John Herbst Jr., owner of the Golden Legend Art Gallery originally started in Lake Oswego, returns to the art world with a showing of his own impressionistic acrylic paintings Feb. 24 to April 11 in the lobby of the Lakewood Center for the Arts.  A reception, with more paintings, will be held April 8 and 9, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.  in the lower-level community meeting room.  The Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S. State St., is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and 6 p.m. until curtain on show nights.

Herbst, a Portland landscape architect, has been bringing the garden hopes of his clients to life with design in plants and hardscape for 50 years, during which he designed more than 600 gardens in the Portland metro area and has done work from Canada to southern Mexico.

“My years of working with designers and artists in all mediums, my travel experiences, and a lifelong appreciation of nature have resulted in a creative urge to capture form, color and visual energy in my paintings.”

The Golden Legend Gallery, which was originally at the corner of Second Street and A Avenue in Lake Oswego was opened by Elaine Marsh in 1968.  She ran it until 1971 when she sold it to Mr. Herbst, who then expanded it to include a framing shop.

 
Until the gallery closed in 1980, it showcased the work of many local artists, such as watercolors by Bong Wai Chen, oils by Carolyn Dewey, mixed media by Roger Long and ceramics by Ken Shores.  A champagne opening each month celebrated each artist’s new show.

Herbst, then a Lake Oswego, resident, has worked on numerous landscape projects for the City of Lake Oswego, City of Milwaukie and Clackamas Central Parks Association, worked at city beautification with Garden Clubs and set designs for the Community Theater (which went on to become Lakewood Theatre Company).  In 1963 he was named Junior Citizen of Lake Oswego by the National Junior Chamber of Commerce, designed the City’s entry in the Portland Grand Floral Parade in 1970 (Grand Marshall’s trophy) and was elected president of the Lake Oswego Chamber of  Commerce in 1976.

His, as well as clients’ gardens have been featured many times in Better Homes and Gardens, House Beautiful, Western Wood Products, very often in Sunset Magazine and appeared in Garden Books for over 35 years.