After Betty Bowen’s funeral, a friend remembered her rousing him from a deep sleep in the early a.m. After his grumpy hello, her melodious voice came through the phone line.<\/p>\n
What have you done for the polar bear today?
\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\nBowen died in 1977 at age 58. Although chiefly remembered for prodigious cheerleading on behalf of Northwest artists, she was also a fashion-forward supporter of civil rights, ecology and education for everybody.
\nIn 1978, a group of her friends approached the Seattle Art Museum with the idea of an annual award in her name for emerging Northwest artists.<\/p>\nAs the economy continues to limp along, more artists need the money. Surely they’re not bothering to apply primarily for the honor, which is local. Artists taking news of their win to New York, LA, Chicago and even San Francisco are stones dropped in a dream pond that sends out no ripples.<\/p>\n
Within the region, however, a Bowen means something, although there is
\na lot more award money in play in recent years, thanks to the Brink<\/a>, the Neddy<\/a>, Artist Trust,<\/a> the ArleneSchnitzer<\/strike> Schwitzer Award<\/a>, the Stranger’s Genius Awards<\/a>, and grants from 4 Culture<\/a> and City Artist awards<\/a> from the Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs. <\/p>\nFinalists this year are Jovencio de la Paz<\/a> and Josh Faught<\/a> from Oregon; Jenny Heishman<\/a>, Sean M. Johnson<\/a> and Matthew Offenbacher<\/a> from Seattle.<\/p>\n