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Portland Art Museum
Continued from front page
the crowd and thanked the Tribe for their "won
derful and generous contributions and their lead
ership and support."
When Andrews introduced Mrs. Elizabeth Cole
Butler to the crowd she thanked her as well.
"I must especially thank Elizabeth Cole Butler
for her generous and unprecedented gifts," said
Andrews. With respect and gratitude, members
of the museum's leadership, board of directors,
sponsors and interested individuals as well as mem
bers of the Native American Arts Council and the
Grand Ronde Tribal Council, took time to honor
Mrs. Butler for her selfless and truly generous con
tributions to the museum's Native American art
collection.
Butler began collecting Native American art in
the 1970s with a basket she found at a sale. She
was smitten with her first piece and began an ad
diction that lead to the establishment of one of the
State of Oregon's premier public treasures.
Harrison was invited to take part in
the honoring of Mrs. Butler
(Choctaw) and was awarded an
honorary membership to the
Native" American Arts Council.
Harrison and Mrs. Butler are
friends and Harrison said she ad
mires Mrs. Butler and her generos
ity. '
The expansion and remodel is the
first new gallery space (60,000 square
feet) added to the museum since 1939.
The museum currently holds more than
33,000 pieces of artwork throughout the
entire building. The 240,000 square feet
of space in the museum places it in the
top 25 largest museums in the country.
"To know that it was an Indian Tribe
that made this possible is the biggest bless
ing " said Harrison.
The expansion is the final touch to the
museum's overall Project for the Millennium.
The museum's Executive Director John
Buchanan, and his amazingly energetic and
effervescent wife Lucy, have raised the pro
file of the Portland Art Museum as well as in
creasing membership from 5,000 to over 20,000
since 1994.
The Buchanan's and Museum Curator Bill
Mercer personally berthed the new Native
American wing with love, elbow grease and a
touch of pinache.
' As the evening transpired, the mix of art enthu
siasts and local celebrities glittered and glowed,
but it was Harrison, dressed in traditional rega
lia, and the inspiring Mrs. Butler that stole the
show. Mrs. Butler, surrounded by her large fam
ily and multitude of friends, old and new, was the
obvious center of all attention.
Buchanan, in reference to Mrs. Butler, said art
museums are the products of great collectors. D
Grand Ronde Tribal Chair Kathryn
Harrison and Native American art
collector Elizabeth Cole Butler
(left) show their appreciation for
each other in the courtyard of
the Portland Art Museum.
Below: a postcard shows off
artwork by Klamath Modoc
sculptor Jim Jackson. Jackson
was also honored at the event.
This photo of Jackson is by
Jim Kemper Photography.
77 j 7 I
Him
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Portland Art Museum
1219 SW Park Avenue Downtown Portland
(503) 226-2811
www.portlandartmuseum.org
HOURS: 10 am to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday,
Sundays from noon until 5 p.m.
On the first Thursday of every month, open until 9 p.m.
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These 19th Century Alaskan woodcarvings were used to decorate longhouses The Portland Art Museum's Native American basket collection is now one of
and represent the traditional food of Northwest Indians salmon. ... the premier collections in the rmmtrv
the premier collections in the country.