Student Beheshta Eqbali, a member of Clark’s Phi Theta Kappa honors society, has been named a PTK Visual Arts Award recipient for her painting Afghan Girl. Her work will be published in the 30th edition of Nota Bene, Phi Theta Kappa’s honors anthology, and she will receive a $500 scholarship. The anthology will be printed in 2025.

Eqbali is a student leader in the Activities Programming Board. Her painting is being displayed in the ASCC Student Life offices in PUB 160.

PTK Advisor Darci Feider said, “Beheshta is a valued member of Clark’s PTK chapter. We are so proud of her for receiving the PTK Visual Arts Award for her beautiful painting, Afghan Girl. We’re excited that her work will be published in Nota Bene, and we can’t wait to see her honored in the Parade of Scholars at the PTK Catalyst convention in April. It’s wonderful to see her talent recognized on such a big stage. Our chapter is thrilled to support her and to celebrate this incredible achievement!”

About PTK

Phi Theta Kappa is the international honor society for two-year colleges. PTK recognizes the academic achievement of college students and provides opportunities for its members to grow as scholars and leaders. Clark’s PTK chapter is Alpha Sigma Phi. Students are invited to join PTK when enrolled in at least 12 credits per term and achieve a minimum 3.25 grade point average.

Learn more about Clark’s PTK chapter here.

Q & A with Artist Beheshta Eqbali

Q: How long have you been painting?

BE: Art has been part of my life since I was a kid, but it became something much stronger in my teenage years and continues to be a powerful part of my life today. At first, painting was just a way to express myself without words. English is still new to me. Over time, though, it became something deeper, almost like therapy. It’s where I feel myself most, a space where I can share my thoughts and emotions without saying a word.

Q: What inspired you to paint Afghan Woman? Was there a specific person or event that inspired you?

BE: This painting is inspired by the courage and resilience of Afghan women, especially those who have faced unimaginable hardships yet carry strength in their eyes. It’s also deeply personal for me a way of staying connected to my culture and honoring the people who have shaped me. When I paint, I feel like I’m preserving a piece of my identity, even as I grow and adapt in a new world.

Q: What is the significance of your painting?

BE: For me, Afghan Girl is more than just a painting; it’s a reminder of where I come from and the heritage I carry with me. I see it as a silent storyteller, one that speaks of beauty, struggle, and quiet pride women into Afghan life. Through her expression, I hope others can feel the same depth of love and resilience that I see in my own people.

Q: What field are you studying at Clark?

BE: I’m studying web development because I love creating and problem solving, but painting remains close to my heart. My studies keep me grounded in technology, but painting keeps me balanced. It is where I can explore my creativity. It’s my place to be vulnerable and tell stories that go beyond the digital world and into something more personal. It’s a space where I can connect with my roots and share a part of myself that goes beyond the pixels on a screen.

Learn more

• See Beheshta Eqbali’s painting in the ASCC Student Life offices, PUB 160.
• Read more about PTK’s honors anthology, Nota Bene here
• Read last year’s 29^th edition of Nota Bene here

The Comic Club of Clark College hosted the highly anticipated release party for the sixth edition of The Iceberg annual comic anthology on December 5 in PUB 161. This year’s Iceberg marks the largest and most impressive volume to date, featuring comic stories by about 44 creators. Some creators had submitted multiple works, making this edition a truly collaborative and expansive showcase of talent from students, faculty, staff, and alumni.

The party kicked off with speeches from English professor Tobias Peterson and art professor Grant Hottle. Together, the pair makes a dynamic duo, co-advising The Iceberg. Peterson and Hottle thanked all the creators and members of the Comic Club for their dedication and hard work.

