August 17. 2011
Page 5
®’’* ifìortlanì» (Obstruer
J a p e r L a n te rn s
world, H iiH ’s lanterns take on a
spiritual elem ent as well. In V iet­
tra ils- to observe the changes of nam, as in many traditional Asian
the same place at different times of cultures, children and fam ilies
the year.
light lanterns on holidays to honor
c o n t i n u e d f r o m fron t
ing lanterns are sent floating
across the night’s sky, lighting
the way for spirits when the moon
is at its fullest.
H iiH ’s lanterns not only draw
Noguchi.
In the week-long process of a
lantern’s creation, the pair of artists
work individually and in tandem from
the original concept and design until
the final touches of paint. Usually,
PHOTO BY C a RI H a CHMANN/T h E PORTLAND OBSERVER Qu?ng sculpts and creates the can­
vas for his wife to paint.
Many o f the hand-made paper lanterns created by the owners o f northeast Portland's HUH Gallery
M ost of the m aterials used to
take the shape o f flowers during their seasonal budding cycles.
m ake H iiH ’s handcrafted light
sculptures are retrieved locally.
“It’s quite amazing seeing the traditional spirits and the dead.
from the cerem onial and abstract, Beeswax is harvested from a local
changes of one specific flower, go­
In relation to the indigenous but are shaped by a w ellspring of b eek eep er, and w hile G olden
ing from a twig and budding into a way of life, lanterns som etim es Asian aesthetics, like structure,
airbrush paint, walnut and indigo
plant with flowers and then eventu­ sym bolize anim als of astrology. the landscape, architecture, and
dye, bamboo, wire, welded steel,
ally dying,” said Qu?ng.
During mid-autumn, in celebration other artists, notably, the Japa­ and lighting fixtures can also be
Linked closely to the natural of the end of harvest season, glow- nese designer and sculptor Isamu
found at nearby stores, the dam ­
mar resin is received from Indone­
sia.
Cotton and abaca paper pulp
from a paper-making neighbor two
blocks away is used to make the
paper in the first step o f the pro­
cess. Using a mold and deckle,
the papers is formed into sheets
and then pressed under an eight-
ton press to bind the fibers.
W hile keeping the light fixture
in mind, Qu?ng designs each lamp
to its destined shape and size
using wire or bamboo. Then, the
damp paper is applied the arm a­
ture one panel at a time.
No glue is used, ju st a soft
brush to fold back the edges onto
them selves forcing the fibers to
bond together. Once the paper
has dried. Gates paints each piece
w ith w a te rc o lo r p a in t u sin g
brushes and airbrushes.
When the paint is dry, the dammar
resin is applied, acting as a protective
layer that strengthens the lamp struc­
turally and gives the paper a translu­
cent, glowing quality.
The final step is to configure
the e le ctrica l c o m p o n en ts, at
which point the light is ready for
installation. “People like our work
because it’s unique,” said Qu?ng,
who enjoys artistic freedom even
in custom-designs.
From local residents to the inte­
rior designers o f upscale restau­
rants, the functional artwork of
HiiH is loved and respected by
many and showcased in galleries
in Ashland, Seattle, and Berkley.
Lam Qu?ng and Kestrel Gates
live in Portland with their son Xanh
and new daughter, Mai Linh. HiiH
is located on 2929 N.E. Alberta St.
V iew
th e ir
w e b site
at
hiihgallery.com.
June Key
Dedication
c o n t i n u e d f r o m page 3
tractor and a local African-American busi­
ness owner. “It always feels good getting to
the end of a project, but I am going to miss
working with everybody.”
According to Mark Nye, the lead architect
for the building, it feels great to be where they
are. “It’s the breath of involvement from a
number of key-players, from city agencies,
volunteers, local non-profits, the EPA,” he
said. “Everybody has pitched in to make this
happen.”
Throughout the construction, equitable
hiring and training opportunities were also a
main priority.
“The June Key Delta Community Center
delivers on the city’s goals of increasing job
opportunities for a diverse workforce, sup­
porting education, and creating the nation’s
greenest construction sector. I am so proud of
the partnerships and commitment that made
the center a reality,” said Mayor Sam Adams.
Founded in 1943, the Portland Alumnae
Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority is part
photo by M indy C ooper ZT he P ortland O bserver
Families and friends o f the June Key Delta Community Center take a walk around the center’s flourishing community garden
next to the African-American sorority's completely refurbished building, which is the first o f its kind to complete a living
building challenge for sustainable environmental practices.
of a worldwide organization which has over
200,000 active members impacting communi­
ties through over 900 chapters around the
world.
A ccording to the Portland D evelop­
ment Com m ission, the sorority augmented
its own investm ent in the construction
costs with PD C ’s Com m ercial Property
Redevelopm ent loan and Storefront Im ­
provem ent and C om m unity L ivability
grants to renovate and expand the existing
building into a com m unity center with a
meeting hall, display space, kitchen and
accessible rest rooms.
“The sorority and the community had big
dreams for what this property could be, and
we’ve been delighted to see the final prod­
uct,” said Mayor Adams. “It will serve as a
fitting legacy to the memory of June Key.”
And all those attending the grand open­
ing celebration seemed to agree.
“We started this so long ago,” said
Marlene Fuller, who is a Golden Life member
of the sorority. “It’s just a dream come true.”