Inside
What better way to honor President's Day weekend than to meet a President! One of the great ones, at that, perhaps the greatest of them all, Honest Abe himself. Saturday, February 16th, was Living History Day at the Museum of History and Industry and I decided to venture to Montlake to see Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War, MOHAI's latest exhibition that comes to Seattle from the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. It was well worth the trip. I met President Lincoln!
Alright, not the real President Lincoln, but a pretty good Lincoln impersonator. Fritz Klein has performed as Lincoln for thirty-two years and he has mastered the role. I walked into a room at MOHAI and saw a throng of children and adults encircling the "former President," peppering him with questions about the struggles he confronted as the 16th President of the United States, and he fielded every one with thoughtful intelligence and historical accuracy. I think what I enjoyed most was watching the children watching him. When I was 14 or 15 years old, my older brother and I saw Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight on Broadway, and even though I knew that the man on stage was an actor and not the real Mark Twain, I must admit that about halfway through the show, I began to believe that this was Mark Twain. It was a truly great performance. I couldn't help but wonder how many of the children staring at Mr. Klein were experiencing something similar. How wonderful to see theatre in the service of history and history as the prime source for theatre.
The exhibition makes clear that there are many powerful parallels between Lincoln's time and today. Within a week of Lincoln's inauguration, the South seceded, igniting the Civil War. To hold the Union together, President Lincoln suspended civil liberties. He asserted the power of the federal government over the individual states, which at the time was not a settled proposition. He signed the 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery, even before it had gone through the constitutionally proscibed approval process. He was accused by his opponents of acting like a dictator.
Today, there should be little doubt that for good or ill, Presidents matter. In the past week and a half, so many of us have participated in party caucuses; many will vote in Presidential primaries, which will be held the day this e-newsletter is sent. Presidential candidates pursuing our votes have made stops across the state, giving us an opportunity to measure their preparadeness to assume the office that Lincoln re-defined.
History matters, too, and we in our region are so fortunate to have an institution like MOHAI, which every day performs the invaluable public service of reminding us of the path we've traveled, including the mistakes we've made and the obstacles we've overcome to get where we are today.
Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War runs through April 20th
Jim Kelly
Executive Director
^
My Point of View provides a forum for ongoing culture-related dialogue. Each month, news4culture will feature the words of a guest writer, commenting on an issue related to arts, heritage, preservation and/or public art. It might be an opinion related to a current news story; maybe it's a rant, a rave, or a random thought about culture. Whatever it is, you write it and we'll print it.
I am 52 years old and can finally say I found my life's calling--work I never imagined possible because it never existed before.
After graduating from Seattle's Franklin High School I studied chemistry and chemical engineering at the University of Washington--a responsible preparation for a good career. After graduation I worked as a bio-medical engineer—interesting and useful because I improved hemodialyzers to help people with kidney failure, but it just didn't keep me excited. So I traveled awhile, went back to the UW to get my MBA, loved learning how to look for the business potential in projects, and again responsibly prepared for a good career. Graduating with my MBA, I landed a great job at Weyerhaeuser, learned a lot about working in a large corporation, but again felt restless. My great career quickly became just another job.
My life seemed to be a pattern of succeeding with opportunities and then moving on to larger opportunities. It wasn’t a bad life. My parents were proud, but I lacked passion. All this changed when I fell in love and married an insightful woman who challenged me to take courageous leaps toward real fulfillment. She didn't care if I made more money or climbed higher up the corporate ladder. She wanted me to feel alive and find my life's calling. It was with this incredible woman that I began a journey that wasn't about achieving and obtaining, but was about following my heart and passions.
So after some soul searching, and to the dismay of my parents and the raised eyebrows of my friends, I left my comfortable corporate job in the early 1980s and followed an interest of mine—personal computers. I began producing computer shows, the largest in the Pacific Northwest. Operating without the safety net of a big company, I quickly worked myself into a deep financial hole and wiped out my personal savings. Financially it looked so bleak that at my last computer show my mother brought her checkbook, thinking she would need to help me pay the bills.
