Washougal Arts Commission finds its members

It took some time, but the Washougal Arts Commission, founded in May 2018, finally has commissioners.

Established by the city council to identify and actively encourage the development and sustainability of arts in the city, the Commission suffered from a lack of interest during its first year and city of Washougal leaders had trouble finding volunteers to serve as commissioners.

More than one year later, the commission finally has commissioners.

“It’s very exciting,” said Washougal parks and cemetery manager Suzuanne Grover, who is heading the Commission. “We have been a growing art community, and the Commission will add to the efforts that have already been made.”

Washougal Mayor Molly Coston introduced the nine commissioners during the Jan. 13 city council meeting.

The Commission will identify and actively encourage the development and sustainability of the arts in Washougal by serving as the city’s primary resource in matters of public art and culture, according to the city’s website.

“Art is coming whether the Commission exists or not, and the Commission provides structure so the city has a process for accepting that art,” Grover said. “It provides a tool for Washougal to expand its arts in publicly owned spaces. And the city will have more control over what art is provided or gifted to the city. It also enables the city to offer some financial assistance to the arts, which is a nice bonus.”

The new arts commissioners are Washougal residents Kaylyn Schmidt, Jeffree White, Jim Cooper, Jon Dewey, Linda Dalton, Christy Caplan and Annice Attoe; Camas resident Alena Guggemos; and Vancouver resident Melanie Poe.

Attoe, Caplan, Schmidt and White attended the Jan. 13 city council meeting.

White, a musician, owns and operates the Washougal School of Music, which offers private instruction in piano and a variety of string instruments.

“I (have served) about 100 students, and I’m proud to be able to do that for the community,” he said. “I’ve also been a performing artist for years, and I’ve worked with hundreds of different artists, and I’ve seen first-hand how (the arts) can bring communities together, not just on the artists’ side but on the audience side. I’m happy to help promote that endeavor in Washougal.”

Caplan is a freelance writer and author of “Wag and Cluck,” a blog about health and wellness with an emphasis on alternative techniques, enrichment ideas for dogs and outdoor tales.

“I’m just thrilled to be able to add as many values as I can to the Commission,” she said. “It’s going to be so fun.”

“It was very tough to narrow it down,” Grover said. “We had so many qualified candidates. It was amazing. I didn’t realize the pool of talent in the community was so large. Ideally, we would have been able to select all of them.”

“I was just absolutely completely impressed, not only with everybody who (was selected), but everybody that applied,” Yost, a WACA member, said at the Jan. 13 meeting. “It was incredible to see the outpouring of support and enthusiasm. I have a novel’s worth of notes just based on those interviews. Based on that alone, I think we have some pretty incredible things in our future.”

Joyce Lindsay, a former Washougal city councilwoman and WACA board member, began advocating for the creation of an arts committee in 2018, telling the council in May 2018 that “it is important for the city to have a say about the art that is coming into the city.”

“She’s not here now, but I’d like to give thanks to Joyce Lindsay for starting this,” Washougal City Councilman Ray Kutch said at the Jan. 13 meeting. “She’s been a big mover and shaker. We often disagreed, but we often agreed on things, and we both agree that the arts are so important to our community. They can be a strong asset for our community. (The new arts commissioners) have a tough job, but they can bring some new and fresh ideas to make Washougal a beautiful city for people to want to come to.”

Other council members voiced their support of the Commission at the Jan. 13 meeting.

“I think it’s going to be fascinating to see the value that it brings to the community,” Coston said. “I would love to sit in the back row at the first meeting just to see the interpersonal dynamics and energy develop.”