West Seattle, Washington
16 Thursday
It’s not strictly a Halloween decoration … but the newest mural by West Seattle artist Desmond Hansen (whose nickname is “Graves“) certainly fits the season. Property owner John Bennett commissioned this for the east-facing side of his building on the northeast corner of California SW and SW Genesee (home to Itto’s Tapas and Salon 08, among other things), and sent us the photo. This is actually the second giant skeleton to decorate Bennett’s building; the other one also is up year-round.
Got a Halloween-season scene to share? We’re continuing to show them nightly – westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
West Seattle has a sizable community of ukulele players! Every week we feature at least one local meetup in the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar. And recently we received this tribute to The Ukes, sent by Betsy Henry on behalf of Quail Park-West Seattle (4515 41st SW; WSB sponsor):
Seattle’s beloved and long-standing ukulele group, The Ukes, has been spreading music and joy for decades, and they have a special monthly tradition that deserves to be celebrated. Each month, The Ukes visit Quail Park of West Seattle, a senior living community, sharing their music and positivity with the residents. With casual membership that ranges from a dozen to two dozen, The Ukes pick songs based on a monthly theme, take song requests and even sing Happy Birthday for residents celebrating.
Founded in 1995 at the Senior Center of West Seattle (now the Center for Active Living), The Ukes started as a fun, community-driven initiative. Tony Joslin, the organizer, explains that the center provided practice space in exchange for letting their members sing along.
A special part of the group’s monthly visit to Quail Park is their connection with Paula Green, a longtime member who is now a resident at the senior living community. Paula continues to play with The Ukes during their visits, and her presence reminds everyone of the group’s deep community ties. The residents at Quail Park join in the fun, singing along, clapping, and dancing, turning each visit into a joyous and engaging experience for all.
These visits illustrate the importance of human connection and the impact of community music programs. The residents’ smiles, the music, and the vibrant atmosphere make for a touching and lively event that showcases the power of music to bring people together. The Ukes are uplifting the spirits of the Quail Park residents while sharing their love of music and community.
The second Thursday arrives early this month – that’s tomorrow night, and it brings the West Seattle Art Walk! Here’s the fall/winter quarter of venues for art and/or food/drink specials, from Alki to Morgan Junction:
Specific venues and artists are highlighted on this page of the West Seattle Art Walk website – see who and what will be featured at receptions tomorrow night (mostly 5 pm-8 pm), from Babs Fulton‘s animal collage at West Seattle Arcade on Alki Beach, to Dan Jacobs‘s imagery at Hawthorne Massage in North Admiral. Dan’s work is featured on this quarter’s Art Walk poster and other promotional material:
And tomorrow night at all three Junctions, you’ll find Art of Music mini-concerts between 6 and 7:45 pm. In Morgan Junction, Heather Ward sings at Whisky West – here’s a sample of her music:
At CAPERS (WSB sponsor) in The Junction, Terra Nova Duo performs; here’s our video from their Art of Music gig a year ago:
And at Otter on the Rocks (4210 SW Admiral Way in The Admiral District, you’ll see Guitar Gil – preview his music here:
Read more about all three here. (WSB is a community co-sponsor of the West Seattle Art Walk – we’ll see you out and about Thursday night!
For the next month, Southwest Library is alive with art! Today brought the opening reception for this year’s Southwest Artist Showcase, which the library has been hosting for more than 30 years, displaying art brought in by any and all community members interested in participating. Art of all sizes and by all ages!
That’s a crocheted robot by Ely Thomas; this is Scotti Smith‘s acrylic “Street Kitty”:
We talked with some of the artists, too; Sam Day, a founder of the Notorious Alki Swimmers, brought paintings envisioning two of his fellow swimmers as mermaids:
Gordon Miller‘s lightbox “Group Chat” started with a drawing and then was made using a laser cutter the West Seattle Tool Library used to have on hand, he told us:
Charlie Harris is showing work he made from what he describes as “scraps” – even part of an old coffee card:
There’s so much more to see, all around the library shelves, and you have all month (actually, through Nov. 2) to visit. Library days/hours are here. (Thanks to Southwest Library’s Bean Yogi for introducing us to some of the artists during our brief visit today – we hope to return later in the month to admire more of the art!)
