Portland, OR. The Northwest Academy hosted Club Cabaret, “The Mad Hatter’s Cocktail Party” at The Nines Hotel in downtown Portland. The event raised $295,000 for academic programs and student scholarships. Supporters at the February 29th benefit included Amy Hillman, Nicholas & Megan O’Toole, Todd McCoy & Tawnya Fox. (Photo credit, Andie Petkus) More than 200 guests came for the silent auction, cocktail party, an original musical performed by Northwest Academy students, and a live auction.
Students perform an original production called, “The Mad Hatter’s Cocktail Party.”
Educators say the Northwest Academy in downtown Portland strives to provide students with an enriching education consisting of developing their fine and performing arts skills, rather than implementing the arts only as a bonus to students education. Northwest Academy emphasizes the importance of the balance of academics and art fostering curiosity and creative thinking.
Mary Vinton Folberg, Chris Schuck, McKenzie Kerman, and Lauren Partington
Serena Schulz-Rodriguez, Sarah Santangelo, Chiharu Olsson, Lori & Peter Buss, James Olsson, Terence Barr, in back row: Marilyn Beach, Bronson & Marisa James
Zach Levow, Joe & Linda Rosinski, and Holly Levow
The Quest Foundation, along with a challenge match from Arlene Schnitzer and Jordan Schnitzer, contributed to programs and scholarships for the students.
From Northwest Academy:
Mission: Northwest Academy is committed to inspiring students to discover their intellectual and artistic voices in a creative and supportive atmosphere fueled by curiosity and constructive challenge. Vision: Northwest Academy will be recognized as a center of excellence in proficiency-based education, artfully blending academic instruction and experience. Graduates of the school will be innovative thinkers who chart their own futures and excel in a diverse global society. Core Values: Education in both academics and arts, results in a more complete and balanced individual who, while being productive, also leads an inspired and meaningful life, talented faculty, passionate about their subject areas, and the support of free and open inquiry motivates students’ interest in learning and creative thinking, student engagement, curiosity, and creative thinking expand when nurtured by accomplished and energetic faculty who promote participation and welcome debate, students thrive in an environment where both individuality and collaboration are encouraged and fostered, proficiency-based placement enhances students’ motivation and initiative while allowing a student to work through education at relatively accelerated or a more leisurely personal pace.
Portland, OR. The Oregon Humane Society (OHS) honored heroic people and pets at the annual Diamond Collar Awards luncheon. The luncheon took place on February 20th at the Multnomah Athletic Club. Pets and people were recognized for their compassion, dedication, and resiliency. Organizers say the inspiring stories represent OHS’s mission of fostering an environment of respect, responsibility, and compassion for all animals. Pictured above is Kevvie the dog and Brian August. Kevvie was abandoned in the woods and suffering from gunshot wounds. OHS caretakers say this resilient dog took months to heal and trust again. Her gentle and forgiving nature allowed her to find her forever home with her new family.
Pictured above is Nancy Tonkin-Zoucha and friends
OHS Diamond Collar – Matt Zaffino and Sharon Harmon
“I am always so inspired by the OHS Diamond Collar Award honorees,” said Sharon Harmon, OHS President, and CEO. “Each of the recipients reminds us of the compassion and kindness in our community.” Harmon hosted the awards with KGW Chief Meteorologist Matt Zaffino.
OHS Diamond Collar – Ilene the kitten and Alanna Lundin
OHS Diamond Collar – George Piter and Squeak
Below are videos featuring the Diamond Collar Heroes:
George Piter: For 13 years, George and his trained therapy cats have dedicated time to visit Salem Hospital and brighten the days of patients and anyone else who may need it.
Ilene the kitten: A tiny but mighty kitten was born without eyes and discarded in the trash in Central California. After being transferred to the Oregon Humane Society for a special surgery, she went on to inspire a family and show the world that anyone can overcome their obstacles with love and determination.
Joyce Briggs de la Fuente: Thousands of cats and kittens were entering Oregon shelters every year. Under Joyce’s leadership, she brought together animal welfare leaders, innovative planning, extensive research and data that launched the Spay and Save Program which provides an easy and affordable option to prevent unwanted litters of kittens. With this new program, Portland is now the safest place for homeless felines.
Kevvie the dog: After being abandoned in the woods and suffering from gunshot wounds, this resilient dog took months to heal and trust again. Her gentle and forgiving nature allowed her to find her forever home with her new family.
