The Clackamas Print
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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
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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.
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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.