Comic Industry Guests

Then they introduced the four industry comic professionals who joined the event to offer invaluable feedback to the student creators. The industry guests included:

• Jeff Parker, artist and writer
• Matt Fraction, artist and writer
• Diana Schultz, translator and retired editor at Dark Horse Comics
• Steve Lieber, artist

During the first hour of the VIP session, these industry professionals gave valuable feedback, offering advice and critique to the contributing creators whose work was published in The Iceberg. By 2:00 p.m. another 20 attendees had joined the event. The industry professionals generously stayed beyond the scheduled end time, offering critique, advice, and encouragement until about 5 p.m., two hours past the event’s expected close.

Producing The Iceberg

The release of The Iceberg offers Clark College students a rare opportunity to have their comic work published and reviewed by established professionals. The publishing process follows the academic calendar. We will open for submissions in the winter term. We make decisions and print the book in spring. And then in the fall, we celebrate the book release.

Peterson shared that people in academics still think of comics as kids’ stuff. The reality is that these books are a hybrid form of storytelling that produces beautiful and complex stories that examine what it means to be human.

Professor Peterson said, “I love The Iceberg because it provides a showcase for students’ creativity and passion. The release event is a yearly celebration of why we, as educators, got into this business to begin with!”

Speaking about the importance of the release party, Professor Hottle said, “It is a chance for students to showcase their comics. Thanks to the generous support of ASCC, we can have students published and have industry professionals give direct feedback.”

This year’s edition is also special for its perseverance. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, The Iceberg continued to be published, with many students sharing their work and receiving feedback via platforms like Discord.

Being a Contributor

Students Majic and Amelia had their work featured in The Iceberg for the first time. Both said they found the feedback from the professionals to be incredibly beneficial.

Majic, a fine arts major with aspirations in comics, said the anthology offers students a platform to refine their craft. “The Iceberg gives you a taste of what to do in the industry,” Majic noted. “Submitting comics allows you to have industrial professionals critique my work. There were things I was doing that I received help on correcting to make my comic better.”

It’s rewarding for students to see their work in print and enjoyed physically by other people. It also helps us create more work for our portfolios and makes for a great item to leave behind at a job interview.

Contributor Amelia Newbie, Clark College alumni who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in digital technology and culture at WSU Vancouver, said, “Reading, enjoying, and sharing our comics helps us get our work out into the world!”

To find your free copy of the sixth edition of The Iceberg, look for the blue stands around campus to pick your copy up today.

Learn More

• For more information on The Iceberg and future events, stay tuned to Clark College’s Fine Arts department.
• Comic Club meetings are held on the first and third Tuesday of every month from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
• Follow us on Instagram: @Clark.Iceberg
• Submit your comics for the 2025 Iceberg through May 5, 2025 via Submittable.

Photos submitted by Stephanie Wagner and Bryce Van Patten.

Art appreciators gathered to welcome artist Daniel Duford at the opening reception for his exhibit “American Underland” at Archer Gallery on October 1. The exhibit closes on December 20, so if you missed the reception, you still have time to visit this exhibit.

Duford chatted with guests, who included Clark students, staff, faculty, and community members.

He created all the exhibited work after his January 2024 residency at PLAYA in rural Summer Lake, Oregon, a land of open spaces and sagebrush at the edge of the Great Basin.

Standing in front of his painting Paisley Caves, he spoke about how spending a month in that landscape influenced his art. He spoke about walking across shallow, frozen lakes and taking in that landscape. He observed and said, “I took a ton of photos.”

Gallery Director’s Statement: I was initially drawn to Daniel Duford’s work because of his rich color palette and the unique mix of painting, drawing, and ceramics in his practice. I also appreciate how he combines landscape imagery with shamanistic and folkloric symbols to lead the viewer on a poetic journey—a deeper sense of time and space is brought to the forefront.

Our country is coming up on an election and, at times, the campaigns have felt shallow or short-sighted. In other words, the problems and solutions seem to have a four-year expiration date. This exhibit presents an alternative look at our country. The work on display depicts North American landscapes, characters, and stories that have long roots and deep time.

