Oregon Arts Commission Announces
Career Opportunity Grants to 17 Artists
Grant Program Made Possible by Legislature’s Funding of Arts Commission’s Creative Oregon Initiative
The Oregon Arts Commission announces 17 awards, totaling $21,572, in its second round of Career Opportunity grants for artists. Fourteen artists were awarded grants in the first round, announced in January. The program, made possible by increased funds approved by the legislature for the Arts Commission’s 2007-2009 budget, enables artists to advance their careers through the development of artistic, business or professional skills.
The program expands the Commission’s portfolio of services to and opportunities for individual artists. The range of activities supported by this round of grants includes support for artists to create new work in residency setting in Oregon and other states, attendance at international art fairs to market and promote Oregon artwork and shipping of new works of art to exhibitions in the United States and Europe. Christine D’Arcy, executive director of the Arts Commission, said, “This investment in Oregon’s artists promotes and stimulates creative activity throughout the state and many of the projects funded in this round will promote the work of Oregon artists around the world. This program is an important new tool as we work to strengthen the capacity of our individual artist-entrepreneurs.”
Artists selected for funding:
Condon Catherine Lee , visual artist, $1,100
To support the artist’s participation in a six-week residency sponsored by Tieton Arts & Humanities in Tieton, WA, allowing her to create work depicting the landscape around Tieton and her home community of Condon, OR. The residency will also allow for more interaction with other professional artists. Grant funds will support purchase of art supplies and framing costs.
Eugene Alito Alessi , dancer/choreographer, $1,467
To support the production of a promotional DVD to present Alessi’s specialized contact improvisation choreography at “CI36,” the 36th international gathering of contact improvisation dance artists. Grant funds will pay for the DVD preparation, travel to and attendance at the conference. Alessi is a leader in the Oregon dance community on issues of mobility and accessibility.
Craig Willis , theater director, $1,500
To support the stage director and scenic designer’s participation in the SITI Company’s Summer Training Intensive in Saratoga Springs, NY, to gain a working knowledge of the Suzuki Method of Actor Training and The Viewpoints (?). The training will have immediate practical use when he directs a production at the Lord Leebrick Theatre Company in Eugene. Grant funds will offset travel and tuition.
Portland Michael Barber , dancer/choreographer, $1,000
To support the artist’s participation in a 2-week residency and commissioning project with modern dance pioneer Deborah Hays and his dance collaborator, Cydney Wilkes. The experiences will culminate in a new duet and an evening length performance planned for Performance Works NW in Fall 2008, followed by national touring.
Chris Bennett , photographer, $1,170
To support the photographer’s participation in a 10-week residency to advance his photography and digital media skills at Anderson Ranch Art Center in Colorado. Bennett will use the work created during the residency to solicit new exhibition opportunities. Grant funds will support his travel costs.
Inge Bruggeman , book artist, $1,500
To support Bruggeman’s participation in an invitational artist’s book fair and exhibition in Marseilles, France in October 2008. She will have an opportunity to show her own work and that of other North American artists and to bring back ideas and techniques to share with colleagues and students at Oregon College of Art and Craft and Pacific NW College of Art, where she teaches. Grant funds will support travel and lodging costs.
Laura Di Trapani , animator and filmmaker, $1,000
To support the artist’s enrollment in two drawing/painting classes at the Creative Arts Community at Menucha in the Columbia Gorge. The classes will enable the animator and photo collage film maker to improve her illustration skills and build her capacity as a teacher of animation and time based art at Portland State University. Grant funds will support tuition, housing and materials.
Roxanne Jackson , sculptor, $1,500
To support the artist’s solo exhibition at Snap Contemporary Art in Vancouver, Canada, the first show of sculpture at the facility. The exhibit will allow her to forge stronger bonds with peers, mentors and other art professionals allowing her to expand her exhibition opportunities. Grant funds will support travel, shipping and documentation.
Lisa Kaser , visual artist, $1,500
To support the artist’s juried participation in the Illustrator’s Exhibit at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy. The Illustrator’s Exhibit is a world traveling show, with the work published as a book that circulates throughout publishing houses and book agencies. Presence at the fair will enable Kaser to present her portfolio to publishers and agents to advance the marketing of her work. Grant funds will support travel and per diem.
Theresa Koon , theater director, $1,500
To support the artist’s attendance at the Nautilus Summer Institute for Musical Theatre in Minnesota, working as one of four directors-in-training, staging scenes from opera and music theater. Koon was awarded a tuition scholarship, so her grant will support travel and housing costs.
Janet McIntyre , filmmaker, $1,500
To support the filmmaker’s continued work on a documentary, Faded, profiling young girls battling drinking and alcoholism. Grant funds will pay for editing and postproduction fees before the film is distributed through the Filmmakers Library.
Jenene Nagy , visual artist, $1,500
To support the artist’s participation in a 4-person exhibition, “Knowable Terrains,” at Takt Kunstprojektraum in Berlin in August 2008. This first time involvemen tin an international show, will expose her work to a wider audience. Grant funds will support shipping costs..
Vanessa Renwick , filmmaker, $1,500
To support production of Beta SP dub tapes of the filmmaker’s work, allowing her to be represented by Vtape Distribution in Toronto, Canada. Grant funds will pay for the creation of the tapes and digitizing of her short films for download from her website.
Rita Robillard , visual artist, $1,500
To support Robillard’s development of new work for two exhibitions in 2008/2009: The Luminous Frontier series to be shown at the Ruth Chandler Williamson Gallery at Scripps College and Lookout/Outlook at the Littman Gallery at Portland State University. Grant funds will pay for materials, framing and shipping.
Gigi Rosenberg , non-fiction writer, $675
To support the writer’s tuition for participation in the intensive weeklong Tin House Summer Writers Workshop. Her creative goal is further development of her craft and art as a non-fiction writer and to expand her professional contacts, leading to more publication opportunities.
Cheryl Strayed , novelist, $660
To support the writer’s residency at Soapstone, a retreat for women writers in Oregon’s Coast Range, allowing her to devote uninterrupted time to work on a second novel. Strayed’s first novel, Torch, was published by Houghton Mifflin in 2006. The grant will fund travel, residency fees and childcare during the residency.
Morgan Van Madison , visual artist, $1,000
To support the artist’s attendance at the Glass Art Society conference in Portland in June 2008 as well as the Graphic Fusions: Printed Images in Glass pre-conference at the Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle. The grant will defray registration fees; attending the conference will enable him to improve his glass art skills and increase contacts with international glass artists.
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The Oregon Arts Commission provides leadership, funding and arts programs through its grants, special initiatives and services. Nine commissioners, appointed by the Governor, determine arts needs and establish policies for public support of the arts. The Arts Commission became part of the Economic Development Department in 1993, in recognition of the expanding role the arts play in the broader social, economic and educational arenas of Oregon communities. In 2003, the Oregon Legislature moved the operations of the Oregon Cultural Trust to the Arts Commission, streamlining operations and making use of the Commission’s expertise in grantmaking, arts and cultural information and community cultural development.
The Arts Commission is supported with General Funds appropriated by the Oregon Legislature and with federal funds from the National Endowment for the Arts as well as funds from the Oregon Cultural Trust.
