Washougal art lover named to commission

Yvonne Gee is not an artist herself, but she has become one of the key figures in the art community since moving to Washougal in 2019, publicly supporting and promoting the work of her partner, their friends, and local organizations.

Now, Gee is widening her reach. In January, the Washougal City Council approved Gee’s appointment to the Clark County Art Commission.

“I’ve always wanted to get involved in some kind of art thing,” said Gee, who lives in rural Washougal. “I’m not an artist, but I support the arts, I’m a patron of the arts, (and) I feel like everybody should have arts in their life.”

The 11-member Clark County Arts Commission promotes awareness and support of the arts, expands accessibility to art in public places, and supports collaboration among arts patrons, artists, the business community, service groups and cultural organizations, according to the county’s website.

The Commission also “supports local artists and arts groups in their efforts to secure grants and other financing and celebrate the creative talents and diverse skills of Clark County residents,” the website states.

Gee has worked diligently during the past several years to build Washougal’s art community as well, partnering with Van Zandt to put on on a variety of activities and events, including sculpture workshops, drum circles, salsa dancing classes, “sound baths” and more at Van Zandt’s home studio/gallery.

“We want to make this space kind of a gathering area. It’s a stopping point for people,” she said. “(We’re) just trying to get people out of their houses. They need to get out, they need to meet their neighbors, they need to see what’s going on in their community and be supportive of it. Don’t go all the way to Portland. We have so much right here.”

While attending the University of California-Berkeley, where she earned a degree in anatomy/physiology in the late 1980s, she worked for Cal Performances, a performing arts presenting, commissioning and producing organization. While attending Hahnemann University Hospital (Philadelphia), where she earned a masters’ degree in physical therapy in the early 1990s, she worked as an usher for several theaters.

“I was behind the scenes,” she said. “I would be on the working side of it, but I was always involved. … There are no rules around art. You get to do what you want to do. If you love it, you get to do it. If someone else loves it, too, that’s even better. You just really get to find what’s inside you, and you get to put it out there for other people to see. You don’t get to do that with many professions or jobs. I think everyone needs access to art. It’s a creative outlet and a creative inlet.”

For more information about the classes and events at Van Zandt’s studio, visit vanzandtstudio.net.