Artist Mindi Katzman invites you to what you might call a “grand reopening”! Here’s what we received tonight:
My Little Free Art Gallery has been closed for a few weeks for some freshening up, but is now open again.
Anyone can drop off a small piece, either two- or three-dimensional (potters – think small seconds or firsts; painters – small pieces etc.)
This is for everyone and anyone. Take a piece, leave a piece, or both!!! But PLEASE, do not take the props (figures, easels, or bench).
It has been so wonderful to host this little gem, open since April 2021, and see people so delighted with it.
There will be a Little Free Opening with Little Free Snacks from 4 PM-5 PM, Saturday, October 4th.
The Little Free Art Gallery is in the Morgan Junction, 38th Avenue SW, between Morgan and Graham.
(WSB photos by Dave Gershgorn. Above, Huayin Performing Arts Group)
It’s a beautiful afternoon at the Seattle Chinese Garden on the north edge of the South Seattle College (WSB sponsor) campus on Puget Ridge, where the Mid-Autumn Festival continues until 5 pm.
Performances and demonstrations are happening all afternoon – above and below, Julian Leung demonstrated Tai Chi:
Arts and crafts too, including painting:
Admission and parking are free. The garden and college are at 6000 16th SW.
(Photo courtesy Clay Eals)
Both on the Seattle Now & Then website and in tomorrow’s Seattle Times Pacific NW magazine, West Seattle journalist/historian Clay Eals tells a mystery story. What you see in the photo above is part of it – one of more than 30 metal art panels telling the story of “The Evolution of Lighting.” They were owned and displayed by Seattle City Light and were supposed to be brought along when SCL moved into a new headquarters in the Seattle Municipal Tower downtown in 1996. But – they weren’t. Most of them have been found, but the whereabouts of a few remain a mystery. There are multiple West Seattle angles here – metal artist John W. Elliott made most of the panels in 1935 and worked from a studio in his West Seattle home on Gatewood Hill; 90 years later, all but three of the panels were discovered and acquired earlier this year by West Seattle collector Mike Shaughnessy. You can see the missing panels in Clay’s story; perhaps someone who reads it will solve the mystery (not just of the missing panels’ whereabouts but why the metal art wasn’t brought along in SCL’s HQ move)!
More than 60 quilts (and other textile creations) are on display right now, through 4 pm, at the Center for Active Living, during West Seattle Quilters‘ annual showcase. Everything has a story – and you can read the stories while admiring the creations! This one, for example, is a “Quilt of Valor,” made by Malinda for her friend Bob, an 83-year-old Vietnam veteran:
This one was made by Jane, who wrote that she bought the pattern years ago knowing that one day she would make it for her son Nicholas:
These portraits are the creation quilters who “made a portrait in 11 sections, (then) mixed up face sections to create a new portrait”:
There’s an incredible variety of subjects – from mountains to sports teams to herb gardens and, of course, pets:
Here are just a few other things we saw:
You can wander (and touch IF you use the disposable gloves they’re offering at the door) until 4 pm, free admission, upstairs at 4217 SW Oregon. (And if you’re a quilter but not yet connected with this group, you can find out how to do that too!)
With the end of summer and start of fall, we checked in with the management of West Seattle’s historic event venue Kenyon Hall, to see how close they were to reopening after a summer-long shutdown for renovations. Not close yet, says operations manager Murphy Janssen: “It’s been a bit of a hectic summer as we work through these renos and all the permitting that needs to go into the updates.” So no official reopening date yet; Janssen says they’re “sort of playing it by ear.” But if they are open by November, he says, “I’ve got holds for some fun events …” but he feels closer to certain they’ll “be open for December holiday shows.” We heard a bit about the renovations in this WSB story last May, looking at the status of Kenyon Hall, a nonprofit-owned 109-year-old building at 7904 35th SW.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
Today was the third Sunday that Admiral Church worshipped in its temporary home at St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church. It’s moved out of its longtime home at 4320 SW Hill, as has the preschool that had occupied its basement. All this, as the next step in the site’s transformation to affordable homeownership with a new home for the church and the community organizations it hosts.
