8
October 16, 2002
The Clackamas Print
Former student's art is on display
of hei^smaller pieces
entitled “Hair #1 ,” by
collecting the hair out
of her brush. She then
kept it for a while
before she knew
exactly what she want
ed to do with it. The
long, connected maze
of lines is what was
constructed. This then
led to the creation of
“Hair #2.” It was com
posed by the accumu
lation of hair from all
of the salons in
Molalla.
Not only is her
work magnificent, but
also Simmons herself
is an extraordinary
person. While waiting
for her presentation to
begin she took the
LUKE MAHAN Clackamas Print
time to talk to any
body who wished, Practically all of Simmons’ art work is made after she collects natu
including
longtime ral materials. This piece, entitled “Hemp #2” is made of hemp fiber
friend Bee Smith, who that has been glued together and shaped into rolls.
met Simmons while
So what’s next for Kate of her time working on. Everyday
taking a ceramics class at the col Simmons? She just recently she works from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at
lege. When complimented Simmons received her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts two different jobs. On the weekends
shyly blushes and turns her head. and would like to get her masters, she remains social with her family
“One day she’ll be rich and famous though she is undecided on a and friends.
Simmons’ art is on display in the
and I can say I knew her when,” school.
Smith tells an onlooker. With this
But art is not the only thing that Pauling Gallery located outside of
Simmons quietly chuckles and keeps Simmons busy. In fact, it is the lecture rooms. It will remain on
embarrassingly looks the other way.
probably what she spends the least exhibit until Dec. 2.
A & ^Editor "
Her work is constructed in a bam
belonging to her parents in Molalla.
Admirers will notice at first glance
the time and effort put into each one
of her pieces. They all seem as
On Wednesday, Oct. 9, Kate though they would be quite tedious
Simmons presented her artwork that to construct, but Simmons is very
is going to be up on display in the passionate about her work.
Many of her pieces may not be
Pauling Gallery. Simmons, a former
Clackamas student, has a number of recognizable as art until they are
large and medium-size pieces, all of actually hung on the wall or dis
which are crafted out of natural played in a case. Who would think
that a grouping of rolled up scotch
materials.
To admire her work, you don’t tape would draw a lot of attention?
even have to enter the Pauling build But it does. “There’s a lot of materi
ing. Outside of the annex by the als out there to use,” Simmons notes.
Community Center sits a set of size “You shouldn’t limit yourself.”
able, welded wire pods that are rust The motivation for “Sticks #1“ came
ed. This piece is also part of to Simmons while she was watching
her mother prune their cherry tree.
Simmons’ collection.
Each of the
branches
stemming
out from
the center
is actually
a
year’s
worth of
growth.
“A lot
of my work
is
about
collecting
materials,”
Simmons
Kate Simmons’ created her piece “Hair #2
says. She
created one
after collecting hair from different salons.
‘Exit the King’ receives a rave review
Feature Editor
When Imago actors can make me
flashback to 10th grade Health and
Wellness class clearly enough to
remember the DABDA acronym
and still send me home happy, you
know something powerful has hap
pened onstage. At times humorous
but eventually sobering, the compa
ny’s current project, the rarely-per
formed “Exit the King,” is Eugene
Ionesco’s painstaking look at the
stages, of death: denial, anger, bar
gaining, depression and acceptance.
As if taken straight out of
Elisabeth Kuebler-Ross’ treatise,
King Bcrenger’s (director Jerry
Mouawad) moods change as his
confidence in his immortality
erodes. He’s scornful when his
grimly realistic Queen Marguerite
(Carol Triffle) announces he will die
“at the end of the show.” When
confronted with the surrealistically
rapid disintegration of his body and
kingdom, he tries to cut a deal with
no one in particular: “Let every
human créature die but me. I’ll miss
them quite sincerely!”
Once you realize the play .con
sists entirely of Berenger’s progres
sion through these stages—and that
doesn’t take long—the other actors
become much more interesting. The
servant girl Juliette (Amanda
Wilkins), guard (Timothy Scarrott)
and doctor (Song Kim) recall details
from the king’s life, shedding light
on a self-absorbed 400-ytar reign.
The two queens, Marguerite and the
romantic Marie (Tina Satter), exert
opposite influences on Berenger.
Marie indulges him, reassuring him
that he can recover. Marguerite, who
delivers her lines in an increasingly
aggressive monotone, seems to take
pleasure in the king’s frailties. She is
Berenger’s guide to the end.
The magic here is in what Imago
has added to the text. Although
Ionesco wrote in amusing anachro
nisms, such as a modem wheelchair
for what Ionesco called his “vague
ly gothic” kingdom, it’s Imago’s
own intercom, which the guard uses
to give verbal press releases. Saber
in hand, he bellows the updates he’s
gleaned from conversation: “The
charm of Queen Marie no longer
casts its spell over the King!” and
“Constellations old or new no longer
interest King Berenger!”
Dr. Johns Pub is throwing the
biggest Halloween bash in Oregon
City!
Where will you be getting your
groove on?
Drink specials from 7-2a.m.
Saturday, October 26
■■
INTERNET PHOTO
The sobering play “Exit the King" is now playing at
Imago Theater and will run until Nov. 3.
Another special Imago addition
is the use of microphones to express
the most personal part of a charac
ter’s lines. Mouawad, who directed
as well as acted, adopted the style
“to create kind of a subconscious.”
At best, the lines come across as the
characters’ private thoughts. At
worst, it’s merely extraneous.
Most of the appeal of “Exit the
King” is in the words. The stage is a
bare, decrepit throne room; props are
minimal and intentionally ridiculous.
When the cast members finally move
with any real haste, it’s exciting.
“We were surprised at how much
laughter there was,” Mouawad said
in a meeting with the audience after
the opening show. “It’s a really hard
play. I think we just tried to do this
play. We didn’t try to experiment too
much.”
“Exit the King” runs through
Nov. 3 at Imago Theatre, which-is-
located at 17 SE 8th Street in
Portland. Showtimes are 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday and
Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday.
Tickets are $21 for senior/youth or
$24 for adults.
Do you like dancing in the moonlight?
Well fancy that, so do we.
Contact A&E Editor Jen Kane
with entertaining events
Barlow 104
ext. 2309
cccprint@clackamas.cc.or.us