“That sense of time and change connects us to the larger, living world. That’s true deep time,” Duford says in an interview for Artsy.com. My hope is that this exhibit is both visually evocative for viewers and starts conversations around what it means to be American. Archer Gallery is excited to welcome this engaging political show that is refreshingly non-partisan just in time for the election.

American Underland events

•  Exhibition: September 16 – December 20
• Saturday reception: November 2, 1-4 p.m.
• Artist Talk: October 15, 1-2 p.m. (in person, PUB room 161)
• Virtual artist workshop: November 7, 1:30-3:30 p.m. Zoom: https://clark-edu.zoom.us/j/89432337559

Artist’s Statement about American Underland: The motifs filling these new works are the Janus head, coyotes, and processions. Janus is the Roman god of doorways, of endings and beginnings. The double-faced god presided over city gates marking times of war and peace. Old Man Coyote too has many faces. He is the Changeable One. Coyote the deity created death, the stars, and lots of chaos. His stories are bawdy, absurd, and alive with the electricity of a living landscape.

Coyote the animal has a complicated relationship to the United States’s history of Puritanical programs of extermination and persistent resilience. The procession is an image I’ve long been interested in. From Goya’s penitents to Courbet’s A Burial at Ornans, the procession can be solemn, grotesque, mocking, or an exuberant carnival.

Given the flowing energy of protest movements in the past several years, I see the image of the procession as an image of collective soul. I am more interested in the chthonic energies rumbling beneath the ground and lava flows animating the collective unconscious of the nation.

About the artist

Daniel Duford is an artist, writer, and teacher. His work tells stories drawn from North American history and mythology. He is a 2019 John Simon Guggenheim Fellow, a 2010 Hallie Ford Fellow, and a recipient of a 2012 Art Matters Grant. His murals and public art can be found throughout Portland. His books include John Brown’s Body, The Unfortunates Graphic Novel, The Naked Boy, and The Green Man of Portland. His work has been shown at MASS MoCA, The Atlanta Center for Contemporary Art, Maryhill Museum, Bellevue Arts Museum, Clay Studio, The Boise Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Craft, PICA, and The Art Gym at Marylhurst University. Residencies include MacDowell, Crow’s Shadow Art Center, and Ash Street Project. His writing has appeared in High Desert Journal, Parabola, Artweek, ARTnews, The Emily Dickinson Award Anthology, The Organ, The Bear Deluxe, Ceramics Monthly, Ceramics: Technical and Ceramics: Art and Perception. His work has been reviewed by The New York Times, The Village Voice, New York Press, The Albany Times Union, The Oregonian, Sculpture Magazine, Art Papers, Artweek, The Willamette Week and The Portland Mercury. He is currently the Visiting Professor of Art at Reed College and Creative Director at Building Five in Portland, Oregon. Learn more here.

About Archer Gallery

Archer Gallery serves the students and community of Clark College by exhibiting contemporary art in a not-for-profit educational setting. In order to exhibit work that has a strong interest for an academic institution, the gallery brings work that fulfills at least one of the following criteria.

• Regionally, nationally, or internationally exhibiting professional artists
• Artwork that has a strong connection to new contemporary art concepts or methods
• Artwork that connects to Clark College Art Department curriculum and programs
• Works by artists with significant historical influence on contemporary art practices

https://www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/archer

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish

Archer Gallery was packed, animated, and noisy as dozens of student artists stood in front of their creations and talked to art appreciators about their work. The opening reception and awards ceremony for the Art Student Annual exhibition of Clark College art students drew students, faculty, staff, family members and the community on June 4.

This annual juried exhibit features Clark College art students’ work created in the past year chosen by their Clark College art professors. The strength and breadth of this artwork reflect the hard work, dedication, and unique voices of Clark students.

“This year’s exhibit received 100 more submissions and features almost twice the pieces compared to last year’s exhibit,” said Archer Gallery Director Kendra Larson. Students created their work in the past year. Their art professors curated the work.

