Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1977-1989 | View Entire Issue (April 27, 1983)
Since Monday there has been a new art ex hibit displayed in the Pauling Center. Upon look ing at the framed mandalas, acrylic designs and sculpture.encased in glass, the casual observer may assume the artwork was stamped out by an artist who has had years of practice to perfect each craft. Yet this-is not the case. The artwork is being shown as part of Handicapped Awareness Week and was created by Roger Hodge, an art student of only two years at Clackamas Community Col lege. Hodge will be graduating in the spring with an associate of arts degree, and to him his work is much more than art. The acrylics, sculpture, and mandalas (circular, pen-and-ink works) are symbols of achievement, of having met a great challenge, while giving him a new, positive outlook toward his future. Hodge originally did not plan to become an artist. He first came to the College in 1969 after graduating from Milwaukie High School. He later transferred to Oregon State University, where he received his masters in education. Shortly after he began teaching as an in dustrial arts teacher in the Portland public schools in 1974, Hodge was diagnosed as hav ing MS (Multiple Sclerosis), a disease which crip ples and can destroy vital parts of the nervous system. He was in his early 20’s then. “January 22—that’s one day I’ll never forget,” Hodge said in remembrance of his diagnosis. It has now been more than 10 years since that fateful date. Hodge described the years bet ween as being full of ups and downs. In order to keep from aggravating the disease, he eventually had to give up teaching. It wasn’t until two years ago that Hodge’s life took a dramatic turn. “I decided to get Handicap proues ‘little inconvenience’ for artist the time-consuming task of inking in a mandala (each one takes 56 hours to complete) or the delicately carved petals of an ivory rose, anyone can see that these pieces were designed by a man with the patience to produce beautiful work. He is a talented, sensitive artist. As he sits at his desk working on mandala, Hodge appears to be no different than any other art student, which he said he likes. “Not everyone likes to be treated special. Handicap ped people are like normal people, there’s just a little inconvenience,” he explained. There are days, though, when Hodge said that he is unable to work. “Some days I can work, other days I don’t even try to,” he said. Although he trys to think of himself as an ar tist instead of handicapped, Hodge hoped that his exhibit during Handicapped Awareness Week (April 25-30) might bolster the confidence of other students enough to give art a try. “If somebody sees my work, they might think, ‘If a handicapped person can do that, maybe I can’,” he said. Despite his bout with MS, Hodge, while seeming modest about his varied ac Hodge’s mandala depicts Northwest Coast Indian sym complishments, says he “feels very lucky,” and bols. is quick to give thanks to the College art instruc and be with people, and at the same time find a tors from wh om he has taken classes, including job that I could handle,” he said. He returned to Bursheim and Leland John, for giving him the the College and enrolled in a variety of art encouragement and confidence to achieve as classes, including basic design, art history, pain much as he has these past two years. Hodge also ting, sculpting, drawing, and commercial arts. expresses special thanks to Handicapped Today Hodge has designed several man Specialist Debbie Derr. “Without.her help maybe dalas depicting symbols of the Northwest Coast I would not have gone as far as I have,” he said. Indians and is nearly finished with a wax statue He added that his wife and son have “given me a of a hunting dog, which will be cast in bronze. lot of encouragement.” . These two aspects, the Northwest Coast Indians Besides graduation, what else is Hodge and hunting, are often his inspirations for design looking forward to in the future? He plans to use ing his artwork, which he says, “Touches a cer his work to build up a portfolio, and then go out tain place in my heart or soul.” in search of a job in either graphic or commercial Hodge, also works in sculptures of ivory, • arts. “It gets me out of my house, and back into plaster, and clay, and has used acrylics for his the world. To go back into society is my main commercial design class. Art Department goal,” he said. Chairperson Norm Bursheim has descibed him Hodge is confident that he will find a job as “a fast learner.” Indeed, for a man who claims somewhere. As for those who doubt that han to have “just doodled” prior to taking the Col dicapped people can lead normal lives, he said lege’s art classes, it is clear that Hodge has “I might not be able to do what they’re doing, but stumbled upon a hidden talent. then again I might be able to do something they “Bursheim says you’re always better than can’t do.” you think you are, and if you just try you might How many students can say they know how surprise yourself,” he said. “I did surprise to sculpt, paint and draw like a professional in myself.” only two year’s timé? In looking .at Hodge’s work, whether it be Roger Hodge Story by Shelley Ball Photos by Dave VanAcker Wednesday April 27, 1983 WAX FIGURE OF DOG is ready to be cast in bronze. Page 7