Making an early stop on the West Seattle Art Walk, we found a bake sale! Parents and students from Schmitz Park Elementary are outside Carmilia’s tonight, raising money for the 4th grade trip to Islandwood. (Inside Carmilia’s, you’ll find artist Randi Rohde and her photography of theatrical vignettes featuring perfume bottles.)

Also in The Junction, Wallflower Custom Framing is debuting a new show:

Northwest photographer David Atkinson is there tonight; his work will be up for about a month. More to come – and if you’re out on the Art Walk tonight, check out the free tickets for the 9 pm afterparty at the Benbow Room, with Tyson Meade, The Grizzled Mighty, and Hobosexual.

8:16 PM UPDATE: We stopped by the Benbow to peek in on preps – here’s the stage where the music (MC’d by Brent Amaker!) will happen later:

Back on the Art Walk route – two more stops in the Admiral District. First, at Atomic Boys, artists Quinn Sadow and Chance Williams:

They’re showing their drawings tonight. And over at Mind Unwind, living art:

We found Herban Flora outside – featuring Rachel Grossman and Holly McNeill, whose art is focused on plants – succulents, mosses, and air plants.

The August edition of the West Seattle Art Walk is tomorrow night. See the walking map/venue list here – and start planning your route with some of the venue/artist previews that are on the official Art Walk website now. Such as – photos of perfume bottles in theatrical vignettes at Carmilia’s in The Junction; and in the Admiral District, the art includes Atomic Boys displaying drawings by two youth artists, Chance Williams and Quinn Sadow.

The Admiral District is also where you’ll find something extra AFTER the Art Walk – The West is presenting an afterparty at the Heartland Café‘s Benbow Room, 9 pm-2 am. You’ll find a while-they-last supply of free tickets at some Art Walk venues (Hotwire Online Coffeehouse [WSB sponsor], for one), or it’s $5 at the door. The lineup just expanded – in addition to The Grizzled Mighty and Hobosexual, an acoustic opening set by Tyson Meade (ex-Chainsaw Kittens) has just been added; details on the event’s Facebook invite.

Besides roaming The Junction on West Seattle Summer Fest Eve/West Seattle Art Walk night, we also took a side trip north on Thursday night. First, to North Delridge, for a firsthand look at the West Seattle Tool Library‘s new mobile unit – a delivery/pickup trailer – as reported here; posing with the new trailer are the Ask-an-Expert/WSTL/Sustainable West Seattle crew who were on hand at the library’s Youngstown home when we visited. Next, over to the Admiral District for a few of its West Seattle Art Walk venues:

At Merrill Gardens-Admiral Heights (WSB sponsor), we met Chloe Cho (photo above), who makes and sells beach-glass jewelry. A bit further north, Mind Unwind brought together art and science, as proprietor Krystal Kelley put it – the former, from artist Walter Scheirer, who she explained “has rendered the natural abstracts in insects using mis-tinted latex house paint on salvaged hollow-core doors”:

And the science, from collector Don Ehlen with Insect Safari, who showed “more than 2,000 insect specimens from all over the world”:

Finally, we dropped in on State Farm agent Brent Amacher, who was being neighborly by hosting portrait photogapher Dawndra Budd – who also works at Mission next door:

The next Art Walk is August 9th, 6-9 pm.

6:44 PM: We’re starting the night in The Junction, where the party is on, as the streets are now closed on the eve of West Seattle Summer Fest. Above, Lora Swift celebrating the 10th anniversary of her Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (north end of The Junction, close to where the Summer Fest music stage will be set up shortly) – West Seattle-created Venom Vodka is here, with owner Mark Miceli:

Also at Hotwire, DJ Lunaglow is mixing on the patio – more details on the party here. We’re roaming both West Seattle Art Walk stops and Summer Fest prep, and in many places, like here, it overlaps. Summer’s also in full swing at Twilight Artist Collective:

The new West Seattle Art Walk buttons are here, and that’s made Erin smile! Come to the info booth at Summer Fest tomorrow (where you’ll find us, too) to get yours, free. Back to what’s up tonight – it’s bazaar time at Easy Street Records:

The Art Walk fun goes on till about 9 – it’s Shop Late Thursday in The Junction too (some of the sidewalk sales are already under way – at WSB sponsors J.F. Henry and Click! Design That Fits, to name two where we’ve seen merchandise outside the storefront).

And we’ve got a crew roaming elsewhere in WS too!

