Shop 3 of the 9 participating businesses to be eligible to win two 3 day GLA passes to the Fairwell Festival. Drop of completed tic tac shop to Harcourt’s The Garner Group 444 6th St Redmond OR 97756 to enter the raffle. The drawing will take place @ 8:15 July 5th. Do not need to be present to win.

Join Enjoy Downtown Redmond & Dry Canyon Art’s Association for First Friday, where downtown businesses host local artist’s, musicians, & photographers. Take a stroll in historic Downtown Redmond, visit the shop’s and restaurants to find First Friday promotions, artists and libations.

MEET THATCHER
Thatcher is a happy 7 1⁄2 year old in 1st Grade who
lives locally with his older brother, younger sister, Dad and Mom. He was diagnosed with a rare form of dwarfism that stems from a genetic disorder. It took 5 years and several misdiagnoses to confirm that he suffers from the non-classic form of Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata or RCDP, he is one of 16 people worldwide with this diagnosis. There is only one team of specialists at Children’s Hospital in Delaware who treat children with RCDP. At 12 months, he was diagnosed with Epilepsy. By the time he was 4, he was experiencing 50-100 seizures per day. At 31⁄2, he was diagnosed with Autism. His hips were deformed and had major hip surgery last year. He has shortened femur bones caused by Coxa Vera, cataracts and intellectual disabilities which leave him developmentally at the age of a 9-12 month old. His RCDP has also led to heart and respiratory issues. He began taking steps in 2022 but requires constant supervision due to poor balance, coordination and seizure activity. Outside of his home, he uses his wheelchair to get around. He is non verbal and uses a few gestures to communicate. He loves balls, trucks and anything musical. His favorite pastime is watching fast cars and playing with his older brother. On Wednesday, Jul 3rd, Oishi will be celebrating its 11th anniversary and wants to give back to the Community. They will donate ALL of the sales on that day to help Thatcher and family with his needs. A Contribution Jar is on the counter at the restaurant and Silent Auction Items will be available for bidding beginning on June 12th. Please help us Take care of Thatcher and be a part of this heart-warming event!!

Spokesman Article

By Tim Trainor

John Maggiora, a local Redmond artist, recently completed his newest mural at Testimony Wine Bar.   His past work includes the murals at SCP Hotel and Junction Coffee Roasters. I had the privilege of chatting with John about both his creative and personal journey.  As a Redmond-raised kid, his artistic journey started with a nudge from a particular high school art instructor. After graduating, he ultimately opted to leave the area to see if the grass truly was greener on the other side of the fence.  It wasn’t long though before he headed home with a new appreciation for how special Oregon, and his hometown, truly were.

Kari, the owner of Testimony Wine Bar, recognized the talent that John brought to his work and hired him to create a mural that represents Redmond’s community – combining the wine landscape within its story.  She couldn’t be more pleased with the final results and was happy to give John free reign in the design.

Q. When did you know you wanted to create art?

I always loved art. When I was 6 years old I distinctly remember my grandma asking me if I wanted to be an artist when I grew up and my small undeveloped six year old mind responded with the utmost clarity “yes”. Early on I wanted to illustrate comic books. I grew up sneaking into the comic book section in the old redmond library and I’d put a comic book in between the biggest book I could find. Probably looked like such a studious bookworm as a little kid with a huge encyclopedia open in his lap. Little did they know.

.My love for the arts only grew and diversified as I got older – I got into graphic and web design in college, then moved to Seattle and cut my teeth in the ad and production agency worlds as an art director, animator, illustrator, and more producing TV spots for companies like The Seahawks, T-Mobile, and  Amazon. I’ve since owned and started a few businesses but I kinda always wanted the chance to come back to the area and get back into the fine arts again. In 2021 I got that chance, I moved back, bought my dream home in downtown redmond and have been trying to give back art to a place that really nurtured and cultivated me as an artist in the first place.

Q. What or who is your muse or where do you find your inspiration?

I love a good problem. For example when a client comes to me and says “we want people to feel X when they walk in the door” that changes how I design their mural, logo, interior, branding, etc. I meet a lot of young or aspiring artists who are searching for their “style” or their “voice” – my advice is always either 1. find a problem you are passionate about solving or addressing, or 2. find a client who will give you one of theirs and the style and the voice will come as you create. My art has always been inspired by solving or addressing problems. My favorite artists do the same.

Q. Who are your favorite artist/s

It feels like so much good art is coming out everyday. I am continually blown away by the art of strangers online thousands and thousands of miles away from me all around the world. It feels slightly unsophisticated not to pay homage to the old dead so called greats I learned about in my endless art history lectures but to be frank I’m more inspired by everyday artists of instagram and Behance whose names I may never know. It’s cool to me that I can’t remember their names because in my experience ego is the enemy of good art. Art and art should never be about us – art should just be about art. Now I’m getting too deep.

Q.What kind/type of art do you see doing in your future?

Gosh I love it all. I currently enjoy photography, branding, marketing strategy, consulting, illustration work, graphic design, murals, and all mediums of fine art. So a ton more of all that I hope!

Q. How did you come to doing large scale paintings like these , on buildings?

I was a sophomore the founding year of RPA and I had this phenomenal art teacher named Ethan Stelzer, who I still believe teaches at RPA , he organized a class to pitch to city hall for a mural in celebration of Redmond’s Centennial. It’s certainly no magnum opus but it was enough to get me excited for bigger pieces like this. I did that one and one more by myself a year or so later on the old Green Plow Coffee Roasters window that got me in the paper and then.. I stopped for the next near decade as I went on to college, working, and running my own businesses. But I always wanted to return one day to do more and so when I moved back I thankfully got the opportunity – first with Junction Roasters, then SCP Hotel, and now Testimony Winery. Could not be more thankful to them for the opportunity!

Q. What is your favorite thing about being an artist?

Not to be too deep but I believe art assigns a special kind of meaning to things and places. It declares, and historically always has, that “this” matters. Take a wall for instance. Before a mural everyone rushes right by it without giving it two glances. But, add a mural to it and suddenly people not only feel differently about that wall but the whole area. They walk slower, they show their friends that wall, they relax by that wall. In other words it both slows us all down and helps us connect because art says something about what is valuable and meaningful. Of course it’s a whole community endeavor but ff I have done my role right as an artist or a designer – people will feel more connected to their neighborhoods, neighbors, and businesses by the art I add to them. When that happens, I’m satisfied.