From caves to churches, public building interiors to downtown walls, murals have made social and political statements throughout the ages. Michaelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, Diego Rivera and José Orozco, Grant Wood and Thomas Hart Benton, all shared their art through public murals. The list of muralists is long. So how do these esteemed artists connect to Southwest Washington?

In the tradition of these painters, Daybreak Youth Services volunteers created a massive outdoor mural in downtown Vancouver in 2008. “A group of us sat in the shade of the wall one Saturday morning in 2008 and talked about addiction and recovery,” says Donna Wiench, Daybreak Youth Services Development Director. “We discussed the darkness, the constant dissatisfaction and restlessness of addiction and how recovery is like coming into the light and peace.” The teens started drawing and art teacher Heather Fukuchi “put the images together to illustrate the story of going from darkness to light, with the help of community, responsibility, family and love.”

The theme, From Addition to Freedom, depicted the struggles of addiction, along with words like “pain,” “crime” and “hate” and then colorfully morphed into a rainbow and sun, along with words like “responsibility,” “recovery” and “love.” It was a massive act of creativity, which involved more than 30 staff, volunteers, youth ranging from grade school through high school, and teens in recovery.

Imagine how they felt when, even after “offending words” were removed, a building owner completely painted over the mural in the middle of a summer night in 2009. Personally, I was extremely offended by that act, as were many, many other community members.

The good news? The mural lives!

Bookmark © Daybreak Youth Services. Reproduced with permission.

The message of the mural has made the transition from a half-block wide downtown wall to a 3” x 8” bookmark. “Where are you in the mural?” it asks. It’s a fine reminder about the road from addiction to recovery, the drug and alcohol treatment provided to more than 1,100 teens annually by Daybreak Youth Services in Vancouver and Spokane, and power of words, art and paint on the side of a downtown wall. Welcome back, Daybreak mural and thank you, artists!

For more information:
Where to find the bookmark:
Fort Vancouver Regional Library branches, Vintage Books, the law firms of Scott Horenstein (900 Washington #1020) and Miller Nash (500 E. Broadway, #400), among other locations.

Mural Information: Daybreak Mural

Clark County Mural Information: Clark County Mural Society

Rebecca Weaver is a “repurposer.” Each week, at the Vancouver Farmers Market, she sells luscious rugs and woolen scarves she creates from recycled Pendleton yarns and fabric mill ends. She also creates table runners and placemats.

Rebecca Weaver at the Vancouver Farmers Market

I recently bought multiple scarves to share as gifts. You can give them as individual gifts or wrap them around other objects like soaps or candles — perfect for Made-in-the-Northwest presents. You’ll find Rebecca at the Vancouver Farmers Market throughout the fall season.

Rebecca's scarves with traditional Pendleton patterns

Breven Angaelica Warren is the founder and producer of the Columbia Gorge International Film Festival. Formerly known as the Washougal Film Festival, the newly-named event will move to the downtown Vancouver Hilton and Convention Center this month. It will open on Wednesday, August 18 and close on Sunday night, August 22.

Breven Angaelica Warren, Producer, Columbia Gorge International Film Festival

The opening night starts with a reception followed by a screening of Earthwork, directed by Chris Ordal. In addition a film designed to be projected onto ice will be shown – on ice, with music.

Films will be shown throughout the day and evening on Thursday, Friday and during the day on Saturday – in four different theaters at the Convention Center. An awards ceremony will be held on Saturday night and prize-winning films will be re-screened on Sunday.

A filmmaker and producer who also works at other festivals like Sundance, Breven has scheduled more than 300 films, ranging in length from 1 minute to 2.5 hours. Numerous filmmakers are coming to Vancouver for the event. Admission to view the films is free! Trailers for some of the films are available at Trailer Addict . The complete film list is posted here.

What brought you to SW Washington?

My mother graduated from Washougal and my dad graduated from Camas so I was made here. They had me in Florida and I grew up in Florida and Jamaica. My family moved back here quite a few years ago and I came here to help them with what they were doing and I am a filmmaker so I brought my film projects with me.

I was living in Washougal and the community was so amazingly supportive of my filmmaking. A lot of times I would get the question, “Where can we see your films?” Unless you were on the film festival circuit I don’t know where you would see them. So I had the idea of starting a festival to share with the community what they were helping me make and to bring independent film to the community.

That is how I started the festival in 2008, largely to give back to the community as well as to offer another opportunity to filmmakers because the film circuit is very tricky to get into and it took me a long time to get my films on the festival circuit. In 2008 we screened over 300 films. Part of my mission is to have it free to everyone. It’s a terrible business model but I want to stick to that.

In 2009 we grew a little and had more films and more filmmakers come. We are in our third year and the Convention Center was available and we could have everything under one roof. So many filmmakers come in from out of town as well as out of country and we can offer them all the amenities.

What is the best kept secret about SW Washington?

Is it a secret that we have the most amazing nature opportunities here? I’m obsessed with the gardening here.

If you didn’t live here, where would you live?

Somewhere where I can create. I am more interested in my community, the people around me, than the location.

What’s coming up that you are excited about?

Absolutely the Film Festival and getting to share so many amazing films with so many people. And especially the quality of filmmaking. We have amazing films from all over the world. We represent about 40 countries and really breathtaking storytelling, creative art films, great narratives and wonderful documentaries.

What would surprise people to know about you?

I started working in the industry as a child. Got my SAG card at age nine. Also, I make installations. I construct things. I like to make large pieces of art. I love glue and tape.

