Bits 'n' Pieces: Singer helps bring creative women together

Vancouver vocalist Mary Beth Felker, owner of The Voice Project and founder of the women artists network pdxcreativexchange, helps drive talent to the second annual SWAN Day PDX.

Vancouver vocalist Mary Beth Felker, owner of The Voice Project and founder of the women artists network pdxcreativexchange, helps drive talent to the second annual SWAN Day PDX.

Jack Osier

When the organizer of Support Women Artists Now Day PDX needed talent to fill her entertainment lineup, she turned to Vancouver musician Mary Beth Felker. Felker co-founded pdXcreative Xchange, a networking group for women in creative industries, and was able to help drum up musicians, artists and writers for the event.

"We went to her to help spread the word," said Ana Ammann of Tigard, Ore., the woman behind the festivities and a member of Felker's group.

The mission of Support Women Artists Now Day, scheduled for March 28-29 in Portland, aligned well with pdXcreativeXchange, said Felker, a 39-year-old gospel, jazz and soul singer.

Nurturing creativity is one of Felker's passions. In addition to creating music, she teaches through The Voice Project, her vocal training, production and recording company. She works out of Vancouver, Seattle and Portland. She also teaches remotely via Skype.

To connect with other musicians and people in similarly creative fields, Felker helped start pdXcreativeXchange two-and-a-half years ago. It's an invitation-only Yahoo! Group that meets monthly for a Wednesday Whoop-de-do, and the some 140 members include graphic designers, fashion designers, filmmakers and public relations professionals. Felker planned to have a table at Support Women Artists Now Day PDX to introduce more people to the group.

"PdXcreativeXchange is this great melting pot of women," she said.

Vancouver's Jack Osier said he eagerly accepted the invitation to be part of a Central Washington University alumni art exhibition that brought together the work of artists who had graduated from the university before 1980.

"I thought it would be neat to get back together and see each other," said Osier, 62, who retired last year after teaching for 35 years in the Evergreen School District.

Osier said the last time he had spent some time with a group of his former classmates was when one of their professors had died.

The April 2007 show at the university's Sarah Spurgeon Gallery and at Gallery One Visual Arts Center in Ellensburg turned out to be just the beginning. As part of the exhibit, the university produced a catalogue, "Crossroads and Connections: Central Washington University Alumni Exhibition," which features Osier's work with that of the other artists invited to the show.

Osier has participated in other large-scale exhibits, such as the Northwest Designer Craftsmen's "Looking Forward, Glancing Back" show in 2004, which chronicled 50 years of work and was held at three prominent Northwest venues including what is now the Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland.

But as a teacher, the Central Washington University alumni exhibit was particularly special to Osier because it represented an opportunity to see how his former classmates and professors' work had evolved.

"It was very inspiring," Osier said.

Among the pieces that Osier exhibited was a hand-constructed and hand-thrown teapot that measured about 15 to 18 inches in diameter.

"It's kind of a nice honor to be asked by your university to show your work," Osier said.

"Crossroads and Connections," which lists for $29.95, can be ordered through Washington State University Press by calling 800-354-7360 or visiting wsupress.wsu.edu.

Bits 'n' Pieces appears Mondays and Fridays. If you have a story you'd like to share, call Features Editor Elisa Williams, 360-735-4561, or e-mail elisa.williams@columbian.com.