K.C. Cowan, an original co-host of

was fired Wednesday. The weekly program featured artists and their work from around the state, from fiddlers to painters to actors. The 12-year-old program was one of the station's most highly rated. Cowan's dismissal was sudden, she said, the result of a personality conflict.

"It was a shock for me," she said. "I can't really talk much about it. I knew somebody was unhappy with me and had been looking to get me to leave."

Cowan was removed from hosting the program last season and had been posting stories on the Web when she was fired, she said. "I'm disappointed and saddened," she said.

"She no longer works here," said Dave Davis, OPB's vice president of TV production. He declined to say why. "We wish her well and appreciate the great work she did for 'Oregon Art Beat.' I can't provide any more details because it's a personnel issue."

The show's producers wanted shorter and snappier stories, Cowan said, but that's not the reason she was fired. "It's a personality issue with someone, that would be the nicest way to say it."

This is the second high-profile dismissal at OPB this year. In June, the station fired Emily Harris, host of "Think Out Loud."

Davis said "Art Beat" will continue and the station will post the position, probably after the holidays. "Art Beat" is one of OPB's top-rated programs, Davis said. "Along with 'Oregon Field Guide,' they are two of the four most popular programs in the country, just by ratings."

Cowan joined the Emmy-winning show in 2001, two years after it began. She did an average of 22 to 24 segments a season, she said.

"It's been such an honor for me to be able to meet these artists and see what happens after they've been on the show," she said. Often, artists sold their artwork after appearing on the program.

"It's been the most gratifying part of my job. I've helped artists sell their art and encouraged viewers to go out and buy art. That's the best thing about 'Art Beat,' making art accessible."

Cowan will look for other work in the arts, she said.

--