The Portland Japanese Garden’s 50th Anniversary Gala Raises over $370,000

The Portland Japanese Garden’s 50th Anniversary Gala Raises over $370,000

by | Dec 14, 2013 | Events, Features

Portland, December 3rd, 2013. The Portland Japanese Garden is looking back on a banner anniversary year. On the October 19th 500 guests celebrated the garden’s 50th anniversary at a black-tie gala at the Portland Art Museum. Six of the original Garden directors attended as well as original Garden members and more than 50 guests from Japan. The evening raised over $370,000 for the independent nonprofit. Supporters included Ron Ragen, Lee Ragen, Dede DeJager, Laura Meier, Gwyneth Gamble Booth, Jean Meihoff, and Walt Meihoff.

His Excellency Kenichiro Sasae, Ambassador of Japan to the United States, honored the Garden by speaking with guests about his view of what the Portland Japanese Garden represents. “Someone once said that gardens are a form of autobiography, and I think there is some truth in that. So what does a Japanese garden tell us about the Japanese people? I think it says that we seek peace, harmony, serenity, and that nature is the ideal we seek. And let me add that Portland’s Japanese Garden says something about you, too. It says this is a city that is not afraid to welcome different cultures and peoples and ideas…This, in turn, builds on and promotes understanding between our two nations.”

Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae and Ryunosuke Endo

Ambassador Kenichiro Sasae and Ryunosuke Endo

Mark and Katherine Frandsen and Barbara and Rob McCormick

Mark and Katherine Frandsen and Barbara and Rob McCormick

The Gala Committee included Co-Chairs Jim and Cathy Rudd and Fred and Gail Jubitz, also Consul General of Japan Hiroshi Furusawa, Dorie Vollum, Melissa Babson, Suzanne Millis, Ann Carter, Katherine Frandsen, Rebecca Teasdale, Wayne Quimby, Dede DeJager, Kristin Dozono, Gwyneth Gamble Booth, Douglas Bouland, and Gary Maffei.

Cathy Rudd, Fred and Gail Jubitz. Gala Co-Chairs

Cathy Rudd, Fred and Gail Jubitz. Gala Co-Chairs

CEO Steve Bloom and Board President Gwyneth Gamble Booth acknowledged a long list of people from both near and far for their support for the Garden in addition to the Ambassador, including Arlene Schnitzer; David Jansen, PricewaterhouseCoopers; Don and Margie Olson, Torii Mor Winery; Oregon State Representative Jennifer Williamson; Misako Ito, Director of the Japan Foundation in Los Angeles; the Consul General from Japan in Portland, Hiroshi Furusawa; Masaaki Ito, for Delta Air Lines, Inc.; Kengo Kuma; Teruyo Yanai, Fast Retailing Co., Ltd.; the Vollum Family; Alice Sumida; Chair of the International Advisory Board Carolyn Berry Wilson; and two grandchildren of original Garden designer Professor Takuma Tono. Also recognized were Garden Curator Sadafumi Uchiyama; Arlene Schnitzer Curator of Culture, Art & Education Diane Durston; Head Gardener Michael Kondo and Director of Garden Operations Cheryl Ching for their years of service; and each of the past Garden Directors.

Guests were greeted by koto music performed by Mitsuki Dazai. Other performances throughout the evening included taiko drumming by Takohachi; singing by Yuki Saori; shamisen by Masahiro Nitta and Tatsuya Hosono, followed by Masahiro Nitta and the Wacocoro Brothers from Japan. Artwork was on display by Anne Crumpacker and a 10’ tall ikebanaarrangement was provided by Phyllis Danielson, President, Ikebana International Chapter 47.

The gala was the culminating event in a year-long celebration of the Garden’s fiftieth anniversary that included programs and events for the community such as the Family Festival in September, the most ambitious art exhibitions in the Garden’s history; the Toko Shinoda, Noguchi and Fukami/Vollum exhibitions , and even a 50th anniversary celebration in Tokyo. Already working toward the next fifty years, the board and administration invite the community to support and celebrate the Portland Japanese Garden’s work to achieve a deeper understanding between the US and Japan. 

