With plentiful forests and parks, wood is a primary feature of what makes the Pacific Northwest majestic in the eyes of curator Morgan Ritter.

And the artists within the Arts Council of Lake Oswego’s upcoming show “WOODCORE” will show how this material — sourced from fallen or salvaged trees, or places like road shoulders or job sites — can be harnessed to make impressive pieces of art. The exhibition will run from May 9 through July 11 at the Artspace gallery in downtown Lake Oswego.

“What makes the Pacific Northwest different is we have access to these incredible forests and, by way of that, artists are influenced by their surroundings and have access to somewhat of a limitless amount of material of wood,” Ritter said. ”A lot of artists source their woods from the remains of logging and things they find on their property, trees that have fallen down from storms. I really love that as inspiration from the show.”

The exhibition will feature the work of Leroy Setziol, who Ritter said is considered the father of Oregon woodworking, his daughter Monica Setziol-Phillips and Bobby Mercier, who is a master carver and cultural educator with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, along with four other artists.

“His legacy is making these absolutely amazing, dynamic quiltlike displays of woodcarving,” Ritter said of Setziol.

The exhibition’s grand opening from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, May 16 will include a ceremonial drum circle led by Mercier.

Of Mercier, Ritter said: “I felt it was important to include his work because it’s representing a master carver that has this ancestral power specific to the location.”

Further, the exhibition will include a sensory station for families to interact with some of the materials used. There will also be woodcarving workshops.

“It is an opportunity for people to play with wood and to do some wood carving themselves,” Ritter said.

For more information, visit https://artscouncillo.org/.