-PAGE R A
HERALD AND NEWS. KI.AMATH FM.I.S. OREGON
THI RSOAY. .11 LY 24. 1953
Oregon Motes Vast Increase Of Artists Since End Of World War IS
By MATT KRAMKIl
Auocialed Press Slaff Writer
A solitary figure appeared on a
dock at Astoria and began sketch
ing Ihc waterfront. Another was on
a coastal headland, sketch pad in
hand, and still another beside a
highway in Southern Oregon.
Gradually they appeared at
places where none ever before had
been noticed beside airports, in
rail yards and even on city streets,
something was up. and the public
should have suspected it, too.
But Ihe artists said nothing, and,
since they are not known for their
reticence, it is probable they did
not realize themselves how big the
boom was in Oregon art.
Artists aro not much given to
keeping statistics anyway, and
olten seem able to pursue their
work only in isolation, which
sometimes is a place behind a
clump of brush and sometimes is
a state of mind.
It is disturbing to minds other
than artists, but in this age nearly
everything can be measured land
by surveyors, health by insurance
companies, and art by supply
houses.
It isn't easy, however, to get
Ihe measurement ol art in Oregon,
for artists also have infiltrated
behind sales counters. With their
minds fixed firmly on other mat
ters, they are vague about statis
tics. "Sales of art supplies are up.
all right. Maybe 111 no, maybe 30
or 40 per cent in recent years.
But there is no easy way for me
to determine exactly how much,"
said one sales head, who instructs
art classes in Portland at night.
It was Ihc same story at an
other Portland supply house.
where the increase was estimated
at perhaps 50 per cent in recent
years.
But measurements creep in
everywhere and a businessman
knew how much the sale ol art
supplies had gone up in the last
decade at the stale's largest art
supply house, Gill's in Portland:
Nine hundred per cent.
That mans 10 artists behind
the bush that used to hide one.
No wonder they are beginning to
push each other into the open.
Most of the new ones are Sunday
artists, who have multiplied as in
come and leisure time have in
creased since World War II.
It is the Sunday artist you will
find on the coast, squinting at a
landscape and drawing lines on a
canvas he later will entitle,
"Vichysoisse."
But you also will find him. along
with the full-time artist, at the art
centers that have sprung up in
Oregon communities, the Portland
Art Museum, the state fair, and
even the Portland Rose Festival.
The Oregon Society of Artists
is an example of the increase in
recent years. The society started
with 15 memhers and no money
in 1!)26. At first growth was slow.
I pen came the post-war bottom.
Four years ago the society ac
quired its present headquarters
a sleek building in Portland
West Hills. Today it has 660 mem
bers, 110 of them upstate.
It offers classes and lectures tor
Ihe amateur and the professional.
It is one of the principal head
quarters of the Sunday artist.
Art groups have bohbed up all
over the stale. To name a few of
them: The Art League of Grants
Pass, Ihc Coos Artists League, the
ICoquiIle Valley Art Assn.. Corval
us Arts ouna, aaiem Art Assn..
Inc., Snake River Valley Art
Assn . Vwnantt Art Cenlor I inrnln
County Art Center, Vaquina Art
rtssn., ana me age rirusners.
There are thriving art programs
at Oregon Slalc College, the L'ni-
versllv of Oregon and nther rnK
leges, but the biggest art center
in the slate is as mipht hp pv.
pected, in Portland.
It is the Portland Art Museum,
which was the lirst art museum
POahlichfH in Iho Panifif Vnrlh.
west. That was in 18112. It nearly
went under in the depression, and
the museum had to appeal to the
public for $5,000 to save it.
iow ine museum, occupying a
:nu;irp hlork hesirto tho miih
Park blocks in downtown Port
land, is on safer ground. It has
nearly doubled ,its membership
since World War II, to a total of
about 2,000.
It is operated by the Portland
Art Assn., which holds to the pur
pose announced by the founders
in 1H'I2: "In mjilfn a rnUnnl inn nr
works of art and to erect and
maintain a suitable building in
which the same may be studied
and exhibited; to develop and to
encourage the study of art. . . "
Some 85 persons study art in
day classes and 300 in evening
classes there. In addition, 1.200
persons visit the museum weekly
The building, located at SW Park
and Madison, is closed only on
Monday. Wednesday it is open
Irom noon until 10 p.m.. and from
noon to 5 p.m. on the other days.
Resides the extensive collection
of paintings, statuary and other
objects the museum puts on dis
play, the museum has been show
ing increasing interest in Oregon
art.
Max W. Sullivan, director, esti
mates the museum singles out an
Oregon artist for a one-man show
on (our or five occasions a year.
