Reflecting on a year of art in Oregon

It takes days of filming and then more days of editing to create a story for Oregon Art Beat. It is through this process that we begin to see the faint outlines of an artist’s journey, understanding the significance of their work.

The artists we met this year were generous in sharing this journey with us — from contemporary dance and photography, to paintings inspired by a childhood in Cuba, to murals capturing the essence of Oregon life.

We also remember artists we lost this year, including Eunice Parsons and Tom Spanbauer, important figures in the arts world, their gifts influencing current generations of artists and writers.

The things we take away from 2024 are the artists' dedication to their work, and a commitment to creating a shared experience through it. As always, we’re honored that Oregon’s artists share their stories with us.

On a near-freezing morning in December we met photographer Brendon Burton for a long drive down Highway 19, near Condon, Oregon. Brendon creates hauntingly beautiful images of abandoned houses and stark rural landscapes. I loved watching the sense of wonder he brings to each new location, searching for the frame that will evoke the feelings left behind in these empty places. At our last stop, at a turn of the century farmhouse, it started snowing. Those are some of my favorite scenes from the story, seeing Brendon hard at work as the snow falls around him.

• Eric Slade

I was blown away by Andy Akiho’s artistry and humility. We spent half a day filming him composing music at his favorite coffee shop, and not once did he mention that he’d just been nominated for three Grammys the day before! I read about it in the news after our shoot.

• Geneva Chin

My most memorable story that aired in 2024 was watching Eugene muralist Liza Mana Burns bring her stunning paintings to life in her studio. Her bright and intricate murals encourage audiences to stop, and look closer at the details, where the true magic is hidden. It was such a pleasure telling her story about what it means to be a working artist and mother.

• Steven Tonthat

Family is sometimes an afterthought in professional bios, but not for Dani Rowe, the artistic director of Oregon Ballet Theatre. She credits her two young daughters for being a huge source of creative inspiration. She values their candid, unfiltered opinions on ideas, music, and movement. It was fun filming Dani and her daughters’ messy playtime. She says that same energy spills into the studio, where she fosters a collaborative, free-flowing approach to choreography. It’s refreshing to see her seamlessly embrace both career and family with pride.

• Geneva Chin

In April of this year, I went into production for two Art Beat stories based in Hood River: Nancy Houfek Brown and Amirra Malak. I chose to film that month because in late April/early May, the spring flowers start blooming and I wanted to capture the scenic beauty of the Columbia Gorge. The visuals would help illustrate the stories that both Nancy and Amirra shared with me about how the natural beauty of the gorge inspires their aesthetics, which could not be more different from one another: Nancy paints geometric abstractions of landscapes and Amirra creates installations of ‘liminal spaces’ derived from water, light and an ancient form of Egyptian textiles.

I spent a week in Hood River filming. At the end of the very first shoot day, my crew and I went up to Rowena Crest to film scenics. Rowena Crest is one of the spots Nancy loves to paint. When we arrived, it was “golden hour” — meaning the sun was low in the sky and was casting a golden light across that part of the world in that very moment, which lasted about 45 seconds. I had timed our production well to coincide with early spring blooms, but nothing could have prepared me for the beauty we encountered. The balsam flowers were in full bloom and when washed in that golden light, they appeared electrified.

My cinematographer, Brooke Herbert, and sound recordist, Zack Carver-Gustin, and I were awestruck. We kept gasping and saying, “it’s like Oz! It’s like Oz!” Brooke feasted on the visuals with her camera. And as we stood amid the real world and what we saw through the lens, we had the shared experience of realizing we were making art too — for Art Beat. In my 27 years of filmmaking, I have seldom filmed a more beautiful aspect of our planet. No wonder artists are inspired by the Gorge. It is both magical and real.

• Kate McMahon

The most fun I had this year by far was working on the Oregon Country Fair shoot. The shoot itself was challenging with the heat, dust and shifting exposure between bright sunshine and deep shadows. But it was fun and entertaining to film the diverse artists, musicians and culture of the fair. The best part was getting to bond with all of my friends and colleagues from OPB during filming and in the evenings at our group house.

• Dan Evans

Join us in 2025 for our special one-hour documentary on the history and impact of the Oregon Country Fair, premiering July 10, 2025.