Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (June 2, 2004)
Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, June 2, 2004 - FIVE Local artist works at capturing cowboy life Artist/photographer Denise Smith’s artwork may seem ordinary to some and extraordinary to others. As a cowboy’s wife and partner in an authentic cow boy/ buckaroo culture, which is still a liv e -an d -w ell, on E astern O regon c attle ran ch es, th is lifesty le provides an abundance of unique, but fleeting visual images best recorded with camera or poet’s pen. From the east side o f Steens M ountains in the sta te ’s southeastern corner, to a new ranch hom e in n o rth eastern O regon on Little Buttercreek, Smith’s cam era and keen eye continue to capture those images. Colors and seasons; moods and personalities; traditions and changes in c o n tem p o rary cow boy living- the heart of Smith’s work. D enise S m ith ’s original photo images are presented in an unusual form at the a rtist calls “photopainting;” something she has m astered over a period o f tim e. Drawing from ex p erien ce as art te a c h e r/p a in te r, and in c o rp o ra tin g d ig ita l enhancem ent techniques, Smith believes her new art form m ore c reativ ely expresses the beauty of her su b ject ch o ices and the respect and awe she feels for them. Often Smith’s work catc h e s cow boys and c o w g irls at th e ir hardworking best. She has ridden countless m iles a horseback w ith some o f them , roped calv es at b ran d in g s w ith oth ers. Artistically recording those shared moments in time, she says, “Nothing compares to a good horse and the right rope, but the perfect image might come close.” Smith’s goal for her painterly body of work is to create a lasting, visual tribute to the people and places that color her far- from-ordinary life. For a visit to the studio call (541) 676-5013. Or view some of her work a t wwwdenisesriithsrdndistudkiarii Smith has taken her passion of the country and used it to create art. “I love the rural landscape and all that lives on it. I find special p leasu re in looking at ordinary subjects in different ways. Design and color have the utmost considerations. 1 love the culture and all of the su b tleties that often are missed by a quick glance. 1 want people to look and become involved with the work itself. I was a teacher for 15 years, teaching art in the public school system so I like to give something to t h e view er that m ig h t have n o t been without t h e work. I have a passion DeniseSmith for this lifestyle that comes across by the heightened sense of color. I thrive on freshness, but also see the beauty in the mundane. “I lived for 25 years in the high desert of Oregon on the east side of the Steens M ountains. The area was one of stark contrasts and rich culture. The dirt road held assurances that you could count on. You better have at least eight-ply tires and extra water. We always knew someone was coming before they got there. You knew where you were and where you had been. I had a good chunk of time spent a horseback with my family. We w orked hard and enjoyed the country. My love of horses as well as the landscape was what brought me to the desert. I will always have horses. I find pleasure in working with them when they have a job, they become a partner. I love becoming, their partner. “The w ork is the best. Ranching can give you a sense of accomplishment in that you can see your progress or lack of it. You cannot be fainthearted. You have access to M other Nature’s cycle... how do you work with her? People think that Mother Nature can be minimized, but they are too full of themselves. “ For me taking pictures captures a moment for later. I use the artist’s eye to call attention to what may be missed. 