A6
COMMUNITY
East Oregonian
Tuesday, February 15, 2022
First Draft series
takes a ride with
Judy Garland
Firing up the fun
living as a gay man and
growing up gay in a small
PENDLETON — Poet working-class town is a
David Pickering is the theme that runs through his
featured author during the book. Other themes include
February First Draft Writ- aging, spirituality and
ers’ Series.
humor. In addition, Pick-
Pickering will read from ering encourages people to
his new book, “Jesus Comes have an open mind about
to Me as Judy Garland,” poetry.
“A lot of folks turn
which explores themes of
sexual orientation, spiri- up their noses at poetry
tuality, family and aging, because they think it’s hard
often using humor and to understand or it’s writ-
ten for those who
sha r p obser va-
have an advanced
tion. The book’s
degree in litera-
publisher, Airlie
Press, describes the
ture,” he said. “My
poems as, “… much
work uses everyday
like the old Cadil-
language and humor
to ‘humanize’ the
lacs that Pickering
poetry while illus-
clearly loves, big
Pickering
trating some tough
and powerful and
truths about the
roomy, and … full
of interesting companions world.”
kibitzing in the back seat —
Hailing from the north-
Bette Davis, Bob Ross, Judy ern Oregon coast, Picker-
Garland, Lucille Clifton, ing is a native Oregonian
Marlene Dietrich, Vincent who currently lives in The
Van Gogh, and yes, Jesus.” Dalles. His poetry has been
Presented by Pendle- featured in a variety of
ton Center for the Arts, the publications. Employed as
event will be held via Zoom a human resources direc-
Thursday, Feb. 17, 7 p.m. It tor, Pickering makes time
is free and open to every- on Saturdays to write in the
one. The link and login best coff ee shop he can fi nd.
information is available at
In its ninth year, First
www.pendletonarts.org/ Draft features notable
fi rst-draft or by emailing authors from the Pacific
director@pendletonarts. Nor thwest. For more
org.
information, visit www.
While he doesn’t like to pendletonarts.org or call
be thought of as a gay poet, 541-278-9201.
East Oregonian
Ben Lonergan/East Oregonian
Kyle Miller, left, age 9, and Leo Fitzgerald, 10, throw beanbags at a “fl aming” house Saturday. Feb. 12, 2022, during the
Fun Fire Festival at the Pilot Rock Fire Station.
Shows at arts center off er eclectic views
the back of each piece with
fluorescent neon red paint
that ref lects and glows
against the white walls of
galleries.
The color, she said,
provides the natural pink-
ish-orange light of dawn,
as well as a highly artifi cial
contrast of traffi c cones and
hazard tape. The individual
books, strips of color, images,
and bits of text invite viewers
to pause for meditation.
East Oregonian
PENDLETON — Brightly
printed accordion pages
cascading down from above,
strips of color bouncing off
the walls and a sea of complex
patterns reflecting on the
fl oor are featured in the main
gallery exhibition at Pendle-
ton Center for the Arts. Also,
the new exhibit in the auxil-
iary gallery utilizes meth-
ods of painting, printmaking
and sculpture to examine the
mind.
Both will remain on
display through March 31 at
the arts center, 214 N. Main
St., Pendleton. Regular hours
are Tuesday through Friday,
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Satur-
days, noon to 4 p.m. In addi-
tion, after hours viewing is
available by appointment.
There is no admission charge.
Lorenzen Board
Room Gallery
Ali Pope/Contributed Photo
The works of Walla Walla artist Ali Pope is on display through
March 31, 2022, at the Lorenzen Board Room Gallery at the
Pendleton Center for the Arts, 214 N. Main St., Pendleton.
East Oregonian Gallery
“Nicole Pietrantoni: The
Slow Current,” which is in
the larger of the two galler-
ies, includes works on paper,
artists’ books and installa-
tions that explore the repre-
sentation of beauty in times
of loss, photography’s role
in producing memory and
human’s relationship to the
environment. Pietrantoni
will share about her work
during an artist talk via
Zoom on Friday, Feb. 18,
11 a.m. For the link, meeting
ID and passcode, visit www.
pendletonarts.org/exhibits/
current.
Currently on a one-year
leave of absence as an asso-
ciate professor of art at
Whitman College, Walla
Walla, Pietrantoni is living
in Prague, Czech Republic,
with her family. During the
virtual presentation, she also
will share some images and
insights about life in Prague.
Pendleton Center for the Arts/Contributed Photo
The work of paper artist Nicole Pietrantoni is on display
though March 31, 2022, in the main gallery space at Pendle-
ton Center for the Arts, 214 N. Main St., Pendleton.
Pietrantoni’s works are
inkjet-printed, large-scale
book installations that urge
viewers to negotiate the
tension between image, text
and form. She often paints
The exhibit space provides
an opportunity to share the
new work of emerging artists
from throughout the region.
In the current display, a Walla
Walla woman contemplates
questions about memory
and the reliability of human
consciousness.
“Ali Pope: A Fluid Mind”
represents what is found and
lost in the gaps of people’s
recollection. Memories, she
said in her artist’s statement,
are fl uid.
“They fl ow in and out of
our minds like vapor slip-
ping between the cracks of
our subconscious,” Pope said.
“They reach out to connect us
with our past like shadowy
fi ngers extending into space.”
Pope was born in Port-
land, Maine, and moved to
Walla Walla to complete her
undergraduate degree in biol-
ogy at Whitman College.
She currently works in the
wine industry and contin-
ues to explore nature, beauty,
and humanity through her
artwork.
Support for the current
exhibits is provided by Cold-
well Banker Farley Company.
For more infor mation,
contact 541-278-9201, direc-
tor@pendletonarts.org or
visit www.pendletonarts.org.
COMMUNITY BRIEFING
SAGE Center to
screen ‘Cruella’
BOARDMAN — Movie
Night at the SAGE Center
features “Cruella.” The
live-action movie about
one of cinema’s most noto-
rious — and notoriously
fashionable — villains, the
legendary Cruella de Vil,
stars Emma Stone.
The film already has
received several costume
design and makeup/hair-
styling awards. And it
garnered nominations in
both categories for the 94th
annual Academy Awards,
which will be announced
March 27. The fi lm is rated
PG-13.
See what the hype is all
about on Friday, Feb. 18,
at the SAGE Center, 101
Olson Road, Boardman.
Doors to the theater open
at 5:30 p.m. for the 6 p.m.
screening. Come early
and check out the interac-
tive visitor’s center. Your
$5 SAGE Center admis-
sion includes the movie,
popcorn and bottled water.
For more information,
call 541-481-7243 or visit
www.visitsage.com.
Dance provides
opportunity for
special memories
BOARDMAN — It’s
time to get ready to kick
up your heels because the
Boardman Daddy Daugh-
ter Dance is just around the
corner.
The popular event,
which began in 2018,
includes a night of danc-
ing, music, photos, crafts,
refreshments and prizes.
With the theme A Night
Under the Stars, it is open
to daughters under 18 and
their fathers/father fi gures.
The dance is Saturday,
March 5, 5:30-8 p.m. at the
Boardman Pool & Recre-
ation Center, 311 N. Olson
Road. Tickets are $30 per
couple and $10 for each
additional daughter. For
more information, call
541-616-1050 or visit www.
boardmanparkandrec.com.
— EO Media Group
Follow us on
Facebook!
Free
COVID
VACCINES
& BOOSTERS
18 and older
Every Wednesday
by appointment
Call 541-966-0535
option 4 to schedule