But I survived and landed a contract job at the then-small Microsoft Corporation to produce an industry event for the brand new CD-ROM technology. This began a seven year stint at Microsoft where I worked on innovative CD-ROM projects like an encyclopedia, dictionary, travel guide, and medical guide. But as time went on and our group grew, I became less involved with product development and more occupied with management, meetings, and deal-making. Again, my great career became just work.
Before fully vesting in my stock options, and again to the dismay of my parents and friends, I left Microsoft. For the next two years I drove carpools, volunteered in my kids' schools, coached sports, did the laundry, cooked meals, and took long family trips. Life was interesting and busy, but again something was missing.
It was then that Scott Oki, former Microsoft executive and fellow Seattleite, asked me to join a volunteer effort to collect the life stories of Seattle's Japanese Americans. This project soon became known as Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project.
While I'd heard a little bit about the World War II incarceration from my parents and read about it in school, I had never dug deep into the stories of personal struggle and loss. But after my very first interview of a Japanese American elder who lived through the tumultuous period of World War II, I realized I had never really known what happened to my parents, grandparents, and broader community.
Each interview revealed stories that had never been shared, and I saw people discover deeply rooted pain they have never revealed. Every person I interviewed became family. And the more I interviewed, the more deeply and intimately connected I became to each person in the Japanese American community. As story after story unfolded, I felt more and more grateful to the community elders for the sacrifices they had made. My commitment to share these untold stories and to teach people about civil liberties grew. I knew with technology we could digitally preserve and share these stories around the world.
Almost twelve years later Densho reaches hundreds of thousands of teachers and students who learn about Japanese American history from the memories of those who lived it. Other Japanese American communities are beginning to use Densho technology to preserve the oral histories of their communities. And in the future, we will help more ethnic groups collect and share their communities' stories.
Perhaps it was luck that by following my passions I discovered a life commitment to education, technology, heritage, social justice, and community. These passions are all aligned with the work I do at Densho. Who would have thought, after all the starts and stops, I finally found my calling--the work I will do for the rest of my life!
Tom Ikeda
Tom Ikeda is the founding Executive Director of Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project. He volunteered his services full-time for the first eleven years at Densho. Tom is a 2004 recipient of the Humanities Washington award, the 2004 JACL Japanese American of the Biennium Award, and 2006 Commanders Award from the Seattle Nisei Veterans Committee. Densho has been honored with the first NPower Nonprofit Innovation Award, a 2007 Long Term Project Award from the Association of King County Heritage Organizations, and the 2007 ABC-CLIO Online History Award from the American Library Association. Tom can be reached at tom.ikeda@densho.org. The Densho website, offering an extensive archive of video interviews, historical images, and teaching resources, is at www.densho.org.
image: © Tom and Sara Ikeda
___________________________________
Want to tell the world what you really think? Submit your words to news4culture for consideration by emailing us at info@4Culture.org. Please limit submissions to 500 words or less. One guest writer will be selected for each monthly newsletter issue.
^
deadline March 31, 2008
www.4culture.org/arts/projects
In order to better serve the cultural community and citizens of King County, Arts 4Culture has made a few changes to the annual Special Projects and Community Arts Programs. Please review the eligibility requirements for the new program guidelines.
- Artists of all disciplines are invited to apply to Individual Projects
- Organizations, agencies, collectives, and ensembles not receiving Sustained Support funding are invited to apply to Group Projects
4Culture invests in our cultural community by providing financial support, technical assistance, and resources for artists, arts organizations and community agencies. In addition to the annual funding programs, Arts 4Culture continues to support and advocate for K-12 arts education through a partnership with ArtsEd Washington and the Principals' Project. Let us know if you need assistance in determining what funding resources are best for you.
image: © Carl Hancock Rux, The No Black Male Show, 2008, courtesy Central District Forum for Arts and Ideas
^
http://www.4culture.org/publicart
"I wanted to give the haulers one large emblematic image that answers the question 'transfer where?'" – artist Carol dePelecyn
A trip to the transfer station can be a chore, an outing, or simply a relief, as that old couch or collection of trash bags disappears over the edge and into the compactor chute below the tipping floor; but what happens after we pay our fee and leave? Fascinated by the strata of earth created at landfills, artist Carol DePelecyn made repeated visits to the Cedar Hills Landfill where waste from local transfer stations ends up and is compressed into landforms on a vast scale. Mount Rainier, perhaps the most iconic symbol of the region's natural beauty, overlooks this mountain of garbage in Terra Firma, collaborator Steve McGehee's original photograph of the landfill that will be installed as a billboard above the tipping floor.
