Great art for a great cause

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Once a year for more than 20 years, the Buckman Arts Focus Elementary School has provided the greater Portland area with a venue to view and purchase original, unique and modestly priced artwork at its annual show, the Buckman Art Show and Sell, which takes place next Friday and Saturday at the school. It’s an opportunity to beautify and benefit at the same time.

The show has continued to grow over the last two decades, and this year’s event takes the cake, with more than 140 artists from all over the Pacific Northwest showing off their work.

While many of these pieces would normally sell for much more, the school and the artists work together to allow artists to sell more pieces at lower prices, splitting the profits with the school to help fund its art program.

The show premiered in 1990 with approximately a dozen local artists volunteering to sell their art at reduced prices to buy art supplies for the school. The first show raised about $400. To this day it continues to be organized by devoted parents and faculty members.

Buckman was dubbed Buckman Arts Magnet Elementary School in 1989, and the school’s goals were reestablished as well. The school, the administration and the parents made it their duty to promote and teach appreciation of art in every shape and form.

Karen Stein, an employee in Portland State’s Department of Architecture and the public relations head for the event, is a volunteer for the fair because “the event is such a wonderful reflection of the Buckman community and the Portland arts scene,” she said.

Music, traditional art and creative movement are integrated into Buckman’s curriculum. Students dabble in all of them at some point in their academic career there, creating a deeper school involvement rather than just an interest-specific community.

Speaking from experience, regardless of whether it’s at an elementary school, a museum or someone’s living room, every art show is different and offers something unique. This art show is no exception.

The Buckman event offers a sparkling lineup that showcases an array of creativity. Artists will be offering kiln-blown glass, wood crafts, photography, jewelry, ceramic-crafted monsters, textiles, illustrations, books and everything in between. Every type of creative outlet is
fostered here.

PSU is also well represented. Clive Knights, chair of the architecture department, will be selling his mixed-media collages and monotype prints. English department faculty member Dan DeWeese will be selling copies of his novels.

Knights and DeWeese demonstrate just how diverse a collection of art the Buckman show features and what attendees can expect.

“I love the variety of artwork, the colors, the enthusiasm and talent of the artists, the smiles [on] people’s faces as they discover artwork that they love,” Stein said.

Many of the artists and craftspeople get involved because of their interest in supporting arts education.

“There is no more important dimension to a child’s education than the experience of creativity through making and/or performing,” Knights said. “The Buckman art sale reminds everybody of that.”

This art “show and sell” event is more than just a lively discount art museum, though; there will also be live music performances. Portland’s very own Little Sue will be working her soft-rock microphone magic, as will the all-female saxophone quartet The Quadrophonnes, the Balkan folk ensemble Trio Tsuica, the Buckman chorus and the Buckman Marimba Ensemble.

Are you in the market for some art and have children? Not only do kids under the age of 4 get in for free, there’s also a play area to keep them entertained. They can enjoy hands-on crafting and unique art creation, all while being supervised to ensure budding artists stay safe and out of trouble. Children under 3 can craft as well, but must have their own supervisor.

No need to worry about being served cafeteria food here: Local food carts will be catering the event. Taco Pedaler, Bro-dogs, Cool City Kettle Corn, Emoo Coffee and other such delicious food vendors will be there.

In Southeast Portland sits an elementary school with the hope of teaching its students to appreciate and embrace art in every aspect—while also dispelling the stuffy reputation that art often gets.

“[The show] is utterly free of any pretentiousness,” Knight said.

At the Buckman Art Show and Sell, people can purchase amazing pieces of art made in the Northwest, help a wide variety of artists and fund a school’s art programs.