Rebar. Plastic bags. Gasoline cans. Art? This weekend, there were dozens of artists at the Recycled Arts Festival in Vancouver who have transformed the rusted, the plastic and the bound-for-the-landfill into collector’s items. Esther Short Park was lined with more than 80 vendors displaying remarkable reuse talents. Thank you Clark County Environmental Services for a great event! A few lessons stood out:

1. I don’t have to feel guilty about those (now rusty) garden tools I left in the rain.

Rusty tools can create great yard art

More information available at Howling Heights Metal Designs

2. Plastic bags can become a thing of beauty.

If you can crochet, you can create beautiful bags and rugs from plastic bags

Lots of products available through Molly J Walter

3. Those splintery chopsticks from my favorite Chinese restaurant can have a new life.

Who knew that chopsticks were so versatile?

There are lots of choices to purchase at Kwytza Chopstick Art .

4. The bowling balls I have been collecting are just begging to be beautified.

Way more interesting than Victorian gazing garden balls

Visit Ta-Dah Handmade about artwork and classes.

5. My collection of out-of-style sweaters could become in-style, felted hats.

These sweaters look great as hats!

Visit Sweater Heads for a great selection.

6. You can teach an old, red gasoline can new tricks as a dog.

Low maintenance pet - perfect for empty nesters

More information available at Howling Heights Metal Designs

7. A cigar box wants to make music.

These cigar box instruments can even be amplified

Alan Matta at Hammered Frets has the details on his instruments at hammeredfrets@gmail.com

8. Wine bottles recycled into jewelry can be way more interesting than gemstones.

Beautiful glass beads made from wine and beer bottles

Learn about hand-torched, glass bead jewelry at Late Night Lampworks

9. Vases, light fixtures and other glassware can become stunning, luminescent statues for the garden.

These glass art pieces will never stop blooming in your garden

For details about these sculptures, email vondaquilts@comcast.net or visit their Facebook page Tiffany on a Stick.

10. Every nut and bolt deserves another chance.

Nuts and bolts start new lives

More work available at Fairy Forge.

Got stuff? Avoid the landfill. Get out there and start re-creating!

Deena Pierott is the Founder and CEO of Mosaic Blueprint, which she started in 2007 to help companies find great talent worldwide. She is the Founder of Urban Entrepreneurs Network, which focuses on women and minority businesses in SW Washington. A true whirlwind, she is also the Founder of International Black Women’s Collaborative, an online platform with more than 1,000 women from all over the globe. Deena is a governor-appointed Commissioner on the Washington State Commission of African-American Affairs and a Board member of Community Choices in Vancouver.

We spoke in the new Fireside Café at 63rd and Andresen in Vancouver.

Deena Pierott

Deena, what brought you to SW Washington?

When my husband and I were married, we were in LA and we wanted a place that was slower paced for our son. I remembered how nice this area was when my parents had bought a home right outside of Salem so my husband came up and stayed for two weeks and loved it and said “I think we should move.” We first moved to Lake Oswego and lived there for about five years and then came over to Vancouver. I was drawn to SW Washington. Even though it’s just a river away from Portland, it’s really different. There is more of a sense of community here.

What is the best kept secret about SW Washington?

Besides being such as wonderful and encouraging community – the scenery here. There is a scenic drive near La Center where they have a winery and parks. There is one old barn with a creek that seems like it is out of a Norman Rockwell painting. And it is only a couple of hours to Seattle, you can go to Portland for entertainment, you can go to the mountains, you can go to the beach. It’s a wonderful location.

What is your favorite place to relax or play in SW Washington?

If I have the time, I like to just grab a lawn chair and go out to Klineline Park and just read.

If you didn’t live here, where would you live?

New York City.

What is coming up that you are excited about?

I’m working on a possible diversity event to be held in New York City – Women in Leadership: The Hidden Communication Barriers.

What would surprise people to know about you?

I think people see me as an overachiever a lot and someone who is leading several causes, companies, etc. I think they would be surprised at my compassion and empathy. I do have a very soft side. I don’t think people understand how community driven or collaborative I am even behind the scenes. I will try to bring everyone in on something so that everyone can share a piece of the pie. It reminds me of a quote: “Integrity — When you do the right thing even though no one is watching.”

With performance skills way beyond their years, nine talented musicians filled the hall with stunning music yesterday at the 16th Annual Young Artists Competition of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Anyone who doesn’t believe in music education should attend a competition for young musicians.

Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body.” The performances immersed the audience in a rich “music bath” for two hours. Three of the musicians were selected by long deliberating judges to perform with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra on April 17th and 18th at the Skyview High School concert hall. Each also won $1000 scholarships.

There is something very humbling about hearing a 14-year-old, who debuted with a chamber orchestra three years ago, move so gracefully through a Chopin concerto or a confident 16-year-old violist play Bartok. Like Yo Yo Ma and Joshua Bell, who first picked up their instruments at age four, most of the Vancouver competitors started playing music at very young age.

In the end, 16-year-old Fred Lu won the piano competition for his performance of Rachmaninoff’s Concerto for Piano no 1, op 1 in F-sharp minor.

Gold Medalist Fred Lu Playing Rachmaninoff

Daniel Vasey, a 15-year-old alto saxophonist won with John Williams’ Escapades, movement 3.

Gold Medalist Daniel Vasey Plays John Williams

Natally Okhovat, 17, won the strings competition, impressing the audience with Saint-Saens popular and moving Introduction and Rondo capriccioso, op 28.

Gold Medalist Natally Okhovat Plays Saint-Saens

Stunning, inspirational performances—it was enough to send one home to practice for a long, long time.