7:18 PM UPDATE: It is not Summer Fest Eve without the now-West Seattle-residing Bubbleman:

His traditional show filled the street with cheering kids – and now we’re a few steps away in the ex-Petco, current Sound Ad Group HQ pending the 4724 California development – the crew in here is working on another edition of the West Seattle Podcast, as we speak … and making sure those crazy animatronic creatures still work. (added) They do! Center of attention, lip-synching Justin Bieber‘s latest …

(There’s also AIR CONDITIONING in here, you should know.) Live music ahead in the street – Yada Yada Blues Band outside West 5, and there’s a troubadour outside the boutique zone on California south of Oregon. More to come.

9:15 PM: Your editor here wound up on the WS Podcast with Jason, Tao, and Celeste (and our son). Drop by sometime – they’d love to put lots of West Seattleites “on the air”! We then wandered out to check out the Yada Yada Blues Band outside West 5 (under the appropriately blue tent):

(added) A minute of video from their set:

West 5 is one of several Junction restaurants where you’ll find short-term sidewalk café setups during Summer Fest – sure, there are the standard street-fair food vendors, but you can also enjoy your year-round faves in new ways. Speaking of vendors, they are all working into the evening to get ready for tomorrow, when WSSF begins at 10 am:

We’ll add a few more photos… we also have a separate report from stops in North Delridge and the Admiral District. But tomorrow, all eyes are on the festival … we’ll start the day with some don’t-miss highlights,and you can browse music/community stage/vendors/everything at wsjunction.org/summerfest.

(Photos by Katie Meyer for WSB)
Our first of two West Seattle Art Walk roundups focuses on Junction highlights: At 94 years young, West Seattle painter Jeanne Hedington was one of last night’s stars on the June edition of the Art Walk. She was at Windermere West Seattle with some of her many, many creations. This one is titled “I Dreamed of My Grandpa Last Night”:

Hedington, by the way, has a special reason to remember the 1962 World’s Fair, as Seattle marks its half-century anniversary: She worked that year as a portrait artist for Disney and produced a huge body of work.

At Bin 41 wine shop, there was of course wine, but there were also photographs, by Mike Russell:

The Bin describes his photos as “a refreshing reminder of the beauty that’s all around us.” More Junction Art Walk stops ahead:

Read More

West Seattle Art Walk organizers are putting out the call to local businesses today:

The time has come to get signed up for participation in 2012’s 3rd Quarter West Seattle Art Walk!

We continue our fight to make each Quarter bigger and better that the last, so we’re looking for excited, art-loving, local merchants to join us in featuring artist(s) at your business on Art Walk night, July through September. 3rd Quarter is always an great time of year to be a WSAW business, as there are so many fun things happening around West Seattle and the sunshine really gets people out walking the streets!

WSAW happens the 2nd Thursday of every month, 6-9 pm. 3rd Quarter WSAW dates are July 12th, August 9th, and September 13th.

The fee to be part of it, and be on the Art Walk list/map/website, etc., is $30 for the quarter – and businesses can sign up online, here.

At one stop on Thursday night’s monthly edition of West Seattle Art Walk, all eyes were not only on the featured art, but also on an event that’s still two months away – the West Seattle Garden Tour. At Windermere West Seattle in The Junction, WSGT organizers/volunteers gathered to present a $500 check to poster-art contest Sheila Lengle, who, along with her winning creation “Ode to Picasso,” posed with graphic designer and art-show planner Michelle Drewien:

Along with Sheila’s winning work, the creations of 13 runners-up – Megan Thorberg, Lida Enche, Nancy Coleman, Marilyn Van Cleave, Jeffrey Corson, Janet Ramble, Marti Lyttle, Alisa Lahti, Arlys Pederson, Sally Parker-Henderson, Christine Kapet, Mark Levin, and Ann Kendall – are on display at Windermere. The Garden Tour is on July 15th this year (with WSB among the co-sponsors); find out about the featured gardens on the WSGT site.

Over at Wallflower Custom Framing (WSB sponsor) on the ground floor of Mural, facing 42nd SW across from the Safeway end of Jefferson Square, RobRoy Chalmers‘ “The Sporozoan” opened during the Art Walk:

He explains his work here.

And back to California SW, if you didn’t catch her last night, plan on the June Art Walk (June 14th) to go meet paper-cutting artist Hannah Viano at Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor):

You can see samples of her work, and find out more, on the Click! website. And our monthly reminder: As is the case with Click!, many Art Walk venues keep the art up all month (and then some!) so you can still take your own “Art Walk” through local businesses – read about highlighted artists/venues on the WSAW website.

