‘Shifting Grounds’ Opens at EOU’s Nightingale Gallery; Artist Talk Nov. 5

‘Shifting Grounds’ Opens at EOU’s Nightingale Gallery; Artist Talk Nov. 5

LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon University’s Nightingale Gallery presents “Shifting Grounds,” a solo exhibition by Spokane-based artist Andrew Parker. Rooted in architecture and environmental awareness, the exhibition explores how place shapes identity—personal, cultural, and collective. The show opens with a reception for the artist on Friday, November 7, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Parker’s work navigates the subtle intersections between built environments and natural landscapes, particularly within the context of the American West—a region defined by urban sprawl, shifting terrain, and human intervention. Rather than depicting nature directly, Parker suggests its presence through abstraction, evoking memory, movement, and transformation.

His creative process begins with conceptual drawings that serve as blueprints, guiding decisions about material, form, gesture, and color. At the heart of each piece lies a structural grid, a nod to Parker’s background in architecture. Within these frameworks, hand-cut paper circles emerge—collaged from repurposed materials such as personal photographs, magazines, grocery bags, maps, and privacy envelopes. These fragments speak to the overwhelming abundance of visual information in contemporary life while inviting quiet reflection on what we notice, ignore, or discard.

Through the interplay of collage, structure, and reclaimed materials, Parker creates a visual language that feels both personal and public, formal and organic. His work invites viewers to reconsider their own relationships to land, memory, and the layered environments they inhabit.

“Andrew Parker’s dynamic abstractions encourage us to reflect upon our connections to the landscapes we occupy and our relationship to the natural world,” said Cory Peeke, Director of the Nightingale Gallery.

Parker is an artist and architect based in Spokane, Washington. He studied photography and architecture at Montana State University, earning a B.A. in Environmental Design, and received a Master of Architecture from the University of Houston. His practice spans both studio and public art, with recent projects including murals for residence halls in Bozeman, Montana, and a Spokane elementary school library. His work has been exhibited at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, the Jundt Art Museum, and venues throughout Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.

In conjunction with the exhibition, Parker will present a public artist talk on his studio practice and the conceptual framework behind the exhibit. The talk will take place on Wednesday, November 5, at 6 p.m. in Huber Auditorium, Badgley Hall.

“Shifting Grounds” will be on view through Thursday, December 4. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, follow the Nightingale Gallery on Facebook and Instagram.To request images of artwork for publication or to schedule an interview with the artist please contact Gallery Director Cory Peeke at cpeeke@eou.edu.