Art event brings Sisters together

Last updated Apr 17, 2007 12:0pm0

Lynn Woodward count

Laura Campbell, right, displays her sculpture “The Storyteller” at the My Own Two Hands Art Party and Auction on Saturday.

More than 400 folks from Sisters "gathered around" last weekend to forge a sense of community, to enjoy the work of some of Sisters' finest artists - and to fund the educational outreach programs that support the arts in all three Sisters schools.

The two-night affair now know as My Own Two Hands offered an art stroll through the galleries and public buildings of Sisters on Friday night. Both professional and student artists exhibited their works (see related story, page 13).

The event, which carried the theme "Gather 'Round," culminated in an art party and auction that packed the house at Ponderosa Forge & Ironworks.

"I think people like the backdrop of the industrial building," said Jeff Wester owner of Ponderosa Forge, who donates his facility for the event.

"This event provides most of the funding for Americana. But in addition to this, we get grants and foundation support," said Brad Tisdel, Americana Project Executive Director.

In recent years the affair has grossed about $95,000.

"The event is getting bigger and bigger each year. So it takes a lot to put it on. I think we've netted about $70,000 to $75,000 for the last two years," Tisdel said. "If we do that again, I think we're doing wonderfully well." Although exact figures had not been calculated at press time, this year's event exceeded previous year's earnings.

Event guests spent almost two hours mingling with friends and associates while bidding on the more than 80 silent auction items that were offered. Then, things became more serious when auctioneer Dennis Turmon and Kathy Deggendorfer took center stage for the live auction.

Twenty-five items that centered around this year's theme Gather Round were placed on the auction block (see related story, page 34). Both professional and student artists donated their works.

The event has evolved with countless man hours and effective planning, and Deggendorfer's daughter and former Sisters Folk Festival events director Erin Deggendorfer has played a key role.

"I have to say a thank you to my daughter Erin Deggendorfer who ran this event for us for the last three years and who built a fabulous platform for us to do this," Deggendorfer said. "It was so simple for us to do this this year because we used her blueprint."

Jeremy Storton, a member of the Sisters Folk Festival's Board of Directors, expressed gratitude for the generosity of the artists.

"For me not being a visual artist, I think it's extraordinary that you have all these artists who are willing to donate a piece so that we can turn that into funds for the kids in the high school and the middle school and basically for the Americana Project," he said. "It's a tremendous pat on the back from all of the artists to keep the legacy going from artists to young artists that are up and coming through this fund-raiser."

The close of the live auction did not signal the end of the evening's festivities. The dance floor was wide open as the sounds of Portland's 12th Avenue Hot Club 1930s and '40s jazz inspired many to tap their toes and swing to the sounds. Those who were too tired to swing to the beat on the dance floor left the evening feeling they had gathered 'round to help the arts grow in Sisters schools and make the Sisters Folk Festival's Americana Project more vital in all three Sisters schools.

Auction enriches the Americana Project

This year's My Own Two Hands live auction brought thousands of dollars in financial support to the Sisters Folk Festival's Americana Project and a rousing party for all who attended. Ponderosa Forge & Iron Works was the scene of the annual event again this year.

The Americana Project is the folk festival's educational outreach program. The project promotes American roots music and cultural expression in Sisters schools. The event also helps fund visual arts programs in the schools.

Auctioneer Dennis Turmon, with the assistance of event chair Kathy Deggendorfer, placed 25 items on the auction block at last Saturday night's affair. A receptive and generous audience of about 400 bid robustly on the items that focused on this year's theme "Gather 'Round." Both professional and student artists and craftsmen donated their works.

The auction started with a salt-fired clay, almost life sized figure by noted Sisters sculptor Deb Sether titled "Gather 'Round Mother Earth."

"This piece is one of the most fabulous things I've ever seen her (Sether) do," said Deggendorfer.

Sisters High School student Kelsey Newport and her grandfather Laurence Dyer crafted a sofa table that included Dyer's wood working abilities and Newport's expertise at tile making.

Artist Tom Browning's oil painting of three horses titled "Irish Lasses - Study" was inspired on a trip he took to Ireland. Browning's piece received an "Award of Merit" from the event's jury and brought $2,200.

Steven Frandsen provided a unique Mayan Yin/Yang mixed-media symbol. Actor Johnny Depp owns one of Frandsen's pieces. After spirited bidding the work brought $3,000.

"Hatmaker for the stars Gene Baldwin is going to make a hat for one of you," Deggendorfer told the audience as Amy Yoder modeled one of the hatmaker's cowboy creations.

Excitement mounted as recent Sisters High School graduate Laura Campbell herself presented her impressive work "The Story Teller." Mike Baynes, the high school's art instructor, helped Campbell fire the piece in the school's kiln. Senator Ben Westlund's wife Libby, who volunteered as a shuttle bus driver during Friday night's art stroll, took the work home.

Gert Boyle, Deggendorfer's mother, forced her daughter's watercolor "Birds of a Feather Flock Together" to the evening's record bid of $6,000.

"It just wasn't her (Boyle) and me," said Turmon, pointing out Boyle's competitors in a hot round of bidding that brought cheers and whistles from the crowd. "I had help over here. I had help back there, and I had help back there."

Paul Alan Bennett reworked a gouache "Old Friends" he created some time ago because it fit so well with this year's theme.

"He does so much in the schools. He does so much for the community," Deggendorfer said.

Wood sculptor Skip Armstrong, whose art studio recently burned to the ground, created a whimsical piece of bears gathering around a camp fire roasting a fish.

Jack Crofoot's contemporary chess table and pieces were described by Deggendorfer as "the most exquisite chess set you have ever seen." The work was inspired by his daughter Ashley, who crafted a mosaic-topped table for the silent auction.

Sisters High School student and musician Todd Bell's handcrafted guitar was one of the highlights of the evening, raising $3,600.

His work received the jury's "Spirit of Giving" award. Bell crafted the instrument in his Woods II class under the tutelage of Tony Crosby and relied on the assistant of master craftsmen Jason Bowerman of Breedlove Guitars.

"I had lots of help," Bell said.

After a rousing rally Washington artist Liz Ganji's pastel of two horses sold for $3,250.

"You know what life is," asked Turmon as he introduced the piece. "A good horse, a herd of cows and being all by yourself in the woods with nobody to bother you."

A "Paddle Raise" was backed by an anonymous Northwest foundation that agreed to match every dollar raised. A $2,500, a $2,000 and several $1,000 donations were made. All who gave $1,000 or more received a membership in the folk festival's Folk Art Circle. (See Festival invites folks to join new 'Circle,' The Nugget, December 13, 2006, page 3.) Several smaller contributions also rolled in, including some made by students.

The final item was a 3-1/2-case community "Celebrity Wine Cellar," complete with a wine rack crafted by Jeff Wester.

"Every person has come into the gallery and dropped off their bottle of wine. It's got a very cool note on it. Moreover this is our community doing what the whole project is about - gathering around," said the item's organizer and Clearwater Gallery co-owner Julia Rickards. Turmon's auctioneering skills boosted the final bid to $2,200.