Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 23, 1996)
The Clackamas Print J Y*z> 1 CULUrv_____________________________________________ Wednesday, October 23,1996 J Award-winning artist joins Clackamas faculty Christina Mueller Staff Writer Debra Beers is the new full-time art teacher at Clackamas. She teaches three classes of painting and drawing. Beers has been teaching art at different colleges for eight years, including Lewis and Clark, Portland Community and Mt. Hood Community. She went to undergraduate school at Columbia Basin Commu nity College in Tri-Cities, Wash ington, and Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash ington. Four years later she at tended graduate school at Stanford University and later transferred to the University of Iowa, where she completed her master’s in fine arts and a masters in painting. Beers chooses to teach art because she has had an interest in art since her early childhood. “It’s a slow process. At some point in your childhood, you just fall in love with making art. I can’t really pinpoint one particular event that did it, although there were teachers in elementary school that were very encouraging. And I think that has a lot to do with it,” she explains. Beers likes the atmosphere at Qackamas. “I like the philosophy here at Clackamas Community College, where education is the first and fore most priority and everything points to the welfare of the students at this school,” she says. She also feels her full-time po sition at Clackamas helps her to spend more time with students. “I’ma part of the community now. I’m more involved with direct decisions. Because I’m here for longer periods during the day, I have more contact with students, and I can develop deeper relationships with them,” she says. Compared to the other schools at which she has taught, Beers rates the Clackamas art department highly. “It’s a lot smaller of an art de partment, but the instructors here are a lot more committed,” she com ments. She tries to keep her teaching techniques geared toward talking with students. To teach a class of developing artists takes a lot of mo tivation, and Beers gets that from her students. “The students inspire me. Their hunger to learn new things gives me more energy. We feed off of each other. The more they [the students] want to learn, the more I want to give. It’s a recipro cal relationship,” she relates. To be an art instructor, you need to have an interest in art your self, according to Beers. She has won several awards for her per Award-winning artist Debra Beers has joined the college art department as a new instructor. Beers taught at several schools and will teach classes in drawing and painting at the college. Beers’ interest In art started in childhood. sonal artwork. These include project grants from the regional Arts and Culture Council; major purchase awards from the Univer sity of Oregon and the One Per cent for Art program; and a pur chase award for portable artworks from the city of Portland. She has also shown her artwork at numer ous solo exhibitions in Portland and Seattle. One aspect of art that keeps Beers interested is discovery. For her, discovery includes “learning new things, stretching my brain and taking risks; expressing to the world my view of people in our culture, such as the homeless and poor. People who are on the fringes of our society.” Because of her teaching, Beers has trouble finding time to work on her own artwork, but somehow does. She counts on winter and summer break to work on her major artwork, but she does have a few ongoing pieces. “There’s never enough time for an artist. You live, breathe and eat it,” she says. A sure way to get where you want to go in life, according to Beers, is to “follow your heart and dreams. This is a time for you to explore as many different areas as possible. Take advantage of all of the facilities at Clackamas. This is a one shot deal, this thing called life... make the most of it.” Rehearsal underway for Cabaret Andrews. Beck Staff Writer The Clackamas Theatre De partment is now rehearsing the musical Cabaret for a run of shows in February. Cabaretis directed by Drama Teacher David Smith-English, and the music is orchestrated by In structor Gary Nelson. Auditions for Cabaret were held last Tùesday, Oct. 15, in the McLoughlin Theater. Actors for the production were chosen out of a group of more than 40 people. The popular musical, based on the play by John Van Druten and Christopher Isherwood, has been one of Broadway’s all-time biggest hits. Both the stage and motion picture adaptations have won awards, including Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Screenplay. Set against the backdrop of the Nazi occupation of Germany, Cabaret showcases the lives of American writer Cliff Bradshaw and his English lover Sally Bowles. The musical showcases many important social issues from history, including Jewish persecu tion, Nazi oppression of the arts, and problems with the sex roles of men and women. “Cabaret speaks of freedom and fear and the overwhelming voice of liberation,” said Instruc tor Barbara Bragg. Cabaret opens at the McLoughlin Theater on Feb. 13 and runs through Feb. 23. All shows but the 16th and 23rd will start at 8 p.m. The other two shows are matinees starting at 2:30 p.m. “It’s great. We rarely do a musical because they are so expen sive. Cabaret gives us a chance to work with the music department and test students with singing and dancing as well as acting,” said Bragg. “We have the makings of a very exciting cast representing the entire Portland area with the foun dation in Oregon City,” said Smith- English. For more information on Cabaret, contact the Theatre Dept, at ext. 2472 or Barbara Bragg at ext 2356. littei’s Featuring Espressos, Italian Sodas S Mors - conveniently located rigtiton campas!!! Flow loca»le4 in I'ke roadrv cafetería» *CaJe feria» r>ow operv urvhl 8 p.ro* CRo i » ^ety-P riJaiy Club C@lend<ffi Help Everyone’s Environment Live (HEEL) Come have pizza! Clackamas’s environmental club will serve pizza today from 11a.m. to 1 p.m. in the cafeteria. Meet ings are held on Mondays at 11 a.m. in P124. Everyone is in vited to attend. For more infor mation, call ext. 2247. Ski Club Meetings of the Ski Club are held Wednesdays at noon in Pl02. Meetings are open to all Clackamas snow enthusiasts. French Speakers’ Group Join us Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12 to 1 p.m., in Barlow Hall’s second-floor lounge. If you have had some French and want to brush up, plan to travel in a French-speak ing country, or take a French class, this is your opportunity to try out your French in a relax ing and fun environment. Women’s Soccer Club All Welcome! Practices are Tuesday and Thursday from 5:45 to 6:15 p.m. If interested, contact Jason Manning at 630- 3581 or Amy Ware in the Stu dent Activities office. Serving a» wi4e va»riefy of speciajfy 4rinìcs fo sui International Club Flew for fa»]]! Jitter s now yea»r. The next International Club meeting is tomorrow, Oct. 24, at 12:30 p.m. in room CC126. This is a time to make new friends and to have fun learning about other cultures. Everyone is wel come to join. If you have ques tions, call Advisor Ellen Wolfson at ext. 2550. Native American Students’ Club The Coyote Circle is meet ing today at3p.m.inM229. Bring your beadwork. We will work pn items for December’s craft sale. Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) FCA will host a barbeque to morrow from 12:30 to 3 p.m. The barbeque will be held on the lawn in front of Randall Hall. Entertainment includes vol leyball and frisbee. You do not have to be an athlete to attend this or any FCA event. Student Connection Club Meet new people, form study groups, get information and help with your college expe rience. The next meeting will be held Friday, Oct.25, from 11a.m. to noon near the Help Center. For Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Phi Theta Kappa Honor So ciety will hold two new-member orientations tomorrow from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Community Center Skylight Dining Room, and Monday, Oct. 28,12 to 1 p.m. in the Gregory Forum. For more information, contact Advisor Dave Arter, ext. 2210.
