You know what they say about “friends in need.”

Our friends at BLACKFISH GALLERY once again made us beneficiaries of their holiday season sale. A lovely check arrived in the mail this month, money we can certainly use. Our deeply felt thanks go out to FOY Family member Jana Svoboda, Director Gina Carrington, and the other artist-owners of BLACKFISH. As a timely note, on January 31, the main gallery will open Jim Neidhardt: Modern Screen with a gallery talk by the artist on February 18 at 2 PM. If you go on First Thursday, the gallery is open until 9 PM and you’ll have time to check out work by Stephan Soihl in The Backroom. If you happen to be strolling the neighborhood, check out Carol Benson‘s work in Fishbowl 1, and Crista Anne Ames‘ in Fishbowl 2.

Left to right… our new friend Clint who volunteers to make things work at the Q Center Gallery; Allison, James, Gary, T.C., and Donna Lee.

Great group of folks who did a great job.

Much many thanks!

Focus on Youth helps keep disadvantaged youth engaged with their education by providing free photography classes and mentoring. We’ve put cameras in the hands of hundreds of low-income teens for the past eight years, and provided a safe and supportive place of learning. Many students have learning disabilities or are immigrants with limited language skills, but Focus on Youth has helped them find a new way to express themselves through photography. This past year, 100% of our students stayed in school and on track to graduation.

Focus on Youth’s 2^nd Annual Auction directly supports our life-changing photography program, and we are looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help us put it together! Last year, we successfully raised $16,000, and on September17, 2011 we plan to double that amount! All of the funds raised will provide scholarships for low-income at-risk teens to learn digital photography and computer skills.

Past Auction items include framed prints from some of the field’s most acclaimed photographers locally and internationally, ocean front cabin getaways, sailboat and river raft trips,  local wines, and relaxing spa packages.  Guests enjoyed live music and delicious hors d’oeuvres prepared by Wildwood restaurant. . Focus on Youth would love your assistance in reaching out to the community to invite their support and procure spectacular items such as these for the 2011 2^nd Annual Auction.

As part of Focus on Youth’s Auction Procurement or Sponsorship Committee, you and a team of 6 other determined volunteers will brainstorm and research possible Auction items or sponsors, make friendly inquiry calls (scripts provided), send and track Auction communication, or visit local businesses to pick-up items. We also ask for your assistance the day of the Auction on September 15th.

If you enjoy building relationships with new people, finding support for a good cause and being part of an energetic and goal-oriented team, please contact Carlene or Donna Lee at your earliest convenience at foy2011@gmail.com!

More Details: Pre-Auction

Volunteer hours: 8 hrs/month minimum

Where: Beyond initial training and planned meetings (approx. 2 monthly), you can help from home

What you need: phone, access to the Internet

CONTACT US BY EMAIL: foy2011@gmail.com

Or Call Donna Lee Holmes 503 341-6878

“Obviously, working with our students is the source of my greatest pleasure, but I have to admit that when I learned that Mr. Groban was so generously acknowledging our work, I literally burst into tears of joy”, said Donna Lee Holmes, Founder and Executive Director of Focus on Youth.  “It speaks to the kind of human being Mr. Groban is that his foundation would choose to honor and encourage a small shoestring effort like ours.  It’s an important validation of the hours and effort of our mentors and other volunteers put into having a positive impact on the lives of these young people.”

“Ensuring every child has the opportunity to experience an arts education is very important to me,” said Groban.  Focus on Youth shares this goal with me, and it gives me great pleasure to highlight the work they do.”

While Groban tours the U.S. on his  “Straight to You” tour, his Find Your Light Foundation will make a cash donation to a nonprofit arts education organization that operates in each locale n which the tour stops.  In addition, Groban is inviting the head of that nonprofit and the young people who receive services from the nonprofit to attend his concert and be recognized from the stage.  They will also have the opportunity to meet Groban prior to the performance.

Taking the foundation’s mission one step further, Groban is partnering with Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education, to launch a joint text-to-give campaign, which will run for the duration of his “Straight to You” tour in 2011.  Proceeds from the campaign will go to support both the Find Your Light Foundation and Americans for the Arts as they work to ensure every child and young adult in America has access to quality arts education.  Text ART to 50555 to make a $10 donation to the support the cause.

Groban will be in Portland Oregon to perform on August 26, 2011 as part of his “Straight To You” worldwide tour running through November.  The tour supports his recent and fifth studio album, “Illuminations” which has already been certified platinum in the U>S. Its No.4 debut on Billboards’s Top 200 chart is Groban’s fourth consecutive Top 5 Chart.  Tickets for Josh’s upcoming shows are available through http://www.ticketmaster.com.

