Drums Along the Pacific

Why write a blog about art. Aren't there more important things which need discussion? If art were all that important it would be in the schools.

That's the way a lot of people feel about art. It's just not important enough to justify using space which could be used for something practical. I mean we're in a depression people!

Yeah, I know, it isn't a depression in Washington but it sure is out here where the buffalo roam. And that makes it even more important that we keep banging the drum and screaming out loud so that maybe the folks who spend our money will hear, Art is pretty damned important!

Years ago I was on the set of an international movie. I was playing the villain and I had the luxury of getting killed off before the title, so all I had to do was wait to be killed. Waiting on a movie set is one of the most boring things you can ever do. Everyone else has a job and is in a hell'uva hurry to get it done while you are twiddling your thumbs. They don't look at you, they don't talk to you and the only time they notice you is when you are in the way. Boy is it boring.

While I was being bored to death I spotted one of the grips, (That's a set hand who has a specialty like lighting or electrical or props) doing his job. He was rigging the safety pads on the bed I was going to fall on and you might guess I was very interested in seeing that he did it right. (Yes, falling on a bed takes a whole team of folks to get it right and not send the actor or talent as the crew contemptuously calls the actors, to the hospital. They don't care if you get run over by a bus once the shot is in the can but before you're gold.)

The grip had on a shirt with the slogan, Theater is Life, Film is Art, Television is furniture. That's what most congressmen think about all art. Oh they will tell you that it's just not the sort of thing their constituents understand and they've had too many art projects funded with federal money that are just obscene. Like what they do with our money?

They don't like art or if they do they think it is what they see at craft shows and flea markets by the side of the road. They haven't stared at a blank canvas until beads of blood form on their tiny, little heads. Why should they? They already have a job and it takes all of their time to organize hearings about which program put in by the other guys should get the ax.

So you see, we've got an uphill battle.

That's why it takes everyone to bang the drum. So that the sound never dies.

Have you seen what the students have done for the CAM Student Art Show? Don't go if your latest project didn't work out. It will make you weep and cringe to know that these guys are just a few years away from being out in the world competing against you at the next juried show.

They didn't do all of this because of art classes. Oh sure they have teachers, teachers who work longer hours, with less pay so that the kids can get some exposure to the arts, you know we have a school funding crisis in Oregon. Bang the drum,

We have a wealth of teachers in the art world, Pat Snyder, Jane Snoddy and Anne Sobotta just to scan the surface. They work tirelessly to keep the noise level up.

So why write about art?

It keeps that drum banging, banging, not so loudly, but banging still, banging so that all of the news about the art scene on the South Coast gets out there where it can do some good, to the artists who form this community, to the kids who will be the artists long after the Trawler has sailed away and to the public who doesn't understand art, to the politicians who want to cut funding for art, to the guy who looks at and empty pop bottle and decides to make a candle holder instead of tossing it out the window as he drives down 101.

We have to make a lot of noise or they just won't hear us and they have to hear us so that the Arts get the place and the money they deserve.