PAGE TWELVE
HERALD AND NEWS; KLAMATH FALLS, OREGON
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1969
Centennial Funds Offered Impetus To New Art Unit
The Klamath Art Gallery is
built although the city of Klam
ath Falls is considered in many
localities to be a young, wild west
town and not particularly redo
lent with culture.
. Now, the town has surpassed
others of comparable size and
many larger cities in the state in
the interest of progress and aes
thetic development. This has been
demonstrated concretely in the last
six months by the wonderful re
sponse made by business and in
dustrial men and individuals who
answered requests with help for
ouuaing me gaucry.
GORDON KENSLER
Work Left
To Be Done
At Art Unit
By GORDON KENSLER
Art Instructor
Klamath Falls Grade Schools
Many Klamath area residents
may be surprised to learn that all
work on the Klamath Art Gallery
is not yet completed.
Building, however, has pro
gressed to the point that the Art
Association members deemed it
time to open the building to per
mit enjoying exhibits planned for
the spring.
Members have set summer for
a completed building but much
work remains unfinished, and com
pletion depends on the donation of
labor, materials and funds.
The following is a list of work
tq be completed: installation of
rest room plumbing and fixtures
kitchen fixtures, some interior and
exterior painting to be complet
ed by members in the spring, in
stallation of wall covering mate
rials to serve as background for
exhibits and building cleanup.
Two patios are planned, one ad
joining the side door of the art
gallery, the other adjoining the
large sliding door of the ceramic
studio or "Pot Shop. The art gal
lery patio will be large enough to
accommodate benches, outdoor ex
hibit space, a pool and perhaps a
fountain. The second will provide
an outdoor working area for cer
amists, painters and other crafts
men. '
Some new walkways will be
needed. Old ones need repairing
and the driveway and parking
areas need working over. Plans
call for a complete landscaping
project with shrubs, trees and
flowers. A large garden area on
the hillside at the rear of the
buildings, utilizing many native
plants, is to be accomplished.
Remodeling of the Moore House
(Art Center) is under way but
Completion of this area of the cen
ter also depends on donations of
labor, material! and fund.
In April 1959, the State Centen
nial Commission offered through
Ben Swartz, curator of the Klam
ath County Museum, the sum of
$3750 to the Klamath Art Associ
ution to build a gallery.
There were two stipulations, the
association must submit historical
information, -articles of incorpora
tion, plans for the proposed gal
lery and the sum which the state
offered was to be matched by
the association.
Only a small sum had accured
from donations made at exhibits
and from percentages from sales.
The association had little money
and the deadline, was two weeks
hence. -
The members took into consider
ation that requests for community
enterprises in the form of cash
and materials had been exceeding
ly heavy in recent months. In
come taxes had just been paid,
$5,000 had been donated for a cen-1
tennial building on the state line,
the drive for $50,000 for a new
OTI site was just under way, a
survey was to be made for a new
hospital.
The financial coordinators of the
association conferred with several
businessmen on seeking public sup
port to build an art gallery. All
signs pointed to a successful ven
ture. Each businessman present
at that conference contributed $100
each and the drive was on.
Two members started down
Main Street. Not one person con
tacted refused help with either cash
or materials for building. Contri
butions of cash were from $5 to
$1,000. In 14 hours the match mon
ey was pledged.
The gallery is to be opened
late in February, just eight months
after the fund drive opened. The
people of Klamath Falls should
be proud . of the part, they have
played in this community effort.!
No other town in Southern Ore
gon has accomplished such a task.
Klamath has started the ball roll
ing and others are expected to
follow. Interest is increasing in
art in all of Oregon, Northern
California and western Nevada and
members' look forward to making
this area the greatest cultural and
recreational area in the West.,
Many letters of inquiry on or
ganization of the association, on
financing', supporting members and
lime required to complete the
building have been received. 1
Answers have given credit to
those who have made the gallery
possible. People have been asked
to dig ditches, haul gravel, wash
windows, furnish bricks and pum
ice blocks, wax floors, paint, to
furnish windows, doors, electric
wiring, and other materials.
Those who could not contribute
labor or materials gave cash.
: :The building now stands as a
tribute to the public spirited peo
ple of the Klamath Community.
The Art Association sponsored the
work, but the gallery, the work
shops and the park which sur
round it belong to Klamath Falls
and those who wish to enjoy it.
flwn a'tann ?
Authorized parts, to lot
and service for all -
'Jeep' vehicles
BASIN MOTORS
424 So. 6th TU 4-7771
A Symbol Of Service1.
A Sign Of Quality!
NOW IS THE TIME TO ORDER
SEED CUTTER;
The Brown Seed Cutter
ill Slice Your
Cutting Costs
In Half!
1 W f mnm)i&mt'mtH-r - . 1 i
f i
Come In And Check With Us On
EARLY ORDER DISCOUNTS
on Harvesters - Vin.ebeaters - Bin-Loaders
Willord Morris Phont Tulelake 7-2471 Garvin Kirby