Grant Hottle, art professor and head of the art department, said, “I’m absolutely stunned by the level of craft, emotion, passion, and sheer creativity on display this year. We have a superb group of student artists who are producing work at an exceptional level and their hard work and energy is palpable in Archer Gallery.”

“Clark art students contributed some stunning artwork to this year’s exhibit,” said Larson, “The creativity and craftsmanship was top notch. The opening reception was a great way to celebrate all their hard work this year.”

2024 Art Student Annual by the Numbers:

• 250 submissions
• 122 pieces chosen for the exhibit
• 69 student artists included
• 17 awards
• 15 sponsors

2024 Awards

• Best Painting: Hana Lowenthal
• Second in Painting: Casey Maomay
• Third in Painting: Lindsey Bross
• Best Drawing: Maddy Bisila
• Second in Drawing: Yuliia Umanets
• Third in Drawing: Ally Rounds
• Best Ceramics: Raina Perkins
• Second in Ceramics: Mara Schwenneker
• Best in Printmaking: Lee Weselmann
• Best Graphic Design: Gretel Schmidt
• Best Silver Gelatin Print: Raiden Concannon
• Best Photography: Oliver Romero
• Second Photography: McKeena Green
• Third Photography: Olivia Smith
• Best in Metals: Lindsey LaPore
• Best in Show: Esmirna Zeledon
• Most Ambitious: Maddy Bisila

Awards prizes were provided by Gamblin Paint, BarbaMingo Restaurant, Clark College Bookstore, I’ve Been Framed Art Supply, Collage, Georgie’s Ceramics, Blick Art Materials, McClain’s Print Supply, Independent Publishing Resource Center, Blue Moon Photo, Pro Photo, Portland Art Museum, Oregon Contemporary (Ox), and Niche Wine Bar.

Exhibition Schedule:

• Dates: June 4-14
• Gallery hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday until the closing reception and “Phoenix” unveiling from noon-3 p.m. on June 13.

Learn more at https://www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/archer/.

Archer Gallery was buzzing as dozens of student artists stood in front of their creations and talked to art appreciators about their work.

The opening reception and awards ceremony for the Art Student Annual exhibition of Clark College art students drew students, faculty, staff, family members and the community.

Although the gallery’s student art show returned to an in-person event last year, it was subdued. This year, it was noisy. The space was filled with conversations and people connecting over art.

“This is the first student art exhibit that feels like we’re back,” said Grant Hottle, art department chair. “We have an astonishing level of work here. Our art faculty are great. We have an extraordinary group of students who work hard.”

There were 150 submissions of student work for this year’s show; 65 pieces were chosen, said Archer Gallery Director Kendra Larson. Students created their work in the past year. Their art professors curated the work.

“The strength and breath of this artwork reflects the hard work, dedication, and unique voices of our amazing Clark Students,” said Larson. “It was a fun celebration of all the art students and their hard work.”

Artwork will be on display from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday until the closing reception on June 9.

Awards prizes were provided by Blick Art Materials, Georgies Ceramics and Clay, Gamblin Paint, Clay Art Center, PICA, McClain’s Printmaking, Collage, ProPhoto Supply, and Blue Moon Camera and Machine.

Award Winners

The awards juror was Prudence Roberts, writer, curator, and art historian. Here are her choices:

• Most Ambitious – Samantha Garcia Ortiz, for “Wine & Cheese Glasses Master Study”
• Solo Show Award – Lissette Torson
• Most Poignant – Syd Ness, for “Self Portrait”
• Best in Photography – Richard Cole, for “This Too shall Pass”
• Second in Photography – Tahnee Calderon Hernandez, for “Win a Prize”
• Third in Photography – Julia Smook, for “Lab”
• Best in Drawing – Colin Johnson, for “A Quiet Place”
• Second in Drawing – Chelsie Cannon, for “10 things I Thought Were Good Ideas at the Time”
• Best in Painting – Lissette Torson, for “Growth”
• Second in Painting – Juan Carlos Garcia, for “Civilization”
• Best in Ceramics – Denise Ostlund, for “Beyond Belief #2”

