Annual Coffee House honors the arts

The Sisters High School (SHS) Commons was transformed into an art gallery for the 15th Annual Sisters Coffee House on November 16. In addition to pieces of art, students offered hands-on demonstrations; and Americana Project musicians, the jazz choir and the jazz combo performed six sets of music under the direction of Rick Johnson and Bryan Summers with help from Brad Tisdel.

Demonstrations included drawing, sculpting, painting, jewelry, throwing pottery on the wheel, and even an area for kids to make their own art.

Senior Maclayne Diener, a four-year visual arts student, had several pieces of art on display. Diener has won several art awards for her pieces because of her fluid style.

Art teacher Bethany Gunnarson said, "Maclayne is definitely a student who loves making art and is very creative and experimental. She's very talented as a painter and usually sets a creative bar for her classmates."

"I just love the visual arts because there is no right or wrong," said Diener. "It just is what it is. It's kind of like a friend. I really project my feelings in art, and to me it means comfort."

Former SHS art teacher Mike Baynes hasn't missed a Coffee House in 15 years.

Baynes said, "This is the one event during the year that the main emphasis is on the visual arts. The visual arts are celebrated and those kids get some recognition. It's a really big part of the SHS culture, and the fact it's still around after 15 years proves its worth.

"The art work this year looks really good. I'm proud of Bethany (Gunnarson) for keeping the visual arts alive in our school. She's doing an outstanding job," added Baynes.

Jared Falkner was one of the many students involved. Jared has taken all of the Woods classes offered at SHS and demonstrated how to turn a bowl using a lathe. Falkner told The Nugget that he feels at peace when he's in the wood shop turning a piece or building something.

Teacher Bill MacDonald stood amidst a table filled with guitars and ukuleles to answer questions about the new class offered that teaches students how to build their own ukulele. MacDonald said that the student response to the class has been phenomenal.

"It's been so exciting," said MacDonald. "There's a revival of the ukulele going on in the United States, and one reason is because it's easier to play, with only four strings. The kids that are taking the class just love it."

Mary Jo Weiss, who attended for the very first time, was very impressed with the quality of art she saw around her. The incredible talent and caliber of artwork produced has drawn Stu Ehr back for seven consecutive years.

"I love the wide variety... jewelry to pottery to three-dimensional and more," said Ehr. "The quality of art that the kids produce is far beyond their years. It's incredible what they're exposed to and what they're able to produce."

There were 23 items donated for the silent auction, including a Paul Allan Bennett print, a spa package from Metamorphosis, and a tanning package from Siesta Suntan. The entire event raised over $1,350, one thousand of which will go to a senior visual arts scholarship, and the remainder to the culinary, woods, and performing arts programs.

Sisters Coffee Company donated coffee for the event and the culinary department made all the cookies.

"I am so thankful for all the people who came to show support for our arts programs," said Gunnarson. "Though there wasn't an official tally on how many people attended, there were at least 30 students from my classes who participated in submitting art, doing demonstrations, setting up and tearing down, let alone the countless kids, parents and friends who attended.

"It's a great experience when you have great art as a backdrop to great performances and community gatherings. It takes a lot of coordination to have all of the parts happen together at once but it felt seamless because Rick (Johnson), Bryan (Summers), Brad (Tisdel), Tony (Cosby), Bill (MacDonald) and Janice (Comfort) are so team-oriented and all in. It was a wonderful evening," said Gunnarson.