“In the last 45 years of Valley Art….”
It was 1964 when 12 artists started meeting regularly, as they felt strongly that ‘Forest Grove and surround’ needed some group that promoted art and artists. In 1966, the first Board of Directors filed Articles of Incorporation with the State of Oregon and Valley Art was official. Rosemary Bump served as our first president.
In 1967 beginning art shows were in the Forest Grove Library, an outdoor showing on the trees on Pacific University Campus, ‘Etta’s Café’ on Main Street and the County Fair. Then that year Valley Art occupied the empty the empty Chet’s Market on Cedar St and Pacific Avenue, which is now Fuiten’s Mortuary.
In September 1968, the Board of Directors drafted by-laws and filed them, hired John Lauurence as Director and paid him $125.00 A month with the mission of rivaling the Portland Art Galleries. There were 66 members and our classes started with Lucy Paterson teaching Dance, Alma Brown taught Music, Jeanette McCready taught drawing, and Pottery was taught by Pearl Wright at her Pottery Studio on Sunset Drive.
VA had moved to it’s second site in a building where “The Shoe Clinic” and “Parr Lumber Company” is now. This was due to the tenacity of John Horns, one of the original 12 and a Pacific University Art Professor and our building benefactor, Viola McCready. This site was eventually developed into a large show gallery, small sales area, outdoor and indoor class space, and even an onsite Pottery Shop.
By 1969 our Newsletter had the purpose of keeping the community and members informed of happenings, shows, classes, gaining new members and volunteers, enticing customers, and developing a relationship with our extended community. We were having ‘studio tours’ or “Conversation with Artists” on 4 consecutive September Saturday mornings which cost $15.00 @person for all 4, and that included Transportation. A $30.00 honorarium was given to each studio artist which then included Lee Kelly, Sculpture and Michael Russo, Painter.
From June 1969 until March 1970, the Director was paid $1,175.00, when his wages were then raised to $150.00 each month.
*** In 1969 membership was listed at 122 paid members, mostly from the community. At a board meeting, there became a membership split with a philosophical difference on what the mission of Valley Art should be. The thinking that was prevelant was Valley Art was not just to be a showcase, elite gallery and exhibition space, but still could have a strong sense of excellence by selling Oregon artists at reasonable prices.. The majority voted to become a community art source and resource, serving the extended area plus the customer/friends we would gain, when not trying to duplicate the Portland Art Scene, but being friendly, approachable, and serving known and not so well known artists from our local area within a 200 mile radius. VA had already been active in ‘Balladtown, USA’, some local winery shows, and others activities in the schools, county fair, etc., that volunteer energies could accomplish. The split discontinued the paid Director position which then motivated some of the original artist members to drop out or step back in their involvment.
The priorities of Valley Art were then identified as meeting our financial overhead, growing a building fund, always being financially accountable to our artists, the state and federal governments, membership growth, having a newsletter regularly so as to grow our relationship to artists, members, volunteers, and community, and gaining a non-profit status.
1970 our building fund was $144.63, the sales gallery was named “The Naught Hole” and selling both arts and crafts. A month long children’s summer art and pottery program was taught by Judy Teufel with a closing exhibition of the work of the classes. Total registration fee for each student was $5.00 as Valley Art underwrote the materials for the class and paid the instructor a stipend of $30.00. per student.
John Laurence did continue to work on application for our non-profit status. He made the first application in 1973 but was denied. He filed an appeal and a 14 page rebuttal addressing that we were a community resource and not just a commercial enterprise for the benefit of artists. Valley Art received the 501© (3) non profit status in 1973 on it’s art education. John Laurence was no longer our director but he followed through to establish this very important relationship. Thanks again to you, John.
Our next move was in 1974 when Mrs McCready sold her property to Parr Lumber Co. We then rented a 3 story house on the corner of College Way and 21st Avenue from Pacific University which had been occupied for many years by male college students. We could have 3 months free rent if we could clean it up, bring it up to code. We also needed to gain an occupancy permit as most of the block was commercial, but this one property was residential.