Photos: Clark College/Susan Parrish

Clark College, in partnership with the Washington State Arts Commission, has selected an artist for the Advanced Manufacturing Building for its Boschma Farms campus in Ridgefield, Washington. After a call for artist submissions, the Clark College Art Selection committee selected emerging artist, Sarah Folden to lead a group of artists to create public art for the new campus, expected to open in Fall 2025. 

Clark College President, Dr. Karin Edwards, said, “We are excited that Sarah Folden will be leading a group of talented, Native American artists in creating public art for this building at Clark College at Boschma Farms. I look forward to seeing their art come to life on our new campus.” 

“To say this project could be life changing for me would be an understatement,” said Folden. “More importantly, it would be life changing to the other young lives I connect with and simply an honor to help reflect the college’s partnership with my tribe on this project for the Boschma Farms campus.” 

The committee also has engaged artist and curator RYAN! Feddersen to curate existing artworks to purchase for the building in addition to work that will be created specifically for the space. 

Clark College at Boschma Farms will be similar to the college’s other auxiliary campuses at Columbia Tech Center and Washington State University Vancouver. Clark College at Boschma Farms will offer a variety of programs to serve the community and equip students to complete a program at Clark College and be workforce ready. Eventually, the campus is expected to include classrooms, professional labs, offices, study areas, services and support spaces. Construction of the 48,000 square-foot building will begin June 2023 and is projected to be completed by Winter 2024. Classes are projected to start in Fall 2025. 

About the artists and curator: 

Sarah Folden, a Cowlitz tribal member, creates art inspired by her heritage and ancestral connection to place. Folden’s work is both traditional and contemporary, integrating many mediums and carved block printmaking. After a career in tribal fisheries, she became a self-taught artist who learned Coast Salish design from accomplished indigenous artists Peter Boome and Brian Perry. 

Folden’s public art can be seen in a 26-foot Coast Salish mural at the ferry landing terminal on Orcas Island. Folden has worked on three high school mascot redesigns recently in a Coast Salish style. She is currently illustrating an indigenous foods book, designing multiple murals to be installed Summer of 2023 and has designed huge chandeliers inspired by native hand drums which will be displayed throughout the new ilani Resort Hotel that opened April 24, 2023. She also joined the Membership Board for Whipsmart, Washington State’s only trade association dedicated to supporting the creative community. Folden teaches art to native youth, and volunteers for public art groups supporting environmental and social causes. 

Corbin Jones, a Cowlitz tribal member, is a high school senior whose interests and areas of focus are natural resources and computer sciences. Corbin is studying 3D computer graphics, animation, and commercial art. They have recently found their first professional success in commercial art sales. As a neurodivergent person on the autism spectrum, Corbin has found their place supporting other youth with differences and organizes a weekly art and gaming club offering social opportunities to area kids. 

Brian Perry (Hopi-Cheelth), a Port Gamble S’Klallam tribal member and artist with lineage in Quinault, Suquamish and Makah, learned traditional carving from his grandfather and uncles and became interested in Northwest Coast art when he took classes from David Boxley. He studied with Duane Pasco, Dave Franklin, and Eddie Charles. His work captures the essence of characters from traditional tribal stories. 

