Exhibit Chronicles Life and Times of Lake Oswego

Docent-led tours featured each day at 2 pm

Don’t miss the Chronicle Invitational Exhibition, an exhibition featuring over 35 regional artists focused on the people and places of Lake Oswego and the surrounding area. The exhibition is hosted by the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts during the annual Festival of the Arts and sponsored by the Arts Council of Lake Oswego, OnPoint Community Credit Union and the City of Lake Oswego.

Time and location of Chronicle Invitational Exhibition and Docent-Led Tours:

Friday, June 26, 10 am to 9 pm
Saturday, June 27, 10 am to 9 pm
Sunday, June 28, 10 am to 6 pm
Docent-led tour each day at 2 pm
Lakewood Center for the Arts (inside hall), 368 S State Street, Lake Oswego

The docent led tours give the guests an in-depth insight into the various mediums, styles and content of the art, as well as background on the artists. Each tour will help engage the viewer in the artist’s creative process through analysis and discussion of the artwork.

Artists are selected by a committee based on the high quality of their art. The committee also makes artists selections to provide a wide range of mediums and styles at the exhibition. The exhibition includes work in watercolor, oil, acrylic, fabric, clay, glass, wood, stone and many other materials. All artwork is for sale.

Trillium Wins 2009 People's Choice

The public has voted for “Trillium” by Matt Cartwright, to stay in Lake Oswego as part of the permanent public art collection.

For the sixth year the Arts Council of Lake Oswego, in partnership with the City of Lake Oswego, will purchase a sculpture from the Gallery Without Walls rotating exhibition based on the popular vote by the community of Lake Oswego. “Trillium” will now become a part of the public art permanent collection.

Five sculptures were nominated for this years People’s Choice ballot by a committee of Lake Oswego community members. Over 500 votes were received for the Peoples Choice Ballot. The sculpture will be dedicated this summer, watch for more details.

“Trillium” is located in George Rogers Pack and is favorite area to sit overlooking the river. The sculpture showcases the Oregon State flower in strong lines of powder-coated steel and aluminum with acrylic. A top favorite, the piece evoked comments on the ballot such as “I would like to vote for Matt Cartwright's "TRILLIUM". We had a Mother's Day picnic down at George Rogers Park last year and our family of 12 loved this structure very much.”

The Arts Council is currently preparing for fifteen new sculptures that will be rotating into the community this summer. Each piece in the rotating exhibition stays for two years. All the pieces are for sale. The Arts Council will hold a public celebration of the new sculpture with events and activities for all ages on August 26, 6 pm to 8 pm, in Millennium Plaza Park.

Teen Actors Shine in Staged Reading

Cast of Staged Reading Actors from five local high schools wowed a nearly full house at the Lakewood Center for the Arts with a lively staged reading of By Any Other Name. The play, written by Dennis J. Sparks, was the winning entry in the 2009 Lake Oswego Playwright Competition.

Sparks was very pleased with the production, giving thanks to the cast and to director Steve Knox saying “they really pulled it together.”

Knox also applauded his cast, especially the young actors, acknowledging the complexity of their roles. Because of the “play within a play” each had to portray their character playing other charactors, and then transforming through the experience.

By Any Other Name dramatizes the story of six misfit teens who are summoned to an old theatre in the summer of 1995, between their junior and senior years. They are all failing, and it is a last-ditch effort by their parents and school officials to help them straighten out their lives. A retired drama teacher thinks he has the solution. They must write and perform a play based on the life of Joan of Arc.

The cast was chosen by the author and director through open auditions. The six at-risk teens were played by Devin Gates of Lakeridge High School, Kisky Holwenda of Lake Oswego High School, Melissa Andre of West Linn High School, Rachel Sanders of La Salle, Robert Calkins of PCC, and Shelby Fulgham of Tigard High School. Narrator Jasmine Lane and Avery Breyne-Cartwight are both from West Linn; Veteran actors John Morrison and Joyce Harris Wood completed the cast.

The play illustrates that the theatre can transform lives, and Sparks says he wrote the play to stress the importance of the arts for our youth. Sparks has been involved in theater for 30 years as an actor, playwright, producer, critic and teacher.

Playgoers remarked that they forgot they were watching a staged reading because it felt much more like a full production. The long 2-hour play held audience attention throughout. Directed Steve Knox said the cast had 10-12 rehearsals, instead of the typical 3 or 4 for a staged reading.

Knox is a former Lake Oswego resident who began his professional theatre career at age 14 at the Lakewood Center Theatre. In addition to acting, Knox has taught, directed and produced various productions. He has worked on Broadway and in summer stock in New York and served as Executive Director of Ballet Hawaii. He is experienced working with young actors and is currently directing a production at Clackamas High School.

Immediately following the reading, Andrew Edwards, Executive Director of the Lakewood Center presented Sparks with the plaque that accompanied his award, but the real prize for winning the competition is the opportunity for writers to have their new plays developed and presented in a professional theatre environment with administration and staging by Lakewood Theatre Company.

The annual event, which originated in 2003, is sponsored by the City of Lake Oswego and presented by the Lakewood Theatre Company and the Arts Council of Lake Oswego. The winning play is selected by a dedicated committee who reads all submissions carefully and debates the merits of each play before making the difficult selection of the winner. Committee Chair Connie Crow says they encourage Northwest writers to enter.

Crow was very encouraged by the attendance, observing that very few seats were empty. The event has grown in popularity over the past few years.

Audience, cast and crew shared refreshments in the main foyer after the performance.

The 2009 Sculptures

The newest additions to our Gallery Without Walls have been added to this site. Click on New Art to see the sculptures. Our brochure is available at many spots around the city, or click here for a pdf of the brochure.

Volunteer Opportunity

The Arts Council of Lake Oswego is looking for volunteers to be on the Public Art Committee. Click here for a pdf of the job description.

The Public Art Committee of the Arts Council of Lake Oswego is responsible for the maintenance, placement and cataloging of the permanent art collection of the City of Lake Oswego. Members are appointed by a selection committee comprised of the Lake Oswego City Council and the Arts Council. Members of the committee are artists, docents, art historians and citizens who are interested in the art collection of Lake Oswego. Call our office at 503.675.3738 to obtain an application or click here for a printable application.

Bringing the Arts and Community Together

The Arts Council of Lake Oswego is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and was formed to ensure a continuation of support for the arts in Lake Oswego. We promote education and appreciation for all of the arts by maintaining the City of Lake Oswego's art collection through exhibits, tours, lectures and performance arts.