Waiting in line for a turn at the tipping floor, the visitor will be able to experience the sound installation ReTire as it emanates from within recycled truck tires, once installed on scraper trucks that leveled the landfill. Sound artist Dale Stammen gathered field recordings from a local salmon stream and combined them with other environmental sounds, both natural and man made. Triggered by the presence of the visitor the variable sound element speaks to the great beauty of the environment and the need to be mindful, both of what we throw away and of waste disposal.
image: © Carolyn dePelecyn, 2007, Terra Firma, Steve McGehee, original photograph
^
deadline March 10, 2008
www.4culture.org/preservation/landmark
The goals of this funding program are to encourage the long-term stewardship of historic places, to promote historic preservation work of the highest quality, and to foster an appreciation of heritage sites among visitors and residents alike. Applicants must demonstrate that their project is part of a comprehensive plan to preserve and maintain the landmark property, and that the project team has the skills to successfully complete the work. Eligible applicants are owners or authorized lessees of designated King County Landmarks, designated City Landmarks located in jurisdictions participating in the King County Interlocal Preservation Program (KCIPP), contributing properties located within King County or KCIPP landmark districts. Typical awards range from $10,000 to $15,000.
image: © Qualle Rasmus Log House window project, 2004, photo by Lisa Blanchard
^
arts advisory committee
preservation advisory committee
Josh LaBelle, Executive Director of the Seattle Theatre Group, a nonprofit performing arts organization overseeing the operations of the historic Paramount & Moore Theatres, has been appointed to serve as a member of 4Culture's Arts Advisory Committee. Ryan Romaneski, acting Executive Director of the Pioneer Square Community Association, has joined the Preservation Advisory Committee. 4Culture's volunteer Advisory Committees guide policy development and advise the 4Culture Board on cultural issues. Committee members are appointed by 4Culture's Board of Directors and serve for two three-year terms.
image: © Theater Puget Sound, Live Theater Week Festival, 2007, photo by Mike Hipple
^
reception March 6, 2008, 6 to 8 p.m.
exhibition March 6-28, 2008
www.4culture.org/publicart
Gallery4Culture is pleased to announce the opening of Old Growth and Used Memories, an exhibition of new sculpture by Seattle artist Jason Wood.
As Seattle artist Jason Wood dissects, alters, and reassembles materials, he seeks to further understand the life they have lived and the future path this life could take. In an exhibit of new sculpture, Old Growth and Used Memories, he peels back the personal and imagined history, implicit and implied in the work. It is also a continued exploration of the disassociation between human necessities and their natural origins. His experience in the building trades gives credibility to his craftsmanship, informed by memories of growing up with an artist mother and a carpenter father.
image: © Jason Wood, Composite Composition, 2008, vinyl composition tile, detail
^
Welcome to Melissa Newbill, who has joined 4Culture as Executive Assistant. Formerly the Business Manager for Canlis Glass, Melissa has also held positions in Sales at Chihuly Studio and in Visitor Services at Henry Art Gallery. Melissa comes to 4Culture with a BA in Art History from University of Washington, and we welcome her organization, efficiency and creativity!
image: © Melissa Newbill, courtesy 4Culture
^
Eleven Seattle artists were selected from 114 applicants from King County to exhibit their work at Gallery4Culture during September 2008 through August 2009. They are: Chauney Peck, Vinyl cutouts, September 4 – 26, 2008; Laura Ward, Sculpture, October 2 – 31, 2008; Ariana Page Russell, Photography, November 6 – 28, 2008; Noah Grussgott, Sculpture, December 4 – 31, 2008; W. Scott Trimble, Sculpture, January 8 – 30, 2009; Michael Simi, Sculpture; February 5 – 27, 2009; Matthew Mitros, Sculpture; March 5 – 27, 2009; Gala Bent, Painting and drawing, April 2 – May 1, 2009; Zack Bent, Photography and video, May 7 – 29, 2009; 4Culture, June 4 – 26, 2009; Jennifer Towner, Sculpture and photography, July 2 – 31, 2009; and Kirk Lang, Sculpture, August 6 – 28, 2009.
