Art Suffices Consciousness
Mural by: Beau Stanton; On the back of McDonald Theater in Eugene OR
By Elizabeth Frazier
Art
has earned a place of its own within intelligent
thinking. If you weren't one to realize it before it
seems possible you may become more aware of it in the future as
Eugene moves forward with it's master plan for the public arts, which
is a “cultural plan that counts on public art to play a role to
help ―integrate art's and culture into the fabric of Eugene’s
downtown and neighborhoods."
The
Lane Arts Council was awarded $57,000 in July 16' to go along with
the percent for art program which allows one half of one percent of
construction grants to go toward art creation. The other
portion is put toward art education for children and community art
events that can make the outside world seem a little more accessible
to inner city children and adults.
Tomi
Douglas, Eugene art committee's Public Art Manager lead the “First
Friday Art Walk” event, Dec. 2, 2016' and introduced some of the
art galleries and art initiative here in Eugene.
After judging wreaths, all of which by the way are patterned after
a circle the symbol of eternity and unity, we visited the “Studio
Amiche” above The Steel Head Brewery on 5th
St. Owned by Kathryn Hutchinson and Patsy Hand. Artist's
 |
| Kathryn Hutchinson, right and Patsy Hand, left, the Artists of Studio Amiche, 199 E. 5th Ave. Suite 23, upstairs |
showcasing oil painting's, mono-types and etching's. They had an array of modern impressionist, geometrical, and
traditional works available, prices' starting around $300. Next we visited “FRESH The Art of Modern Jewelry
Design” for the exhibit and sale of designs produced by current and
former Metal-smith student's from The University of Oregon School of Architecture and
Allied Arts'.
We
visited Out on a Limb where fine wood hand crafted furniture is
formed as an artwork, painting's of the Oregon Coast were on display
and modern metal works were imported and exported. There were some
silly to live by saying's painted on clean wood. A good saying always holds' virtue. But, I
decided to go back and take my own art walk in order to get a chance
to talk to the owners and artist's who had helped make it possible to have renowned art in Eugene.
I
first talked to Susan Costa, Owner, buyer and collector of an Americans for Fair
Trade Collection at the Mosaic, 28 East Broadway, an international
fair trade store. Susan said that “It was her dream to see only
fair trade everywhere, especially in the US. "She said companies
are undercutting wages and child labor laws by exporting work to
sweat shop labor.” She told me that, “Sweat Shop Labor is work
that pays below what it costs to live in a persons culture, material
costs are involved as well so they can't make a wage” and that
“Fair Trade is a USA Federation of fair certified projects that
gives a guarantee that workers from several different countries, some
in South America, others in Africa and the list is still expanding,
get paid a wage to fit their costs for living.” And “Fair trade
means that the true cost is paid and a proven way to prevent poverty.”
After
I left the Mosaic I came to the corner of E. Broadway and the Cone and
Ball; collectors of antique artistic objects. I spoke with one J.
Sylvester. He showed me “a treasure,” telling me it was “the
15th
piece of Jan Zachs collection that had been left out due to water
damage, the first 14 were given to Willamette University as planned
by his estate.” J. also had an iron sculpture of a lady holding a
bird that he said “was thought to be a part of the lady donated by Zach before his death, to the
“Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.” I asked
Sylvester what made art world class and he said that “as an antique
collector he has noticed a learning curve, people don't know what
things are worth.” I also asked him where they get their antiques
and he said “They buy things locally, mostly.” And I
asked if the Cone and Ball had a specific clientele? He said, “the parents
of the university students make up the bulk of their best costumers
and a lot of them are from California.”
Then
I moved on across Willamette St. to “Vista Framing” where after
viewing several interesting oil paintings', I found myself talking
to the artist's themselves. Patricia Carroll and Diane Lewis who
informed me that their store and gallery would be moving this weekend
to a new site at 411 W. 4th
. They
also said that “it was a coincidence that I came in from LCC as
their new location is going to be in a building where they have workshop spaces for artist's and teachers to teach art
education classes.” I asked the question, what does world class
art mean and what does it mean for a mural painter? They both said
that, “it's a little hard to say” Carroll mentioned that “a
mural painter is more hard line than an oil painter,” Lewis agreed
and said “It is hard to say these day's with the characteristics of
contemporary art.” It seems to be more graphic and have a modern
style, like the mural that was finished in August downtown on the
back of a Eugene Performing Arts building by Beau Stanton.” On
Stanton's About page it states' that he “draws on a nautical (Sailing) and
cultural influence from where he currently lives' in New York.” Lewis also mentioned that Stanton was not going to available as far
as we know to do another mural.” It sounds like he is not scheduled
to come back.
Historical
value has been an initiative for Eugene's public art display, you can
find it downtown near the library, the bus station as well as in
and around Kesey Square. Eugene's Train Station and city and county hall's also have statue's and artworks reminding
residents and visitors that tranquility could be possible through
good communication and diversity. The Wayne Morse Statue and
surrounding plaques quote some of the values that have
governed Oregon and helped to clarify a human purpose, rather than an imposition one.
Art,
in a way, suffices consciousness. Putting
pencil to drawing board, paintbrush to canvases or clay to form, you
might think you are making a conscious effort with a knowledgeable
direction. If a mistake happens, it gets' corrected but everyone has their own impressionistic interpretation. I think Art is meant to be abstract and analytic: brain work.
Barbarba
Mossberg, (Ecologist and Poet) wrote in the Opinion of The Register-Guard
recently and suggested that "Our abilities to conceive new solutions
and to apprehend how the universe works come from ways of
understanding and developing the mind." She says' “to achieve
great comprehensive education, humanities is not a luxury we afford;
it is essential
brain work that generates better thinking.”
