DIVA Center News- May

Patrons Enjoy Remodeled Gallery

DIVA Remodeled and Moving Forward. Art correspondent Bob Keffer, writing in his Register Guard Art and the City blog, observed that at DIVA, "Gone are the dingy carpet, the bad lighting, the awful walls. Instead, the main gallery has new track lighting, just like a real art gallery ... not to mention new black carpeting and pristine wall surfaces. They have even created a small retail gallery space in an alcove right behind the main entrance. One more step toward a real art center for downtown Eugene."
If you haven't seen the renovations at DIVA, be sure to visit during July's First Friday Art Walk. The remodeling project was coordinated by DIVA Board members Steven Oshatz, Tenold Peterson and Randy Stendler. (Above - Main Gallery-Screening Room. At Left: Gift gallery and DIVA reception.)

Exhibits Director Postion Open. The Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts has an immediate opening for an Exhibits Director. Submit resume to DIVA at 110 W. Broadway, Eugene, OR 97401 by 7/25/08. Download full job description or contact Mary Unruh at mary@divacenter.org or 541-344-3482.

Film Director Erich Lyttle to Visit DIVA. A special evening with Portland documentary filmmaker Erich Lyttle has been scheduled for 7pm on Saturday, June 28th as as part of the Center's celebration of the Olympic Trials. Lyttle will be screening and discussing the making of "Fire on the Track: The Stev e Prefontaine Story".
Lyttle's film tells the story of Eugene's Steve Prefontaine, America's top distance runner in the 1970's whose front running style, brashness, and American track records captivated the public like no other distance runner. The screening of this acclaimed documentary will include a Q&A with Lyttle and special guests. Admission is free - donations accepted.

Art and the City Map Available. At long last an up-to-date guide to art in Eugene is available in a new map published by DIVA. The map lists 70 art venues around Eugene, including an inset for the University of Oregon.
According to Bob Keffer, Register Guard Art commentator, "The idea grew out of the city’s Cultural Policy Review Committee discussions, and DIVA’s diva, Mary Unruh, put the thing together with help from Eugene city planning mapmaker Sarah Zaleski and support from DEI and SELCO."
The art map will be located in various centers around town and of course you can pick up a copy at DIVA, 110 W. Broadway. If you'd like to download a copy you may do so by clicking here. The map is available as a PDF.

Open Studios Art Tour and Calendar Sales. DIVA begins promotion of its inaugural Open Studios Art Tour, scheduled for October 18, 19, 25 and 26, with sales of a 15-month Visual Arts Calendar at Maude Kerns' Art and the Vineyard, July 4-6. The calendar highlights events for local galleries and arts organizations.
The calendar is illustrated with the work of 30 artists whose studios will be available on the tour. A special six-week pre-tour exhibit featuring the work of featured artists begins at DIVA on September 5th.
Included with the calendar are the Studio Tour Maps and a removable window/bumper sticker that says, "Support Local Art". The calendar cost $20 and are available at DIVA, Smith Family Bookstores, and other locations to be announced. You can purchase your calendar online using PayPal. Enter payments@divanow.org as the requested e-mail address to which payments are sent.

New DIVA Board Members. DIVA is pleased to welcome four new members to our Board of Directors: Jessica King, Joby Patterson, Debra Merskin and Mary Beth Siewert.
    Jessica King, an attorney for Luvaas Cobb, brings an active interest in the visual arts and some much appreciated legal expertise to keep DIVA aware of any potential pitfalls. She has been a member of the Editorial Board of Oregon Law Review and has a strong commitment to Eugene's cultural community.
    Joby Patterson has kept abreast of DIVAs progress since our inception. Her perspective as an art historian brings strength to our exhibits. She's had many years of experience with museums in a number of capacities. She has also has experience a fine prints dealer. Joby currently teaches the History of Prints of the Western World at the University of Oregon.
    Debra Merskin also has UO connections as an Associate Professor of Journalism and Communication. Debra has a strong background in TV, film and visual communications and writes about representational ethics. She brings a long association with the Lane County visual arts scene.
Mary Beth Siewert has been a resident of Eugene for 27 years and has seen the cycles of good and bad downtown eras. She is interested in participating in the downtown evolution through the work that DIVA does. "DIVA, as an organization, exemplifies my hopes for this movement". Mary Beth brings experience in event planning and public relations.
    We are fortunate to include these new talents to our already committed Board
of Directors.

July Art Walk Stops. Lane Arts Council's First Friday ArtWalk on July 4th begins at the Museum of Unfine Art at 5:30 p.m. ArtWalk stops will include: Museum of Unfine Art, Fenario Gallery, Eugene Glass Guild show, and DIVA

Volunteer of the Month: Jenny Gilmore. Jenny Gilmore came to DIVA as an intern in the University of Oregon program in Arts Administration. She has run the gamut of roles at the gallery, from touching up paint and moving pedestals to designing brochures to promote our membership program. Jenny is currently tackling the graphic design for the print ads and promotional calendar for Eugene's first ever Artist Open Studios Tour, scheduled for this October. We are in awe of her diligence and attention to detail!
"Volunteering my time at DIVA means a lot to me because it is an organization that I really believe in," explains Jenny. "It is community oriented and features visual artists that 'think out of the box,' however cliche that may sound. You also can't ask for better, more committed people to work with!"
If you'd like to volunteer at DIVA contact Katura Reynolds < diva.exhibits@gmail.com> for information.

