Historic Downtown Oregon City

As a cobbler, Renaldo “Smoky” Pelosi puts soles on shoes. As an artist, he puts his soul into his art.

Several of his beautiful renderings of lilies will be on display from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, May 7 at Hopp’s Upholstery and Shoe Repair at 916 Main Street in downtown Oregon City during Oregon City’s First Friday Art Walk.

Pelosi is the May Artist of the Month and will join several dozen artists for this monthly event in Oregon City’s Downtown with artists celebrating their creativity and creative process on Main Street as well as at select locations on Washington Street and Seventh Street.

To kickoff this summer’s Art Walk events many artists are moving out of downtown’s shops and restaurants and onto the sidewalk. May’s First Friday Art Walk will also will feature a silent auction to raise funds for future arts based events and activities in Oregon City. Artwork from participating artists will be auctioned at 900 Main Street, home to downtown’s roaming art gallery – the “Nomad Gallery”.

Pelosi joined the Hopp’s team in 1996 as a shoe ad leather craftsman for the local shop that is a landmark in downtown Oregon City just off the corner of 10th and Main. The upholstery and shoe repair store was opened in 1925 and has remained opened continuously. The fourth generation of the Hopp’s family, brother and sister Andrew and Janet, now run the store.

Pelosi is a third generation cobbler from Ohio. He made the move to Oregon in 1974 and now lives in Garden Home. The son of Italian immigrants, Pelosi said he has always had an interest in art. He would watch his grandfather, who “lived to paint”, and learn from him. Pelosi’s paintings usually are done in a series, like the lilies he now is working on for the May First Friday Art Walk. They come in all sizes from small desk-top pieces to large paintings done in sections that might cover an entire wall.

“I’m a creative person and I have to do something with a blank canvas,” Pelosi said.

This month’s First Friday Art Walk will also feature music by Tumble Rye as well as Jesse Young and the Brethern Thread. Monthly musical performances will continue from 5 to 8 p.m. on the First Friday of each month through out summer.

First Fridays in Summer 5 to 8 p.m. First Friday artists move outside with Arts in Action with artists showing and creating work street side.

First Friday Art Walk is supported by the Oregon City Civic Improvement Trust and funded in part by Work for Art a program of the Regional Arts and Culture Council. The non-profit Main Street Oregon City and the Three Rivers Artist Guild produce Oregon City’s First Friday Art Walk. The Oregonian is a print media sponsor for the series.

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With the Support of an OCCIT Grant, Downtown Oregon City is decorating 30 light poles with signature banners that welcome visitors downtown.

Downtown Oregon City Street Pole Banner

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This is Downtown Oregon City: Photo Series

Blue Heron Paper Mill pulp storage facility. Photographer Devin Conroy-Groves shot this scene more than 60 times from different angles and perspectives. The architecture and location of this structure create an opportunity for a photographer to explore light and texture in an industrial urban setting. Photo by Devin Conroy-Groves.

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Downtown Oregon City’s restaurants and art spaces are a great place to celebrate special holidays and events. Here’s what one downtown merchant is doing to make Mother’s Day special.

With Mother’s Day just around the corner on May 9th consider treating your wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister or daughter to and evening with King’s Raven Winery, Howden Art & Framing and Puddin’ River Chocolates.

May 7, 2010 King’s Raven Winery is hosting a wine and chocolate pairing at their downtown Oregon City Tasting Room, inside Howden Art & Framing, located at 1512 Washington Street.  Chocolates will be provided by Puddin’ River Chocolates of Canby, Oregon.

“We wanted to do a wine and chocolate pairing, as we think there is nothing better than wine, chocolate and art,” said Kim Walton, Tasting Room Manager.  “So, we thought, lets create this event around Mother’s Day.”

“This should be a fun pre-Mother’s Day event, and they will be one of the first ones to see the newest art show theme, Celebration of Honor,” said Annie Howden, gallery owner.  All the artwork is rotated every three months and each rotation has its own theme in which the artists are free to interpret.

Tickets are $20 and includes a wine glass, wine tasting, fabulous Puddin’ River Chocolates and light appetizers.

Tickets can be purchased at www.kingsravenwine.com.

