Ranch event focuses on the arts

Black Butte Ranch is a work of art itself - beautiful landscapes, views of the Three Sisters that look like a living painting. And art flourishes at the Ranch through its singular art organization: the Black Butte Ranch Art Guild.

Art at the Ranch exhibits and sells the work of resident artists and has been an art guild fundraiser for more than twenty years.

Friday brought Labor Day to life with the pavilion set up next to the tennis courts for a silent auction. 25 artists contributed 31 items. This year some Ranch artists contributed to the auction who did not exhibit in the main pavilion. It was a rare opportunity to purchase works not normally offered to the public.

Whether purchasing gifts before the holidays or for yourself, the pavilion is a place to meet the artists who man their own booths, and learn about their work.

Debbie Tillman, of My Friend and I custom jewelry, shared her story with her customers.

"My girlfriend and I enjoyed making jewelry together. When you become a bead-aholic, your husbands either rein it in or they tell you to start a business," Tillman said. "We started a business."

Tillman had made three sets of the necklace-and-earring set she wore. Two were already sold. The third one was hers to keep.

A much-appreciated artist at BBR, Bonnie Barringer has been exhibiting her hand-painted Christmas decorations with Art at the Ranch since its inception. This is her last year.

"My husband retired two years ago, and we travel and have grandchildren," Barringer said of her upcoming retirement. "I want to focus on heirloom pieces for the grandchildren."

In her 20 years at the Ranch, Barringer has created over 10 new designs a year, totaling 300 new designs.

Exhibitor Norma Holmes has been a guest speaker for the art guild. Holmes was one of several exhibitors who sold an original work.

One of her customers rode to the event on a bicycle, liked one of her pieces, rode home, got the car and came back.

"I learned long ago that if I see something I like," he told Holmes, "I better get it."

Karen Alexander, from the San Juan Islands, won the drawing for the Opportunity Quilt. Alexander is a quilt historian and bought her ticket while she was here during the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show.

The women of the Philanthropic Education Organization (PEO) sold handcrafted greeting cards to support their mission to help out-of-work women return to school to improve their work opportunities. A proud sisterhood since 1869, PEO is providing scholarships to enable seven Sisters women to return to school.

Nearly 100 percent of the sales of their unique card designs go toward the scholarships. PEO is an international organization with a non-profit arm enabling donors to make tax-deductible contributions. They also give a scholarship every year to a graduating SHS student.

Artists' tools come in all shapes and sizes, and artist Don Zylius demonstrated all the stages of creating a watercolor using both the wet and the dry method to create a landscape.

Using an ear syringe to apply water, a pan that looks like an old white porcelain drain pan with blue trim to mix paints, and a piece of plywood to hold his work, Zylius taught technique and the importance of quality paper.

"I have been painting with watercolors for 40 years," Zylius said. "Every new painting is an adventure."