Raymond Carver mural fully finished

The completion of the Raymond Carver mural has been a long journey. Created and designed by Dylan Eckland, the mural covers the south-facing wall of Clatskanie’s former hospital where Carver was born.

Located on North Nehalem St. in downtown Clatskanie, the old hospital building is visible from Highway 30. Thanks to the talents of local artists, the Clatskanie Arts Commission has recently been able to finish the project that began in the summer of 2021.

Clatskanie Arts Commission board member and Secretary/Treasurer Elsa Wooley said the mural not only celebrates Carver but also the beauty of our waters, especially Beaver Falls. Eckland’s mural design features a portrait of Raymond Carver alongside Beaver Falls.

The poem, Where Water Comes Together With Other Water, is a piece of the inspiration for the mural, and the excerpt, “I’ll take all the time I please this afternoon before leaving my place alongside this river,” is included on the large painted wall. The mural not only celebrates Carver but Clatskanie’s waters.

Carver and Clatskanie

Raymond Clevie Carver Jr. was born May 25, 1938, and lived until Aug. 2, 1988. Born in Clatskanie, Carver was an American short story writer and poet. He published his first collection of stories, Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?, in 1976. His breakout collection, What We Talk About When We Talk About Love (1981), received immediate acclaim and established Carver as an important figure in the literary world. It was followed by Cathedral (1983), which Carver considered his watershed and is widely regarded as his masterpiece, according to the Clatskanie Arts Commission.

The definitive collection of his stories, Where I’m Calling From, was published shortly before his death in 1988. In their 1989 nomination of Carver for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, the jury concluded, “The revival in recent years of the short story is attributable in great measure to Carver’s mastery of the form.”

Although his works are not well known by all local residents, followers of his work have traveled over the years to Clatskanie to honor him at his place of birth.

The Friends of the Library began celebrating Raymond Carver with an original sculpture created by artist Bob Davis in the Children’s Park across from the Clatskanie Library. The group also spearheaded a Raymond Carver Writing Festival, bringing together area writers and poets.

After a lapse of several years and the choice of the Clatskanie Mural Project to create a mural in Raymond Carver’s honor, the Clatskanie Arts Commission revived the Raymond Carver Writing Festival.

This festival, which is usually held around Raymond’s birthday, not only celebrates his works but encourages writers and poets to continue their work and fine-tune skills with the help of fellow writers and poets.

Past presenters at this festival have included Poet Laureates, published authors, and acquaintances of Raymond Carver, who have helped attendees and community members better understand the man. An important component of the festival is the annual Poetry Contest, which honors local young people and their poems.

This festival has attracted fans from throughout the United States and continues to grow each year. The festival is now coordinated by the C.C. Stern Foundry, and more information can be found on the raymondcarverwritingfestival.com website.