News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Steve Frandsen has contributed a piece of art to the My Own Two Hands arts celebration and Americana Project fund-raiser for years. It's his way of giving back to the community that is his heart's home.
"(Sisters) has always been my community; it's where I raised my family," he said. "Even though I live in Terrebonne now, Sisters is always the community for me."
This year's contribution uniquely fits this year's theme of "Something Wild."
Frandsen created a stunning mask made from animal bones and feathers. It is certainly "wild" enough to fit the theme, and it also fit beautifully with the community mask-making project featured in this year's event. It is a kind of archetype mask, the mask of masks with a powerful symbolic meaning.
"This piece is called 'Road Kill: Treading on the Wild," Frandsen explained. It represents "the loss of lives we have every day when our paths cross with the natural world - the automobile paths we're so busy moving on."
The full meaning of the piece came home to Frandsen on a recent trip to Australia, where he interacted with Aborigines who had a strong appreciation for his art.
A friend had been after Frandsen for years to visit Australia and show his work. He finally convinced Frandsen this winter, and the artist went to visit his friend's permaculture farm in Victoria. He helped create a deck made from stone and gum trees and he showed his art.
But it was in "talking story" with Aborigines that Frandsen found a depth of feeling and meaning in his mask and in the fetishes he also brought with him Down Under.
"What they really wanted was to hear the stories about how they were made," Frandsen said. "They're very big on talking story. That's their thing."
Those attending Saturday's My Own Two Hands art auction and party at Ponderosa Forge will get to experience the mask in its proper role as a ceremonial piece. Frandsen will wear it while leading a procession to kick off the event, featuring dance and music from an Australian didgeridoo.
Frandsen believes strongly in the program's mission to foster arts in Sisters schools.
"My mother was an artist, and she encouraged creativity all the time," Frandsen said of his own development as a youthful artist. "I think we have a very high percentage of extremely talented youth in this community. It's good to see."
For information on Frandsen's work, visit http://www.tribalpleasures.com; for information on My Own Two Hands, visit http://www.sistersfolkfestival.com.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
Reader Comments(0)