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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (May 16, 2018)
Wednesday, May 16, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Pueblo sculptor returns to Sisters Master sculptor Cliff of solid positive energy. The Fragua taps the rocks that he mountains, big trees, snow might acquire, then listens and blue skies, along with a for ones that will resonate — sincerely curious and courte- singing back to him. ous public reception, struck This method of selection such a strong chord within tells Fragua which pieces him that he offered to make are most likely to allow a return visit. His sculptures the forming and shaping to — sometimes refined and occur without fractur- elegant, sometimes bold and ing. The prized miner- noble, other times abstract als of the earth, after and graceful, his millions of years two-man band, of lying in quiet and Cliff’s buoy- solitude, some- ant nature left times find their way people asking if into the hands of he’d be coming humans. In a sense, back soon. once gathered, these Given this rocks experience appreciation on a kind of awaken- both sides, Cliff ing. They are either will return for a left raw, destined show and work- for individuals shop on Memorial who seek the more Day weekend. organic appearance, To use Native or they’re directed American phrase- toward sculptors who ology, a good hoop must now select a was made and now proper one for working. that circle must be Rocks selected by honored and walked. Fragua will be once One of Cliff ’s again placed in quiet recent works, solitude, this time in “Gift from the the remote juniper- Sea,” received forest foothills of a Best of Show Central New Mexico for Sculpture at at Singing Stone the 2018 Heard Studio on the Jemez Museum Show in Pueblo. When they Phoenix, Arizona. emerge, trans- This prestigious formed through event is juried. tool and talent, Every artist has they now dis- to apply and be play an additional accepted; there brilliance that are no excep- gently intones tions for former “treasure.” entrants or award- PHOTO PROVIDED winners. Of the Fragua’s first visit to Central The work of master sculptor thousands of art- O r e g o n l a s t Cliff Fragua will be featured ist applying each spring provided at Raven Makes Gallery over year, only 500 a two-way flow Memorial Day weekend. are chosen. Cliff MEATS • CHEESES • EATERY • DRINKERY 110 S. SPRUCE ST. | 541-719-1186 OPEN EVERY DAY 9 A.M. TO 7 P.M. Don’t throw it away, we can fix it “Your Local Welding Shop” CCB# 87640 541-549-9280 | 207 W. Sisters Park Dr. | PonderosaForge.com PHOTO BY ALEX JORDAN We do repair work & fabrication in steel, aluminum, copper & other metals. has been chosen for over 30 consecutive years. In the sculpture division for 2018, he was one of 75 artists who competed. Joining Cliff this year will be Leah Mata, his wife, who is a diverse-mediums art- ist of the Northern Chumash People of Central California. Mata works as a traditional artist while creating contem- porary living forms of regalia and jewelry, allowing collec- tors the opportunity to expe- rience the California Indian arts. In addition to a B.A. in anthropology and a mas- ter’s in cultural sustainabil- ity, she is an instructor at the Institute of American Indian Art (IAIA), the four-year art college for Native American students. Two years ago, at the other most prestigious annual Native American art show, The Santa Fe Indian Market held in mid-August, Leah and Cliff were married upon the main stage in a Sunday- morning ceremony. Centuries ago, the People of what is today Central New Mexico and the People of Central California never met up in person. Yet, items developed by these regions’ respective cultures would sometimes show up in the other’s far off villages. This occurred because of the extensive trade network throughout North America and, in particular, the Southwest and Pacific Coast. Coastal shell material from over a thousand years ago can be found today in ancient Puebloan sites of the Southwest. Conversely, tur- quoise, famously mined in the area of Chaco Canyon and Central New Mexico, made its way to the Western shores, in exchange for those shells or, possibly, other materials along the way that served as intermediary trade items. Cliff and Leah have begun a collaborative study and artistic realization honoring this ancestral, extended trad- ing relationship. Their first prototype work in this series will be on display at their show in Central Oregon, while select pieces will be formally entered into and offered at the Santa Fe Indian Market in August. Mata said, “We looked at some of our oldest mate- rial cultural items from both communities, and decided to take those items and move them forward into a contem- porary design. While doing this, we’ll be adhering to the foundation our relatives per- fected generations ago.” Fragua describes some of these actual works as, “Antler tips embedded with shell and turquoise, then scrimshawed along the antler, creating pieces that can be used as hair pins.” Cliff and Leah will be holding their show at Raven Makes Gallery in Sisters dur- ing the Memorial Day week- end. Their works will go on display at the Friday Artist Reception from 4 to 7 p.m. 7 Young Life returning to Sisters By Charlie Kanzig Correspondent Young Life, a Christian ministry aimed at introduc- ing adolescents to the faith while offering support, activ- ities and fun times, is return- ing to Sisters under the lead- ership of Doug and Shannon Miller along with an enthu- siastic group of community supporters. Many locals may be familiar with the Washington Family Ranch, which is a Young Life camp near Antelope on the site of the former Big Muddy Ranch, home to Rajneeshpuram in the 1980s. The Millers worked there for the past two years before heeding the call to come and work in Sisters. The Washington Family Ranch hosts thousands of kids and families every year at what can only be described as a sprawling, magnificent facility. Young Life has been active in Sisters in the past, but waned in recent years and the Millers are excited at the prospect of helping grow the ministry in the years to come. Following three infor- mational meetings in recent weeks that included See YOUNG LIFE on page 19