Perry transitioned from a 20-year career in fisheries to a successful public artist in 2014 when his small sketch turned into a significant sculpture at his tribe’s new hotel. Creating a scaled drawing and collaborating with a metal shop, Perry’s work became a 46-foot-tall steel sculpture. He has since created two 36-foot Salish sea-going canoes, a 12-foot house post and a 12-foot glass sculpture at the Burke Museum. https://www.northwestcoastalart.com/ 

RYAN! Feddersen’s (Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation) public artworks include Inhabitance for the Portland International Airport, Schema for CitizenM Pioneer Square, and Antecedents for the University of Washington. She has curated exhibitions for the Portland Art Muse, New Burke Museum, and Museum of Northwest Art and a collection of artwork for Kamiak Elementary School in Pullman, Washington. http://ryanfeddersen.com/about/ 

About Art in Public Places Program 

Washington State Arts Commission’s Art in Public Places program (AIPP) purchases and cares for artworks in state buildings, colleges, universities, and schools throughout Washington. Its goal is to build and care for a state art collection that is impactful, accessible, valued, and reflects Washington’s diverse communities. Learn more about Washington State Arts Commission: https://www.arts.wa.gov/public-art/ 

About Clark College 

Founded in 1933 and celebrating its 90th year, Clark College provides residents of Southwest Washington with affordable, high-quality academic and technical education. It is a public community college offering more than 100 degree and certificate programs, including bachelor’s and associate degrees; professional certificates; high school diplomas and GED preparation; and non-credit community and continuing education. Clark serves a wide range of students including high school students, displaced workers, veterans, parents, non-native English speakers, and mature learners. Approximately three-quarters of its students are in the first generation of their families to attend college. 

Learn more: 

Boschma Farms campus: https://www.clark.edu/cc/boschma
Clark College Art Selection committee: https://www.clark.edu/about/governance/public-disclosure-and-records/adminProcedures/800/807/index.php 

Photos: Clark College/Jenny Shadley

On May 22, Archer Gallery was filled with visitors for the opening of the 2019 Art Student Annual Exhibition. This event showcases the best artwork produced by Clark art students in the past academic year. Students compete not only for a spot in the show, but also for awards sponsored by local businesses and organizations.

The exhibition is on display through June 15. Archer Gallery is open 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, and noon to 5:00 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. The gallery is located in the lower level of the Penguin Union Building on Clark College’s main campus.

Additional photos of the show are available on our Flickr page.

2019 Art Student Annual Award Recipients

Best in Show and
Most Ambitious
Stevie Hale, “New Mythology”
Sponsored by the Clark College Bookstore and the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art

Best Drawing
John Gasaway, “Bling”
Sponsored by the Clark College Bookstore and Collage Art Supply

Best Ceramics
Shirley Morgan, “Boh, Of Course”
Sponsored by Georgie’s Ceramics

Ceramics, 2^nd Place
Jessica Joner, “Peonies”
Sponsored by Clay Art Center

Ceramics, 3^rd Place
Stephanie Bowen, “Enlightened”
Sponsored by Georgie’s Ceramics

Best Graphic Design
Michael Fulgaro, “Visit Northwest”
Sponsored by Artist and Craftsman Art Supply

Best Metal Art
Channa Smith, “Ready to Potlatch”
Sponsored by MESA at Clark

Best Painting
Danielle Truckey, “Portrait of a Girl”
Sponsored by Gamblin Paints

Painting, 2^nd place
Jewel Indino, “Abstract Figure”
Sponsored by Liquitext Paint Company

Painting, 3^rd place
Katie Hyland, “Listening In”
Sponsored by Golden Paint Company

Best Photography
Keyanna Owen, “Untitled”
Sponsored by ProPhoto

Best Photography, Darkroom
Michelle Berg, “Big Picture”
Sponsored by Blue Moon Camera

Best Photography, Digital
Avalon Guerra, “Window Pane”
Sponsored by ProPhoto

Photography Award of Distinction
T.J. West, “Homeowrk”
Sponsored by Blue Sky Gallery

Best Video
Hayley Estep, “Woman Not Product”
Sponsored by Northwest Film Center

Merit Award
Sage Makela, “Album Covers”
Sponsored by the Clark College Bookstore

Award of Distinction
Don Anderson, “A Man Has Many Moods”
Sponsored by the Clark College Bookstore

Photo: Nick Bremer/Clark College

The 2018 Student Art Annual comprises approximately 150 student artworks.

