The 13 January, 2007 Art Walk - as reported by Horst

It was a cold evening in Brookings on the 2nd Saturday in January, but it didn’t deter the townspeople to take their monthly Art Walk , look at the new art, listen to their favorite musicians, try the delicacies put out by the galleries and enjoy the special events.

I started at Manley Art Center where Carl Rovainen was setting up with a crew of 4, including colorful Mikalis Mavris with full beard and new Greek bazooka, to entertain the Walkers while they looked at the works of featured artists Debra Dudley and Charlotte Palmer.

At the Central Gallery a special exhibit put together by Sara Broderick caught my eye: drawings by a former teacher colleague and his students showing artists at work. Artists drawing artists! Shirley Hyatt and Gil Kirk provided the background music.

When I got to Signatures Gallery, the Limericists were assembling. They got the crowd’s attention with a few nerve-rattling bursts from a bugle and the ring of a noisy hand bell. Marge Woodfin, the head-lim, introduced the motley crew of six: Elmo Williams, Lon Goddard, Connie Ruma, Horst Wolf and “newcomer” Earl Mohr, Gold Beach’s Wizard of Od. After making fun of Brookings, its dignitaries, and each other, the Limericists grudgingly admitted the Wizard into their ranks, albeit under pressure from the crowd. Among the new art presented, the most amazing to me were the large prints of master printer Joe Tonini of some of his early works, one of them printed on linen! No frame, no glass, no mat. Put it on a curtain rod and hang it on the wall. Great invention for starving artists.

I dropped down to Terra Cotta Corners for John Archuletta's famous Mexican hors d'eouvres. They were as good as ever, although a lot of people already know about it now. There was a crowd around the table, including PILOT reporter Wilhelm Schlichting. The attention was divided between the goodies and Billy Furuichi, a new guitarist/vocalist on the Art Walk, who entertained the Walkers for 20 enjoyable minutes with melodies and songs from Mexico.

A brief look into Eye for Art, the gallery for contemporary art, where Lon Goddard and Aura Wright presented new duets on guitars and vocals. They always come up with a new twist - way to go. Their colleague, western swing guitarist Rapp Brush, down the street at Exotic Wood Gallery, provided the musical background to artist Sjana Nanny’s demonstration of mural painting.

At Words and Pictures I listened to Pat Bisgrove read from her works to an appreciating audience. Then I looked at Pete Chasar’s amazing geometric art - sculptures as well as 2-dimensional pieces. It’s well worth an extra visit to study his stuff in a quiet atmosphere.

Last I visited the the library, where the Gold Beach Four displayed their art: Dauna Roberts, Lorraine Filippone, Tammy DeLaney and Sharon Guinn. Sharon also doubled up as a musician. She had brought her trio from Gold Beach to entertain the Art Walkers. The special event at 6 PM was a violin duet performed by Shirley Hyatt and her student, teenager Ryan Johnson. It was heart warming to listen to those two, separated in age by several decades, getting together to play pieces of the old masters.

On the way out I looked at the display in the library’s showcase. Ted Watkins of Gold Beach Books has assembled an astounding collection of antique books, including some manuscripts dating from the 14th century, accompanied by brief texts that explain the history of book-making. It is obvious that books are Ted’s passion. Thank you, Ted, for coming down to Brookings and sharing this treasure with us.

Tune in again at the end of January, when you will find here the program for the 2/10 Art Walk. Remember now: it’s always on the 2nd Saturday of every month!
See you again on 10 February - at the latest - and stay warm!
Horst

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