Sesquicentennial Celebration Planning Begins at OHS

November 15 and 16 saw Michael and Tom leading a workshop with Marsha Mathews, Director of Public Services, staff and experts from around the state at the Oregon Historical Society to determine the thematic blueprint and how to extend the Oregon My Oregon exhibit into the 20th and 21st century. George L. Vogt, Executive Director communicated his vision before sleeves were rolled up and brows furrowed as participants plunged into issues and discussions around the new exhibit. Exhibit Curator, Dr. Stephen Dow Beckham was joined by Bill Willingham, Corps of Engineers; Roberta Connor, Director, Tamastslikt Cultural Institute; Randy Gregg, Editor-in-Chief, Portland Spaces; Chet Orloff, Past Director, OHS; Steve Forrester, newspaper publisher, Astoria; Jerry Hudson, OHS Board Member; Jackie Peterson, WSU Professor, OHS Board Member; Ernesto Gamboa, University of Washington and Bob Boyd, Curator, High Desert Museum.



And yes, your humble scribes explored the further reaches of Powell’s bookshelves and sampled the extraordinary collections of the Portland Art Museum. We highly recommend a visit to the beautifully presented OHS temporary exhibit The GI Dream: Family, Home, Peace & Prosperity, for a glimpse into a world of not so long ago, that is influencing contemporary design today.

The week of November 5th found Bianca, Tom and Michael enjoying the welcoming hospitality of the Jackson Hole Historical Society.


We plunged into invigorating and enjoyable sessions with the Museum’s staff, Executive Director, Lokey Lytjen, and key staff Karen Reinhart, Linda Franklin, and Shannon Sullivan along with board members Joe Albright and Marilynn Mullikin. The community was consulted and the ‘experts’ listened to, the old-timers, youth, museum volunteers, board members and humanities scholars from around the state. These voices will shape the intent and contents of the proposed new museum.


We presented to museum staff two exhibit concepts incorporating information gleaned from previous sessions, including iconic or significant artifacts, each designed to fit the footprint devised by Charles Rose Architects Inc. The museum will utilize LEED principles in a recycled structure with both interior and exterior exhibits.


Downtown Jackson




Thanks to Lokey for driving us around the valley and allowing us to “feel” and feast our eyes on the land, the air, the quietness, and the jaw-dropping grandeur of the vistas as the setting sun painted the mountains and the clouds.

Our Scottish friends Jim Stewart and Mike Devlin from Click Netherfield, joined Americans, Chuck Maltbie and Ryan Storch of Maltbie Inc. (a Kubic Company) on a quick sidetrip from an interview in Vancouver to present us with a sample showcase, that well, just clicked together. The last time we saw Jim was in Taiwan where we teamed for an interview at the Fo Guang Shan Monastery for the opportunity to design exhibits for the Buddha Memorial Hall.


Jim, Mike and Ryan "clicking" the showcase together


Handing over the keys


A beautiful day for a scenic flight on the seaplane

Western Museum Conference 2007

Bianca, Tom, Amy and Bill attended the Western Museum Association Conference in Oakland, California, complete with a new, greener booth designed by us and supplied by Lee Derrett of Coastal Displays PLUS, adjacent to our friends Bruce Arnold, Colleen Thorpe, Greg Murphy of Jones & Jones Architects. Outside the Conference Center we discovered Caffe 1817 for great Portuguese breakfasts and inside the Conference Center we renewed acquaintances with Kathleen Brown, Angela Neller, Noel Ratch, Wayne Wilson, Bill Johnson and met new friends Jesse Siess, Linda Waterfield, Joanna Fisher, Marty Marfin, Daniel Spock, Victoria Roth and Karen Kosasa.


Amy and Bill in the booth


Bianca and Tom chatting with Bill Johnson from the Atomic Testing Museum


Unwinding after a long day in the booth at the neighbourhood pub


Amy and Tom on the ferry from Oakland to San Fransisco


Coming into San Fransisco on the ferry from Oakland