Day Trips, Places to See, To Dos

Russian artist shares his perspective of region in exhibit at Dry Falls

The photographers dog takes a peek over the edge of the cliff early in the morning at Dry Falls, with the visitor center in the background.

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission invites the public to attend an oil painting exhibit at Dry Falls Visitor Center featuring work by Russian artist Gennady Ugryumov near Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park.
The oil paintings are on display throughout 2012 in Dry Falls Visitor Center, 34875 Park Lake Road N.E., Coulee City.
The post-impressionist landscapes on canvas feature Ugryumov’s interpretation of the middle Columbia River and the Columbia Plateau region as experienced in his July and November 2009 visits to the area. Ugryumov’s exhibit, titled the Big River series, includes 20 individual landscape pieces and a three-section mural entitled, “Children of the Big River.” The exhibit is recognized by the Colville Confederated Tribes.
“Children of the Big River” is a large, 51- by 204-inch mural inspired by Ugryumov’s July 2010 visit to the Colville Confederated Tribes’ annual powwow ceremony. The mural depicts themes of the past, present and future of the Columbia Plateau region, using gradual value changes to illustrate the viewer’s movement from past to future.
Ugryumov is a native of Vesyegonsk, a small village along the Vologda River in the Tver Province of west-central Russia. His formal training is from the Tver Fine Arts Institute, of which the Big River series was displayed in 2010. Ugryumov is also a member of the Russian Fine Artist League.
Dry Falls Visitor Center is located two miles north of Sun Lake-Dry Falls State Park on Highway 17. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (except Thursdays) Jan. 2 to April 30 and Oct. 1 to Dec. 31; and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily May 1 to Sept. 30. Admission is by donation.
Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park is a 4,027-acre camping park with 73,640 feet of freshwater shoreline at the foot of Dry Falls. Dry Falls is a geological wonder of North America. Carved by Ice Age floods, the former waterfall is now a stark cliff, 400 feet high and 3.5 miles wide. In its heyday, the waterfall was four times the size of Niagara Falls. Today, it overlooks a desert oasis filled with lakes and abundant wildlife.
The Commission manages a diverse system of more than 100 state parks and recreation programs, including long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation. The 98-year-old park system will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.
Washington State Parks is on Twitter at WaStatePks_NEWS and YouTube at WashingtonStateParks.