The distinguished panel of Rebecca Cummins, Associate Professor, School of Art, University of Washington, Eric Fredericksen, Director, Western Bridge, and Anne Mathern, artist and Director of Crawl Space Gallery, made this year's selections. In addition, two artists, Diana Falchuk and Kinu Watanabe, were selected as alternates. Gallery4Culture provides artists who are not currently represented by a commercial gallery, including early career artists, with solo or small group exhibitions in a professional gallery setting. The gallery supports innovative work and art forms that are under-represented in commercial venues.
image: © Gallery4Culture, Linda Davidson, installation detail
^
http://www.kingcounty.gov/council/news/2008/January/chinook.aspx
On January 25, 2008 we celebrated the dedication of the Chinook Building with artworks by Anna Murch and Glenn Rudolph. The Chinook Building is the latest addition to the King County government campus located at 401 Fifth Avenue, Seattle. This building is unusual in its level of sustainability both in construction and operation, and also for the community participation in naming the floors and the building itself. The names of each floor honor the following community luminaries: Floor 1: Ivan Doig (b.1939) is a bestselling author from Shoreline; Floor 2: Tyree Scott (1940 - 2003) helped found the Northwest Labor and Employment Law Office with Native American, Latino and Asian Pacific Islander workers in the construction industry; Floor 3: Tolt - The town of Tolt (from "Tolthue", Snoqualmie for "river of swift waters") changed its name to Carnation in 1917, in honor of the farms. In 1928, the town changed its name back to Tolt due to pressure from Native Americans and early settlers, until 1951 when the name again became Carnation; Floor 4: Bernice Stern (1916 - 2007) was the first woman elected to the King County Council; Floor 5: Jean Hueston (b. 1919) is a retired public school teacher and renowned community and political activist; Floor 6: John Spellman (b. 1926) was the 18th Governor of Washington State from 1981-1985. He also held the distinction of serving as the first King County Executive from 1969 - 1981; Floor 7: Father Peter Francis Hylebos (1848 - 1918) was an advocate for Tacoma's Chinese residents who faced persecution in 1885 and supported Native American communities near the present day Muckleshoot Reservation; Floor 8: Ruby Chow (b. 1920) is a Seattle restaurateur, Chinese community activist, and first Asian-American elected to the King County Council in 1973, where she served three terms; Floor 9: Abe Morris (1879 - 1933) worked in Pierce and King County's coal industry from the age of 12. He served as superintendent of three different mines, State Mine Inspector, and authored a new state mining code while serving in the State Legislature; Floor 10: Barry Bianchi (1942 - 1995) was an early HIV/AIDS activist on both the local and national levels; Floor 11: Bernie Whitebear (1937 - 2000) was a Native American activist and leader who unified Northwest tribes to fight for the return of their land. He founded and guided the United Indians of All Tribes Foundation for more than 20 years; Floor 12: Anna Herr Clise (1866 - 1936) was one of the 23 women who founded the Children's Orthopedic Hospital. Trustees later established the lasting policy of accepting any child, regardless of race, religion, or parents' ability to pay; and Floor 13: Rev. Dr. Samuel B. McKinney (b.1926) is Pastor Emeritus of Mt. Zion Baptist Church and human rights activist and community leader. Dr. McKinney was Martin Luther King's lieutenant in the Pacific Northwest, and was a founding member of the Seattle Civil Rights Commission.
image: © Anna Murch portrait with her work Confluences, 2007, photo by Spike Mafford
^
www.artsusa.org/events/2008/convention/default.asp
Americans for the Arts will be hosting their Annual Convention in Philadelphia this year, with Seattle hosting next in 2009. This year the convention is organized into eight tracks including Public Art, Public Advocacy, Preserving Diverse Cultures, Civic Engagement, and Arts Education among others. The keynote address, The Road Ahead: Forces Shaping the Coming Decades, will be given by Andrew Zolli, a brilliant, young, globally-connected leader of the next generation of futurists.