Wonders to behold on tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk – and you still have an hour to get out and see the sights. Our crew is still out and about, but here are two photos shared with us – top, Jana sends the view of artist Jeffro‘s work (with kids assisting!) at Mind Unwind in the Admiral District; next, from Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), jewelry artist Sarah Loertscher:

Sarah’s at Click! again Saturday for a trunk show. More to come – and while you’re out, remember it’s Food for Art tonight, with seven venues sharing proceeds with Transitional Resources! Art Walk’s on till 9 but many Food for ARt participants are going beyond that.

ADDED FRIDAY MORNING: More photos! First, from Sound Ad Group‘s Rock-afire collection in the ex-Petco space:

At Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), photographer Mark Morgan is this month’s artist:

Babette’s Hatworks was featured at Wallflower Custom Framing:

At Seattle Real Estate Associates (WSB sponsor), we photographed D. Lisa West (who created the art you’ll see on this quarter’s WSAW posters and postcards):

At Twilight Artist Collective, artist Michael Harrison:

And one more view from Mind Unwind, where we began – here’s more information about Jeffro Uitto‘s exhibition, and here’s our photo of him with his work:

And it was a feast not just for the eyes but also for diners at the seven venues participating in Food for Art for Transitional Resources. At West 5, Ola Salon was the host – here’s Rachel Karlin, with Shawn Skerritt:

Art Walk is the second Saturday of every month – next one, May 10th!

Our morning preview is running late because it was stuck in traffic [coverage]. But lots to do tonight!

Click the image for your full-size walking map/venue list for tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk, 6-9 pm. It’s the first Art Walk of the second quarter, so there are some changes. For the next three WSAWs, there are 37 venues, stretching from Alki Arts in the north to Locöl in the south. Some venues have live music, most have refreshments, and it’s the perfect night to wander West Seattle. Find out more about some of the highlighted artists by going to the official Art Walk site – such as, artist Chris Rollins during the Thursday night wine tasting at new WSB sponsor West Seattle Cellars.

FOOD FOR ART: Tonight, dine and drink at any or all of seven West Seattle venues, and help WS-based Transitional Resources fund its art programs for people living with mental illness. Here’s an update from TR’s Yemaya St. Clair:

Dine out in support of art therapy Thursday, April 12 at one of seven participating West Seattle Restaurants. Circa, Fresh Bistro, Highstrike Grill, Locol Barley & Vine, Luna Park Café, West 5, and Zatz are all donating a percentage of their proceeds on Thursday night to Transitional Resources’ art therapy program, serving men and women living with severe and persistent mental illness. Each of the restaurants will host a raffle; your $5 ticket could win one of many generous prizes donated by local businesses, including the grand prize Wellness Package (Ola Salon 60-minute facial + Ola Salon spa products + LaVida Massage 60-minute massage + West Seattle Body Works Spray Tan Party + Chaco Canyon Café gift certificate) or the Artist’s Collection Package ($100 gift certificate toward the purchase of any RobRoy Chalmers original art + Wallflower Custom Framing $50 gift certificate + Young at Art $25 gift certificate + Handmade Quilt by local quilt artist).

Additional raffle prizes include:

Ola Salon Bag (products + hair cut service – total estimated value $170)
$50 gift certificate for Capers
$50 gift certificate for Jak’s Grill
$50 gift certificate for Northwest Art & Frame
$50 gift certificate for Elliott Bay Brewing Co.
Framed original painting by TR Resident Artist, Jenzo
$25 gift certificate for Prost!
Gift certificate for 12 Cupcake Royale cupcakes
6 months of bagels (one dozen bagels each month) from Zatz

Details of each venue’s participation – including hours and links – can be found on the Facebook event page.

GATEWOOD ELEMENTARY SCIENCE FAIR PALOOZA: Gatewood Elementary principal Rhonda Claytor invites everyone in to see the first annual edition of this showcase: “Every student in grades 2 thru 5 will be contributing some scientific writing for display, and about 50 students have chosen to present their findings from a home science project. We’ll have student work on display (this) afternoon from 1:50-2:50 pm, and in the evening (with cheese and fruit) from 6:30 – 8 pm. The public is welcome to come and see the work of our young scientists.” (Gatewood is on SW Myrtle just west of California SW.)

DELRIDGE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Continued discussion of the 5444 Delridge Way SW project’s potential commercial tenant is part of the agenda for tonight’s meeting, 6:30-8:30 pm, Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW).

OPEN HOUSE AT BUTTERFLY BALANCE WELLNESS CENTER: While you’re out and about, 7-9 pm tonight on the southeast edge of The Triangle. Details in the WSB event-calendar listing.

Even more for today/tonight on the WSB West Seattle Events Calendar – explore it here.

