Willamette Falls Heritage Foundation
Industry and Art Initiative

One of the foundation's most innovative preservation strategies is its Industry and Art Initiative, which aims to show historic industrial structures through the eyes of fine artists.

The opportunity for accomplished artists to capture and translate their images of old industry at the falls, through plein aire 'art jams', and the accessibly priced Dan Robinson event poster project--designed by the foundation as a fundraiser and marketing device for Lock Fest-- are two aspects of this initiative.

The T.W. Sullivan Hydropower Plant in West Linn was the site of our first "Art Contemplates Industry" event, in 2007. The collection was on display for seven months, from September 2007 through April, 2008, in three venues in Clackamas and Multnomah Counties. It is currently back in the hands of the artists but has been gathered in an exhibit catalog funded by the Arts Alliance and available in several area libraries and from the foundation.

"Art Contemplates Industry--Hawley Powerhouse," is our second art jam, staged June 26-27, 2008 at what was originally called the Hawley Pulp and Paper Company Powerhouse at Black Point on the Oregon City side of Willamette Falls. In the case of Hawley, the collection has become a memorial to the little powerhouse, which was torn down shortly after PGE allowed us to bring in the 17 artists whose work makes up the collection. All proceeds from any art sold in these collections go to the artists.
 

We hope to continue this preservation-through-interpretation with an exhibit focused on the Bull Run Powerhouse in 2010.

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