1 like to mull over those moments. Thinking that I may use the image as W e d d in g T a t i es Christina Wall & N ick N elson Wedding Friday, July 2nd - MlUtójJ'J DflUJ 217 North Main • Heppner Murray's Country R ose 676-9158 233 N. Main • Heppner Serving Heppner, Lexington S lone 676-9426 DINNER SPECIALS COMING UP AT JOHN’S PLACE Weekend Pizza Blowout a digital artwork or for some other m edium 1 find the computer will many times create just the right sense of drama that I want. I like to layer my to o ls w ith the computer images. It takes time to get all the parts and pieces to do the right thing at the right tim e. Som e people think you can just click the mouse and it is there. If it happened this way an artist would find a harder way to do it. I have had many conversations with people about the digital medium. I say this... the computer is your tool, the mouse a brush in your toolbox, the software is a vehicle of style for your brush. Information limits your brush or it can give it infinite direction. What can an ordinary person do with a paintbrush? Well, they can paint their room... give a brush to Salvador Dali and see what he comes up with. I have taught computer art to junior high students with lim ited so ftw are and technology... the result was expanding and stretching what we did have. So I am still ex p an d in g and stretching. I have had artists say to me, ‘Let’s create a movement.’ I wonder how you do that?” W illow C reek Terrace staff, residents, and their fam ilies bid a fond farewell to Manager Nancy Vander Does recently. They offered a hearty welcome to the new manager, George Naims. They have also bid a sum m er farew ell to S h en an ig an s, the young musicians who practiced on Fridays at the Terrace, and will soon do the same to the S e n tim e n ta lists, the women’s singing ensemble that practice on Thursdays. The residents will miss the melodies, many of which they enjoyed singing, but music will continue to be part of life at Willow Creek Terrace. Music accompanies exercise sessions led by staff perso n s th ro u g h o u t the w eek. W hen w eather p erm its, those sessio n s move to the patio. Judy Rickert brings a music video on T h u rsd ay s when she com es to read the local new sp ap er to in terested residents. A v ariety of activities keep the residents and guests busy each week, in clu d in g the T uesday- aftemoon pinochle games. Some residents are “up” for a game most any time they feel a lull in the pace at Willow Creek Terrace. Monday afternoons find several resid en ts g ath ered for B ingo, as members of the Nazarene Church call the numbers. The Nazarene ladies host special events from time to Cardarti All You Can Eat Pizza w /S alad Bar Family Rates! Barbecue Blowout on June 11-12 Work Tee Shirts Brisket, Ribs, Pork Loin, Chicken J O H N ’S PLACE MAIN STREET, HEPPNER NHS Inductees (L-R): Kasie Peterson, Jenny Griffith, Abby Key, Kyle Palniateer, Amy Jepsen and Ashly Grams. Photo by Jeri McElligott. An in d u ctio n ceremony for new National Honor Society members was held at the lone High School cafeteria on Tuesday, May 25. Parents and guests were w elcom ed by NHS * m $ 1 4 95 Gardners Men’s Wear (541)676-9218 193 N. Main Street • Heppner p resid en t N atalie McElligott. Emily Key, Billy Ross, Taylor McElligott and Barbara Holland read the attributes of a NHS member. The guest speaker was lone School Boardman Chairman Joe McElligott. Amy Jepsen played a piece on the piano. New inductees were K asie P eterso n , Jenny Griffith, Abby Key, Kyle Palmateer, Amy Jepsen and Ashly Grams. The ceremony was organized by adviser Duane Neiffer, with the help of Cathy Halvorsen. Mustangs pound Gaston in quarterfinals By Rick Paullus The H eppner Mustangs pounded out 18 hits to beat the G aston G reyhounds 20-4 in the A view from the hill on Ju n e 4th-5 th Watch for weekly specials at John’s Place & Bucknum’s Tavern! IHS holds National Honor Society induction quarterfinals of the OSAA/ US Bank/Les Schwab Class 2A State baseball playoffs on Friday, May 28 in Gaston. The win puts the M ustangs into the sem i finals for the second straight year and where at home against the Bonanza Antlers on Tuesday, June 1. The win also improves the Mustangs record to 24-2-1 on the year. The M ustangs ju m p ed out on the Greyhounds with five runs after there were two out in the top of the first inning just as they finished their first round game with Warrenton. Chuy Elguezabal led off with a walk, Kory Paullus had a RBI single after two were out, Kiel Naims was hit by a pitch, Luke Murray had a RBI single, Billy Gates was hit by a pitch, Kyler Lovgren scored two with a single and Nick Christman had a RBI