Sisters celebrates the arts at MOTH

An astonishingly generous community stepped up to raise a grand total of approximately $140,000 to support arts and music programs in Sisters during the 15th annual My Own Two Hands (MOTH) fundraiser last weekend.

The art auction and party held annually at Ponderosa Forge & Ironworks was the scene of hot and heavy bidding on magnificent art - from functional art like furniture and other woodwork, to paintings, to musical instruments to a tipi.

The fundraiser supports the arts and music education and outreach programs of Sisters Folk Festival.

Among some wild bidding wars there were some breathtaking moments of generosity from the contributing artists. Susie Zeitner contributed one of her signature glass light fixtures - along with a working session with the winning bidder. When two bidders dueled all the way up to $4,000, Zeitner offered to double her contribution. So both bidders won, and the Festival gained $8,000.

Paige Bruguier, a former student who benefitted from the Festival's programs and has returned to Sisters to pursue an arts career, made a similar gesture. Her tipi, which was the media image for the event, was the subject of a three-way bidding battle that climbed to the $7,000 level as cheers and yells echoed across the forge. She agreed to make two more tipis, topping her item's sale price at a total of $21,000.

That spirit of generosity is reflected through the whole Sisters community - and celebrated on the Friday of May Own Two Hands.

Under sunny skies on Friday, students from all three Sisters public schools united to kick off the celebration of the arts.

Spectators cheered the students on as they made their way up Hood Avenue with their colorful displays of artwork based on this year's theme, "Connection."

The art projects were coordinated by Sisters Elementary School art teacher Karen Williams. Grades K-2 wore colorful fish hats while grade three held up paper accordion fish and the fourth-graders were running close behind flying their fabulous fish kites.

Kit Stafford, who has been volunteering for MOTH going on 12 years, walked in the parade with the fifth graders and their colorful artwork.

"The fifth graders made fish that are made from plastic bags that are recycled," Stafford said. "We fused them together. They also made some pictures of the food-chain to show how we are all connected. All living organisms depend on one another for food."

Last but not least in the MOTH procession, holding up their banner, was the talented Sisters Outlaws Band.

Tyler Cranor, instrumental music teacher at Sisters Middle School, directed the band for the MOTH parade which was a combination of seventh grade through high school.

"Connection is our theme all the time. It's the middle school/high school connection," Cranor explained.

"I'm the music teacher for the middle school and the high school jazz band, which is middle and high school combined."

The parade was followed by a town-wide art stroll. Folks came from all around to join in the celebration and connect with the community as they strolled through the streets to enjoy the various venues, mingling with artists and musicians and exploring shops and galleries filled with music spread across town.

On the other side of town on Main Avenue inside Alpenhimmel Creative Arts Emporium, Charity Alva explained to The Nugget why her mixed-media painting "The Way Home" (that she donated to the MOTH auction) has a big connection to her life.

"My painting represents my connection to Germany, where I lived for 26 years of my adult life. And my husband and I brought that connection here to Sisters with this store. For us Alpenhimmel stands for some simple basics of alpine living which we came to observe while living in the Alps. And we are now happy because we have the Three Sisters."

The festivities continued at The Belfry, where the Portland band 3 Leg Torso performed.