Month: June 2024

Cultivate Simplicity, No. 1

More art in more places. More art at Drift Creek Camp, in the Siuslaw National Forest; more art using gifts from the forest collected on walks with my sweet dog, just minutes from my home. Last week high school age humans created Neurographic art and recycled cardboard bird mobiles and adult humans learned to make pine needle baskets that fit neatly in the palm of their hand. We all paid attention to things that matter, like kindness and empathy and words.

Creating a pine needle basket is an intuitive process. Your hands feel when the bundle of hydrated needles want to start the upward shape of the side of the basket. There is no such thing as a machine-made basket; human hands make them. I noticed, while teaching adults the first simple stitch in basketry, that the word oblique (when offered by a student) to describe what I was demonstrating, felt wildly out of place–but it wasn’t wrong. At the end of the class, we talked about that word and how we all react to words and how we use them differently.

The high school age humans listened as I described the multitude of choices they could make as we progressed through the steps in creating Neurographic art, recognizing that in a world where it feels like they have control of so little, this could feel like a gift. My dear friend Brenda pointed out that using watercolor can also feel like letting go of control (also a gift).

I love this work, and I get tired. After this weekend of another pine needle basket making class at Black Sheep Gathering in Albany, I’m taking a little break from teaching art. I’ll be painting pet portraits instead* while I process all the learning I’ve done this week while I taught.

* I just realized I’m painting a cat named Tommy and a dog named Jerry. That’s fun.

Art at Drift Creek Camp

These pictures represent my work with 30+ 3rd/4th grade students who are enjoying summer camp at Drift Creek Camp, in the Siuslaw National Forest up the mountain from Lincoln City, Oregon.

Being at Drift Creek fills so many different parts of my very soul–I worked as a counselor there in the late 1980s (when I learned to play chords on a guitar); before that I worked as a kitchen helper (when I learned how to scrub pots); before that I was a camper (when I wasn’t too afraid to get my tetanus booster); before that I went with my home church group for many years (when I learned how to hike and love the ancient forest).

Being at Drift Creek with campers fills so many other parts of my soul–teaching paper-making, learning to know these young people and soaking up their energy; witnessing their kindness and authenticity; seeing the expressions of creativity; and learning that some of their parents were campers in my cabin when I was a counselor there.

What. A. Gift.

There is still more. My friends Brenda and Tony Kauffman are the camp directors. Being able to spend time with them in this amazing natural place will be a memory I’ll carry with me forever. Maybe next week I’ll take Tony up on his challenge to join in the Polar Bear Swim at 7:00 am.

New Direction Home

For more than ten years I’ve been looking for ‘home’. I tried so hard to make downtown Corvallis my home, but living across from an iconic and noisy bar, it turns out, is A LOT. Too much. My dog Pearl and I love our neighbors and have both made so many friends downtown, but something needed to change. We both feel much happier and settled when we are near moving water, some trees and away from pavement/traffic. We have finally found a place to be near water, trees and even closer to the park we walk every day with friends. We are both sleeping at night now (as it happens, sleep is one of the keys to a happy life).

Also for ten years I’ve been working on my art practice and profession. Formerly a middle school teacher in public schools, I’ve danced around teaching both young and old during this ten year span, interspersed with some other jobs that included animals. I’ve been working in places that nurtured different parts of my soul.

For some reason this move to a quieter place, paired with some artistic practices, connections with people and just the right timing, I now have found my footing; I’ve discovered the path to pursue: Teaching art to all ages. Using the practices that have kept me going for the past 10 years to teach others how to keep going. Kyle Morton wrote in one of my favorite songs, Time, Time: “Time, time, inexorable time/you were drawing a circle/I was drawing a line.” I’ve been made aware recently of how much circling back I have done in my life. The more I circle back, the more sure-footed I become. My hope is to continue this new direction toward the home within me, and while I’m here, help others do the same.

Here are some pictures from recent classes and a list of upcoming classes. I’ve met some amazing folks and I even ran into some people I’m fond of from the past.

Upcoming Classes:

June 17/18; June 24/25 — Art at Drift Creek Camp Summer Camp

June 28/30 — Pine Needle Basketry at Black Sheep Gathering in Albany

July 1/2; July 8/9 — Art at Drift Creek Camp Summer Camp

July 6 — Neurographic Art at Albany Mennonite Church for youth

July 20, 2pm — Book making at 2 Towns Ciderhouse (spaces available)

July 24th, 5:30 — Book making at 2 Town Ciderhouse (spaces available)

If you would like more information, please send me a message. Also, please inquire about private classes for your own group of friends. I’ll travel to you, if you like.

With Love,

Jaqui Eicher (and Pearl)

jaqui.eicher@gmail.com