The Arts
Abstract class debuts at College
By D. Dietrich
students hadn’t signed up for
the class may have been that
many people are intimidated
“The term abstract is like or. turned off by the word
love. It has many meanings,” abstract. Garnett described
said Bill Garnett the instructor abstract by saying, “It means
of Clackamas Community the hidden elements that you
College’s first abstract art
don’t necessarily see.” He also
class.
Titled
Pain­
said that abstract techniques
ting—Abstract, the class is
are equally important in ex­
currently composed of eight
treme realism style as in ex­
students with varying degrees
treme abstract style.
of experience but Garnett says
Garnett has been teaching
that not having a prerequisite art for approximately ten
isn’t a problem.
years as well as working on
Garnett said that he believes many murals throughout his
that it is good to learn the career. He is currently
understanding of abstract teaching drawing and painting
while learning the skills involv­ classes on four campuses in
ed. “At first I was leary,” the Portland area, plus work­
Garnett said about the fact ing with the zoo on two
that over half of the students diaramas and a mural.
hadn’t painted before, but he Garnett’s personal interest at
found that the most important the moment is working with
point was that everyone was the “old masters” what he
open to the learning ex­ called “variations on the
perience. “It isn’t a serious in­ theme.”
tellectual trip,” said Garnett,
Because the class is the first
“although it can be,” he add­ of its kind at the College and
ed.”
there is a range of experience
Garnett stressed the impor­ among the students, the for­
tance of “feeling safe” when mat of the class is flexible as
working on a project and said yet. “We’re feeling it out this
the communication between term,” said Garnett. Garnett
the students was a positive also doesn’t have real strong IN THE COLLEGE’S first abstract painting class, Craig Ron­
point in the class. He said that grading criteria. “I’ve never shausen listens to idea of instructor Bill Garnett. Students work
he felt that the reason more been comfortable with grading on about six projects throughout the term.
Of The Print
art,” said Garnett. He said his
grading tends to lean on atten­
dance and interest. He said
that if the focus is too much
on the gradé, “It makes them
aware of the product more
than the process,” which is
not what he’s looking for, he
said. He called a complete em­
phasis on the grading of the
product an “antithesis to art.”
When asked what he thought
made certain pieces of art
work for the viewer he describ­
ed it by saying, “The unity is
there.” He explained that an
artist knows when he is finish­
ed because the piece is “self-
contained” and has a “ratio
of harmony.” “Why say more
if you’ve said it,” he said. But
he also said that he doesn’t
always believe in art making a
statement and likened the
work of an artist as a trail they
leave behind, something like
the “ooze of a snail,” he jok­
ed.
Garnett encouraged anyone
interested in painting to sign
up for the class and said that it
didn’t matter whether they
had started with the fall term
class. The class is scheduled
for two classes a week for two
hours a piece plus two hours
of lab time per week.
Veteran actor plays in long-awaited
By Shelley Davis
Of The Print
Have you ever heard of
John Rausch? Seen him in
plays at the Lady Bug Theater
or other theaters? If not,
here’s your chance. Rausch
will be appearing in
McLoughlin Theater at the
College in “The Good
Doctor.”
Rausch, currently
work­
ing in video productions, ma­
jored in theater at Portland
State University and continued
and
graduated
from
Marylhurst College. He work­
ed for the Play Box Players
Productions for approximate­
ly twelve years, appearing at
several theaters.
Jack Shields, the College’s
Theater Director, acted with
Rausch at the Lady Bug
Theater and various other
theaters. Rausch has worked
under the direction of Shields
at the Coaster Theater in Can­
non Beach. X
Page 4
“The main reason I wanted
to do it (the play) was to be
under his (Shields) direction,”
Rausch said. “I’ve wanted to
do a show at the College, but
never had the opportunity,”
he added.
When a cancellation in the
play’s cast occurred, Shields
“didn’t want to put the large
role on an active student.” “I
asked Rausch if he was in­
terested, and he agreed to do
it, although I know it conflicts
with his schedule,” Shields
said. “I am so very pleased to
have him work with us,” he
added.
Even though Rausch has
agreed to play the role, he will
only be getting funded for the
transportation to and from
rehearsals and performances.
The salary was not mentioned
in the agreement, but was ac­
tually based on the mutual
respect between Shields and
Rausch.
“Shields is really one of the
best I’ve worked with,”
Rausch said. “The College is
lucky to have him.”
At the present time, Rausch
is working on two plays,
“Snow Queen” at the Coaster
Theater as well as “The Good
Doctor” at the College
Neil Simon’s “The Good
Doctor” was written by
organizing ten short stories of
Anton Chekhov. It was then
that it was turned into a play.
When Shields was asked about
the play, he first described it as
“Russia’s primary literary
figure to America’s primary
playwrites. I guess you could
call it ‘Russia meets America
on stage’.”
The characters for the play
are warm and witty. “The play
will be very, very funny in
places and may be even a poig­
nant tear drawn from the au­
diences collective eye,”
Shields said. “I felt very lucky
John (Rausch) could do the
role.”
“It’s a conversational
piece,” Rausch said while
thinking about the play. “I en­
joy the direct contact with the
audience.”
“The Good Doctor” opens
at 8 p.m. on Nov. 29. It then
plays Nov. 30, Dec. 1, 7, 8,
and closes with a 2:30 matinee
on Dec. 9.
A play that Rausch ap­
peared in recently was
“Pirates of Penzance” at the
Lake Oswego Community
Center. He is currently work­
ing at Holiday Park Hospital
in the audio-visual depart­
ment.
Rausch explains of having a
goal to do challenging things.
“Right now it’s challenging to
try and learn so much for a Your gift can make
large role in such little time.” a difference.
When thinking of rehear­
sals, he said, “All of the cast
have been so darn friendly at <> American Heart
welcoming me and supporting WIFAssociation
v in Oregon
me. I’m really pleased to play
a role where I’ve wanted to for WE'RE FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE
a long, long time.”
♦
Clackamas Community College