double. The G reyhounds came back with two runs in the bottom half and added another in the second to narrow the lead to 5-3, but the M ustangs came back with three in the third to regain their five-run lead. Murray and Gates singled, L ovgren drew a w alk, Murray scored on a wild pitch and after Elguezabal had w alked. Jode Coil scored two with a single. The Mustangs added another run in the fourth w hen N airns and G ates singled and Naims scored when Christman reached on an error. The G reyhounds answered in the fifth with a solo hom erun, but the Mustangs added two more in the sixth when Nairns sin g led and M urray homered to centerfield to make it 11 -4. They broke the game open in the seventh when C hristm an was hit by a pitch, Elguezabal doubled. Josh Gutierrez was hit by a pitch, Elguezabal scored on a passed ball and Paullus beat out an infield hit as two more runs scored. Then N airns scored one on a ground out, Murray was hit by a pitch. Gates singled and Cody Walton came into run for him. Lovgren had a RBI single, Christman hit a three- run homerun, Elguezabal walked and Coil had a RBI double to make it 20-4. Gutierrez went five innings to pick up the win, striking out seven w hile giving up six hits w ith C hristm an p itch in g tw o innings in relief, allowing no runs on two hits. Murray went three for four with a home run, four runs scored and three RBI. Gates went three for four, scoring twice. Lovgren went two for three with three RBI and scored tw ice. Nairns went three for four and scored three runs. Christman went two for four with a double, homerun, five RBI and scored tw ice. Paullus went two for five with three RBI and scored twice. Coil went two for six with a double and three RBI. Elguezabal had a double and scored three runs. Heppner 503 102 9- 20 18 2 Gaston 210 010 0-4 83 Josh Gutierrez, Nick C hristm an (6) and Jode C oil; Jam es H oodenpyl, Darren Reynolds (4) and Jayson Hieter. W- Gutierrez (5-1). L- Hoodenpyl. 2B- Chuy Elguezabal, Jode Coil. Christman (H); Reynolds, David Cox, Cody Fassold (G). 3B- none. HR- Luke Murray and Christman (H); Fassold (G). time also. Their most recent was a Mothers’ Day Tea on May 8. Fridays feature an afternoon activity brought by the C ath o lic C hurch women, often a hot “peanut auction” or “The Price Is Right.” Ongoing projects on the hill keep fingers busy throughout the day. The challenge of a jigsaw puzzle is e v er-p resen t in the com m on room . Spring w eather has offered the gardeners opportunities to begin planting a variety of flowers and vegetables in the terraced beds. And resid en ts have recen tly begun their first quilting project. O p p o rtu n ities for contributing to this hive of activity at the Terrace on an occasional basis or as a regular participant abound. The q u iltin g p ro ject rep resen ts one such opportunity. The quilters can use more cotton materials, thread and extra hands. The halls can again be filled with melodies, when individuals wish to visit and play the piano or organ, popping in once in a while or coming on a regular basis. A great place to practice for a recital. If reading is a p e rs o n ’s strength, sharing that talent at Willow Creek Terrace can be a pleasure for the reader and the listeners. A favorite book read a chapter at a time is sure to be a hit with the audience, and the discussion that follow s can be rewarding. Craft projects are w elcom ed also. Eve Ironhaw k has g uided residents through a variety o f c ra fts, and re sid en ts We H ave w ould w elcom e m ore G r a d u a t io n sessions that produce useful, fanciful and beautiful items. G ift I d e a s ! And those card players just Hallmark Cards m ight be talk ed into Money Holders attending a party now and then. Frames and Albums The six teen and much morel residents of Willow Creek Terrace seem an enthusiastic See o tr Graduation Registry • Gift Certificates available group, eag er to receiv e Tree gift wrapping • Delivery available guests into th e ir hom e. Anyone who wishes to bring something of interest to the Terrace should phone 217 North M a i n - Happner 233 N Main • Heppner M anager N airns at 676- 676-9158 *4 676-9426 0004. Serving the Willow Creek Valley Heppner. Lexington and lone