If you haven’t been out yet – there’s still half an hour to join in West Seattle Art Walk – check wsartwalk.com for a participating venue near you. Above, Charles Smith was painting “live” at Mind Unwind in the Admiral District (2208 California SW), so new it’s not on the list yet. We made some other stops and will add to this later!

ADDED FRIDAY MORNING: You’ll usually find live music at several stops on Art Walk night –

Jada and Wes were performing with The Five Buck Band at Windermere West Seattle. Across the street at CAPERS, we found mixed-media fine artist Susan Mulligan:

Starheadboy was at Sugar Rush Baking Company:

Eva Funderburgh is curator of the “Chimeras” ceramics exhibit now open at Twilight Artist Collective:

And circling back to Mind Unwind, muralist Glenn Case (who you might know for his Easy Street work) was on hand too:

Many venues keep the art on display for the entire month, so when you’re out shopping in The Junction or Admiral (and beyond!) in the weeks ahead, check the walls (etc.) and appreciate, maybe even consider purchasing, local art! Meantime, next month’s Art Walk will be the first of the spring quarter, and there’s usually some rotation of venues, so watch for a new list of places to explore – it’ll be on April 14th, second Thursday as usual.

Till 9 pm, it’s this month’s edition of the West Seattle Art Walk, and Young At Art (next to The Beer Junction on 42nd south of Alaska) is one place where you can be an artist too – proprietor Theresa Anderson shared the photo, because Starheadboy is back this time around, “painting the wall with the kids tonight … adults are welcome to grab a brush as well…” We’re checking on some other venues and will add photos later. (If you’re heading out, the walking map/venue list is linked in our morning preview.)

FRIDAY MORNING UPDATE: A few photos from our Thursday night stops:

Harpist Johanna – daughter of Village Green Perennial Nursery proprietor Vera Johnson – played at Windermere in The Junction, where we also admired wildlife photos by Robin Lindsey (whose work makes the Seal Sitters’ “blubberblog” site both highly informative and wonderful to review). Also in The Junction, Shawn Foote is one of the artists in the group show “Constructed Geographies” at ArtsWest:

At Twilight Artist Collective, co-proprietor Mary Enslow and daughter Margaux, now 3 months old, were on hand as the “Form and Fancy” show opened:

We also traveled up to the Admiral District to stop in Mind Unwind, a new gallery (among other things), so new it’s not on the official Art Walk map yet. Cathy Woo is showing her work there now:

Didn’t make it to Art Walk last night? Many venues show the work all month long, so take an extra look around next time you step into one of the participating businesses. And clear March 8 for the next WSAW!

5:47 PM: Tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk technically doesn’t begin till 6 pm, but Holli Margell got started early – Sugar Rush Baking Company is the site of her first photography show, and she is collecting donations for the West Seattle Food Bank. She started at 5 and is continuing till 8, and a few donations already had come in when we stopped by. Bring 2 nonperishable food items (the bin’s by the front door) and get a free photo card! Holli explained, “I am inspired by all the West Seattle Holiday giving, and want to see it extend into the New Year. I have family who have depended on the Food Bank, and I know the need is still high after the holidays.” She’s a Delridge resident and while she used to be a wedding photographer, she is now a fulltime homemaker/mom and says her work “captures the beautiful details of everyday life.”

More stops ahead – tonight we’re updating as we go.

6:07 PM: A few blocks away, at 4709 42nd SW (across from the north end of Jefferson Square, next to The Beer Junction, which has a tasting event tonight), go say hi to the folks at Young At Art:

Dr. Vali Hawkins Mitchell, an art therapist (and more) who recently opened a studio inside YAA, is at left, with YAA proprietor Theresa Anderson (who we first told you about three months ago). Next to them, that’s work by Starheadboy, who they were expecting to arrive at any moment for live painting tonight.

6:52 PM: At Click! Design That Fits (WSB sponsor), they’re winging it tonight:

Artist Shelli Markee is famous for her wire birds – modeled after real ones; these are no flights of fancy. They are so delicate that it’s hard to capture them in a photo that includes a person! You just have to go take a look (there are closer views on the Click! website, too). You can put them on the wall, usually with a single nail or tack; some also can be placed standing on a table bookcase, etc.; and some are mounted. Click! has dozens of her creations. Co-proprietor John Smersh also reminded us that their January sale is still on. Among the sale items:

Tired of toting your groceries in bags bearing store logos or something else promotional? Show your West Seattle pride! These cloth bags featuring the peninsula and many of its neighborhoods are on sale too.