There were many local angels (Paul McGilvra, Ellen Bump, Tom Ambler, and City Judge/Attorney Bill Young and more) gave much good advice. One of the city council women loaned Merrie her zone/Code book and said to read it carefully, even though she could give no advice or direction. The then city Manager, Dan Durig, found Valley Art had paid the filing fee to go before the Planning Commision for a variance on the zoning and demanded a meeting with Merrie, alone, where he and other staff showed her it was bad idea and impossible to happen, let alone dangerous to the city’s future. The Planning meeting, usually scarcely attended, was filled with Valley Art fans, thanks to some phone calls of members hearing of the filing. Bill Young sat with Merrie in the front row but would not make the appeal for her. Merrie was absolutely sure she was blowing VA’s chance since she only had a 3 sentence presentation, copy of our 501 © (3) letter, and zoning references. The Planning Commision ruled in favor as the exception could be made for a non-profit business that served the community. Whewwww!
The set up in the College Way house was pottery classes in the basement (we had to dig a fire escape), sales gallery on the first floor and show gallery/classroom on the second floor (we had to build another fire escape) all, again meeting codes. We learned, one day at a time, and gained a lot at this address.
In 1984 Pacific University needed the building so we had to more once more. Our lovely member/treasurer Charlie Piper kept asking about a then empty building at 2022 Main Street that used to be a Coast-to-Coast Hardware. As it was 6000 sq ft and Main Street was prosperous and it’s market value was high, it seemed an impossible request! Charlie like it as it was all one floor, seniors could work there easy and was full of space and good windows and a back parking lot and back door!.
Amelia Hoileen, widower, owned the building and had an offer from two young entrepreneurs for rent of $1200 with option to buy. They were going to have a gaming arcade and video rentals with an adults only room. After accepting that the competion had more to offer, we mourned for 3 days. Then Amelia called, said to bring our lawyer and come! She had decided that she was a believer and needed to be thinking of ethically investing and that Valley Art was a better fit for her town, so she became Valley Art’s benefactor/landlord (with option to buy!).
Our present home, which we now own, (thank you members and community) was built by Safeway in 1928-9. The store occupied 4000 sq.ft. and had a loading dock in back with a roof but no sides in the beginning. Later they built walls on the loading dock and eventually enclosed most of the back. It was then sold to Coast To Coast hardware owned by Linc and Amelia Hoileen.
All our buildings have needed a lot of sweat equity and volunteer hours, which was, and still is, the backbone of Valley Art. We did not have all the knowledge needed, ever, and need to search, learn, get creditials, attend work shops, find mentors. It is caring, involved volunteers, giving of their time and talents and energy that has brought Valley Art to the now. Money alone could not have accomplished this retail business/gallery/classroom/community art resource to exist without all our wonderful volunteers and members and friends. Our gallery sitters actually keep the doors open, or nothing the rest of us do would matter . Our artists/friends are another valuable that money cannot buy. Our relationship with them gives us income needed to keep all the rest afloat, plus they have become very good friends and grace our lives with beauty, love, friendship. Our Board of Directors commit to meet once a month, and as they are a working board, serve on the many often dreaded committees that get all the subprojects done—like this amazing building transformation.
We salute all of you!
Glade French, then 6 years old, took this class and continued taking Judy’s classes for many years. Glade’s mother did her first Artist Reception in January 1970 for Bruce Hurley, an artist with paintings and drawings. The artist supplied the beverage, blended from assorted fresh vegetables, which was green and bubbled, and burped. VA was again on the cutting edge, promoting healthy eating, even though the “Stump Water” did not have too many takers! Glade’s mother had started her early Pottery classes along with Marcia Alajoki and Gaynor Wall under Pearl Wright and then they went on with Judy Teufel. Marcia Alajoki was/is a long time friend that started VA at this point also.
