Caldera expands adult arts program

When Blue Lake resort was sold to a Portland advertising executive a few years ago, the area dropped out of the public eye for a time. Gradually, however, Blue Lake is reemerging as a part of the Central Oregon picture.

Under the auspices of Caldera, a private non-profit organization, Camp Caldera was founded as a summer camp program for at-risk inner city children.

In subsequent years, the camp's programs were expanded, facilities were upgraded, and construction begun on a new central lodge. As of last year, nearly half of the youth served by the summer programs were from Central Oregon.

While continuing to serve its original clientele, Caldera's latest initiative is designed to play an entirely different role.

Beginning this past winter, Caldera launched a program designed to promote the arts throughout Oregon, with special attention to Central Oregon and Sisters.

Further, Caldera's focus is expanding to include not just children, but people of all ages in the Sisters area.

The first steps in the new adult art program are being overseen by Miriam Feuerle, Caldera's Director of Adult Programs.

"Our plans are going very well," she said. "We had about seven resident artists who came in the fall as a pilot project."

The pilot project was successful enough that, already, Feuerle has expanded the scope of the program.

"We're going to start doing artist residencies through a competitive application process," she said. "People applied from as far away as Spain, but most are from Oregon."

For the time being, while Caldera's new lodge is still incomplete, artists accepted for the program must work in a medium that lends itself to the current facilities.

For example, Feuerle said she has had to turn away applicants who planned wall-sized paintings or gigantic sculptures.

When the new lodge is finished, however, there will be no such restrictions.

Following the success of last year's pilot program, Caldera accepted 34 artists into the current winter-spring session, bringing the total number of participants thus far to 41.

Since another of Caldera's goals is to encourage the residents to share their artistic skills with the people of the surrounding community, Sisters is already benefiting from its proximity to Caldera.

Right now, writers are well-represented among Caldera's resident artists, and two of them made presentations at the Sisters Middle School last week (see related story, page 4).

Also, next week, on Wednesday April 24, Caldera participant Robert Fass will be giving a "bonus" Lunch and Learn presentation on his photographic project, "As Long As We Both Shall Live," a pictorial about long-married couples.

The event will take place at the Sisters College Center.

Feuerle said that the current art residency program will conclude shortly before the youth programs begin again for the summer.

The next application deadline for Caldera's art residencies is July 15.

She anticipates filling a total of 34 slots for a residency period that will run from mid-September to the end of January next year.

The goal is to provide opportunities for approximately 70 artists per year and to share their talents with the local community.

"In the past, Caldera only happened in the summertime, but now we have people there all year-round," Feuerle said.

"We're not isolated up there. We're bringing our people into town, so these are resources that people can take advantage of."

In addition to writers, current residents work in media that include printmaking, etchings, illustrations, documentary films, theater, set design and music.

"Once the Hearth Building is finished," she said, "we'll have a much greater ability to serve artists in a wider range of disciplines."

Feuerle said that Chuck Newport Construction is continuing work on the building, and the second of the large fireplaces is being poured this week.

Feuerle can be reached for further information about Caldera or residency programs at 1-503-937-7563 or [email protected]