by Emily Hartlerode
It feels like Summer has been in full swing since May, when the damp Spring typical of Oregon’s Willamette Valley was chased off early by unseasonably hot temperatures. Weather comes through so many human senses that tug at memory in mysterious ways. Born and raised in Nebraska, I still sense an internal “tornado warning” when humid wind suddenly grows still, and all at once I’m a little girl in a silent prairie field looking up at the sky listening for the town whistle calling us to our cellars.
Like memory, traditional arts powerfully root us to meaningful parts of our lives, and also uproot us from the present moment, transporting us to another time and place. Practicing our culture overloads our senses with memory. Every day, Oregonians quietly weave plants from a homeland beneath our feet, and boldly dance the swirling colors and sounds from a homeland far away. Earlier this year, OFN hosted a spotlight series for six Ukrainian Artists conveying the importance of supporting their culture today. Coming up in August, we invite you to Eugene for Oregon Culture Nights to enjoy demonstrations by our Traditional Arts Apprenticeship teams. Know someone who practices their cultural traditions? Send them our guidelines (also in Spanish), as they may be eligible for a funded apprenticeship!
Maryna Malyarenko presents the Ukrainian art of petrykivka. (Photo by Iryna Stavynska)
Our staff, largely students training to strengthen future culture work, steward these projects while I tend the future of our organization. Funding from donors like you, plus grants from state and federal agencies, make our work possible. With our limited capacity we developed a modest slate of programming to support cultural sustainability across all Oregon, but we can do better! When asked if they prefer OFN to remain small or reach more deeply across the state and grow robust access across more cultural communities, the reply from our partners at the Oregon Arts Commission was clear. Thank you to OAC staff and commissioners for your challenge grant to develop a long-range plan for a larger annual budget. Please donate now and meet their challenge so OFN can unlock our goals and better serve you!