An artful way to give
Since last fall, the Lincoln City Cultural Center has rallied around the goal of helping survivors of the Echo Mountain Fire by hosting or supporting individual fundraisers, shifting funds from its annual auction and planning an art show to help victims tell their stories.
The center is now ready to announce the fruits of some of those labors with the first cohort of Echo Mountain Arts Fund grant recipients, who will each get part of the more than $12,000 in funds being distributed this cycle. If more funds are raised, the fund will open for a second round of applications, due on Feb. 15. The group of 11 artists will receive direct payments, studio space and donated equipment to help them rebuild their creative practice.
The fund was established to help the diverse population of artists, visual or performing, professional and amateur, who have been adversely affected by the Echo Mountain Fire. It is being administered by cultural center staff, with the guidance of the nonprofit’s board of directors, and has been primarily funded by individuals, many of whom donated the price of their pre-purchased tickets to the cancelled Culture, Of Course! Gala in September, as well as a large donation from the Oneatta Fund of the Oregon Community Foundation. The fund is continuing to grow with help from Lincoln City and Otis artists who have donated artwork for the new Auction for the Echo Mountain Arts Fund.
As anyone who has seen the devastation wrought by the Echo Mountain Fire can affirm, it will take more than a few months for Otis to rebuild. Among the hundreds of structures lost to the blaze were art studios, workshops, turning sheds and home offices, which provided both income and enrichment for their users. Many lost irreplaceable artwork, produced over decades, along with supplies and equipment. The Echo Mountain Arts Fund will continue to help these creative people rebuild, as long as funds are available.
To keep this effort moving forward, the Lincoln City Cultural Center invites the community to take part in an online fundraiser, the Auction for the Echo Mountain Arts Fund. The items up for bid include a glass phoenix crafted by Kelly Howard of the Lincoln City Glass Studio, incorporating ashes from the fire site.
In addition, the auction features original works by mixed media artist Colleen Hickey, encaustic artist Buff Neretin and mosaic artists Joanne Daschel, Karen Rycheck and Richard S. Davis. There’s also a raffle for a custom-made quilt by Otis artist Pat Lay, with tickets for $10 each. The auction will end at 6 pm on Saturday, Feb. 13. To see the items, purchase or contribute, go to 32auctions.com/echomountainartsfund.
The cultural center is still accepting tax-deductible donations for the Echo Mountain Arts Fund. You can donate online at lincolncity-culturalcenter.org/donate, mail a check to EMAF c/o The Lincoln City Cultural Center, PO Box 752, Lincoln City, OR 97367. Or, call 541-994-9994 to donate over the phone. For more information, message events@lincolncity-culturalcenter.org or call 541-994-9994.
The first-round recipients are:
● Ashley Lynn Anderson, illustrator — to replace projector, tools and canvas, plus 90 days of studio rent at the Lincoln City Cultural Center.
● Nancy Jean Chase, painter — to help replace her studio and art supplies lost in the fire.
● Erin Ella Crimmins, textiles — for fabrics, elastics and notions. Crimmins also received sewing machines and fabrics donated by Lincoln City Cultural Center members.
● Marisol Martinez Garcia, painter — for new acrylic paint, brushes and large canvases.
● Danelle Jones, illustrator and designer — to refurbish artist’s booth and replace lost equipment.
● Chris Reardon, wooden tool maker — for new supplies and equipment to make tools for spinning, weaving, crochet and knitting.
● Casey Skelton, pianist — to help replace 50 years’ worth of music, books and equipment. Skelton also received a portable electric keyboard donated by Rocky Blumhagen.
● Jeff Skotland, photographer — for new cameras, lenses and other equipment.
● Julie Starr, mixed media artist and jeweler — for tools, supplies and instruments.
● Christopher James Smith, musician — for new computer and recording equipment.
● Michelle Lynn Whitney, wood artist — for wood, tools and materials.