Document text
By John Darling For the Tidings September 05. 2015 2:00AM Haines & Friends Fund grants help local artists Artist Denise Kester, one of the Haines & Friends Fund awardees, at work. Photo by Cynthia Sears For longtime Ashland artist Denise Kester, her grant from the Haines & Friends Fund means she can hire a professional editor and put together her book, “Finding My Way By Art,” which explains her creative process. “The book will follow a year of getting ready for a show and my process in making art from start to finish,” says Kester. “I need help with that. The book will have some processes that other artists can do, as well as my own point-of-view as an artist. I need to figure out what goes into that book. I need to pay someone to edit it, plus pay for my own time, so I’m very appreciative of these grants for artists. It gives me a goal to shoot for, too.” The grant of $4,000 for Kester is one of 17, totaling $59,000, of which the fund’s creator, Ashland businessman Lloyd Haines, donated $25,000. Wendy Selden of Ashland donated $35,000 and an anonymous donor kicked in the rest, said Haines. The biggest grant, $4,500, went to ceramics artist Sue Springer for watershed art. Nine more grants, beyond Kester’s, were for $4,000, for artists all over the Rogue Valley. Ashland artists include Shoshana Dubiner, Abram Katz, Jo Ann Manzone, Mabrie Ormes, Jenay Elder, Nisha Burton, Jack Weins and Ann DiSalvo. “I started the arts grants program two years ago,” said Haines. “Other people have stepped up with contributions and we invite others to participate, even if it’s as little as 10 bucks in the pot. This valley is a special place and we’re all blessed to live here and do what we can to support arts people.” Haines was driving back from his Sanctuary One (which preserves animals in a state of nature in the Applegate) when, he notes, he and David Landry, now a board member of the arts grant foundation, thought it up. “We think it’s a worthwhile project for artists to be supported and we made the program happen,” said Haines. “Artists need help because they’re all starving.” A grant last year helped with a statue of the Pacific fisher on watershed trails and, says Haines, “we think outdoor art is important. It gets people out in the watershed, hiking and engaging art and nature.” The artists will work on their projects until the First Friday art walk of March, when they will be on display at a yet-to-be-chosen spot, says Ashland Art Center Executive Director Denise Baxter.  In this, the second annual round of grants, 47 applications in the visual arts were evaluated to find the final 17. Last year, 18 grants totaling $50,000 were awarded. “We are excited to share this information about this year’s awardees … and are encouraging the community to get involved as they are able,” said Baxter. Some of last year’s grantees told of its impact. "The support I received was a tremendous shot in the arm. It was such a relief to be able to create, uninhibited by financial concerns,” said Bruce Allen Baynard. “I now have a long-term vision of offering wildlife photography workshops to the community,” said Dan Elstar, wildlife photographer. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. http://www.dailytidings.com/article/20150905/NEWS/150909894 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->