While the plan in partnership with Homestead Community Land Trust is progressing, demolition is not imminent – midyear 2026 at the soonest. But you won’t see the old church building morph into a tagged, squatter-occupied shell of a building.
It’s already morphed, in fact … into the Admiral HUB.
Part of the HUB is a continued home, for now, for the aforementioned community organizations. You’ll see the Admiral Neighborhood Association there this Tuesday, for example; ANA has met there for years.
But it’s not just about meetings. What inspired us to ask for a chat about the building’s interim status was a reader tip about the heart of it: @ Bear Island.
At the heart of @ Bear Island is someone whose work you have probably seen, even if you don’t immediately recognize his name: Mike Henderson.
He’s an Admiral Church congregant, and prolific artist. We published an in-depth story about him by WSB senior contributor Christopher Boffoli last year, when he was still painting enigmatic messages in highly visible spots, such as a retaining wall on California south of Andover.
Admiral Church’s Anita Shaffer explained that when they decided against leaving the building vacant, after discussions with Homeland CLT and their insurance company, Henderson seemed like the ideal caretaker: “He’s such a creative guy.”
(Anita Shaffer and Mike Henderson in the HUB/Bear Island kitchen)
For starters, he and others have “been de-preschooling the basement,” as Shaffer puts it, although the colorfully painted rooms already seem naturally suited to creativity.
“So we have this massive space and at least seven months to make it up as we go along,” Henderson explains. “The exciting challenge is to use the whole buffalo.” That means opening the space to a wide range of possibilities, with people collaborating.
One of the early collaborators, Celeste, elaborates: “We want to bring the community together to see what people can do.” Workshops, for example, might not take the typical format that some might find “scary” when asked to teach what they know. Maybe just spending a little time planting a seed and sharing their skills.
Henderson recounts the thrill of inviting passersby to participate in his murals – “give people the (paint) roller and give them the chance to make art” – and hopes @ Bear Island will be a place where people can “try things.”
There’ll be music, too, a weekly jazz jam starting next month in what was the church sanctuary and will now be known as “the theater.” (The church’s pastor Rev. Andrew Conley-Holcom says they’ve had a ceremony to “de-consecrate” that space, and there’ll soon be a ceremony about removing the sanctuary’s cross and its “complicated” symbolism.) While the Admiral Church organ is going into storage for now, the piano is staying. The space will have “theatrical lighting and sound.” It’ll be open for rentals as a concert venue, too.
What Henderson most wants you to know is that, rather than fleshing out a set of ideas by finding people to make them happen, they want to find people and then let the ideas happen. “Just be in the same room and plug into the creative energy.” He expects it will be “magical.”
Rev. Conley-Holcom agrees – seeing it as a “play space” most of all.
So how do you get involved? Henderson says they have open hours during which you can just “wander in.”
Another participant in our conversation with the key players added, “It’s very easy to get plugged in here. Just show up!”
One possibility for the space is a continuously open “pay what you can” thrift shop to raise money for @ Bear Island; Celeste already has sparked some of that energy by having a vintage sale there. (Shaffer notes that the HUB remains under Admiral Church’s “nonprofit banner,” and that the church donated $1,000 to get it launched, as well as helping apply for grant money to underwrite the jazz jams.)
What @ Bear Island has in abundance already is the spirit of fun. Henderson laughs that while the @ Bear Island name is a tribute to the Native name Me-Kwa-Mooks, the mascot is not a bear but a rabbit. “I like the confusion!”
The pastor says what he likes most about it is that it “embodies one of my core values, relationship first” and Henderson, he says, is an ace relationship-builder: “He’ll introduce you to people HE didn’t even know.”
This will all lead to one thing, Henderson says:
“Joy.”
You can “wander in” 4-7 pm Tuesdays-Fridays for now; find @ Bear Island updates here.
