Photos by Paul Ulmen
Student wares for sale
The Student Art Fair, scheduled all this week,
was kicked off Monday night beginning with a pot
luck dinner and a bluegrass band at the Smuckers
Art Complex. “Mountain Railroad" provided the
entertainment as prospective buyers viewed the
art work for sale and some took the chance to do a
little foot stomping. Pottery, jewelry, watercolors,
and various pen, pencil and oil paintings are on
sale all this week.
------ In review——
Oldest
profession
viewed
By Shawn Parkhurst
Of The Print
George Bernard Shaw was
very near the audience that
squirmed, but with an unus
ual amount of attentiveness,
during the CCC theatre de
partment's
production of
"Mrs. Warren's Profession"
last weekend.
In this once-notorious dra
ma, Shaw expresses his indig
nation with a society that
behaves
hypocritically to
wards prostitution. But, as
this performance pointed out,
the conflicts between char
acters produced by this soci
ety are secondary only in
reference to their ultimate
cause, not their effect.
Many different facets of a
theatrical performance can
take credit for artistic suc
cess.
In this case, as it
should, set design takes the
position of prime mover.
A revolving stage of a small
order is used in the produc-
tion, and that smallness is
important to the effective-
! ness of the play. The set is
cramped—beautifully cramp-
i ed-and the relationships, be-
‘ tween character and charac
ter, and character and audi-
I ence, are more intimate be-
! cause of this. Shaw might
not be impressed, but he
would be tickled.
Other technical parts of
the production create the
harsh,
realistic action (in
t
|Mn»day, May 24,1978
Shaw's case, mostly verbal
action) that Shaw, at least at
one time, looked for--no cur
tain, bare concrete stage, etc.
Granted, these may be due to
practical motivation,
but
they succeed artistically.
Barbara Bragg, who plays
Mrs. Warren, expressed a lit
tle doubt as to how the
melodramatic moments of the
play would come across to
the audience.
She doesn't
need to worry a bit. The
audience feels the embarrass
ment Shaw intended it to,
not embarrassment for the
actor in the role.
Susan Niklas seems to feel
a bit of power in certain parts
of Vivie Warren's character.
The conviction Vivie seems to
possess is lost in part of her
performance.
Vivie goes
through a period of uncer
tainty, but Susan gives her
this quality throughout most
of the performance-instead
of oscillating between con
fidence and insecurity.
But,
in another light,
Vivie is portrayed with pas
sion during her brief fantasi
zing with Frank. All Susan
needs to do is incorporate
strong, true moments into an
easily discernable
"whole"
performance. But then that
is all most need.
Frank (Keith Richmond)
is a smooth character. He
may be what is considered a
flat character.
There are
glimpses of internal conflict,
but not
many--and Keith
plays a true character
as
created by Shaw.
Frank,
ideally, is a very attractive
personality.
Richmond en
hances that attractiveness-
physically and psychological
ly.
The plays
namesake is
played by
Bragg, who fits
into the framework perfectly.
The role warms up through
out the performance; Bragg
plays Mrs. Warren in a highly
stylized,
but wonderfully
plausible, fashion. Plausible?
Yes. One can see Mrs. Warren
being realized in a totally
different manner, but Bragg's
is as engaging as any of the
others.
As a whole, this perform
ance. works with strength.
Every character is rendered
revealing to an acute viewer.
These are thinking charac-
ters-the only kind of inter
esting character as far as I'm
concerned.
You still have a chance to
see this play. The production
will travel to Linn-Benton
Community College, Albany,
playing on Friday, May 26th,
at 8:15 p.m. at the Forum
Theatre.
Art
show
success
By Paul Ulmen
Of The Print
During the past year many
young artists have endeavored
quietly behind the
scenes
without recognition, not only
developing their talents but
also producing a work to be
enjoyed by all as a testament
to their abilities.
What better way- to top
off the school year than with
a student art show?
The art show Monday eve
ning at the art center gave
future artists an opportunity
to display their creativity for
the public to view. Not only
did campus students attend
the show but many from the
local environment as well.
"This has been the largest
show to date at Smuckers
Center. We've had displays
in the entry way but not this
many people in attendance.
A good participation level",
said
Les Tipton, ceramics
instructor.
As the show got under way
and the visitors admired, the
buffet style dinner was served
allowing artists of another
sort to display their culinary
arts—spaghetti,
rice dishes,
homemade bread,
bubbly
punch
and sherbet drink.
(Hopefully no one was in
attendance just to eat.)
The buffet was held in the
basic design room
where
copies of famous works have
been hand painted on the
wall to greatly improve the
decor and enhance the meal.
Among the items entered
were ceramics,
a planter
about three feet tall, many
intricate patterns from Basic
Design, pen-pencil and ink
drawings, weavings,
water
color—one of a ship in a
harbor, by Colette Reeves,
jewelry—opal, and turquoise
filligree work by Roger Ver
non as well as many paintings,
some by Nancy Sharnbach
who plans to make her living
as an artist.
For some students this
was their first year in art, for
others it was their first term.
The majority of the work
proved these students to have
a great deal of promise and it
is hoped they will continue
with the needed
training,
though some seem to do a
good job as if it all came to
naturally.
Norm Bursheim, College
art department chairman, was
very enthusiastic not only
with the show but the stu
dents progress as well. -
"We've accomplished
a
great thing here, considering
we only get these students
for a one-year program.
"A year of painting and a
year of drawing and then
they're
off
to another
school," Bursheim said.
Hopefully in the future
we'll be able to go beyond
this and offer a two-year
program.
Inok Gibson and other stu
dents were disappointed that
few, if any, art classes were
offered for summer.
Everyone had ¡positive
comments about the display
and their own work. Some
will be here for another year
or transfer while others had
hopes of making their living
as an artist.
These works,
while Jon
display, are also for sale. A
fine quality pen and
ink
drawing was sold at the show.
In case anyone missed the
opening show, the objects
will continue to be on dis
play through May 26.
"This years show was such
a success we'll definitely have
one next year." said Mary
Ann Pierson secretary of the
art department. Bev Harris
dance instructor would have
had a dance team had there
been enough time to prepare,
but will contribute next year.
Finally, to highlight the
evening. Mountain Railroad
played fantastic
Bluegrass
music with accompaniment of
hand
clapping
and foot
stomping, while some of the
children added their version
of another art form, the
dance. Rhonda Allbecly the
student painter was finally
persuaded by the little people
to form a twosome on the
dance floor.
What a way to end the year
with all art forms combined-
paintings, drawings, water
colors,
jewelry, ceramics,
food, music, art and dancing.
Sorry if you missed it.
-------- —---- -J
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