Childrens’ art is Celebration highlight
of art began to pile up in Leigh Files*
living room last week: The works of Eugene-area
school children, gathered to appear in thu fifth
annual Imagination Celebration and Very Speciul
Arts Festival.
Files is coordinator for the Very Special Arts
Festival, a component of the celebration that pro
motes and showcases the artwork of disabled
children.
Mosaics, drawings, paintings and prints,,
will appear at the event, which will be held Satur-.
day from II a m toT> p in. at the Mult Center for
the Performing Arts. , • ••••
The Very Special festival.is an outreach phi
gram of the John F. Keiinedy Center for the Perfor
ming Arts of Washington: D.C. The celebration.
. , will, showcase the Quality and variety of student: .
•• arts activities in.bane County.
'* "This is a whole day at the Hult Cepter just
. for- kids,/, says Jill. Weiss, of the Lena Regional ,
' ■<' Arts Council, which is .sponsoring the event. .
, - ' : About -5.(KM) students, teachers and parents
.. attended last year's celebration, which included a
* parade and.all-day entertainment. Weiss says.
. This year's event will begin .with an.
• - . . "Umbrella-antics'" parade that will wind through
the Downtown Mail before arriving at the Hull
Center. Entertainment will continue throughout
the day with .a variety of performances by
students and local musicians, storytellers,
singers, dancers, tumblers and jugglers.
. There-will also be an expanded, visual art
display in the Hull (Center's (acobs Room and
main tabby. and hands-on arts activities at the
°. "Imaginarium" on the outside courtyard. '
' As a special gift, the Kennedy Center is sen:
ding the Magic Carpet Band to perform at the
event. The hand, which can be seen on the
Nickelodeon cable-television network, is com
posed of a group of actors, mimes and musicians
that perform acts written entirely by children.
The main focus of the event, however, is the
art exhibit. Weiss says, noting that it is hard to
find a special place to display student art.
Students from first grade through high
cchool will have their work on display. Most of
the children participating in the program are from
the Kugene School District. Weiss says. But con
tributions from Springfield and Pleasant Hill
schools have grown during the past few: years.
• she add». ' “V / '•
Piles says she believes the event has special
significance for the handicapped individuals Who
participate. ? •..... . -:-.vA
”1.think the .program is a very important
\ vehicle for- expression, teaching and learning
skills.’’ she says. /‘Sometimes a handicapped
kid's greatest .asset is how he or. she can draw .or
play the piano by ear.” ■ ’
By showing his or her ari to the public, a han
dicapped person can. develop self-esteem, which
w.ill help him or her in other areas. Files adds.
Interpreters „ for the deaf and wheelchair
assistants will be available at the event to give the
disabled an opportunity to participate in all of the
planned activities. • ‘
The entire celebration is open and free to the
public. For more information, contact Weiss at
485-2278 or Files at 344-4178. :•
■ : By Julie Freeman
Percussion shows slated
Percussion is the word lo remember when
considering on-campus live entertainment
Saturday.
Jazz-fusion drummer Billy Cobham will
give a solo drumset performance from 2 lo 5
p m. in Beall f '-oncert Hell. Admission is free.
Cobham. known lo many as the greatest
Jazz-rock-fusion drummer alive today, will
perform material from his latest GRP Records
album. ‘'Warning.*’ His past performances
have included work with The Mahavishnu Or
chestra. John McLaughlin and Jan Hammer (of
"Miami Vice'‘-theme feme). Cobham has
played drums on recordings with such
notables as Miles Devis. George Benson. Ron
Carter. Horace Silver and Hubert Laws
Cobham's other albums include "Inner
Mounting Frame." "Birds Of Fire," Between
Nothingness And Eternity." "Spectrum" and
"Class Menagerie."
At his Beall Hall appearance Saturday.
Cobham will introduce Eugene to New York
City drummer Dom Famularo. Famularu will
open the drum show with a performance tec
ture, followed by Cobham’s performance.
Saturday night. Beall Hall will see a
switch from drums to marimba, as Leigh
Howard Stevens will appear in a virtuoso solo
recital of classical marimba. Stevens is cur
rently regarded as the world's foremost classic
marimbist. His performance begins at 8.00.
and admission is free.
Stevens, a native of New York City, has
performed worldwide and has received fre
quent standing ovations and outstanding
critical acclaim.
Stevens is credited with the development
of the modern independent four-mallet
classical marimba technique, and is the author
of an authoritative text. “Method of Movement
for Marimba."
Stevens and Cobham appear as part of the
Northwest Percussion Festival and eighth an
nual Oregon Day of Percussion. The event is
produced by Charles Dowd, professor of per
cussion at the University School of Music.
For more information, call 686-3761.
„■ ,‘-4 : . ; ‘ v • • 1 . • Photo by |ame« Marks
/je/g/i Files is assembling artworks created by Eugene-area han
dicapped children'for Saturday’s Imagination Celebration and
Very Special Arts Festival.'
SUNSHINE DINING
for a perfect afternoon
, try our new outdoor patio
BOOK and TEA
Open 8'30 - 6 00 dairy • 10:00 -6 00 Sunday ,
on the southeast cornet ot campus
1646 E. 19th • 344-3422
Picture Yourself Making
s1481
This Summer
per mo.
avg.
Great Experience For Resume
Call for possible interview — 687-0104
THE SOUTHWESTERN COMPANY
c
0
p
1
E
S
3*
All Pay
Every Day
Mon. ■ Fri.
8:30 - 5:00
519 E. 13th
485-1940
EUGENEX HILTON
\\n ( in ( ONI EKI NC I (.'ENTER
The Performance Center next to the
Performance Center.
342-2000