7:15 PM: At Nature Consortium‘s office in The Junction – the little building right behind Shadowland – live music was scheduled to start a short time ago. We were there before the band started playing, and met featured artist Tamblyn Gawley:

Appropriately enough for an organization focused on forest restoration, her work, like “Green Burst” in the photo, explores nature’s glory. Read more about Tamblyn and her paintings on the NC website. P.S. If you missed our mention yesterday – NC invites you to spend your MLK Day Weekend of Service with them in the West Duwamish Greenbelt, with work parties Saturday and Monday (details here).

P.S. Here’s the winter-quarter walking map/venue list – 30 participants this time around. The Art Walk’s on till 9 pm.

P.P.S. (8:21 PM) While you’re out – M3 Bodyworks (WSB sponsor) is having its annual Masquerade Party/art celebration till 9 – proprietor Michael Mandell sent a photo:

M3 is a few blocks south of The Junction, at 5236 California SW.

(Contributing photographers: Katie Meyer, Wim Bonner, Patrick Sand)
Seen along Thursday night’s West Seattle Art Walk – It may have been “Ugly Sweater” time at Twilight Artist Collective in The Junction, but who can focus on sweaters when Twilight’s ownership trio is posing with baby Margaux (new daughter of co-owner Mary Enslow)? OK, how about this sweater, spotted on a patron?

Along with the sweater-showing-off, Twilight debuted “12 Days of Christmas” – a display in which, they say, “12 groovy artists each represent one of the twelve days of Christmas.” LOTS more to see along WSB’s December Art Walk travels … click ahead for more pix, including a photographer often featured on WSB, art in a trailer, and more!

Read More

People and sights from a few stops along the way of the November 2011 West Seattle Art Walk: Above, Lisa Geersten and Andy Blakney at Twilight Artist Collective, which has perhaps the sturdiest show, the metalwork in “Northwest Anvil III.”

Right around the corner, Easy Street Records‘ flea market offered retro sights and buys:

Read More

Forecast looks promising for tomorrow night’s West Seattle Art Walk – not always something you can count on by the time we get to November. So you can plan ahead, here are a few previews. At Twilight Artist Collective in The Junction (4306 SW Alaska), West Seattleites Andy Blakney and Lisa Geertsen are curating “Northwest Anvil III: A Survey of Contemporary Northwest Ironwork,” opening during the Art Walk, 6-9 pm. The exhibition features work by Northwest Blacksmith Association members. Organizers explain: “Our goal for putting this show together is to bring awareness to the community the possibilities that lie within the art of forged metal.”

At C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) tomorrow night, it’s a doubleheader:

Barbara Noonan will display paintings. And it’s the monthly Wine Club event. C & P is at 5612 California SW.

At The Kenney (WSB sponsor), you’ll enjoy jazz as well as art:

That’s singer Julie Cascioppo, who is scheduled to perform (7125 Fauntleroy Way SW).

At Knows Perfume, proprietor Christen Cottam is having a food drive from Art Walk night till 5 pm Sunday. She says, “Food for the two-legged and the four-legged is welcome and much appreciated. Customers can bring a big bag of food (using their best judgment), or a gift card to Safeway, Petco, Costco or the like (minimum $15) and will receive a a card for 15% off their next visit to Knows.” (4536 California SW)

Want to buy art even more than look at it? You can do that most places, but not the kind of art – vintage! – you’ll find at the Easy Street Records flea market “Cheapside Review,” including posters, as explained here, during Art Walk.

Across the street at Cupcake Royale, there’s a music tie-in – Julie Peña’s photo essay with “early photos of the locally-grown Brandi Carlile Band,” according to the announcement we received.

The announcement continues: “These images explore the personalities of the musicians and captures some moments behind the red ropes before their artistic success was a known quantity. These images are intended to appeal to fans and non-fans alike as it discusses the changes implicit in an artist’s rise to fame.” Julie will be there 6-8:30 pm during the Art Walk.

Here’s the official Art Walk map/venue list; lots more previews can be found on the official Art Walk website.

BONUS: In North Delridge, the West Seattle Tool Library opens its doors on Art Walk night – the second Thursday – for “Ask an Expert,” a unique event to empower do-it-yourselfers. 6-8 pm in their location on the east side of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW), you’ll find free expert advice, this month from Mighty House Construction, Gray Sky Farms, and Solar Epiphany.

Texts from WSB’ers may bring images of car crashes or other unhappiness – or maybe, a spontaneous outbreak of art or music! WSB contributor Keri DeTore just shared this photo of the latter, with news that “Singer Amber Flame is doing an impromptu set at Meander’s.” (That’s Meander’s Kitchen north of Morgan Junction.)