Black Butte Ranch celebrates the arts

Art lovers flocked to Black Butte Ranch last weekend for the annual Labor Day Weekend Art at the Ranch event.

The Black Butte Ranch Art Guild once again sponsored Art at the Ranch, an ongoing event for nearly 25 years. Funds go to Sisters' elementary and middle school art programs. They also donate scholarships for Sisters High School students who are art majors.

Students must apply for the scholarships and are interviewed by guild members.

Artwork is from Black Butte Ranch owners, family, friends and employees. It is not a juried art show. This year, like last, crafts were an added attraction at the show.

Chairpersons Rosemary Norton and Lynda Sullivan helped organize the event. Neither Norton nor Sullivan are themselves artists, but like the passion of artists. From May to October, they invite artists to speak to local residents at BBR. Sullivan said she wasn't fond of abstract art until a painter spoke about her work and caused her to see it through new eyes.

Every year they present a quilt made by Peggy's Pin Pals. Kathy Reynolds was the recipient of this year's quilt.

Photographers with the Sisters Area Photography Club presented their work. The club was founded by Don Davis, Conrad Weiler and Sue Anderson, wife of Nugget correspondent Jim Anderson, also a member. They meet monthly and work on a photographic challenge, such as depth of field.

Gary Miller displayed a photograph taken at dawn of a flock of geese flying across the horizon with sky and hills as backdrop. The sky's light infuses the top layer of geese as they stand out darkly against the morning sky, while the bottom layer of the flock is shadowed in light as they cross in front of the hills. A contrast normally only a photo editor could create, was actually accomplished by nature's light.

Miller said, "I was at a photography seminar. I was watching the geese. They had just flown by. I had a feeling they'd loop back, so I quickly set up my tripod and lens for a shot."

The picture was taken at Black Butte Ranch not far from the pool.

Other artists included Carolyn Holman with her encaustic painting. An ancient Egyptian technique, it is the result of heated beeswax brushed on wood, which acts as the canvas. The wax is painted, heated with a blowtorch, and re-waxed and painted in layers. Layers can be carved into or collaged with paper.

Crafter Michelle Shiegemasa was there with her antique jewelry. She also presented some beads sent to her from Ghana, Africa. A portion of the sales will go toward rebuilding a school in Ghana.

A piece created by artist Paul Alan Bennett has been turned into a blanket by Pendleton Woolen Mills. He developed his unique style while living in Greece. He visited Istanbul and did a painting of knit gloves. The look became so popular he continues to reinterpret the look of knitting in his own way adding the appearance of woven yarn or fabric in landscapes or images of people.

The blanket portrays a memory of 20 years ago when he met his wife. She was canoeing on Suttle Lake. A fish leaps out of the water toward her creating spirals mimicking the pattern of a wedding quilt.

Don Zylius presented scenes of nature utilizing wet on wet watercolor technique. The technique draws light into the canvas infusing nature's landscape, sharpening all that it sees. Zylius' passion is seeing wet paint explode on wet paper and he enjoys the gamble. It's a technique he has enjoyed for 40 years.

Mystery writers Hal and Mary Toliver presented five books featuring fictional detective Bea Ellis. The murders are set in and around the Black Butte Ranch area, which adds a little spice to the region. Mary comes up with the plots. Hal writes. Mary then edits. They put the story away for a year before returning with the finishing touches.

When asked how they survived working together and staying together as husband and wife all these years, Mary said, "It's important to each have their own area they're responsible for."

Hal added, "We were married 40 years before collaborating, so it works."

Hal was a Professor of English at UC Irvine and Mary was a high school teacher. She later learned braille and transcribed books for the Braille Institute in Los Angeles. Look for their next book, set at Smith Rock.