The Sherman County Photography Club is a place for photography enthusiasts to talk about the hobby they love, trade tips, critique photos, and enjoy the company of fellow photo nerds.
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August 2024 Featured Artist: Sam Larsen
Sam Larsen is returning to our Featured Artist wall for August this year. Sam is not a local in Sherman County but has spent a lot of time photographing and researching old buildings and properties around Sherman County. After his retirement in 2006 and some extra time on his hands, he picked up his camera and began exploring Oregon’s rural landscapes. He fell in love with the rural scenes including old farm buildings, especially barns! As time rolls on some of these old buildings no longer exist and many locals are grateful to have them captured in Larsen’s images. We are grateful for this visual record of our county.
Sam grew up in a small farming community in southern Wisconsin. As a teen, he worked on his grandfather’s farm, baling hay and cultivating corn. After graduating from high school, he studied chemistry, eventually earning a PhD from the University of Texas. In 1979, Sam joined a process development group at Eli Lilly and Co. For Larsen, research often involved spending countless hours with a microscope taking pictures of crystals, and analyzing for ideal form and purity.
All photos were taken by Sam Larsen in Sherman County between 2013 and 2022 on private property. Property access was gained with the permission of the property owners. Larsen is very appreciative and thankful to all those who granted him the opportunity to photograph the beautiful landscape of Sherman County. Larsen is always very aware of his surroundings and practiced fire safety parking and used on-foot access at all property locations.
July 2024 Featured Artists: Saving Nines 4-H Sewing Club Projects
The Sherman County Saving Nines 4H Sewing Club constructed the Emma Jean Smith 4H Memorial Quilt this year, using much of the fabric that Lowell Smith donated to the sewing club. Each student made two quilt blocks to create the quilt! They are thrilled that Lowell donated so much fabric and sewing supplies that Emma Jean had in her home. Emma Jean would be very proud to see her fabric and the skills she taught being handed down to yet another generation of sewers. A special THANK YOU and recognition to Lowell Smith for his generosity! THANK YOU also to Lisa Shafer – Lisa’s in Stitches for donating the batting, backing, and quilting of the quilt.
If you would like to buy tickets, they are $5 each or 5 for $20. You can contact Kara Lanthorn at klanthorn@gmail.com or call or text her at 541-993-3012 to purchase tickets. Please also look for the club at the local farmers markets in Grass Valley on July 13 and August 10, as well as at the fair on August 21 – 24. Funds from the quilt raffle will go to purchasing more supplies for the sewing club.
This year the club has 19 members, 8 of whom are first-year sewers. They have worked on potholders, table runners, candy zipper pouches, elastic waistband pants and skirts, blouses, make-up caddies, tote bags, quilts, dress pants, and dress skirts. The students will all have at least one wearable item at the fair and many will also have a non-wearable item.
They are very grateful for the generous funds the James Weir Memorial Fund provided to our club for purchasing 10 new sewing machines, a serger, a quilting machine, and many sewing supplies. They would not be able to do all of this teaching and learning without the use of these amazing new machines. They have saved so much time, not having to fix machines at all times.
June 2024 Featured Artist: Stacy Bird
Fifth-generation Sherman Countain, Stacy Bird, showcases her unique eye for rural photography - featuring her two fan favorites: Murray the Furry Farm Cat and Loranzo the Longhorn.
Growing up on a farm near Starvation Point, her place was homesteaded in the late 1890s by the RA Murrays (whom Murray the car is named after), then the Kennys, and now the Birds. Stacy counts her blessings daily for having ample opportunities to capture her signature country flair and cat hair.
You can find more prints, cards, and other goodies here at the museum store; The Mezzanine located in the Oregon Frontier Chamber of Commerce in Condon, OR; the Breezeway Antiques in The Dalles, OR; various local farmer’s markets/bazaars; or online at Facebook @Birdie’s Bits and Pieces or Instagram @smbirdie
August 2023 Featured Artist: Sam Larsen Photography
Sam Larsen’s photography of places around Sherman County will be featured at the Sherman County Historical Museum for the month of August. Larsen has been retired since 2006. With some extra time on his hands, he picked up his camera and began exploring Oregon’s rural landscapes. He fell in love with the rural scenes including old farm buildings, especially barns! As time rolls on some of these old buildings no longer exist and many locals are grateful to have them captured in Larsen’s images.
