TWELVE The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Thursday, May 18, 1978
Making paper
natural way best , says art teacher , " 1
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(
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
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home.
...and a Cole's Gift Certificate
is always appreciated.
HOUSE FRSHI
Heppner
.1
A.