# # # #

The Portland Japanese Garden, founded in 1963, is the most authentic Japanese garden outside of Japan. Situated on 5.5 acres in the scenic West Hills of Portland, and featuring five traditional garden styles, the Portland Japanese Garden is open year-round. Programming includes art exhibitions, cultural festivals, lectures, and workshops. For more information, visit japanesegarden.com. 

Literary Arts Feasting on Mark Bittman’s Call to Eat Ethically

Literary Arts Feasting on Mark Bittman’s Call to Eat Ethically

by | Sep 26, 2012 | Events, Features, Uncategorized

Portland, September 20th. At a special Literary Arts presentation, during the celebration of Oregon’s bounty, Portland Feast,  Mark Bittman spoke passionately about what’s wrong with what we eat. Bittman is fiercely political when it comes to food. He links the high consumption of meat to global warming and criticizes the typical American diet. Bittman covers food policy, cooking, and eating as an opinion columnist for the New York Times, where he is also the New York Times Magazine’s lead food writer.

The Literary Arts event  featuring Bittman was at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and was presented in association with FEAST Portland, Whole Foods, Lewis & Clark College, and the Natural Epicurean Academy of Culinary Arts. One of the sponsors of the event, Lewis & Clark College, hosted a  reception in advance of the lecture. Literary Agent, Betsy Amster, is the wife of Lewis & Clark President, Barry Glassner, and member of the Literary Arts Board.

Mary Bishop, Ed Jensen, Libby McCaslin, Lee Ragen, Gaye Richardson, Betsy Amster and President Barry Glassner.

Mary Bishop, Ed Jensen, Libby McCaslin, Lee Ragen, Gaye Richardson, Betsy Amster and President Barry Glassner.

Michael Powell the architect behind Powell's City of Books and Libby McCaslin

Michael Powell, the architect behind Powell’s City of Books, and Lewis & Clark Trustee Libby McCaslin

The Lewis & Clark reception

The Lewis & Clark reception was at the Heathman Hotel.

During his recent appearance on OPB’s Think Out Loud which was taped in front of a studio audience at Literary Arts, Bittman  explained, “Many of the things we eat do not promote good condition and they are not nourishing. Therefore they are not defined as food.”

Mark Bittman at Literary Arts

Mark Bittman at Literary Arts recording a program for OPB. (Literary Arts Photo credit)

For to learn more about Mark Bittman’s concept of eating ethically, here’s a link to his website: http://markbittman.com/

From Literary Arts:

Literary Arts is a community-based nonprofit literary center located in downtown Portland, with a 28-year history of serving Oregon’s readers and writers. Our programs include Portland Arts & Lectures, one of the country’s largest lecture series; Oregon Book Awards & Fellowships, which celebrates Oregon’s writers and independent publishers; and Writers in the Schools, which hires professional writers to teach semester-long creative writing workshops in Portland’s public high schools. We also host guided discussion groups around great works of literature through a program called Delve.

Our Mission

To engage readers, support writers, and inspire the next generation with great literature.

Our Programs

Portland Arts & Lectures brings the world’s most celebrated writers, artists and thinkers to our community. In addition to live events that are broadcast statewide on OPB radio, the program connects readers and writers of all ages with classroom visits and workshops.

Writers in the Schools hires professional writers to teach in Portland’s public high schools for semester-long residencies that span the curriculum, reaching 2,600 students each year. Students share their work at community readings across the city, online and in print anthologies.

Oregon Book Awards & Fellowships celebrates Oregon’s writers. The program promotes Oregon’s literature and provides financial support to writers and independent publishers. The Oregon Book Awards Author Tour connects writers and readers throughout the state with readings, workshops and school visits.

Delve: Readers’ Seminars offers the opportunity to explore great books with an experienced guide in the company of other dedicated readers. Seminars are lively, in-depth discussions led by local scholars.