Amazing things are happening in the world of art and culture in spectacular Central Oregon. Tapping into this resource and providing the widest scope of opportunity to audiences throughout the region was the goal of creating a local arts and entertainment magazine.
Little did I know that it would last and flourish for two decades, through at least two significant recessions, and become the only arts magazine in Oregon opening up a world of possibilities for expanding the arts.
I created the magazine in Bend, Oregon in 1995 as a special addition to Cascade Business News. It began as a newsprint tabloid, but the arts and cultural amenities emerging in our region were no less significant than they are today. With the help of local gallery owners such as Steve and Sandy Miller of Sunbird Gallery and Pamela Claflin of the Mockingbird Gallery and our most sincere advocate of the arts, Cate O’Hagan, we created a publication totally devoted to the arts.
The vision was to expose the region and our visitors to the varied and numerous artistic endeavors occurring all around us.
We highlighted local painters, sculptors, potters, musicians, poets, writers, actors and producers. We partnered with Cascade Festival of Music, the Sisters Folk Festival & Quilt Show, Sunriver Music Festival, Museum at Warm Springs, Art in Public Places and the High Desert Museum and as new opportunities came along, the Tower Theatre, BendFilm, Atelier 6000, Scalehouse and Art in the High Desert. We championed the many arts and culture prospects our area has created.
The magazine emerged from the newsprint to electrobrite from tabloid to magazine format. We added a gloss cover (it’s hard to properly display original artwork even on high-bright paper).
Over the twenty years we have seen the ebbs and flow of the economy as it grew and prospered only to be challenged, at least temporarily, as we struggled to make ends meet. The art world around us suffered, our publication company suffered, but not once did we consider ceasing the publication of the arts magazine.
All along we encouraged and advocated for the arts to be considered a value-added part of our economy. It worked as we helped approve a notable room tax proposal that has created the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund slated to help advance local arts organizations.
We are in the process of designing an exciting, inventive and state-of-the-arts website by partnering with a gifted local web firm, Five Talent. The website will help launch another aspect of Cascade A&E…a statewide arts calendar scattered with editorial content.
Talented, innovative and outlandish artists throughout Oregon bring creativity, enjoyment and wonder through dance and choreography, painting, photography and murals, pottery and sculpture, literature and poetry, composing and performing music, museums and historical institutions and fashion and wearable art.
Oregon’s art and culture scene is a dynamic, exhilarating enterprise that needs to be stroked, enriched, embraced and celebrated…and must be marketed to the widest collection of audiences throughout the state.
Now more than ever it seems we need creativity to flourish — not only to advance our imaginations and our ability to think outside of the box, but to nourish our souls and seek that artistic reflection and connectivity that is so important to our development. New ways of thinking, crucial to the success and productivity in this technology-based environment, begins with the creative arts.
We are proud to be part of this amazing community of artists and arts enthusiasts who bring innovative thinking to our mix.
This year in celebration we plan to honor our arts partners and to collaborate with them over the course of the year on a variety of commemorations. Sisters Folk Festival will be one of our partners as they too will celebrate twenty years in 2015.
I cannot possibly articulate my admiration of all the artists, volunteers and organizations we have worked with over the years. There are no words that can express the appreciation of those who make Central Oregon such a creative and inspiring place through art.
It is with great pleasure that my partner in publishing, Jeff Martin, and our talented staff of Renee Patrick, Marcee Hillman, Paige Barnes, David Phillips (and numerous others) have been able to sustain and create an arts magazine just for our community.
Let’s celebrate!
March 6 at Red Chair Gallery and Ranch Records in Bend.
April 3 at Atelier 6000, professional printmaking and book arts studio and gallery.
May 1 with Sisters Folk Festival (TBD).
July 3 at Desperado in the Old Mill District, music by Doc Ryan & Wychus.
