Columbia Memorial | Health Compass | Fall 2019

Stirling Gorsuch, printmaking From an early age, Gorsuch was encouraged to take his art seriously. With two artists for parents, he says his life has been a natural progression toward becoming just like them. After studying applied visual arts at Oregon State University, Gorsuch works mainly with printmaking. He grew up in Cannon Beach, and, for the Seaside clinic, he created a series of four monoprints based on his favorite places down the coast. The prints are atmospheric color studies, illustrating the sky at different times of day. “My favorite times in my life have been out in nature in these places,” he says. “Those are my biggest inspiration, although trying to translate the feelings can be difficult.” Gorsuch recently purchased a new press and took about a month to make the art for the clinic. He wanted to use these pieces to explore and try new things. “I love doing commissions, though sometimes it’s hard to deliver specific ideas. This project was open-ended, which was nice. I’m excited to be a part of it,” he says. “I think art can foster wellness and inspiration and be thought-provoking. It can restore peace, whether you’re healthy or not.” Dorota Haber-Lehigh, colored pencil and watercolor Haber-Lehigh is drawing from her background and interests to create her art piece for the Seaside clinic. A native of Poland, she has lived in Seaside for two decades. At Pacific University, she majored in art and international studies, focusing on the history and culture of native peoples. “Many of the local native plants have been used medicinally by native people,” Haber-Lehigh says. “It is a fascinating subject to study. In Poland, it is very common to use plants for healing purposes.” Haber-Lehigh is creating a series of 25 botanical illustrations on woodblocks that will be arranged in a square, similar to a mosaic. The blocks will feature healing plants from the Pacific Northwest. “Each piece will be done in colored pencils and watercolor, on a walnut ink background, with layers of protective wax on top,” she explains. “The illustrations will be vibrant in color, and the subject matter will range from trees to flowers to berries.” Her art is heavily influenced by her childhood, during which she spent time mushroom hunting, camping and hiking with her parents. And she loves the idea of having nature-related art in health care settings. “Being surrounded by plants can be soothing,” she says. “The cyclical nature of plants reminds us of the human life cycle. Above all, nature and plants have amazing powers of regeneration, giving us hope for our own well-being.” COLUMBIAMEMORIAL.ORG FALL 2019 5 More of Gorsuch’s work can be seen in the RiverSea Gallery in Astoria, White Bird Gallery in Cannon Beach and online at gorsuchstirling.com . You can see more of Haber-Lehigh’s work at dorotahaberlehigh.com or at the Cannon Beach Art Association.