King’s Raven Winery is a small, family-owned and operated winery with a vineyard and event-site in Oregon City, Oregon.  In 2009 the family opened its first retail tasting room in downtown Oregon City, inside Howden Art & Framing.  The vineyard was started in 1999 and became a winery 2003.  The event-site was added in 2005.

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Ontario, California’s Okuma Fishing Tackle Corporation has selected BDC Advertising, Inc. of Downtown Oregon City to represent their advertising and promotional interests in North America. “We’ve been talking for several years”, started Sam Brenner, Vice President of Okuma, “BDC Advertising clearly understands our products and the market and brings uncommon passion for the sport and our business to the table. In many ways, they are the customer but they also wield exceptional marketing and advertising acumen which we’re excited to leverage.”

Okuma Fishing Tackle Corporation burst onto the scene in 1987 as a rod and reel manufacturer and has grown its market share and presence in the U.S. over the past 22 years. In 2010, Okuma will release its most advanced product selection to date, including the much-anticipated Makaira and Cedros series of saltwater reels, Serrano and Cayenne low profile bait casters and Trio series spinning reels. BDC Advertising, Inc. will be tasked with brand development, creative direction, media, promotions, ongoing website development and social networking efforts.

BDC Vice-President, Carmen Macdonald states, “We’ve been blessed to work with some of the most thoughtful people in this industry, and the management at Okuma is no different. They bring incredible energy and a commitment to innovation and leadership.”

BDC Advertising, Inc. is heavily invested in the sport fishing category with clients that include: Luhr Jensen, Lamiglas Rods, Maxima Line, Weldcraft Boats, Duckworth Boats, Caddis Waders and several other boat manufacturers, sporting goods retailers and boat dealers. BDC Advertising, Inc. also represents the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association as their lobbyist in Salem, Oregon on a range of sportfishing and boating-related issues.

Alex Brauer, President of BDC Advertising, Inc. commented, “The timing is ideal. Okuma’s 2010 new product introductions are the most heavily researched in their history and will be fiercely competitive in the market. It’s an outstanding place to begin. We couldn’t be more pleased or thrilled with the opportunity and the prospects ahead.”

BDC Advertising at 706 Main Street in Downtown Oregon City is also one of the founding partners of Downtown Oregon City’s Blue Collar Creative  www.bluecollarcreative.org marketing and business recruitment campaign targeted at creative entrepreneurs.

“BDC Advertising is a great downtown business,” said Lloyd Purdy, Downtown Manager and Executive Director of the non-profit Main Street Oregon City. “The team at BDC turns creative ideas into real-life marketing and advertising campaigns.

For more information please contact BDC Advertising, Inc. at 503-723-5723 or visit www.bdcadvertising.com

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Blue Heron Paper Mill in Downtown Oregon City

Blue Heron Paper Mill shot at 3 afternoon in March. Features on of the older sections of the facility with the falls and spillway in the background. The old and the new, the natural and the industrial are juxtaposed. Photo by Devin Conroy-Groves.

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Oregon State’s Heritage Roundtable in Downtown Oregon City

Oregon City will host a state of Oregon Heritage Regional Roundup on April 9^th at the Abernethy Center at 606 15^th Street in downtown Oregon City.

Participants in the Oregon Heritage Regional Roundups will learn about the latest and best practices for engaging visitors and tourists. The meeting’s theme of “Opening Doors in the New Decade” emphasizes heritage organizations and the role they play in strengthening community relationships.

“Oregon City has 160 years of history to celebrate and share with visitors,” said Lloyd Purdy, Executive Director of the non-profit Main Street Oregon City, “Downtown Oregon City is the right venue for the first 2010 Oregon Heritage Regional Roundup.”

The Heritage Regional Roundup will begin with a session of heritage, preservation and tourism practitioners giving attendees key concepts and resources for connecting with tourists and locals. These roundtables will be led by Jon Tullis of Timberline Lodge, Todd Kepple of the Klamath County Museums, and John Chess of the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute.

Following that session, tourism professionals will lead workshops to help participants build plans and relationships to make their organizations, facilities and communities more accessible and

Welcoming to both community members and tourists. The workshops will be led by Court Carrier of the Mount Hood Community College Tourism and Hospitality Program, Carolyn Hill of the Southern Oregon Visitors Association, and Janet Dodson of Union County Tourism.

