More than 500 artists have been affiliated during the last 10 years.

”I think this gallery is very important. This was a symbol that the city of Bend was supporting the arts,” said Cristina Acosta as she dropped off two delicate figure charcoal drawings and an oil painting. The artist, who runs Cristina Acosta Art Studio and Gallery, moved to Bend about 20 years ago. ”It’s the reason the Art Station exists, and the roundabout art.”

Barbara Speck brought in two works she painted specifically for this show. She carried an album full of pictures of the gallery’s grand opening and discussed the history of the building.

”It was a ratty piece of grass with an old house covered in vines,” Acosta said of the bungalow. ”No one saw the value to it. Now it seems so obvious. It’s a visible nonprofit that’s community supported. I was so honored (to be asked). I thought, ‘What a great thing.’”

”It’s neat to see artists branch out and come back,” Royce said. ”You get a sense of who this community’s artists are. It shows where we come from and where we are going.”

Royce said the show will feature ”lots of different media and lots of different styles.” In addition to the ”Founding Artists Show,” paintings by Judy Hoiness will be exhibited.

The gallery sponsored an art competition asking for images of the Allen-Rademacher house or Libby’s Garden, which is just outside the gallery. Denise Mahoney’s acrylic painting, ”Pergola Patterns,” won first place. It and nine other pieces will be displayed through the month.

Images from the 2005 ”Through the Eyes of a Child” calendar will also be shown. The calendar – by the Deschutes County Commission on Children and Families – features photographs taken by youth at Healy Heights Apartments, an affordable housing complex for low-income families. Each child worked with a local photographer.

”It’s going to be a very full, exciting show. I’m not sure where everything will go,” said Royce. ”The artists still believe in us and support us and are happy to celebrate with us.”