8
S moke S ignals
FEBRUARY 15, 2016
Exhibit runs through March 25
EXHIBIT continued
from front page
ture and Fire Protection supervisor
for the Tribe’s Natural Resources
Department.
Ojua and Drake are not only tal-
ented photographers, they are also
opportunists. They take advantage
of their full-time careers to capture
images others don’t have access to
and they are always thinking about
their next shot.
“I had seen a lot of Jay and Col-
by’s pictures online,” said exhibit
curator and Tribal Artisan Travis
Stewart. “A lot of people who live
out here tend to take how beautiful
it is out here for granted and these
guys have a way
of putting it out
there for you to
see the beauty.”
One of the
more impressive
images in the
exhibit is a pho-
tograph taken
by Drake while
on a firefighting
mission last year. The image, taken
at twilight with stars in the sky,
shows the forest fire glowing in the
background and a firefighting truck
lit up in the foreground.
“I grew up in southern Oregon
surrounded by nature,” said Drake.
“I was always interested in all of the
amazing photographs that I would
find in National Geographic maga-
Courtesy photos
Colby Drake’s photograph taken at Baskett Slough
National Wildlife Refuge near Dallas is in the
“Ili / i, a photographic essay on the beauty that
surrounds us” exhibit. At left, Jeremy Ojua’s raven
photograph can be seen in the exhibit as well.
zines as a
kid. When
given the
opportuni-
ty to learn about photography, I
dove in head first.
“I enjoy spending most of my
time being out in nature and the
forests of the Pacific Northwest.
Whether at my day job doing for-
estry work or out battling wildfires
across the country, I’m always
looking for a chance to be outside.
Living in Oregon, I have had the
EARTHQUAKE, FIRE, FLOOD
EVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT ?
WHAT WOULD YOU DO ?
ARE YOU PREPARED ?
FREE EVENT. ALL ENCOURAGED
TO ATTEND
FEBRUARY 18, 7:00-9:00PM
Part One: Movie showing graphic footage of the 2011 Tohoku, Japan
earthquake and tsunami. Learn how this event directly relates to Oregon. An
OPB Field Notes Film, UNPREPARED, details Oregon’s earthquake history
and warns of the Cascadia Subduction 9+ Richter Scale earthquake that is
past due. Incredible footage of the Japanese disaster: whole towns washed
away, thousands dead and lost, nuclear disaster.
FEBRUARY 25, 7:00-9:00 PM
Part Two: Matt Goodwin (Disaster Preparedness Specialist, Yamhill County)
and Haleigh Leslie (Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Yamhill County
Public Health) will present a practical approach to confronting disaster. Why
you should prepare in advance and what you can expect when disaster
strikes: emergency kits, food, water, medical needs, first aid, transportation,
care for the elderly and infirm: impact on business, food supplies, clean water,
law and order. Bring your questions and let’s talk!
BOTH EVENTS HELD AT THE WEST VALLEY COMMUNITY CAMPUS
ROOM 7
266 SE WASHINGTON STREET
WILLAMINA, OREGON 97396
WE’RE OREGONIANS. WE’RE
PROUD. WE’RE INDEPENDENT.
BUT ARE WE PREPARED?
DISASTER AND COMMUNITY PROJECT
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF RUNAWAY TRAINS
opportunity to see some of the most
beautiful places in the world and
photography allows me to share
those experiences and places with
others.”
Another of the images on dis-
play at the Chachalu exhibit is an
extreme close-up by Ojua of a fly
sitting at the center of a daisy. One
wing on the fly is still and the other
shows just enough motion to make
it seem poised for takeoff.
Ojua and Drake are not only
co-workers, but good friends and
each got into photography in the
same way.
“Growing up in the rural commu-
nity of Grand Ronde exposed me to
the beauty and wonder of nature at
a young age,” said Ojua. “I spent
most of my young life hiking and
exploring the endless acres of tem-
perate rainforest that surrounded
our home.
“As a photographer, I am drawn
to taking photographs of the out-
doors and its inhabitants, always
trying to recapture those things
that made me feel a sense of awe
and wonder that have come to me
so often.”
Both photographers say they
feed off of each other’s abilities
and knowledge, but they also take
pride in seeing things a little bit
differently.
“I have always had an interest in
photography,” said Ojua. “I always
really loved the photos in nature
magazines and then having this
job puts me in a lot of cool places
and it’s so nice to be able to bounce
those ideas back and forth.”
“That’s one thing I love about
photography – I think Jay and my
styles are completely different,”
said Drake. “We will literally be
standing right next to each other
taking the exact same pictures and
we both get home and show each
other our photos and we’re like,
‘How did you get that?’ It’s com-
pletely different than anything I’m
shooting. I feel like we complement
each other well.”
Ojua and Drake use social media
sites like Facebook and Instagram
to share their images and Ojua has
a website dedicated to his photo-
graphs at Ojuaphoto.com, which
is also the name for his Instagram
page. Drake’s Facebook page is
Colby Drake Design.
Cultural Education and Outreach
Program Manager Kathy Cole
said people can get used to having
exhibits like this one at Chachalu.
She said museum staff members
are always looking for ways to keep
people visiting the museum and
that exhibits like “Ili/i” will spur
interest.
“The entire department works on
these projects together,” said Cole.
“Everybody is really talented and
they have a lot of good ideas so we
are developing a process to where
you can bring your ideas and we
can use those ideas to bring more
people in. Different ideas will reach
different audiences. It’s the plan to
continue to do that and have more
exhibits constantly. So when one
goes down we will be planning the
next one.”
Cole said the photographs in the
exhibit are all local images and she
likes that.
“I think they are all really unique
pictures and those two (Ojua and
Drake) are really talented. They
have a good eye. I just love outdoor
photos. People that have come in
are really amazed.”
Stewart agreed with Cole on the
interest that has been generated
since the exhibit opened on Feb. 1.
“I’ve ended up having to hold off
on selling pieces in the exhibit be-
cause I figured that the people who
come to the artist’s reception (5 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 12) should at least get
the chance to see the pictures before
they are gone,” Stewart said. n
Powwow to be held in
Vancouver on March 5
The Evergreen, Vancouver and Battle Ground Native American
Education Program and Native American Parent Association of
Southwest Washington will hold its annual Chxi-Tilixam Traditional
Powwow from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at Covington Middle
School, 11200 N.E. Rosewood Road, Vancouver.
Grand entries will be at 1 and 6 p.m.
This is a free and sober event that is open to the public. There also
will be arts and craft vendors.
For more information, contact Renea Ly at 360-604-6757 or by
e-mail at renea.ly@evergreenps.org. n