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ART PICK

ROGUE VALLEY ARTISTS RECEIVE
ANNUAL GRANTS TO CREATE BEAUTY
By Jane Ayers

n May 4-5, Haines & Friends
OFund held their fourth annual
Artist Awardees Exhibit in Ashland
Springs Hotel’s Crystal Ballroom.
Showcasing the works of 18 local
artists and arts organizations who
received community-based grants
from the Fund in 2017 (totaling
$60,000), founder Matthew Haines
stated, “Supporting creativity is
important work, as it helps deliver
these wonderful works of art into the
world. We want to give the artists the respect they deserve, because many have to
work two-three jobs to make ends meet. The grants make a difference because they
can be freer to focus on their art and creativity.” The Southern Oregon Guild of
Artists and Artisans received a $3,500 grant to build a studio for members to host
workshops. Board member Wendy Huber said, “We help artists with grant-writing,
professional marketing, printing flyers, and building their portfolios.”

Terry Davis used the Guild’s help to procure a grant that enabled Tikelma Dome
School (Williams, OR) to purchase a kiln. The kids can now fire their clay sculptures.

With his $5,000 grant, sculptor Jack Langford remodeled and expanded his in-
house foundry. “This helps students who can’t pay. For 15 years, I’ve had students in
my workspace, so the expansion helps me, too.” (Langford created the bronze cast of
Russell Beebe’s carved statue, We Are Here, located in downtown Ashland.)
Artist Mabrie Ormes used her $3,000 grant for Portraits of Women Writers. The
series includes prose in gold leaf. Virginia Woolf, Willa Cather, Louisa May Alcott,
Harriet Beecher Stowe, Gertrude Stein, and Edith Wharton are among the writers
included.

Filmmaker Aaron Moffatt developed a children’s butterfly documentary with
his $3,000. “This will introduce children to the ecology of the Klamath-Siskiyou
Mountains through the lens of the butterfly. The endangered Klamath Mountains
butterfly and bee populations need protection. We have the world’s last sustainable
migration corridor, connecting through U.S. old-growth ecosystems.” (Moffatt
directed the award-winning film, Klamath.)
His partner, Carlos Velazquez, added, “We take still photos all around redwood
trees, then produce a 3-D scene that moves above and around the trees, finally add-
ing music to capture the essence of the trees’ energy fields.”
Other grantees include Judy Weiner, Gabriel Lipper, Kristen O’Neill, Marilyn
Foreman, Micah Lael, Opie Snow Heyerman, Abram Katz, Art Presence Art
Center, Erica Alexia Ledesma, Illinois River Valley Arts Council, Krista Hepford,
Karen Rycheck, and the Studio at Living Opportunities.
Contact Denise Baxter, Fund Administrator at hainesfounda-
tion@gmail.com or call 541-482-9300 to help support Rogue
Valley artists

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