Approximately 150 works of art by 93 Clark College students are on display at this year’s Student Art Show in Archer Gallery. Clark College art faculty narrowed down from an original pool of about 400 submissions. Artist Victor Maldonado made the final adjudication of awards. Maldonado is Inclusion Specialist and Professor of Art at the Pacific Northwest College of Art and was part of Clark College’s Art Talk series earlier this academic year.

The show runs through June 16. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Friday through Saturday 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. Archer Gallery is located in the lower level of the Penguin Union Building on Clark College’s main campus.

2018 Art Student Annual Award Recipients

Best in Show

Joanna Lafayette, “Sad Jo”
Sponsored by Artist and Craftsman Supply and Dengerink Art Supply

Award of Excellence

Bryce Van Patten, “Emma”
Sponsored by Dick Blick Art Supply

Award of Excellence

Stephanie Hale, “Inner Machinations”
Sponsored by the Clark College Bookstore

Award of Excellence

Emily Clark, “Re-define Woman”
Sponsored by the Clark College Bookstore

Award of Merit

Albina Kokhanevich, “Self-portrait”
Sponsored by Collage Art Supply

Best Ceramics

Channa Smith, “Reconciliation of the Ancestors”
Sponsored by Clay Art Center

Ceramics Award of Excellence

Sara Brandt, “Vase”
Sponsored by Georgie’s Ceramics

Ceramics Award of Distinction

Eric Burres, “Stellar Rust”
Sponsored by Georgie’s Ceramics

Ceramics Award of Merit

Chiara Marcy, “Light Beyond the Breaking Point”
Sponsored by Georgie’s Ceramics

Best Photography Award

Lexi Dufault, “Tomorrow Looking Into Today”
Sponsored by Pro Photo

Photography Award of Excellence

Tricia Davis-Payne, “Windows”
Sponsored by Pro Photo

Photography Award of Excellence

Gwenn McGill, “Hidden Memories”
Sponsored by Blue Moon Camera

Photography Award of Excellence

Cy’aira Shotwell, “Disconnect”
Sponsored by Blue Sky Gallery

Best Metal Arts

Ray Bennett, “Mask”
Sponsored by Handley’s Rock and Jewelry Supply

Best Welded Sculpture

Scott Kemper, “Love Blossoms”
Sponsored by the Clark Welding department

Welded Sculpture Award of Excellence

Ashley Kemper, “A Bowl in a Garden”
Sponsored by the Clark Welding department

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley. For more photos from the show, see our Flickr album. 

Orlando, Florida, June 12, 2016 is one of a series of paintings from Stephen Hayes’ project In the Hour Before, for which he received a 2018 Guggenheim Fellowship. Image courtesy of Stephen Hayes/Elizabeth Leach Gallery.

Clark College is proud to announce that adjunct art instructor Stephen Hayes has been named a 2018 Guggenheim Fellow in Fine Arts. Hayes is one of 175 scholars, artists, and scientists from the U.S. and Canada to receive this honor from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.

“As one of the few community colleges in the state to offer an Associate in Fine Arts degree, Clark College takes pride in the high level of quality of the faculty members who teach in our studio arts programs,” said Professor Lisa Conway, chair of the college’s art department. “We are thrilled, though in no way surprised, by Stephen’s latest accomplishment.”

Hayes has taught classes including drawing, color design, and two-dimensional design at Clark since 2012, shortly after he presented a lecture during the college’s popular Clark Art Talks series. Besides Clark, his teaching experience includes Oregon State University and Yarmouk University. As an artist, Hayes has held over 35 solo exhibitions in the U.S. and abroad, and his works are housed in the collections of the New York Public Library, the Frans Masereel Centrum voor Grafiek in Kasterlee, Belgium, The Portland Art Museum, The Hallie Ford Museum, The Gates Foundation, Lewis and Clark College and more than 100 private and public collections in the United States, Europe, and Japan.

