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CORVALLIS, Ore. - Oregon State University's 24th annual Art About Agriculture touring exhibition of fine art is on display in Corvallis at the OSU LaSells Stewart Center's Giustina Art Gallery through April 22.

The exhibit will then travel to Walla Walla in May and to Bend from June 10 to Aug. 6.

"Designing from Nature" was the theme of this year's entries for the juried art exhibit, sponsored in partnership with the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences, the E.R. Jackman board of directors and the OSU Foundation.

A surreal photograph of Palouse wheat land by John McAnualty is among the selected entries in this year's exhibition. McAnualty made his photograph at a time when green blades of new grass mantle the gently rolling terrain. He worked from a vantage point where the numbers of farms and fields in view form a patchwork of colors and textures blanketing this unique area of the region.

"Palouse III," a photograph from the same area by David Winston, shows a swath through a wheat field suggesting script from an arcane alphabet scored by harvest machinery. Storm clouds above this cut field are laden with moisture and pressure that can bring a sudden change to the colors, shapes and luminance of the moment Winston captures.

Other standouts include Corvallis artist Chi Meredith's lithographs, "Morning Light on the Lake" and "Still Lake," which portray the horizon line as a marker between the earth and sky.

Elise Wagner also investigates knowing the earth with her encaustic painting, "Pole Star."

"Amazingly, all the participating artists see agriculture and related natural resources so profoundly, and produce authentic expression of their views," said curator Shelley Curtis.

Volunteer jurors Sally Cleveland of Portland and Richard Helmick and C. J. Weiser of Corvallis selected 30 artists to participate from among the 105 applications received from artists living in Idaho, Oregon and Washington. In addition, Kristie Johnson of Eugene was invited to exhibit her installation, "Memorial Grove," with this year's exhibition.

The 2006 Art About Agriculture tour schedule:

Bend: The High Desert Museum, 59800 South Hwy. 97 (from June 10 to Aug. 6). A reception will be held on Friday, June 9, at 5:30 p.m. Contact: Nicole Nathan 541-382-4745, ext. 392.

Corvallis: Giustina Art Gallery, LaSells Stewart Center, Oregon State University, 26th Street and Western Boulevard (through April 22). Contact: Tina Green-Price, 541-737-3116;

Walla Walla: Carnegie Art Center, 109 South Palouse (from April 30 to June 2). A reception will be held on Sunday, April 30, from 1-4 p.m. Contact: Margaret Jamison 509-525-4270.