Sam grew up in a small farming community in southern Wisconsin. As a teen, he worked on his grandfather’s farm, baling hay and cultivating corn. After graduating from high school, he studied chemistry, eventually earning a PhD from the University of Texas. In 1979, Sam joined a process development group at Eli Lilly and Co. For Larsen, research often involved spending countless hours with a microscope taking pictures of crystals, analyzing for ideal form and purity.
All photos were taken by Sam Larsen in Sherman County between 2013 and 2022 on private property. Property access was gained with the permission of the property owners. Larsen is very appreciative and thankful to all those that granted him the opportunity to photograph the beautiful landscape of Sherman County. Larsen is always very aware of his surroundings and practiced fire safety parking and used on-foot access at all property locations.
Thanks Sam for sharing your artwork with the Sherman County Historical Museum. Please stop by and view this outstanding Featured Artist display now through Labor Day.
May 2023 Featured Artist: Sherman County School Students
May 2023 is featuring the artwork of Sherman County’s young artists from Sherman Elementary. During the month of May, come see the display of the kids art in the museum lobby. This exhibit is free of charge and a great way to enjoy the talents of our young budding artist!
September 2022 Featured Artist: Sherman County Photography Club
In 2015, the Sherman County Photography Club was formed so community members that shared the passion for photography could share, discover and learn new ways to have fun with photography. New members are always welcome to join and participate. Monthly meetings on the 4th Monday of every month at 6pm at the SC Extension Building in Moro, Oregon which is attended by members and guests. Usually there is a guest speaker and/or a lesson for the current month's topic. Field trips are planned and members are encouraged to submit 2 recent photos related to the monthly topic. If you like to take photos you will enjoy your time being involved with the Sherman County Photography Club. This months display are photos that were entries in the Sherman County Fair.
July 2022 Featured Artist: Quilts Showcasing Emma Jean Smith
June 2022 Featured Artist: Celilo Falls
On March 10, 1957, hundreds of observers looked on as a rising Lake Celilo rapidly silenced the falls, submerged fishing platforms, and consumed the village of Celilo, ending an age-old existence for those who lived there.
Celilo Falls was a tribal fishing area on the Columbia River, just east of the Cascade Mountains, on what is today the border between the U.S. states of Oregon and Washington, approximately 13 miles upstream from the The Dalles, Oregon.
The falls formed a rough horseshoe shape across the river, with two nearby ancient Indian villages – Wyam, on the Oregon side of the river, and S’kin on the Washington side that disappeared into the reservoir behind the dam, now referred to as Lake Celilo. Indians fished along the entire stretch of the river from the falls to The Dalles, but were most active near the base of the falls and the Long Narrows. In the narrows areas, basalt outcroppings provided places to stand along and in the river’s flow, and the protruding rocks swirled the river into opaque turbulence that concealed the Indian’s nets from the sharp-eyed salmon. Farther upstream, others fished with spear, hook and net from perches on timber scaffold over the crashing water at the very base of the falls.
In addition to providing a bountiful and predictable supply of salmon the area around the falls became the center of an Indian trading network that stretched to British Columbia in the north, California to the south, and east as far as the Great Plains. Lewis and Clark took the first rough census of the population along this portion of the Columbia and estimated that in 1805 and 1806, between 7,400 and 10,400 Indians were living permanently or seasonally encamped between the Cascade Rapids (not far from Cascade Locks) and past The Dalles, Oregon.
After the catastrophic Vanport flood in 1948 the Columbia River and Willamette River ran wild claiming 52 lives and causing significant destruction. After many years of studies and meetings had taken place regarding the river and dams, it was the Flood Control Act of 1950 that Congress directed the Corp of Engineers to construct and operate at The Dalles site a multipurpose dam that would ease navigation, generate hydroelectric power, and help control Columbia River floods. When the dam was completed Celilo Falls was submerged and silenced forever and the waters downstream from the dam became Lake Celilo.
*colored photo donated by Doug Reid, framed photos donated by Greg Greenwood, and misc. prints from local photographer Chet Coats, other photos found in collection*
May 2022 Featured Artist: Sherman County School Students
May 2022 is featuring the artwork of Sherman County’s young artists from Sherman Elementary. During the month of May, come see the display of the kids art in the museum lobby. This exhibit is free of charge and a great way to enjoy the talents of our young budding artist!
May 2021 Featured Artist: Sherman Elementary School Students
May 2022 is featuring the artwork of Sherman County’s young artists from Sherman Elementary. During the month of May, come see the display of the kids art in the museum lobby. This exhibit is free of charge and a great way to enjoy the talents of our young budding artist! The second graders used mixed media to create tigers and Mexican suns. The third graders created abstract watercolor paintings.