The roundup will inform and inspire Oregonians involved in the state’s cultural heritage efforts. Attendees will include community leaders, staff and volunteers from historical societies, museums, historic cemeteries, ethnic organizations, schools, historic preservation commissions, humanities groups, the tourism industry, economic development, history buffs and professional historians, youth, and local, tribal, state and federal governments.

The roundup will also review the preliminary results of the 2010 Oregon Heritage Assessment. Regional Roundups are substituting this year for the Oregon Heritage Conference, which will resume in 2011. “Opening Doors in the New Decade” is the theme of the roundups. Attendees will participate in seminars and workshops, as well as shape plans for their organization and for statewide heritage efforts. A draft Oregon Heritage Vitality Report, which features results of the recent heritage assessment survey, will be one of the centerpieces of the Regional Roundups.

The 2010 Oregon Heritage Excellence Awards will be presented in conjunction with the regional roundup in Oregon City.  A registration form is available at http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/OHC/Conference.shtml

For more information about the round-ups, contact Kyle Jansson at 503-986-0673 or heritage.info@state.or.us.

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Meet the Artist: Becky Albeke – April’s First Friday Artist of the Month

When artist Becky Albeke sees an old coffee pot or an aging suitcase, she sees them as a canvas for her artistic creations.

Albeke is the featured artist of the month for Oregon City’s First Friday event April 2nd. Her work will be on display at downtown restaurant Mi Famiglia, 701 Main Street, for the monthly First Friday Art Walk on April 2 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.  First Fridays in Oregon City bring commerce and culture together by pairing local artists with local business owners and entrepreneurs.

Albeke has been painting for 20 years but has not always worked with paper or canvas. Most of the items she finds to work with come from garage sales. She strives to recycle things that work with her whimsical style and uses paint that is safe for the environment.

“I use non-toxic acrylic paints on found objects to produce my works of art,” said Albeke. “Most recently I have had an emphasis on recycled and re-purposed pieces.”

Albeke was not sure what she wanted to do when she signed on for painting classes 20 years ago. Now she is the one teaching others how to paint. “Its more a process of teaching people how to really see what they want to paint. Then, its a lot easier,” she said.

Albeke paints most of the year except in the summer when she stays busy with the berry farm her family owns off Beavercreek Road. She likes the idea of painting things like old suitcases that can be used for storage as well as a decorative item for the house. Part of the fun of it is finding odd items that fit well with her style. “It’s a lot of fun and has turned into a passion for me,” she said.

To sharpen her skills, Albeke makes an annual trip to Eureka, CA for a class in design composition. Her colorful work is now on display at the Three Rivers Artist Guild gallery on Center Street across from Oregon City’s new City Hall. She also has items at Citizens Bank in Oregon City and participates in the Open Studios of Beavercreek tour.

Throughout summer, business on Main Street, 7th Street, and Washington Street hosting an artist or artwork for First Friday will be marked with balloons. First Friday activities begin at 5 p.m. and continue to 8 p.m.

First Fridays in Oregon City are produced by the non-profit Main Street Oregon City and the Three Rivers Artists Guild. The Oregonian is a print media sponsor for the First Friday series.

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First Friday Locations on Main Street, Washington St. and 7th Street

Coffee Rush  - 900 Main Street

Cypress Restaurant - 820 Main Street

The Caufield House - 719 Main Street

Mi Famiglia – 701 Main Street

Winestock- 820 MainStreet

Hopps Upholstery – 916 Main Street

Living Room Pub – 206 6th Street

Decorative Painting Studio - 712 Main Street

Howden Art and Framing & Kings Raven Winery – 1512 Washington St.

Second Hand Prose - 502 7th St

505 Tavern – 505 Main St

Three Rivers Artists Guild Gallery - 502 7th Street

Elements of Style  - 1400 Washington

Weatherfords Grand Lodge - 602 7th St.

OhShiny!: Artisan Market - 216 14th St

Ruud’s Jewelers – 812 Main Street

NOMAD Gallery - 900 Main Street

Art in Windows Locations (features art in store window)

ECP Copy - 623 Main Street

Farmers Insurance - 209 7th St.

Fornier Group Insurance - 814 Main Street

Premier Choice Insurance Agency - 900 Main Street

Chiropractic Wellness Center - 912 Main Street

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