Norm Eder has photographed 520 Portland-area musicians, and 40 of those black-and-white portraits now hang at The Old Church Concert Hall in Southwest Portland. Oregon ArtsWatch first profiled the exhibit and Eder's years-long project on Oct. 17.
The show, "People Behind the Music: Selections from the JWF Artist Portrait Project," opened Sunday, Oct. 18, at 1422 SW 11th Ave. A public reception is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21, from 6 to 8 p.m. The closing date varies by source: the Jeremy Wilson Foundation's blog lists Nov. 21, while the foundation's project page and Oregon ArtsWatch both list Nov. 30.
It is the first public exhibition drawn from the portrait project, which Eder launched with the Jeremy Wilson Foundation (JWF) in July 2020. What started with about 30 studio sessions at Pro Photo Supply has grown into a six-year catalog of musicians, promoters, venue operators, stage crew and producers across Oregon and Southwest Washington.
The pandemic interrupted the early work. Eder shot musicians on their porches during lockdown, then moved through borrowed spaces before building his own studio.
"It didn't start out to be a project that would shoot 520 people and keep on going," Eder told Oregon ArtsWatch. "It just worked out that way."
Eder isn't done. He said he is still actively recruiting subjects and noted gaps in his collection, including metal and Hip Hop artists. He holds a Ph.D. in history and spent 17 years as public affairs director at the Oregon Graduate Institute before picking up studio photography in 2017 as he neared retirement.
The Old Church's Executive Director Constance Bracewell and staff member Hannah DiMofetto selected the final 40 from a pool of 108 prints Eder submitted. Featured subjects include LaRhonda Steele, Ural Thomas, China Forbes, Carlton Jackson, Norman Sylvester, Tyrone Hendrix and Arietta Ward.
The exhibit is tied directly to the JWF's mission. Singer-songwriter Jeremy Wilson founded the nonprofit after he was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition in 2010 and experienced firsthand how hard it is for independent musicians to access health care. The foundation provides social-services navigation and financial grants to musicians and music-industry workers facing health crises in Oregon and Clark County, Washington.
Free health-coverage workshop Thursday, Oct. 22
On Thursday, Oct. 22, at 11 a.m., the JWF will host a free workshop in partnership with the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) to help musicians understand upcoming changes to their coverage. Starting in 2027, OHP will require more frequent renewals and new work-activity requirements that hit self-employed workers hard, according to Oregon ArtsWatch.
Those changes stem from federal legislation. Willamette Week reported that more than 600,000 Oregonians on OHP are set to receive letters notifying them they may face new work or activity rules to keep their coverage. The state estimates 200,000 otherwise-eligible residents could lose coverage over the next decade.
OHP members ages 19 to 64 will be affected. Exceptions exist for parents of children under 14 and people with serious health conditions, among others. Eligibility renewals will shift from every two years to every six months.
Registration for the Oct. 22 workshop is required through the JWF website. The exhibit is open during regular Old Church hours and events.
