Culture

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The ancient Mesopotamians believed each person had a personal god called an *ilu* who acted as a protector, guide, and intercessor with the greater gods. You’re in a phase when your own *ilu* is extra active and ready to undergo an evolutionary transformation. So assume that you will be able to […]

Reading your first Stephen King book has always seemed like a rite of passage as one transitions from reading young adult and children’s books to novels for grown-ups. The first book aimed at adults I can ever remember cracking open was King’s 1983 “Pet Semetary,” which not only scared the sweet, innocent hell out of […]

There’s a bounty of local plays, musicals and ballets to ease you into the holiday spirit. The Greenhouse Cabaret is producing the musical, “Once” It’s a love story set against a gritty Irish backdrop. The production won an Oscar for Best Original Song in 2008, a Tony Award for Best Musical in 2o012, a Grammy […]

Wander around Bend on a sunny fall afternoon and it’s clear that the Central Oregon art scene is thriving. Nearly a dozen art galleries do business in Central Oregon, with lively art events popping up on the calendar on constant rotation. Plenty of other shops sell art by local artists or those from far away […]

“What can design do in the next five years to increase outcomes for everyone?” This is the question Marley Weedman Lorish, Bend Design’s organizer and executive director of Scalehouse Collaborative for The Arts, poses to the remarkable creatives speaking at this year’s conference. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Bend Design, put on by […]

Color. Coziness. Cohesion. If you’re pondering an update to your living space and wondering how to incorporate current trends, those are the key elements to embrace, say local design experts. “I think the biggest trend right now is people are bringing a lot of color into their space and prints are coming back in, too, […]

High Desert Chamber Music is on the cusp of its 18th season bringing professional chamber music groups to Central Oregon. Founder and Executive Director Isabelle LaForêt Senger is a virtuosic violinist in her own right and a member of the esteemed Crown City String Quartet. She had a successful career in Southern California, playing with […]

Maybe it’s just me, but has anyone noticed that clothing styles in Bend have gotten a little bit …hipper? And, to that end, dirtier?   I moved back to Bend from Portland in April. In the years I’ve been gone, a lot’s changed — not least of which are the varieties of styles cyclists are rocking […]

Despite Central Oregon’s expanding cultural landscape, local artists and arts organizations report being constrained by Bend’s shortage of dedicated performance and rehearsal venues.   “One of the challenges we’ve consistently heard from members of our artistic communities involves the limited availability of performance and rehearsal spaces,” says Taylor Dusick, marketing and communications manager for the Central […]