20 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
Maps and
journeys:
a writing
workshop
Scott Colin Johnson
scores Cannon Beach
Arts Association grant
CANNON BEACH — If you’re
a longtime coastal resident,
part-time coastie or new-
comer to the area, the Can-
non Beach Arts Association
has something for you.
Amazing new things are
happening at the Cannon
Beach Gallery in midtown.
In addition to our month-
ly exhibit receptions and art
workshops, we’re also par-
ticipating in Savor Cannon
Beach, Spring Unveiling and
Plein Air & More through
the Cannon Beach Gallery
Group.
Our latest grant recipi-
ent, Scott Colin Johnson,
will be working weekly in
the gallery on Saturdays
and the occasional Friday
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Watch him
demonstrate techniques for
free, and purchase pieces
only available at the Can-
non Beach Gallery when
he’s in. He’ll be hosting
special demos for Spring
Unveiling in May and Plein
Air in June.
FILE PHOTO
Cannon Beach Gallery
The gallery’s March
exhibit, titled “Heritage:
Stories,” will be on display
through Sunday, March 25.
Following the community
exhibit will be a three-per-
son show of illustrative,
landscape and surreal artists
Johnson, Beth Robinson
and Gary Wahlbeck. Exam-
ples of their work are avail-
able on the Arts Association
website.
Upcoming art workshops
include painting (Saturday,
March 10), paper cutting
(Saturday, March 17) and a
ERICK BENGEL PHOTO
Artist Scott Colin Johnson
special workshop on art and
grieving (Saturday, March
31) with Robinson.
Our workshops are very
affordable and open to
adults of all skill levels. We
offer the opportunity to take
classes for free in exchange
for volunteering as work-
shop helpers.
If any of this sounds
like something you want to
know more about, consid-
er becoming a member.
Members receive postcard
announcements for these
and other events, and re-
ceive significant discounts
for classes and purchases.
The Cannon Beach
Arts Association is a
nonprofit that has served
the North Coast community
for more than 30 years.
Our mission is to support,
fund and enhance the
arts and artists in Can-
non Beach and the region
through education, events
and exhibits.
Manzanita artist’s work lands in governor’s office
PHOTOS COURTESY LORRAINE ORTIZ
“Earth Rescue” by Mike Cook,
now in the Oregon gover-
nor’s office
MANZANITA — Many
artists dream of having
their work in a position of
prominence where it can be
seen by decision makers.
And that is exactly what
happened with Manzanita
resident Mike Cook’s piece
“Earth Rescue,” which
now resides in the Oregon
governor’s office.
Since becoming a
sculptor post-retirement,
Cook combined his cre-
ative passion, concern
with climate change and
his drive to advocate for
Oregon’s Clean Energy
Jobs Bill and the state’s
participation in meeting
the Paris Agreement.
He wanted to see where
creating for a cause might
lead and if it could help in
some way.
Cook’s artist statement
for “Earth Rescue” states
that the work is a gesture
of caring for the wound,
softening the impacts and
what can occur with an
agreed, political, envi-
ronmental, economic and
scientific framework.
At first, state Rep.
Deborah Boone welcomed
the possibility of having
the piece in her office, but
as the 2018 session ap-
proached, along with a sol-
id chance for the passage
of the Clean Energy bill,
Boone suggested perhaps
the piece could be placed
in the governor’s office.
And that is exactly what
happened.
As Cook continues to
write notes to legisla-
tors, he can leverage the
placement of his sculpture,
referring to the piece and
what it represents. “I can
refer to the piece by name,
where it is and suggest
they go take a look at it,”
he smiled.
Manzanita sculptor Mike
Cook with state Rep. Deborah
Boone and his piece “Earth
Rescue”
ASTORIA — Maps and
cartography hold a special
place in human imagina-
tion and history. Writers
write about journeys all the
time. In fact, stories and
poems about journeys are
some of the oldest writing
known to humankind. Just
think “The Odyssey” and
Moses wandering in the
wilderness.
Join author, editor and
writing instructor Matt
Love 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Saturday, March 24, for
a “Maps and Journeys”
writing and creative think-
ing workshop in Astoria.
(Note: This class was orig-
inally scheduled for March
31, as mentioned in the
Feb. 22 Coast Weekend.
The date has since been
changed.)
In the workshop, Love
will guide participants
through a series of writing
prompts, cartography
exercises and discussions
that employ the realities
and metaphors of taking
journeys and consulting/
making maps. Writers
of prose, poetry, fiction,
creative nonfiction, songs
and scripts will find
inspiration for their work
as they delve into the
investigations of maps and
journeys.
The workshop takes
place in a private home.
The class costs $65 and
will cap at 15 participants,
who will pay at the be-
ginning of the workshop.
Scholarships are also avail-
able. To register, email
Love at nestuccaspit-
press@gmail.com.
Love is the publisher of
Nestucca Spit Press. He’s
the author/editor of 17
books about Oregon.