Page 50 - Southern Oregon Magazine Winter 2020

neck of the woods | community

BLACK, WHITE, & THE BLUES

A Fundraiser for the Arts

by morgan watkins
by timothy bullard

he city of Grants Pass may be small, but its booming art community
Tis larger than life. The town boasts a bounty of galleries and art muse-
ums, with the Grants Pass Museum of Art being among the most notable
in the area. Local artists are represented in the quaint museum, which has
showcased an eclectic slew of dreamy landscapes, moody abstract paint-
ings, and intimate portraits since it was founded in 1979.

The museum is dedicated to engaging with its community, hosting a vari-
ety of events centered around the arts, including this year’s Black, White,
& the Blues fundraising dinner. Since 1988, the gala has continuously
proven to be the soirée of the year for the arts community. Dancing, din-
ner, and live music have drawn visitors time and time again, as tickets
almost always sell out. It’s the museum’s main fundraiser, and all proceeds
will be directly funnelled into the museum.

This year, four incredible artists will be performing live demonstrations
during dinnertime, and gala goers will be able to see them create stunning
artwork with their own unique processes.

Returning for her third Black, White, & the Blues gala in a row, potter
Susan Paul Williams has been throwing pots since she was just 11 years
old. “I love making bowls, vases, mugs, and teapots—things we use eve-
ryday,” says Susan. From the Bay Area, Susan and her photographer hus-
band Michael have always been deeply immersed in the arts community.
“Basically, we both started creating when we were 11 or 12. We both found
something we loved, and we didn’t really think it was something we were
going to do for life.” The couple worked in tandem to run a successful art
gallery in the Bay Area, called Albany Arts Gallery, and both have educated
students of all ages on their crafts.

They moved to Grants Pass eight years ago, after Michael’s health started
to decline due to Parkinson’s disease. Since then, Susan has kept herself
busy both behind the kiln and beyond it, performing live demos in front
of Gallery One during First Fridays in August, having her pottery featured
at the gallery, and running her and her husband’s business, Williams Image
LLC, where they showcase and sell her pottery and his photography.

Michigan native turned local muralist superstar, Bob Eding, will be mak-
ing his second appearance at the museum’s fundraising dinner, with plans
to put his painting skills to the test.

Eding is a jack of all trades, dabbling in chainsaw carving, sculpture, mural David Pinsky, left, and Phil Newton were framed
art, architectural design, and painting, with watercolor being his favorite by “Land of Enchantment” by Cate Battles as they
medium. He has also contributed to the creation of around 25 bear sculp- performed Americana and rhythm and blues before
tures, which glitter in their fibreglass glory along the streets of Grants the main auction began at the Black, White & The
Pass. “I get bored doing the same thing repetitively,” says Eding. Blues Art Auction in 2018. The annual event
benef itted the Grants Pass Museum of Art with
about 60 local artists donating works in both the
silent and main auction.
48 www.southernoregonmagazine.com | winter 2020