Wednesday, November 2, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
13
Photographer’s work on display
By Ste Stafford
Correspondent
The name Fettkether is
a familiar one around the
Sisters Library, and it is prom-
inent during the month of
November. The photographs
of former Sisters resident Bill
Fettkether, from his private
collection, are on display in
the computer room.
Fettkether’s widow,
Marianne, affectionately
known to her friends as Fetty,
has been a long-time library
volunteer and member of the
Friends of the Sisters Library
(FOSL) Board. She loaned
her late husband’s photo-
graphs for the exhibit.
Born in Dubuque, Iowa,
in 1926, to descendants of
German immigrants, Bill
came west to study at the Fred
Archer School of Photography
in Los Angeles. In 1946
he studied with renowned
American photographer Ansel
Adams, whose influence is
evident in Fettkether’s photo-
graphic images.
His work included color,
black and white, and sepia
images, but his preference
was always for the classi-
cal black and silver image
on white paper, which pro-
vides for the greatest range of
expression.
Landscape subjects in
nature figured prominently
in Fettkether’s photographs
– mountains, plants, and sand
sculptures. Fettkether cap-
tured the gnarly form of the
bristlecone pine, known for
its resilience to harsh weather
and bad soils. It is one of the
longest-lived life forms on
earth and a prized subject for
the camera’s eye.
In 1960, Fettkether went to
work as a photographer with
the Technical Information
Department at the Naval
Weapons Center in China
Lake, California, where he
was employed until his retire-
ment in 1986. The China Hat
base was rather unique, hav-
ing been opened following
the Japanese attack of Pearl
Harbor in World War II.
There were only a handful of
military personnel on base,
with mostly civilian chemists
and physicists conducting the
bulk of the work done there.
Most of his photography
from the Weapons Center was
classified, because they were
developing the Sidewinder
missile, the laser beam, and
early versions of the jet-pack
for individual propulsion.
His unclassified photo-
graphs were published in
museum calendars, displayed
annually in New York and
Chicago, and honored with
awards in numerous exhi-
bitions. The Professional
Photographers of America
recognized him for the qual-
ity of his work with an hon-
orary master of photography
degree.
Mutual friends introduced
Fettkether and his future wife
on a blind date less than a
year after Marianne’s arrival
from Germany for a two-year
nursing exchange program.
Bill persisted and on July 12,
1963, they were married in a
chapel on Melrose Avenue
in Hollywood, California.
They and their two children,
Claudia and David, lived
on the China Hat base for
10 years and then in nearby
Ridgecrest, California.
Fettkether had visited
Central Oregon to ski in the
early days of Mt. Bachelor,
and in the early 1970s sug-
gested the family consider
buying land here. They pur-
chased 10 acres located
between Sisters and Bend,
PHOTO BY JIM CORNELIUS
Bill Fettkether’s work is on display throtgh November.
Nov 4 / Fri / 8-11 PM
Grateful
Bluegrass Boys
Bl
A string band that plays
traditional bluegrass
versions of classic rock
favorites.
Nov 12 / Sat / 8-11 PM
Leo Kottke
Innovative acoustic guitar
Inno
virtuoso
Hacksaw Ridge (R)
Fri 4:15, 7:00
Sat-Sun 1:30, 4:15, 7:00
Mon-Thurs 4:15, 7:00
Doctor Strange (PG-13)
Fri 4:45, 7:15
Sat-Sun 2:00, 4:45, 7:15
Mon-Thurs 4:45, 7:15
Trolls (PG)
Fri 4:30, 6:45
Sat-Sun 2:15, 4:30, 6:45
Mon-Thurs 4:30, 6:45
Harry & Snowman (NR)
Nov 19 / Sat / 8-11 PM
Fri 4:15
Sat-Sun 2:30, 7:45
Mon-Thurs 4:15
Distinctive do-it-yourself
hill country blues stomp.
North Mississippi trance
blues, a bit of Appalachia,
and a dash of punkabilly.
The Accountant (R)
Hillstomp
Nov 26 / Sat / 8-11 PM
T The Weather r
Machine
Hard-to-categorize, high-
energy live show strikes a
chord with NW audiences.
PUB OPENS 1 HR PRIOR TO SHOWS
BelfryEvents.com
541-815-9122
Fri 6:30
Sat-Sun 5:00
Mon-Thurs 6:30
Movie times and titles are
bsite
subject to change. Visit we
n.
atio
rm
info
st
late
or call for
In 2012, Marianne donated
the handsome fused-glass
circular window over the
library’s front doors in mem-
ory of her late husband. The
richly colored light that shines
through the window memori-
alizes his lifetime of capturing
light images with his camera.
“Bill gave me a good life.
He was a very warm, knowl-
edgeable person,” Marianne
shared. Nineteen years after
his death following a stroke,
she still misses him intensely.