July Artist Salon: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly... and how to know the difference. This month's Artist Salon features a light hearted but serious presentation and discussion about how an artist can make their life easier! The materials and craftsmanship an artist uses has a huge influence on longevity and presentation. There really are no "bad" materials, just inappropriate use. Terry will discuss these issues, tell stories about framing art for 20 years, and answer questions. Terry Way is the president of Fine Art Care & Treatment Standards (FACTS), owns Raven Frame Works, Inc., and is co-host of VizCity, which airs on KLCC.
    The Artist Salon is a gathering of artists and art supporters, providing opportunities to learn about different aspects of the art world and marketplace in a friendly, informal setting. Current DIVA members may also bring two or three examples of their artwork for the Members' Gallery selection. Members may propose exhibits as individuals, pairs, or groups, as long as everyone is a current member. The Salon meets on Sunday, July 20th at 4 PM. Cost: $5 public/Free for DIVA members.

DIVA Recognizes Slocum Grant for "Notion of Motion". John Bauman, the Executive Administrator for Slocum Orthopedics, received recognition of the clinic's generous funding of "The Notion Of Motion" exhibit featuring work by Steven Oshatz, Tenold Peterson, Sergio Ortiz, and Don MacLane currently on display at DIVA through July 26th.
   The doctors of Slocum Orthopedics felt that the Notion of Motion was very appropriate for them to sponsor - their tagline is "Live in Motion".
   The Slocum Center provides diagnostic imaging, outpatient surgery, rehabilitation services and a therapy. By co-locating this full array of services, the Center can collaborate easily to care for injuries related to sports, complex fractures and orthopedic reconstruction.
    Pictured from left to right are Steve Oshatz, John Bauman, Tendold Peterson and Randy Stendler in back.

Teen Video Competition Announced. Teens are encouraged to enter their video works in the DIVA's 2009 Youth Visions Teen Video Competition. The competition celebrates the work of young videomakers ages 13-19 living in Lane County. This year teens will submit work that is reviewed in December by a panel of video professionals and educators. Those videos that demonstrate the most creative, effective and skillful responses to the call for entries will be screened and awarded prizes at a special session of the January 2009 OpenLens Festival at the DIVA. Winning videos will be shown at other festivals and events as part of a 2009 Youth Visions Festival compilation. The submission deadline is November 30, 2008. More information is available on the DIVA Youth Visions web site.

Teen Video Workshops Begin July 1st. DIVA has assumed responsibility for the Youth Visions Project - a six year old non-profit organization that has sponsored an annual video competition for teens. DIVA, expanding the Youth Visions mission, has initiated a series of video workshop this summer that begin on July 1st.
These workshops will provide the basic skills young people need for making their first films. They will learn how to write stories that can be filmed and shared with others. Practice basic techniques for getting the best image and sound with available equipment. And, discover the secrets of making special effects with simple materials and a bit of imagination.
Program developers Eric Ostlind and Jon Labrousse are hoping these workshops will close the gap between imagination and realization and remove the barriers between thinking about making a film and actually producing one. To register contact Eric Ostlind, DIVA Program Director at 344-3482, or write him at diva.programs@gmail.com. More information is available on the DIVA Youth Visions web site.

The Rape of Europa Screens at DIVA in July. DIVA, by special arrangement, presents the only regional screening of a new documentary film about the pillaging of art by Nazi Germany during World War II.
    The Rape of Europa tells the epic story of the systematic theft, deliberate destruction and miraculous survival of Europe’s art treasures during the Third Reich and the Second World War. In a journey through seven countries, the film takes the audience into the violent whirlwind of fanaticism, greed, and warfare that threatened to wipe out the artistic heritage of Europe. For twelve long years, the Nazis looted and destroyed art on a scale unprecedented in history. But young art professionals as well as ordinary heroes, from truck drivers to department store clerks, fought back with an extraordinary effort to safeguard, rescue and return the millions of lost, hidden and stolen treasures.
   The Rape of Europa begins and ends with the story of artist Gustav Klimt’s famed Gold Portrait, stolen from Viennese Jews in 1938 and now the most expensive painting ever sold.
   Today, more than sixty years later, the legacy of this tragic history continues to play out as families of looted collectors recover major works of art, conservators repair battle damage, and nations fight over the fate of ill-gotten spoils of war.
    Joan Allen narrates this breathtaking chronicle about the battle over the very survival of centuries of western culture. The film will be screen on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 11-12-13. University Professor and Art lawyer Dom Vitri will host.

Revitalizing Arts Education Through Community-Wide Coordination. (Scout Report) When policy makers and others think about what subjects to cut in public school, funding for the arts is often the first to be considered. This June 2008 report from the Rand Corporation takes a critical look at public-private partnerships in United States cities designed to reinvigorate and restore arts education in public school districts. Authored by Susan J. Bodilly, Catherine H. Augustine, and Laura Zakaras, the 109-page report focuses on programs in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles County, New York City, and Alameda County in Northern California. The study itself was commissioned by The Wallace Foundation and found that "budget cuts resulting from state and local budget problems to the emphasis of the No Child Left Behind Act on reading and math have sharply reduced the number of arts teaching positions." Visitors will note that the study goes into great detail regarding the nature of these programs, and those working in the fields of public policy or arts education will want to let their colleagues and associates know about this timely study. Download Copy (PDF)

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