Hayes, who lives in Portland, will use the fellowship’s funding to pursue a project titled In The Hour Before, in which he uses Google Earth to view places that have been affected by gun violence and paints them as they would be seen in the hour before the violent event took place.

“It is both exciting and humbling to be awarded this fellowship,” said Hayes. “So many artists are as deserving of this kind of recognition. I have worked with focus for a long time and have gotten a few breaks over the years with exhibitions, grants, and awards. This one feels as if it can not only be a recognition for past efforts, but also can open doors to new possibilities.

More information about Stephen Hayes is available at www.gf.org/fellows/all-fellows/stephen-hayes/ and at his website, www.stephenhayes.net.

Long-time art faculty member and gallery director James “Jim” Archer passed away on Tuesday, November 28. He was 75 years old.

Archer grew up in Vancouver and received his Associate of Arts degree from Clark College before going on to earn his Bachelor of Arts in graphic design from Portland State University and his Master of Fine Arts from Washington State University. Afterward he returned to Clark College to teach. In addition to serving as gallery director, Jim taught art and art history at Clark College for 23 years.

Archer originally became curator of Clark’s art gallery in 1982, when it was still located within the Clark College Bookstore and was called the Index Gallery. Successful in attracting well-known Northwest artists, the Index Gallery became known as one the region’s top alternative venues for contemporary artists. Archer announced his retirement in 1995. That same year, the gallery—which by then had been relocated to a larger space within Gaiser—was renamed in Archer’s honor. It moved to its current location in the lower level of the Penguin Union Building in 2005.

In 2016, Archer donated much of his private art collection to Clark College; selected works from the collection were shown in the gallery that bears his name, in an exhibit called “Archer @ Archer.”

Current and retired art faculty joined together to issue the following statement about their colleague’s passing:

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Jim Archer. Jim was the first director of the Archer Gallery, a position he held from 1982 to 1995. He established the traditions and mission that are central to the Archer Gallery. Under his direction, the gallery quickly gained a regional reputation for exhibiting emerging Northwest artists due to his prescient eye for recognizing young talent. Through the next several decades, significant regional artists could point to their initial exhibition in the Vancouver-Portland metro area at Clark College’s Archer (formerly Index) Gallery.

Jim was a passionate, sometimes fierce, man with strong opinions. The gallery exists in its present form because of the battles that Jim fought to shape it. All of his strength and determination was needed for his struggle with AIDS. Jim was diagnosed with HIV in 1987 and AIDS in 1994 before medications had been developed to manage the disease. In the winter of 1995 Jim became dangerously ill but survived and became an early successful recipient of the AIDS drug cocktail. The dignity, resolve, and humor with which he handled the treatments and advancing illness was inspiring. He never yielded to his illness and continued to live and enjoy life fully.

After his retirement from Clark in 1995, Jim continued to champion young artists: collecting work, visiting studios, and curating exhibits – including “Next/Now” (Littman Gallery, Portland State University) and “Modern Zoo” (St. Johns, Oregon).

Jim returned to his own studio work after retirement creating and exhibiting collage and painting on paper. Both his work and his art collection (much of which was donated to Clark College and the Hallie Ford Museum at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon) were featured in “Archer@Archer” in 2016.

Jim was a great friend, father to Stephen and Peter Archer, and Grandfather to Isabella (Bella) Archer.

There will be a memorial service on December 16 at 6:00 p.m. Holladay Park Plaza (1300 NE 16th Ave., Portland, Oregon), the retirement community where Archer lived until shortly before his death. Time and details are still being determined by the family; this article will be updated as details become available. The Archer Gallery is collecting cards and letters to give to the family during the service.

This article was updated 12/6/17 to reflect the new date of the memorial service. It was updated again on 12/11/17 to include the time of the service.

Photo: Clark College/Jenny Shadley