Port Townsend and Jefferson County Leader

5/14/2008

Haskins, Cole honored for Arts

"Essential" was a word mentioned several times at the Port Townsend Arts Commission ceremony May 9 honoring the Angel of the Arts and Patron of the Arts.

 

Sixty people gathered at City Hall for a reception and ceremony to honor Jay Haskins as Arts Angel and Mark Cole as Arts Patron.

 

"Both of them have given so much," noted Linda Okazaki, Port Townsend Arts Commission member and creator of the art given as the award.

 

This is the eighth Angel award, and the first time that public nominations were sought. The nominees were all "fabulous," said Stan Rubin, arts commission chairman. "It was a really rich year."

 

The two awards showcase "the great volunteerism that marks our community, especially in the arts," Rubin noted.

 

Haskins was honored for his hands-on work at Northwind Arts Center, where he has hung lighting and exhibits as well as curated shows. He got involved when Northwind opened in 2002, and he has been credited with helping the venue survive.

 

The man who came to town in 1979 as a shipbuilder and became a printmaker in the local arts scene is described as the type of person who is "absolutely essential" to making art shows happen. He serves on the board of Corvidae Press, a printmaking guild in residence at Centrum. He's also part of the local music scene, performing with the Yesango marimba ensemble.

 

"I feel that everything I've done, lots of other people are involved in," said Haskins modestly.

Patron of the Arts

 

The arts commission selected its first Patron of the Arts in 2006, and for 2007 named Mark Cole.

 

Cole has lived in Port Townsend for 15 years and opened The Upstage Restaurant 10 years ago. Three years after opening the venue, he was at a community gathering and estimated that he knew 70 percent of the people in attendance.

 

"I knew I had a hometown," he said, and that's why he continues to sacrifice to keep The Upstage viable as a venue for local musicians and national acts. He makes his facility available for fundraisers and has been particularly generous with younger performers.

 

"This town is so unique and its art components are so unique," Cole said, noting he wished those various elements could be even better connected. He hopes for a great future in Port Townsend for children and adults.

 

Deputy Mayor George Randels said he was "really, really proud" of the arts commission because he knows it does great and important work.

 

A thriving arts community, he said, is not a "frill" but rather "essential" to this city's economy. Businesses such as The Upstage bring visitors and provide the type of offerings attractive to newcomers with a taste for culture.

 

"The role business plays within our community is so important," Rubin added.

The Port Townsend Arts Commission is dedicated to supporting the creation of all the arts in a town with a unique number of artists and devotees of the arts. It is our mission as an appointed city commission to facilitate public arts programs that enhance the quality of life of all citizens.

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