Smoke Signals
6 MARCH 15, 2001
Elder's Mousing Graced with Mew Mura!
Artist Ann Murray brings Hollywood experience to Grand Ronde.
By Chris Mercier
The laid back, natural setting of
the Elder's Housing complex just got
a little bit brighter and more ar
tistic. New murals adorn the gables
of four of the buildings and have
given the Elder's a splash of color.
Artist Ann Murray was commis
sioned by the Grand Ronde Tribal
Housing Authority in February to
do what she does best, paint murals.
And her canvas this time was a se
lect few of the Elder's homes, nota
bly the quadraplexes at Coyote, Bea
ver, and Blue Jay Courts, and the
triplex at Eagle Loop.
e looked at proposals from sev
eral different artists in October," said
Housing Director Linda Layden,
who also served on the committee
that screened potential artists. "And
Ann was a unanimous selection."
The idea, Layden said, was actu
ally part of the original plan of
Elder's Housing. When designed, a
number of the homes offered wide
and bare gables perfect for art
work. HUD (Housing and Urban
Development), Layden added, en
couraged the Tribe to incorporate
cultural elements into the scheme,
, and provided the $8,000 to commis
sion Murray for the project.
Murray's only limitation has been
to paint something low-key that
would compliment the architecture,
and not distract from it. The designs
do just that, taking their inspiration
from the animal street names.
Eagle Loop features a pair of bald
eagles. Coyote Court boasts a noble
canine. Blue Jay Court provides two
of the crested birds. And Beaver
Court shows a fine representation of
the industrious namesake.
The animals don't stand alone in
their backdrops. The centerpiece
paintings are framed by basket
weaving designs, traditional Grand
Ronde no less, modest yet appre
ciable. "Murray has been so easy to work
with," Layden said. "She has been
very responsive to our ideas."
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New Art The new Elder's housing complex got a touch of color added to
the surroundings when artist Ann Murray recently completed a set of four
large murals depicting local wildlife in natural settings. The murals have
been placed on the largest of the gables at the four centerpiece buildings.
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Although based in Camas, Wash
ington, Murray has left her mark at
numerous venues in Oregon. Two
of her most famous and largest mu
rals grace the buildings of downtown
Springfield. The Oregon Rivers
Museum commissioned her to create
a truly memorable portrait of the
McKenzie River. And the other, is
an enormous piece located on the
side of the Sutton Block Building, she
painted for the . City of Springfield.
It is a highly detailed visual chronol
ogy of the Oregon Trail.
For the artist herself, this project
has served as a series of firsts. Due
to the erratic weather and chilly win
ter in general, Murray was unable
to paint the murals directly on the
houses. Rather, she painted the
works at home and transported them
piece by piece from Camas to Grand
Ronde, much like an enormous jig
saw puzzle. Furthermore, this has
marked Murray's first real time spent
in the Grand Ronde area, and she is
predisposed to it rather favorably.
"I just love this area," she said af
ter I stopped by one afternoon. "Been
perfect."
Murray was in the process of do
ing touch-up work on the murals.
She pointed out detail that tends to
go unnoticed the color coordina
tion of the basket weaving frames
and banners and the trim on the
houses. They match to a shade.
"That's just one of those small
things I like to do," she said rather
casually.
A conversation with Murray re
vealed a genuine eccentricity, which
at times seems a must for the artistic
types. She has been involved in art
for the bulk of her life, and while
maybe "slowing down" in her own
words, would probably never entirely
give it up. This project in particular
has offered time for reflection.
"I've worked many hours on this,"
she said.
Smaller murals, stained glass, fi
ber optics, and painting scenes on fur
niture could be the wave of Murray's
future, but she is reluctant to say.
The only given remains that Murray,
who has also worked as a scenic art
ist for two Hollywood productions,
won't be returning to the film indus
try anytime soon.
"Movies are for the young," she
said. "You gotta stay up into the late
hours, and then get up early in the
morning.
"And it is wasteful," she added.
On the set of one movie, Skylark
starring Christopher Walken and
Glenn Close, Murray remembers the
studio had to destroy 20 acres of Kan
sas grassland to give the appearance
of a drought. Not surprisingly, it
turned her off to the business, among
other things.
For now, she is happy to paint, and
engage in political discussions. ...
"I have to say, I really like my life
right now," she said, and then turned
to finish up.
One thing is certain; she won't be
forgotten around here anytime soon.
D The Grand Ronde Tribal
Housing Authority has plans to
hold a reception for Murray this
summer. It will be an opportu
nity for Tribal members to meet
the artist and view the murals.
The date of this event will be an
nounced in an upcoming edition
of Smoke Signals.
Thomas Doty; A Man of Many Gestures and Words
. t asr met "
A
Thomas Doty
By Justin Phillips
His voice broke through silence as it echoed back and
forth several times in the Grand Ronde Elementary
School gym. His body and facial gestures were as clear
and real as diamonds in the sunlight.
Storyteller and poet Thomas Doty has traveled the
countryside performing Dote & Coyote Stories from the
Native West since 1981. Doty recently stopped at Grand
Ronde and Willamina public schools.
Doty has released several recordings, daily and weekly
broadcasts on public radio and television, and has re
ceived a number of awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award from
the national American Indian Program. He has published many books and
is included on the Oregon Literary Map.
"My stories are for people of all ages," said Doty. "Children delight in the
mythic adventures of Coyote and Bear and Crow. Adults look beyond the
narrative to see what the stories offer a world searching for solutions."
Doty performs at libraries and educational institutions, hospitals and com
munity centers, theaters and museums, conferences, churches and camps,
pow-wows and festivals anywhere people like stories.
Performances are staged simply: no set, not props. They come alive with
movements, gestures, expressions, voices and the words of the stories.
Stories are focused through humor and drama.
Doty performed for students in kindergarten to fifth grades. Doty also
performed at the Willamina High School.
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Storyteller-Accomplished storyteller Thomas Doty recently entertained
students at the Grand Ronde Elements rv Schonl with hie uniaue blend of
vocal stimulation and physical presence. Doty is well known as a recording
artist, author and performer who travels the country sharing his stories
with children and adults.
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