This convention is a time of celebration for the 50th anniversary of the first percent-for-art ordinance in the city that created it. There will be sessions covering a range of topics such as innovators in public art, new models in the arts, the Pennsylvania Amish, cultural arts education, and various legal topics of interest to artists. Attendees will also be able to choose from a variety of tours in Philadelphia with destinations including a radio station, some of the 2800 murals in town, the public art collections of the airport and convention center, and a working wood/clay studio.
image: © Americans for the Arts
^
Outside
4Culture Public Art Calls List
subscribe - www.4culture.org/publicart/calls
Public Art 4Culture compiles a list of current public art opportunities available through Public Art 4Culture and other agencies across the country. The Public Art Calls List provides brief project descriptions, deadlines, and how to receive more information about each opportunity -- bimonthly, free of charge.
Seattle Mayor's Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs
Sidewalk Artwork Project
deadline February 29, 2008
www.seattle.gov/arts
The City of Seattle is seeking one artist to work with SDOT to develop and integrate permanent art inlays or other designs into city sidewalks at up to three locations. Open to professional artists residing in Washington. More information is available online.
Creative Capital
2008 Grants
inquiry deadline March 4, 2008
creative-capital.org
Creative Capital acts as a catalyst for the development of adventurous and imaginative ideas by supporting artists who pursue innovation in form and/or content in the performing and visual arts, film and video, and in emerging fields. The application process includes three steps: inquiry, application and panel review. More information and inquiry forms are available online.
Seattle Mayor's Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs
2008 City Artist Projects
deadline March 17, 2008
www.seattle.gov/arts
CityArtist Projects is an annual funding program that provides support to individual Seattle artists to conceive, develop and present new, in-progress or finished works. Projects must include a public presentation in Seattle. Funding ranges up to $10,000, more info available online.
Issaquah Arts Commission
Request for Art Proposals
deadline March 28, 2008
www.ci.issaquah.wa.us
The City of Issaquah Arts Commission plans to purchase five to eight works of art during 2008. Artists are invited to submit an application for consideration for outdoor sculptures, indoor art, or landscape art. Application materials are available online.
Richard Hugo House
Hugo Huts Residency Program
deadline April 11, 2008
www.hugohouse.org
Richard Hugo House is accepting applications for its arts residency program, the "Hugo Huts", that provides two writers with subsidized housing in Seattle's historic Belltown Cottages, plus the opportunity to teach in the Hugo Writing Classes. The Belltown Cottage Park Project is a collaboration between "Friends of Belltown P-Patch," Seattle Parks and Recreation, and Richard Hugo House. The housing is in two refurbished cannery cottages at Elliott and Vine Streets in Belltown, an evolving neighborhood north of downtown Seattle. A third cottage at the site is available as a community venue for neighborhood meetings and events. Each cottage is 440 square feet, with a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom and living room. More information about the Huts and the application process is available online.
Cinema Seattle
Seattle International Film Festival Seasonal Positions
open until filled
www.seattlefilm.org
Seasonal positions with various lengths and pay. A wide variety of jobs are available, including Volunteer Coordinator, Box Office Manager, Drivers/Loaders, Senior Publicist, and much more. Please see complete job descriptions online.
Town Hall
Development Director
Open until filled
www.townhallseattle.org
Full time, salary doe. Please see complete job description online.
City of Issaquah
Art Coordinator
open until filled
www.ci.issaquah.wa.us
Part-time, 16 to 18 hours/week. Salary $25 to $30/hour, contract position with no benefits. Please see complete job description online.
Youth Theatre Northwest
Executive Director
open until filled
www.youththeatre.org
Full-time, salary doe. Please see complete job description online.
Northwest Fine Woodworking
Gallery Director
open until filled
www.nwfinewoodworking.com
Full-time, salary doe. Please see complete job description online.
^
Jack Straw Productions
Beginning Pro Tools
February 20-22, 2008, 6 to 10 p.m.
www.jackstraw.org
Hands-on instruction in the industry's most popular digital audio production system. Students will learn basic commands and procedures for recording, editing, and outputting with Pro Tools, and will work on a project of their own as a class exercise. Students should bring a personal project to work on or one will be provided. Knowledge of Macintosh computers is recommended, but not required. Registration is required and fee for the course is $250 for members/$300 general. More information is available online.
