Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (May 18, 1978)
TWELVE The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, May 18, 1978 Making paper natural way best , says art teacher , " 1 .f -J ( A by Elane Blanchet , Ron Forrar teaches what he preaches. "Everything we do is part of the creative process," he says as he helps a student with a printmaking project. "Every body is creative, but most people don't take the time to realize it." Forrar became the art instructor for Heppner schools last fall, teaching the many manifestations of art to grades three through 12. Since that time, he has exposed his students to one artist's view of life along with the techniques used to paint a picture or throw a pot. By this exposure he tries to encourage his charges to develop their own creativity, and most of all to open their eyes to the potential and reality of art in everyday life. In one elementary grade recently he attempted to make the youngsters more aware of the things they see each day during their bus trip or walk to and from school by imaginatively recreating their taken-for-granted observa tions on paper. Forrar is also enthusiastic about using the natural, orga nic or man-made, versus the artificial or machine-made, in creating art or in living life. "The idea is to be able to live in an environment created by nature or by man so we can enjoy life more," he tells his students. "Art is more than just a pastime." Forrar en courages his classes to make use of the resources Morrow County offers: native clay for pots, materials for making paints and dyes, scrap lumber for wood working. In line with his preference for natural materials, a print making project recently as signed to his older students started with step one, making the paper. The process Forrar demon strated was simple though the execution somewhat tricky. A framed screen is swished through a 9-1 solution of paper pulp and water until just the right amont of pulp settles on the screen. After allowing excess water to drain off, carefully sponge the pulp from the screen onto a clean, dry rag. When the pulp squares are three deep with a rag between each layer and on top, roll through a flattening press at just the right pres sure, careful not to squeeze the pulp to smithereens. Then gently extricate the pulp squares from the rags onto a flat surface to dry. The result is a square of pulpy paper, similiar to a thick paper towel. Recently the students cre ated their own abstract designs on the hand-crafted paper by making a card-board backed collage with twigs, leaves, paper clips, and other odd-shaped items, inking the whole thing, and rolling it through the flattening press, ink side down, onto the paper. While several students were working on these prints in Forrar 's art room in the junior high building, one was throw ing a clay pot on the wheel, two were painting and several others were making a collage from magazine pictures. For rar said that while the class had specific projects in differ ent areas of art required, he tried to let each student work at his own pace. Before coming to Heppner, Forrar taught art at a secondary school in Palouse, Wash., for two years and also at the University of Idaho for two years while getting his Masters degree. The Heppner artist worked in the aerospace industry as a graphic artist before deciding to go into education. Originally intending to teach only at the university level, Forrar remembers, "I used to say I'd never, never teach in grade school.. Now I really enjoy working with the kids." He said he felt at home in Heppner; "I enjoy the com munity and the people and feel like I've established a good rapport." Forrar would like to involve more people in "the creative process" and to this end helped organize the Hepp ner High School Art Club six months ago. The group spon sored a school-community art show last week, and is dis cussing such projects as bringing good films to Hepp ner for public viewing. Forrar Jikes the feeling that in teaching art he is giving as well as taking: "The service of giving is part of learning, a process the whole world is going through." 9 V . ? ' fracas A"-', 1. ' III " f- . . 4 In the first step of the paper making process, Richie Wilson swishes a screened frame through a water-pulp solution to accumulate an even layer of pulp, while classmate James Howell looks on. h V SPECIAL THURSDAY a SUNDAY NC I"lll V . - J Instructor Ron Forrar demonstrates to eighth grader Karen Kenny exactly how to drain excess water from the pulp screen before sponging it off onto a clean rag. The pulp square was then squeezed through a press. Voila, paper The end result, a still wet piece of pulpy paper is gently extricated from its rag bed and layed out to dry. The homemade paper was used to make textured ink prints, several of which were exhi bited at the School-Community Art Show from Friday through Tuesday. I Prime Kib $6.50 Every Wed. Steak Night . j - A teaming Salad Bar In The BEECHER'S? Elks Calendar Thursday, May 18 Lodge 8 p.m. Dinner Drawing Fisherman's Nite Hors d'ouvres 5:30 Friday, May 19 Late Dining 8:30-11:00 p 8th Grade Party Hors d'ouvres 5:30 Saturday, May 20 Live Music m. Tuesday, May 23 Senior Citizens 4:30 Hors d'ouvres 5:30 Wednesday May 24 Senior Citizens 4:30 p.m. Boy Scouts 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 25 Lodge 8 p.m. Dinner Drawing $500 Drawing $50 Give away Hors d'ouvres 5:30 Memhers and out-of-town guests only. Chevron Serving Heppner Area With A Complete Line Of Petroleum Products Glenn Devin Chevron USA, Inc. Commisssion Agent 676-9633 HOMER HUGHES Your County Commissioner for the past eight years is seeking j re-election to a third term in office, j El omer believes that county government should be totally J responsive to you...and his record j reflects just that. Good for the County. ..good for you ...Democrat or Republican, cast your vote for Homer Hughes. J Write-In on Democratic ballot j E10MIE! HUGHES For County Commissioner Republican i Pi. Advttmnt. By Homer Hughes, Lexington t NEW SHIPMENT BEACH TOWELS Or select from our complete domestics line to set your grad up in his or her home amy from home. ...and a Cole's Gift Certificate is always appreciated. HOUSE FRSHI Heppner .1 A.
