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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 2016)
4 Wednesday, December 7, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Library displays variety of local art By Sue Stafford Correspondent Charlotte Nitcher recalls that, as a very young child, she discovered the fun of cre- ative endeavors while draw- ing lines in the talcum pow- der soil of Florida. She hasn’t stopped creating art in some form or another since those early days. Many Sisters residents know Nitcher as the pub- lic services specialist at the Sisters Library, where she has worked for the past 20 years. Currently, her art- work is on display at the Friends of the Sisters Library (FOSL) December exhibit in the library community room. Before viewing Nitcher’s exhibit, visitors can view in the lobby display case some of the items that provided inspiration for Nitcher’s work. Acrylics, oils, and oil pas- tels are the most-used medi- ums by Nitcher. She admits her first love is drawing, followed by painting, then paper and printmaking. As a child, Nitcher always delighted in receiving a new box of crayons. For her 10th Christmas, she received a real Sears art kit with quality paper, graphite pencils, char- coal, oil pastels, and kneaded eraser. Using the books included in the kit, she prac- ticed shadowing and perspec- tive, while honing her sketch- ing skills. Nitcher said that the oblig- atory art classes in grade school and junior high were more about following direc- tions and actually squashed creativity. Rather than draw a simple round red apple as instructed, Nitcher drew an apple cut open, with the seeds exposed — not viewed posi- tively by her teacher. So, the budding artist created in pri- vate, at home, and out among the oak trees surrounding her home in Albany, Oregon where her family moved when she was four. Nitcher and her high We’ve Got Tons of Great Gifts and Tools for Christmas! school sweetheart husband of 43 years, John, met while playing in the band, he the saxophone, she the clarinet. They couldn’t actually date until she turned 16, and five years later they were mar- ried. Following John’s grad- uation from Oregon State University, they lived in Reedsport with their children for 19 years before moving to Central Oregon in 1995, where they first lived east of Sisters. Following a dream in which Nitcher saw a vision of a house, she drew a sketch, and her builder husband built her the dream house on the rim above Whychus Creek Canyon, complete with a separate art studio facing the Cascades. While her children were growing up, Nitcher directed her creativity toward proj- ects involving the children’s interests. She also taught PHOTO BY SUE STAFFORD Annie Painter with two of her young student artists. string-quilting classes and created wearable art for sale. Quilting, fiber arts, sketching and gardening provided cre- ative outlets for her until she began taking art classes at the local community college in 1990, followed by earning her Bachelor of Science in Liberal Studies from Linfield College in 1993. Inspiration for her art seems to come to Nitcher at any time of day or night, in the shower, images from dreams, in response to social issues, and from nature, pho- tography, and real life. “Some of my ideas are quirky,” Nitcher admits, as I Is s Y Your o u r H Home o m e R Ready e a d y f o r t the h e H o l i d a y s ? for Holidays? See LOCAL ART on page 31 25% OFF SIGNATURE SERIES PLU t S o up $500 REBATE on energy-saving, motorized window-coverings. CCB Licensed #197715 | Bonded 541-788-8444 FREE CONSULTATIONS www.BudgetBlinds.com H Hours: M-F M F 8 to 5 5, S Sat. 8 to 4 4:30, 30 Cl Closed dS Sundays d 440 N. Pine St. • 541-549-8141 • www.hoyts.net CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT CLASSES MULTI-STATE | VALID 35 STATES Wishing You a Happy Holiday Season! SOUP OF THE DAY December 7th - December 13th Wed ...........................Black Bean Thurs ............Caulifl ower Cheese Fri ....Clam Chowder & Vegetable Sat.................Clubhouse Tomato Connect with us for great specials! Sun ................ Chicken Vegetable Mon ..........Navy Bean with Ham Tues ................... Beef Stroganoff Orders to go welcome Breakfast & lunch 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Nightly dining until 10 p.m. (21 & over) 171 W. Cascade Ave., Sisters | 541-549-2631 Honored Do Not Honor Utah Residents Only Tuesday, December 13 • 1 p.m. & 6 p.m. Best Western Ponderosa Lodge, 500 Hwy. 20 W., Sisters 360-921-2071 Call or Text | FirearmTrainingNW@gmail.com | www.FirearmTrainingNW.com