More about the Oregon Humane Society:
OHS is the largest humane society in the Northwest and adopts more animals from its Portland shelter than any other single-facility shelter on the West Coast. OHS puts no time limits on how long animals remain at the shelter—a pet stays available for adoption for as long as needed to find a loving home. If a pet in the care of OHS needs medical attention, the OHS veterinary hospital provides the pet with the same level of care you would want your own pet to receive.
Founded in 1868 by noted humanitarian Thomas Lamb Eliot, OHS is the fourth-oldest humane society in the nation. Eliot initially established OHS to stop the neglect and abuse of draft animals. The mission expanded to include companion animals and, until 1933, orphaned children.
OHS finds homes for more than 11,000 pets each year. The OHS medical team provides free and low-cost spay and neuter surgeries for thousands of pets owned by low-income families OHS educators reach more than 12,000 youths and about 2,000 adults annually through humane education programs. The OHS Second Chance program brings more than 8,000 pets annually to OHS from other shelters around the region. In the state capitol, OHS is the driving force behind efforts to improve laws that protect animals and punish offenders.
Portland, OR. Music, dance, artistic freedom, censorship, and a 1920’s lesbian love story, collide with the looming threat of the Holocaust in an award-winning play now being staged by Artists Repertory Theatre. Indecent by Paula Vogel, is part of Artists Repertory Theatre on Tour (ART) season, which is taking place as the company’s theater is undergoing renovation. The play features Michael Mendelson (picture above) and is being produced with Profile Theatre; the production takes place at Portland State University. Indecent is described as a backstage drama filled with music and the history of Jewish theatre. (Photo credit, Kathleen Kelly)
Miriam Schwartz and Jamie M Rea
“Our need to tell our own stories is one of the most ancient needs we have,” says Artistic Director of Profile Theatre and director of the play, Josh Hecht. “It’s not just the telling that is important. It’s the witnessing. It’s the confirmation that comes from speaking our truths and having someone else say, “Yes, that’s me, too. Yes, I recognize that. We may be different, but in this way we are the same.”
“This original production of Vogel’s acclaimed, moving, and ultimately joyous play is a collaboration between Profile Theatre, Artists Repertory Theatre (ART), and Portland State University (PSU),” says Dámaso Rodríguez, Artistic Director of Artists Repertory Theatre. “This ambitiousness and scale of this project, which affords opportunities for PSU students to interact with and learn from some of our city’s most accomplished theatre artists, might have been out of reach for all of our companies had we not combined our resources to make it possible.”
Here’s a video about the production:
Indecent runs through March 8th, at Lincoln Hall, Portland State University, 1620 SW Park Ave. ART descriptions include the following: A boldly touching portrayal of the original theatrical company that presented Sholem Asch’s The God of Vengeance. The creator, Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Paula Vogel based scenes off of Asch’s play portraying the risk-taking group that brought the script to the stage.
Tickets are $60 regular price; $30 preview/student/under 35; $15 PSU student with ID. Special Discounts include Sliding Scale Sunday (tickets start at $10): applies to Sunday evening performances, 20for20: 20 tickets available at every performance for $20, Artists Rep participates in Arts for All and the Multnomah County Library’s Discovery Pass Program. Tickets at 503.241.1278 or www.artistsrep.org
Here’s a video about Artist Repertory Theatre:
More about Artists Repertory Theatre:
ARTISTS REPERTORY THEATRE’S mission is to produce intimate, provocative theatre and provide a home for a diverse community artists and audiences to take creative risks. Artists Rep gratefully acknowledges our theatre rests on the traditional lands of the Multnomah, Wasco, Cowlitz, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Bands of Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla and many other tribes who made their homes along the Columbia River. Artists Rep is Portland’s premiere mid-size regional theatre company and is led by Artistic Director Dámaso Rodríguez and Managing Director J.S. May. Founded in 1982, Artists Repertory Theatre is the longest-running professional theatre company in Portland. ART became the 72nd member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT) in 2016 and is an Associate Member of the National New Play Network (NNPN). Artists Rep’s 2019/20 season can be found here.
Artists Rep has become a significant presence in American regional theatre with a legacy of world, national, and regional premieres of provocative new work with the highest standards of stagecraft. The organization is committed to local artists and features a company of Resident Artists and professionals of varied theatre disciplines, who are a driving force behind Artists Rep’s creative output and identity.
