By Amber Ford
The Mountain Times
While living among the beauty that is Mt. Hood National Forest there are natural treasures, adventures and hidden gems community members are blessed to be able to take advantage of. From hiking and skiing to mountain biking and camping, there is no shortage of activity when it comes to walking into the nature outside your front door. And while there are many organic adventures to pursue, The Cascadia Center for Arts and Crafts is one adventure available for those seeking to teach, inspire and perform.
Founded in the mid 2000s by the late master woodcrafter David Rogers, The Cascadia Center for Arts and Crafts has served to connect creative individuals with the Mt. Hood National Forest. With access to five forest service cabins, artists of all types have access to a unique environment for teaching their given trade.
While The Cascadia Center for Arts and Crafts lay dormant for some time, new President Lisa Riversong Franklin has given new life to the organization and is looking once again to connect the Mt. Hood Villages and surrounding communities with these most unique experiences. “The Cascadia Center for Arts and Crafts has always been geared towards those involved in the art community,” Franklin said. “We’re looking to do an outreach and encourage artists of all forms to take advantage of the cabins available for classes,” Franklin added.
An avid hiker, skier and all-around lover of the mountain she calls home, Franklin is excited for the new and modern changes that are coming to The Cascadia Center for Arts and Crafts. While welcoming new and modern forms of art, The Cascadia Center for Arts and Crafts remains true to its roots when it comes to trade-arts. The cabins include built-in studio spaces for blacksmithing, glass arts, kilns, burners for torch work, space for visual arts and large flat screen digitals for instructing.
The Cascadia Center for Arts and Crafts is available to rent during summer months for those interested in teaching their trade to fellow enthusiasts. August 14th through August 18th, blacksmith week will fill the forest service cabins as instructors Joe Elliot, Anton Yakushev, Mark Manley and Ben Czyhold demonstrate the skill and process wherein blacksmithing becomes a unique art form. For those interested in glass work and the creation of mosaics, local glass artist Jim Callantine of the Glass Guild will also be hosting classes this summer using the cabins provided by The Cascadia Center for Arts and Crafts.
While summer is one of the most anticipated of seasons in the Mt. Hood National Forest, The Cascadia Center for Arts and Crafts hopes to use the beauty and space of the forest service cabins to enhance visions and projects for all types of artists. For those interested in booking a cabin or attending one of their unique classes, please visit https://www.cascadiaart.org/class-schedule/