An Uncommon Beauty: Janice Druian painting

February 14, 2012

"Near Merrill, Long View" by Janice Druian

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This painting by Janice is the setting where much of the horseradish is grown that was trimmed by the people in the previous post, below. It is near Newell, CA, just over the Oregon border. The big rock on the left is known to locals as "The Peninsula" as this ground used to be under water. It was part of the land that was homesteaded after it was reclaimed and has been an incredibly rich place to farm. FYI, the large rock on the right, along with the peninsula is the site of many ancient petroglyphs. Another note about the place is that behind the peninsula, there was a Japanese Internment Camp during WWII. My (Vicki's) dad tells stories of how he and his brother used to play with the children in the camp--he and his brother on one side of the fence, and the Japanese -American children on the other.

THE PROJECT IN A NUTSHELL by Vicki Shuck

The seed for this project was planted in 2001 after the water crisis began in earnest in the Klamath Basin. Suddenly seeing how a way of life (rural, agricultural) was on such a precarious ledge, I began thinking that I wanted to somehow document the place I grew up in and valued so much. As an artist, my natural way to do this is through creating images; I particularly love to paint and draw people. Enter an artist/friend, Janice Druian, who is enamored with painting the High Desert Landscape suggesting she paint the land associated with the people. With that, the project has begun to become a reality. We are celebrating our first exhibit of the work coming up in April 2012 and are excited about how it will evolve after that.

Vicki Shuck's Statement about the Project

My goal with this project is to honestly paint life as it is and to be true to the lives of the people who have agreed to let me paint them. I am continually amazed and gratified at the generosity of the people I have talked to for this project and their desire to let their stories and concerns be known by others. Whether the people are working in agriculture of some sort or not, their lives are directly affected by it. And with that, also directly affected is the very existence of the community. Growing up on a farm near Merrill, a small town in southern Oregon, and then living in more "urban" areas during my adult life, I have grown to appreciate how small towns and rural areas embody the meaning of "community". I believe that the health of these areas is integral to the overall health of our state, our nation and our world. It is in that spirit that I celebrate these people, the work they do and the way their lives are interwoven with each other's and the land in which they live.

Janice Druian's Statement about the Project

My goal is to explore and better understand the west, specifically the Oregon farm and ranch lands that are east of the Cascade Mountains--the dry side. I feel incredibly fortunate to live on a cliff overlooking the Deschutes River outside of Terrebonne, Oregon. From most of my windows you have a view of either the Cascades, Mt. Hood, Smith Rock or the Ochoco Mountains to the east. It is this view that nourishes my soul. But I like painting beyond my immediate horizons. Over the years I have developed a passion for the really remote areas of Oregon. It is those locations that inspire me. The opportunity to accompany Vicki as we get to know the people who live and earn their livings on this beautiful and remote land has been extraordinary. I want this project to go on for a long time.

An Uncommon Beauty

Pages

March 1, 2012

"Above It All" by Janice Druian

February 14, 2012

"Near Merrill, Long View" by Janice Druian