Portland, Or. To mark the 40th anniversary of the eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980, the Portland Art Museum is presenting an exhibition that portrays artists’ responses to the beauty and power of the volcano. The exhibition will run through May 17th at the Portland Art Museum. Pictured above is Lucinda Parker’s painting called “The Seething Saint.” (Courtesy of the artist and Russo Lee Gallery.) The exhibit features Native American objects to contemporary paintings, drawings, and photographs. Interestingly, paintings of Mount St. Helens were historically rare compared with the numerous images of Mount Hood.
Albert Bierstadt (American, born Germany, 1830-1902), Mount St. Helens, Columbia River, Oregon, ca. 1889. Oil on canvas.
Henk Pander (American, born The Netherlands, 1937), Eruption of Saint Helens from Cable Street, 1981. Oil on linen.
The show will also trace the mountain’s changing image and significance for local peoples. Native Americans used the substance of the volcano—mainly basalt and obsidian—to create objects of great beauty and utility. While Mount St. Helens was featured in their creation stories, no depictions of the volcano in visual arts are known before the mid-1840s. Explorers Henry James Warre and Paul Kane traveled through the area and their visits ended up coinciding with the volcano’s last eruptive period and they recorded the venting of steam and ash on the north side, presaging its destruction on May 18, 1980. Volcanic eruptions have long been depicted by artists because they are the most visually spectacular manifestations of nature’s awesome power.
As the region commemorates the 40th anniversary of the volcano’s eruption, the Portland Art Museum is partnering with the Mount St. Helens Institute on a series of programs, tours, and in-gallery experiences throughout the run of the exhibition. For those who remember the eruption of 1980 and for those who know its legacy, the exhibition will bring to life one of the most momentous days in the history of the Pacific Northwest, and artists’ responses to one short period in the cycles of volcanic destruction and regeneration at Mount St. Helens.
Mathias Van Hesemans (American, born 1946), Eruption, 1983, Mount Saint Helens, 1983. Gelatin silver print.
Below is a video of what the Portland Art Museum has in store for 2020:
More from the Portland Art Museum:
The mission of the Portland Art Museum is to engage diverse communities through art and film of enduring quality, and to collect, preserve, and educate for the enrichment of present and future generations. The Portland Art Museum strives to be an inclusive institution that facilitates respectful dialogue, debate, and the free exchange of ideas. With a deep commitment to artists – past and present – and freedom of expression, the Museum and Northwest Film Center’s collections, programs and staff aspire to reveal the beauty and complexities of the world and create a deeper understanding of our shared humanity. We are a Museum for all, inviting everyone to connect with art through their own experiences, voices, and personal journeys. The following core values guide the Portland Art Museum: creativity, connection, learning, accessibility, accountability.
Portland, Or. The Portland Winter Light Festival (PDXWLF) presented by Portland General Electric featured over 100 artists in varied media such as video projection mapping, fire sculpture, and live performance. This was the fifth year for the festival and the theme was Into the Dreamscape. The festival weekend kicked off on February 6th and showcased installations like Mihaly’s Gate which was originally created for the Pacific Fire Gathering on the Oregon Coast.
Ring of Fire by Wildstone Arts.
Here’s a video about the festival:
Circus Luminescence is a local circus entertainment group performing at the festival.
Some special highlights included fire dancing, hoop performances, circus acts, a lantern parade, and an illuminated bike ride. It also had the Glow Bar featuring artisan cocktails and a Silent Disco dance party, pop-up art installations by local design and architecture firms, which includes an immersive 2,500 square foot “Light Forest” by Henry V.
Winter Light Festival 2018. Photo by Brooke Hoyer.
Below is another video showing some highlights from 2019 Winter Light Festival:
The Portland Winter Light Festival is an annual event of the Willamette Light Brigade, a non-profit arts organization. PDXWLF is presented to guests for free, and builds community by bringing art and technology to inclusive audiences while invigorating Portland in the winter. Our 5th year will take place February 6-8, 2020. If you would like to find out more, explore our website for information on artists, performer schedules, and to see full maps. Last year’s PDXWLF showcased over 114 illuminated art installations, over 60 vibrant performances and live events, educational programs, stunning kinetic fire sculptures throughout our city, and hosted over 150,000 guests. Our 2020 festival promises another year of magic and art.
The Willamette Light Brigade (WLB) founded PDXWLF in an effort to propel forward its mission of connecting community and enriching the public realm through artful lighting. The Festival began as a coalescence of ideas in 2016, and was propelled into existence by dedicated community members too numerous to mention. We are committed to keeping the Portland Winter Light Festival family-friendly, free to attend, and open to everyone. So bundle up and celebrate the power of light and community with us!
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