About Find Your Light

To find our more please visit the website at http://www.findyourlightfounation.org and /or its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/findyourlightfoundation.

About Americans for the Arts

American for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts in America.  With offices in WAshington D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service.  Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts.  Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

This was a wonderful opportunity to share our mission on earth2world broadcast network and to promote our auction!

Click here to view the show. Enjoy!

Changing Lives of Portland Youth
A Great Partnership: Beard’s Framing has long partnered with local organizations that support the arts and our community. One of our favorites is Focus on Youth, a great after-school program that targets at-risk teens using photography training as a tool to develop personal voice, positive identity, social skills and artistic skills. “I’m excited to be working with Focus on Youth again this year,” says Beard’s Framing Director of Operations, Kelly Carver. “I’ve met some students and their enthusiasm and pride they take in their work is palpable. And the talent on display is inspiring. ”

“Thanks to Beard’s Framing and their amazing support, Focus on Youth is able to have a successful Art Auction that literally helps us keep our doors open in these challenging economic times. Their generous contribution to our photography mentor program allows us to put cameras into the hands of hundreds of low- income, inner city teens, which in turn helps our most vulnerable young people stay in school and succeed. We could not do what we do without the support we receive from Beard’s Framing!” says Donna Lee Holmes, Focus on Youth Executive Director and Founder.

About Focus on Youth

Empowering Youth: For the past eight years Focus on Youth has been putting cameras in the hands of low-income, high-risk youth and we have seen them transformed by the experience. Focus on Youth uses photography to empower culturally and ethnically diverse teens by providing them with creative outlets to make positive changes in their lives. We collaborate with professional photographers, schools and community organizations developing projects that engage students’ imagination and creativity while building their confidence and self-worth.

Professional Photographers serve as Volunteer Mentors: Professional photographers from The American Society of Media Photographers and The Portland Metropolitan Photographers Association who volunteer as mentors teaching digital photography and computer software programs. Our workshops include field trips around the city, in-class projects, gallery and museum visits and guest speakers over the course of ten week sessions throughout the fall, winter and spring.

Making a Difference: By putting cameras in the hands of low-income, high-risk young people from under- served neighborhoods Focus on Youth accomplishes three goals: increasing opportunities for developing students creativity using hands-on photography and computer activities, introducing students to career paths and professionals, and cultivating students ability to communicate publicly through photography exhibits and media productions for radio and cable television shows.

2nd Annual Art Auction

Focus on Youth is will hold it’s 2nd Annual Art Auction on September 17, 2011. Beard’s Framing is proud to be providing the professional framing for the fine art photography being donated including work by Art Wolfe (Travels from the Edge) and Daniel Beltra, featured on the July-August cover of American Photo Magazine. Business leaders, photographers, wine aficionados, and other fun people with extraordinary good taste will gather to support Focus on Youth Photography Project for at-risk youth. The evening will include over 100 exquisite photographs created by regional and nationally known photographers, Spa and vacation packages, and other more local indulgences. Guests will enjoy wine, delicious hors d oeuvres and live music. Tickets available now!

Learn more about the Art Auction >>

The month of March saw the launch of the ‘I Spy Joy Photography Project’ digital exhibition, which is a partnership between South Perth Youth Services (Perth & Kinross Council), and ‘Focus on Youth’, Portland, Oregon, USA. The end result of this project is a digital photography display which is being shown in many Perth and Kinross schools and Campuses as well as in Pullar House and on Youth Services City Base screens. Some of the images will also feature on the Perth & Kinross Council website.

The phrase ‘I Spy Joy’ was used as a theme for this project to encourage young people to think about positive things in their life. This could relate to positive things they have seen, things they have or could relate to the perceived joy for the potential viewers of their photographs. Photography workshops for the project in Perth took place in a variety of different venues, including Glenearn Community Campus, Perth High School and Fairview School. Young people also emailed photographs in to be considered. Some of these workshops were facilitated by local photographer Claire Fraser.

Gary Brown, Youth Services Community Learning and Development Worker for South Perth says “This project has been a great way for young people to express themselves through photography and have an opportunity to be part of an exhibition with peers from the United States.”Donna Lee Holmes, Executive Director of Focus on Youth says “Focus on Youth is delighted to be partnering with young people in Scotland for ‘I Spy Joy’, a collaborative photography projectwhere students from both countries are able to share thebeauty they have seen through photography”.For further information on the ‘I Spy Joy Photography Project’
please contact:
Gary Brown
Community Learning & Development Worker
Tel 01738 477677
Email garybrown@pkc.gov.uk