Artist Trust
Latino Artists Networking Event
February 29, 2008, 6 to 9 p.m.
www.artisttrust.org/events
Latino Artists of Washington State are encouraged to participate in this networking event. Come meet other Latino artists practicing in Washington State. A slide show of work will be running continuously during the event. To participate in the slide show please submit 3 images including title, medium and dimensions to miguel@artisttrust.org. Include your name and contact information with the submission. Deadline for images is February 15.
Benevon
Major Gifts: Finding the Perfect Donors
March 12, 2008, 1 to 3 p.m.
Senior Services Lillian Rice Center, 2208 2nd Avenue, Seattle
www.benevon.com
Benevon trains nonprofits in sustainable fundraising. This free seminar focuses on cultivating long-term individual donors for major gifts programs. Learn a tested system to identify and cultivate donors who love your mission—donors who will give for operations, capital, and endowment. Find out how to grow your organization’s visibility in the community and engage your board in the fundraising process without requiring that they ask for money. This entry level workshop is designed for board members, executive directors, CEOs, and fund development professionals. For more information or questions, contact kylie.springman@benevon.com or 206 428.2196. Registration is required as space is limited, registration is available online.
The Exile Project
March 7-9 and 14-16, 2008
West Seattle High School, 3000 California Avenue SW
exileproject.net/
The Exile Project is a new original full-length musical by choreographer Holly Eckert, set in an ordinary American living room that explores a little considered aspect of modern American life - the consequences of industrial-scale human imprisonment. The Exile Project – a collaboration among many local artists, explores this timely topic through the story of one man's attempt to build a life after serving a twenty year sentence. This production was supported in part by a 4Culture Lodging Tax Award. Tickets are $15 general/$12 seniors and students. One pay what you can performance will be held on March 16th at 2pm.
^
A Rolling Piece of Eastside's Coal Mining History
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com
"When coal was king on the Eastside and mining was the major industry, every kid in Newcastle, Issaquah and Renton knew what a mining coal car looked like. Their fathers and uncles rode them underground daily where they chipped out chunks of the fossil fuel and shoved the coal into cars for transport to the surface. Now only a handful of these once-ubiquitous pieces of mining equipment survive..." Seattle Times Eastside columnist Sherry Grindeland covers the story of Renton History Museum's partnership with Northwest Railway Museum to restore an historic coal-mining car, with support from a Heritage 4Culture award, in her January 26th article, Rail Museum To Restore A Rolling Piece of Eastside's Coal-Mining History, available online.
Seattle Takes Steps to Recognize Minorities' Role in Shaping Region
www.nytimes.com
The New York Times reported on Seattle's relocated and expanded Wing Luke Asian Museum and new NW African American Museum. William Yardley writes, "Gray and green may be the colors most associated with this forward-focused city, but it has a history in other tones, too. Chinese immigrants helped build railroads, only to be driven out later. Japanese residents were forced into internment camps during World War II. Blacks surged into the city after the war for work. Hispanics are the fastest-growing group. This year, two new museums and a new traditional gate marking the city's Chinatown will be completed, formally acknowledging the role minority groups have played in shaping Seattle and the region - even as those roles are changing." Read the whole article, Seattle Takes Steps to Recognize Minorities' Role in Shaping Region, online.
4Culture Heritage Advisor
subscribe - heritageadvisor@4Culture.org
www.4culture.org/heritage/advisor
Heritage Advisor is produced through a partnership between 4Culture and AKCHO as a technical assistance service to the heritage community of King County. Deadline for inclusion is 10 days before the end of the calendar month. Heritage Advisor is produced monthly, except July and December. Listing or coverage in Heritage Advisor does not imply endorsement by AKCHO or 4Culture. For more information, e-mail heritageadvisor@4culture.org.
^
to subscribe - www.4culture.org
If you wish to be removed from the list, send an email to info@4culture.org.
^
top image: © Confluences, Anna Murch, 2007, photo by Spike Mafford
