From Student to Executive Director

I was a non-traditional student, going back to school after a long career in retail. I always wanted to study art, but I was influenced by outside forces to believe it wasn’t possible. My return to school began at COCC — it changed everything for me and opened my world to new possibilities.

Through my public health courses at COCC, I became a College Ambassador for Planned Parenthood. My volunteer work teaching peers at COCC and OSU-C about sexual and reproductive health set up not only a love of service, but a path for understanding the intersections between the work of an artist and public health ambassador. These two disciplines influence my work today profoundly.

As Executive Director, I am responsible for overseeing not only the long-term projection of the organization, but the smallest details. I work closely with funders, artists, staff and volunteers to ensure our exhibitions and arts programming are accessible, educational and extraordinary. My day to day can include grant writing, meetings with city officials and welcoming 7th graders for an educational visit to the gallery. I also work closely with our Patricia Clark Studio Artists to offer feedback and professional development.

Scalehouse works closely with OSU-C daily, from hosting student interns to participating in and hosting the AMT capstone process. Bringing Bend Design to campus felt like a natural progression. Before becoming Executive Director, I advocated passionately for the conference to be accessible for students, so it was exciting to see that dream realized.

Though not necessarily art courses, my courses with Dr. Cornelius Browne prepared me as a writer and critical thinker, skills that are of the utmost importance in my role. School also became a place to learn how to become a better person. Navigating the many personalities of a college campus (alongside a global pandemic and historical reckoning of power systems), I learned how to share my ideas in a way that provided space for growth and feedback from others.

College, much like the artist’s practice, is a process of growth. We start with an idea or question, and through the pursuit of knowing, are pushed and pulled in ways that are sometimes unexpected. The end result is a celebration of the process. This result might be something worthy of display (or maybe not). The meaningful parts, those that create change, come from the willingness to try, to adapt, to proceed.