Post - The UV Life Magazine

Through the Faces of the Umpqua book and exhibition, the Arts Association honors a representative group of residents whose deeds, personalities and talents contribute to the unique spirit and outstanding livability of the Umpqua Valley.

Story by Clare Matthews

So, I had this idea. I thought it would be exciting to have an exhibition at the Umpqua Valley Art Center that celebrated local people. It would be a photographic exhibition of beautiful large prints depicting people “doing what they do” with accompanying descriptions of how well they do it.

People here are lovely. In the course of a routine day running errands, getting cars worked on, seeking health care, etc. we can count on encountering people doing their jobs well and with a smile. They make us feel better about all those chores we have to do. They make our lives easier and more pleasant.

This is a giving community. Yes, people are generous financially, but they also give their time, care and enthusiasm. I wanted to explore how we could celebrate that ethos and just let people know they are appreciated.

Project photographers Ryan Saylor, Kevin Eckerman and Jon Mitchell.

The Umpqua Valley Arts Association gallery committee, of which I am a member, responded enthusiastically to the idea, even expanding it to include a book that would represent a lasting tribute to the giving spirit of the Umpqua Valley. Gallery Director Sandee McGee and I wrote a grant that brought funding from The Ford Family Foundation.

As the project gained momentum, we wanted to involve more people. We wanted to let younger people have their say about how they see people in their lives and to tell others what they valued and appreciated in important people in their lives.

Again we were successful with a grant application, this time receiving funding for a children’s exhibition from the Douglas County Cultural Coalition.

Then the News-Review stepped up, helping promote the project through ads soliciting nominations for people to include in the Faces of the Umpqua exhibition and staffing a booth at last year’s Summer Arts Festival. Where photos were taken of residents to include in the book and on large banners hung outside the Art Center.

News-Review photographer Jon Mitchell also volunteered to start collecting our images.

Then local photographers Kevin Eckerman and Ryan Saylor joined our volunteer team. Members of the community pitched in with their nominations. Those selected for the project then gave us their personal or work time to have their photos taken.

As the project progressed, there would be images to select and edit for printing, a book to be designed and printed, framing to be done. All the while, The Boys & Girls Club of the Umpqua Valley was working with us to involve local youth in the project.

All of this volunteerism and collaboration, of course, was just another example of the giving spirit that motivated me to pursue this project.

The Faces of the Umpqua Exhibition opened Jan. 17 and ran until mid-March. The project was intended to serve as a representation of the spirit of the Umpqua Valley. It is, in a way, the beginning of a historical recording of “us,” what we look like in this moment in time, the many things we do “right” here, and a sampling of the amazing people who do them.

It can be enjoyed for years to come and serve as a daily, and lasting, reminder of the amazing people surrounding us who make us so proud to call the Umpqua Valley home.

Now smile. You too are part of this.

“Whether through the lined face of a veteran or in the smiling eyes of a youthful subject, faces tell stories. It was my good fortune, and an honor, to be able to hear and capture so many stories and help bring to life Clare Matthews’ vision for this project. I will forever be deeply affected by the people I met and hope that they too will keep this experience in their hearts.”
- Kevin Eckerman

"I saw the Faces of Umpqua project as an opportunity to help add to the culture and art scene in Douglas County. I had no idea at the time how many wonderful people I'd meet along the way and the positive impact they've made on people’s lives. It was an honor to photograph them, and these images will help ensure their legacies are recognized for years to come."
— Jon Mitchel

Clare Matthews, a weaver and retired art teacher, emigrated from England to Alabama in 2008 before moving to Roseburg in 2014. “I found my place in the world here in the Umpqua Valley,” she says. “So much so that in 2015 I became an American citizen. It’s the people that make me feel at home.”