Bicycle Art Walk Celebrates National Cyclocross Championships in Bend

Inspired by birds and bicycles, local painter Nikki Hoke Horner created the series of oil paintings on display throughout December at Thump Coffee in downtown Bend. For the special Bicycle Art Walk on Friday, December 11 Thump also invites bicycle fans to enjoy the handcrafted artworks produced by Portland’s acclaimed Vanilla Bicycles.

“Working in my studio/garage this past summer evoked images that evolved to the Birds and Bikes series,” says Hoke Horner. “Having an unhealthy collection of bicycles parked in my studio, led to an exploration of color and texture within the canvas. Being a fan of travel it often feels to me that simply getting on a bicycle and making the decision to go can be as freeing as taking a trip thousands of miles away.”

Hoke Horner is a graduate of Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Read her weblog at nikkihoke.blogspot.com.

According to Vanilla Bicycles, “The Vanilla Workshop is a community — a collaboration between master fabricators; expert bicycle painters; photographers; wood, leather, fabric and metal workers–all working closely to bring the intelligent, edgy, sexiness of Portland to the rest of the world.”

Vanilla owner, designer and bicycle framebuilder Sacha White, 31, started building bicycles in 1999. He is considered to be a pioneering member of a new generation of bicycle framebuilders. Visit vanillabicycles.com.