In between, there are exhibitions
of Oregon sculptors, print makers
and painters.
The next will be for painters
and sculptors, Oct. 13-Nov. 16.
Kntries come from many un
knowns. A panel of judges selects
those considered worthy ol exhibit.
The aim is to reward talent with
recognition, not to discourage it.
Some years up to 75 per cent of
the entries reach the exhibit floor.
An example: An. ex-shipyard
worker took a line of poetry for
his theme and with welding torch,
a few pieces of metal and five
foot length of bamboo put together
a piece that won recognition.
Not all Oregon art is so ingeni
ous, but give it time. At the rate
lit is growing, it will capture halflstates ingenuity in the next few
the population and hence half the'years.
HARRY HAFTER'S
August Sale Continues
SAVE!
1iaaIIai
DAVENPORT $
& CHAIR
Heavy, long wearing wool frieze covers. Regular
$299.95. Save Vi Out they go at this low, low price.
9th and Klamath
Phone TU 4-4878
SCREWDR1VEI
always delicious ... made with Smirnoff fJ
THE
VODKA WAGON
WITH
Lr;'4Sfi r
w. lot . v: y . 1 1
X - - - if the greatest name In
wiirnofvoDKA
80 1 100 PcdiI. Dutillil lug Mil. Sit. Finn Stimuli III. (Oit. Il Hlutllii).jllillli4. Cim
5
BILLY SUNDAY Is acting as chairman on the Klamath
Agency road conduction crew which is building a new
12-mile two-lane gravel road to replace a one-lane dirt
road on the reservation that is virtually impassable in
winter. The new road will be an all-weather road and
starts at the town of Sprague River, ending about four
miles north of Beatty. The "chain" in use is actually a 100
foot steel tape. Formerly surveyors used a chain to meas
ure distance, and after the advent of the steel tape, the
name chain still persisted. Nelson Sharp Photo
INDKIt KNIFE
NEW YOHK i API - I.ibrellist
Oscar Hammcrstoin II, li.1, under
went an operation yesterday at
Doctors Hospital (or diverticulitis,
an intestinal ailment. A hospital
spokesman said his condition was
good.
SEE THE
PROFESSIONAL
RODEO
July 25-26-27
lookup I
featuring
Lefty FRIZZELL
COLUMBIA RECORDS - GRAND OLE OPRY -COUNTRY
AMERICA - TOWN HALL PARTY
Freddie HART
COLUMBIA RECORDS - TOWN HALL PARTY -COUNTRY
AMERICA - RANCH PARTY - TV
FILMS
Liffle DAVID
ROCK 'N ROLL SENSATION
HURSHUL CLOTHIER
and the OKLAHOMA TRAVELERS
SAT.
NIGHT
DANCING 10 until WZZ,
$1.75 PER PERSON (TAX INC.)
tut
SUITS SLACKS
SPORTCOATS
SHOES, ETC.!
Further Reductions
For a Grand
Cleanup - Hurry!
FAMOUS MAKE
T-SHIRTS
Just the kind you would pay 1.50 for
NOW!
Values to $55 Values to $75 . Values to $95
We sti!! haye most all sizes in
Regulars, Shorts & Longs
SPORT
SHIRTS
Still A Good Variety!
Short and Long Sleeve
MEN'S HIGH DRESS
SHOES
9 Pair Only Values to 19.95
2 Pair Size 7; 2 Pair Siie 7'2, 1 Pair
Size 8; 1 Pair Size 8'j, 1 Pair 9'j, 1 Pair
10 'a; 1 Pair U'i.
All go
for -
FLORSHEIM
$5
All Sizes, Black and
Brown, Dressy Styles
Brogues
Values to 27.50
Insulated
RUBBER
U.S. Rubber-10" Tops-All Sizes
Reg. $
18.95 il
Munsingwear
INSULATED
Underwear'
Save Now for Winter!
Reg. S5 Short Sleeve Shirts 3.50
Reg. S6 Long Sleeve Shirts 3.95
Reg. S6 Drawers 3.95
Kuppenheimer, Eagle, Timely
CO
ATS
PRICE
We Still Have Most All Sizes!
Red Hunting
SHIRTS
Cotton Flannel - All Sizes
,. $11
Winthrop
o
Buy for now! TSuy for
back to school
Valuc Jo $17.95
T
OP
Tjrifc.iiy r
COATS
Voluci o 15.95
s7
111
PRKE
5 $100 Kuppenheimer Topcoats now $50
$89.50 Samuel Martin, (English Made) . $44.75
$50 Topcoats n0w $25
FAMOUS
Imperfect
SHIRTS
You Know The Name
All Sizes in Regular & Sport
Collars - Beautiful Plaids