Sisters has become a center for the arts in Central Oregon. Local artists are actively involved in the community, helping with instruction in the schools and participating in outstanding art fund-raisers that benefit school programs. Sisters’ many galleries help create a vibrant art scene. A walk through Sisters will take visitors through numerous art galleries offering a wide range of fine arts. Downtown art strolls scheduled through the summer offer a perfect opportunity to discover Sisters’ galleries and many outstanding artists. Visit www.nuggetnews.com for dates.

The Barclay Gallery at 170 W. Cascade Ave. (in Barclay Square) features paintings in oils and watercolor, pottery and ceramics and hand-blown glass. The gallery also offers a range of classes and workshops throughout the year.

Canyon Creek Pottery at 310 N. Cedar St. features handmade Pottery by Kenneth G. Merrill. The gallery is a working studio adjoining the pottery showroom, which displays mugs, bowls, lamps and custom dinnerware.

Folk Arts & Co. at 222 W. Hood Ave. lives up to its name, presenting functional art by Oregon artists. Here you’ll find pottery, jewelry, painting and more, all created by craftspeople and artists who live and work in the Pacific Northwest.

Cliff Scharf Gallery at 431 E. Cascade Ave. offers custom silver and gold jewelry, specializing in colored stones and diamonds. Repair services are available. Second-generation jeweler Sam Scharf has taken over proprietorship of the gallery and offers his own unique work. The gallery is also home to the paintings of noted artist Nancy Watterson-Scharf.

Clearwater Gallery at 391 W. Cascade Ave. features Western, wildlife and angling art. Proprietor Dan Rickards is himself an award-winning wildlife artist, honored by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and other wildlife organizations. The gallery also features work by many other Pacific Northwest artists in a variety of media.

Ghiglieri Gallery at 103 E. Hood Ave. offers a one-man show of the prolific painter and sculptor Lorenzo Ghiglieri. Ghiglieri’s works have been presented to presidents and popes, queens and commissars. His themes generally reflect a passion for the American West.

High Desert Gallery & Custom Framing at 281 W. Cascade Ave. features artwork by local, national and international artists in a variety of media. The expansive gallery showcases a wide variety of styles. The gallery also offers framing services.

The Jewel at 221 W. Cascade Ave., adjacent to Barclay Park, offers a unique selection of jewelry crafted by nationally recognized artists working in gold, mixed metals and sterling silver. The gallery has a unique selection of spectacular mineral and fossil specimens.

Sisters Gallery & Frame Shop at 252 W. Hood Ave. features the photography of proprietor Gary Albertson and other artists. Albertson specializes in capturing the natural beauty of Sisters and the Metolius Basin.

Soda Creek Gallery at 183 E. Hood Ave. offers paintings, limited-edition prints, blown glass, bronze sculpture and original wood carvings. Much of the art found at this long-time favorite Sisters gallery has a Western theme.

Jennifer Lake Gallery at 220 W. Cascade Ave. Lake is an acclaimed painter whose folk art-flavored pieces have graced homes in Sisters and across the country for 20 years.

Sisters Art Works, located at 204 W. Adams Ave., is a unique addition to the local art scene. Combining fine arts with music and healing arts, the new center enhances an artistic culture that has become a central part of Sisters’ community. It is home to the studio of photographer Hadley McCann and provides studio space, music rooms, a venue for meetings and music performances and display space for artists including John Simpkins, Paul Alan Bennett, Kathy Deggendorfer and Glen Corbett. For more information visit www.sistersartworks.com.