Entertainment•Arts•Special Events
Friday~Nov. 4
The Belfry Live Music with
Grateful Bluegrass Boys
8 to 11 p.m. Pub opens
one hour before the show
for refreshments. For more
information call 541-815-9122
or go to belfryevents.com.
Saturday~Nov. 5
Starts
Friday
Fri., Nov. 4 – Thurs., Nov. 10
with an unobstructed view of
the Cascade mountains, pay-
ing $25 a month until the bal-
ance was paid off.
In 1983, the house, which
was designed by Fettkether,
was built, complete with
a full darkroom. Upon his
retirement from the Weapons
Center in 1986, they moved to
their home in Central Oregon,
where Marianne still resides,
surrounded by Bill’s photo-
graphs and the mountain view
he enjoyed every morning.
Sisters Saloon Live Music
with the Bobby Lindstrom
Trio 8 to 11 p.m. for blues &
rock. No cover! For additional
information call 541-549-7427
or go to sisterssaloon.net.
Cork Cellars Live Music
with Parlour 7 to 9 p.m.
No cover! For additional
information call 541-549-2675
or go to corkcellars.com.
The Belfry Live Music with
Leo Kottke 8 to 11 p.m. Pub
opens one hour before the
show for refreshments. For info
call 541-815-9122 or go online
to belfryevents.com.
Saturday~Nov. 19
Sisters Saloon Live Music
with Bobby Lindstrom’s
All Three Cylinders 8 to 11
p.m. No cover! For additional
information call 541-549-7427
or go to sisterssaloon.net.
The Belfry Live Music with
Hillstomp 8 to 11 p.m. Pub
opens one hour before the
show for refreshments. For
additional information call
541-815-9122 or go online to
belfryevents.com.
Friday~Nov. 25
Wed.~Nov. 9
Fir Street Park Sisters
Christmas Tree Lighting
Hood Avenue Art Play
Reading, “Loving Coltrane” Ceremony 5:30 p.m.
Sponsored by the Sisters
7 p.m. With Sisters & Bend
Area Chamber. Join in singing
actors and talk-back session
Christmas carols and warm
following. $5 suggested
donation, refreshments served. up around the fi re pit! Three
Sisters Lions Club will be
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For
selling popcorn & hot drinks.
more info call 541-719-8779.
For info call 541-549-0251.
Saturday~Nov. 12 Downtown Sisters 4th
Friday Art Stroll 4 to 7 p.m.
Sisters Saloon Live Music
Galleries & shops feature live
with Riley’s Range Benders entertainment & refreshments!
8 to 11 p.m. for Americana and sistersartsassociation.org.
blues. No cover! For additional
information call 541-549-7427
Saturday~Nov. 26
or go to sisterssaloon.net.
Cork Cellars Live Music
Cork Cellars Live Music
with Jazz Folks 7 to 9 p.m.
with Allan Byer 7 to 9 p.m.
No cover! For additional
No cover! For additional
information call 541-549-2675 information call 541-549-2675
or go to corkcellars.com.
or go to corkcellars.com.
Always a
meat expert
on duty!
WWW.SISTERS
MOVIEHOUSE.COM
541-549-8800
110 S. Spruce St. | 541-719-1186
Open 9 AM -7 PM Every Day
Sisters Saloon Live Music
with the Tommy Hogan
Band 8 to 11 p.m. Electric
blues, no cover! For additional
information call 541-549-7427
or go to sisterssaloon.net.
The Belfry Live Music with
The Weather Machine
8 to 11 p.m. Pub opens one
hour before the show for
refreshments. For additional
information call 541-815-9122
or go to belfryevents.com.
Hood Avenue Sisters
Christmas Parade 2 p.m.
And after the parade....
Chamber Offi ce Visit
with Santa! Enjoy holiday
refreshments, too! Sponsored
by the Sisters Area Chamber.
For more info: 541-549-0251 or
go to sisterscountry.com.
Black Butte Ranch Turkey
Trot Fun Run & Walk
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Register at
10:15 a.m. at the Lakeside
Activities Center. Fundraiser for
the SHS Nordic ski team, $10.
Wtih raffl e after the run/walk.
For info call 541-595-5879.
Saturday~Dec. 3
The Belfry Holiday Art
Extravaganza! 10 a.m. to
4 p.m. Creations from all the
local artists and vendors you
love, plus music from the
SHS choir, jazz band, and
Americana Project students.
Info, go to belfryevents.com.
Deadline to submit items is
by 5 p.m. Fridays to
teresa@nuggetnews.com
Do y you know we have…
Fantastic sandwiches
Frozen line — caught seafood
Elk & buffalo burger • Beer & wine
Jerky and pepperoni • Dog bones
Smoked cheeses • Deli meats ( (sliced) )
And of course a spectacular case of top lean fresh meat!