop into Wind Drift and explore treasures big and small! PERFORMING ART CENTER 777 W OLIVE ST, NEWPORT The Newport Performing Arts Center (PAC) is the premiere performance venue on the Oregon Coast. It is home to a group of resident companies affectionately called the PACRATs. This Performing Arts Center Resident Artist Team consists of community music, theatre, and dance producers who keep the facility busy year-round. It also serves touring artists, non-profits, for profits, and individuals as space permits. The PAC has two performance spaces, the Alice Silverman Theatre and the David Ogden Stiers Theatre. The Silverman is a 328-seat, proscenium, stage theatre with a full range of technical capabilities. The David Ogden Stiers Theatre is a black box space which can be arranged to seat up to 80. Next time you’re in Newport, check out what’s going on at the Performing Art Center! You could be in for an amazing night at the Symphony Orchestra, a play, or a dance performance. OUTDOOR ART IN NEWPORT One of the best things about Newport is the outdoor art. There are numerous murals located throughout Newport. The Historic Bayfront features most of these maritime murals. Done by world famous artists from Wyland to Rick Chambers, these murals are a sight to see! Whales, boats, and fish scenes scattered around Newport are a reminder of the heart of this coastal fishing town. While you’re on your way down the Bayfront, take a moment to admire the giant pieces of art that have been done in tribute to the great history and legacy of Newport’s bayfront. The bayfront is an air art museum. Enjoy the newly painted mural done by local artist Casey McEneny at Mariner’s Square, the Whale mural done by famous painter Wyland in the early 90s, the boats docked in the harbor on the side of the Rogue done by Rick Chambers, and so many more. THE NEWPORT VISUAL ARTS CENTER 777 NW BEACH DR, NEWPORT Located at the historic Nye Beach Turnaround, is a facility built by the City of Newport as a public art exhibition space and for art education programs and maintained by the Oregon Coast Council for the Arts. Opened in 1983, the Newport Visual Arts Center is the largest facility on the Oregon Coast built specifically for the exhibition of visual art. The Visual Art center includes three traditional gallery spaces, as well as the newer “media room” and “Classroom Gallery.” TRAVEL NEWPORT FAT IS WHERE IT’S AT! aybe you don’t want to don spandex and fly along next to traffic on the Bay Road on a road bike. Maybe you don’t want to hurtle downhill and climb muddy obstacles on a mountain bike. If a cushy, easy, and fun ride on the flat beach is more your speed, and really, it should be everyone’s speed at some point, head over to Bike Newport and rent a fat tire bike to ride the beach. Bike Newport has a fleet of fat bikes to rent for children and adults. You can rent a bike at the shop on 6th Street and ride directly from there to Nye Beach. That’s where the fun begins. “It absolutely feels like flying,” says Bike Newport co-owner Daniella Crowder. The fat tires are ideal for sand, whether you want to ride on the flat, compacted beach near the water or in the dunes. The wide open spaces on Newport’s beaches and the vast sight lines mean that riders of all skill levels can ride without fear of running into anything. More adventuresome riders can try tricks and jumps, using obstacles formed by logs and rocks on the beach. “I’ve explored coves and remote stretches of beach on my fat bike that I’ve never been to on foot,” says Daniella’s husband and business partner, Elliott. “Just a few months ago I discovered a waterfall in South Beach that I never knew was there.” Fat bikes can be ridden on mountain biking trails and pavement, too. Elliott Crowder loves his fat bike so much that he has essentially given up riding his mountain bike, which is saying a lot for a bike shop owner. Ready to join the fun? You can rent fat tire bikes at Bike Newport any time the shop is open for $20 per hour or $50 for the day, and take them wherever you’d like. They have adult and kid-sized bikes, but the fleet size is limited so be sure to reserve early. BIKE NEWPORT Location: 150 NW 6th St. | Phone: (541) 265-9917 | bikenewport.com <strong>OC</strong> <strong>WAVES</strong> • VOL <strong>3.9</strong>
Photo by Jeremy Burke <strong>OC</strong> <strong>WAVES</strong> • VOL <strong>3.9</strong> 27