®l?* g lo rila nò (Obstruer
December 7, 2011
Mississippi
Alberta
North Portland
Vancouver
East County
Beaverton
et
Art Space
Fills Void
for Community
Open Door Galley opens
at McCoy Academy
C ari H achmann
T he P ortland O bserver
by
Holding the belief that art should
have a permanent place in educa
tion, brother and sister art educa
tors Bobby Fouther and Liz Fouther-
B ranch recently opened a space
called Open Door Gallery to offer
the local community affordable ac
cess to art.
Their dream was to provide the
community with some of the same
tools and guidance that was influ
ential to them as young artists grow
ing up in an art-oriented family in
northeast Portland.
By offering free and reduced-
price art programs, “W e’re here for
the c o m m u n ity ,” said B obby
Fouther.
Run by a collaborative of artists,
social activists, community elders,
and small business owners, Open
Door Galley is located within McCoy
Academy at 3802N.E. Martin Luther
King Jr. Blvd.
As a community art space with
more than one function, it provides
a bridge to art programs that have
been stripped from local schools
because of budget cuts.
McCoy Academy is an alterna
tive school for Oregon Outreach, a
non-profit agency that helps pro
vide students at-risk of dropping
out of high school. It offers a variety
classes to students within the Port
land area that will prepare them for
post-secondary education or train
ing.
During the week, Fouther and his
sister teach credited art classes to
students at McCoy.
Liz Fouther-Branch, a former spe
cial education teacher, calls art in
struction a multi-sensory approach
to learning and a motivator for stu
dents.
“It’s a vehicle for developing the
whole person,” she said.
The students d o n ’t ju st learn
to draw and paint, they are taught
continued
on page 18
photo by
C ari H achmann /T he P ortland O bserver
Portland artist Bobby Fouther and his sister Liz Fouther-Branch introduce Open Door Gallery, a new
community art space located at McCoy Academy on Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
HI
Equestrian Ballet Performer Builds Confidence
Fairland
Ferguson
performs
breathtaking
stunts as a
rider in the
equestrian
ballet
‘Cavalia, ’
now show
ing through
Jan. 2 in the
Pearl District
of northwest
Portland.
It takes hours of training
for magical encounter
C ari H achmann
T he P ortland O bserver
so important,” said Ferguson.
A day after the excitement of a
Like any other relationship in life, night show ends late, Ferguson
gaining understanding and respect sleeps in until 11 a.m., when she
with horses can only be won by wakes up to another workout for her
spending lots of time with them.
very physically-demanding job.
Fairland Ferguson, 28, one of the
“Tim e spent on stage is not
star performers in the travelling enough to maintain good physical
equestrian ballet show ‘Cavalia,’ condition,” she said.
says the breathtaking stunts in the
Horses also need the extra exer
show are only achieved after a great cise.
deal of physical and mental syn
When Ferguson arrives to work,
chronization between horse and she runs her horses for up to 45
rider.
minutes each day, though each
“The relationship and commu
continued y ^ on page 16
nication we build with our horse is
by