12:46 PM: Look for banners like that one marking the 14 stops on this year’s free, self-guided West Seattle Art Tour, on until 5 pm today and again 10 am-5 pm tomorrow. Each stop has multiple artists, usually including the host whose studio/workspace is on the map. Our first stop today was the southernmost site, #4, where you’ll find printmaker Diane Kappa (WSB sponsor):
In her backyard studio, she showed us and other visitors a linoleum print she’s working on – she explained that it’s painstaking, but she puts on her headphones, turns on her music, and gets lost in her work.
(As noted here, Diane teaches classes too, so when you visit during the Art Tour, you can talk with her about those!)
She’s hosting three other artists at her Arbor Heights studio/backyard as part of the Art Tour, including another. printmaker, Sahily Anais Perez McMillan:
Sahily is also a printmaker, with subjects including birds, like this Spotted Towhee:
She told us she’s a bird advocate and has volunteered with Birds Connect Seattle, so they’re more than just subjects! Also at this site in Arbor Heights (see the map for the address) are artists Tanya Knannlein and Shelly Sazama, who both work in textiles. In addition to the clickable map we’ve linked to (which includes artists’ websites and short descriptions of their work), there’s a printable map on the Art Tour website too. We’re headed to the north end next and will add more Art Tour sights later.
2:50 PM: Thanks to Eddie for this photo from northernmost stop #12 on the map, in North Admiral:
This stop is hosted by colored-pencil artist Jan Koutsky, with visiting artists Johanna Lindsay (jewelry), relief block printer Theresa Neinas, and ceramics/pottery artist Jody Wally.
4 PM: Our last stop of the first day was Daniel Bernunzio‘s home studio in Highland Park, easternmost stop on the Art Tour, #1 on the map.
In our photo below is the host at center, with visiting artists Cat Brooks (left) and Eric Eschenbach (right) – all three are painters:
Each has an individual tent showcasing their work – Daniel:
Cat:
And Eric:
As with everyone else on the Art Tour, they’re there until 5 today, and again 10 am-5 pm on Sunday.
As mentioned in our previous story, this weekend will bring a celebration of artists and their work during the West Seattle Art Tour. Every month brings a smaller opportunity to see local creativity during the West Seattle Art Walk, on second Thursdays. You might not know there’s also a monthly art walk in White Center – the Rat City Art and Food Walk, on third Thursdays. We explored it last night for partner site White Center Now, and you can see the story and photos here.
This is the first year the West Seattle Art Tour has expanded to two days, so you’ve got lots of time this weekend to go meet local artists and see their work in creative spaces around the peninsula. Here’s one last reminder from organizers of this year’s Art Tour:
West Seattle Art Tour is this Saturday and Sunday, September 20-21, from 10 am to 5 pm!
Visit 14 artist-hosted locations across West Seattle on this free, self-guided tour that showcases a unique array of art created by exceptional West Seattle artists in the spaces where artists create, live, teach and work. Each host artist has opened their space to guest artists who live, work, teach or contribute to West Seattle’s vibrant art community. This year the Tour has expanded to a two-day event, with sites open 10-5 on both Saturday and Sunday, allowing more time for visitors to see all of the locations.
This year’s tour information includes a printable map, an interactive online map and artist profiles to help guests customize their own adventure across the West Seattle Peninsula. Tour stops are organized in a loop, starting with Daniel Bernunzio’s Highland Park studio at Stop No. 1 and finishing with Lea Basile-Lazarus’s Admiral studio at Stop No. 14.
Not sure where to start planning your Tour? Head over to the West Seattle Art Tour website, where you can explore using the online map, print off a paper copy of the map, view a virtual gallery and artist directory, and even check mobility access for sites.
Past tour guests recommend previewing the tour stops and planning your route with a paper map ahead of time, then using the online map to navigate across West Seattle. You’ll be ready to head out to discover new work, meet the artists, and enjoy a weekend full of art! Printed maps will also be available at each site, and can be picked up in advance at Alki Arts Gallery, Viscon Cellars, and WEND Jewelry.
The West Seattle Art Tour is organized by local artists and art lovers with support from West Seattle Art Walk as well as in-kind sponsorship from West Seattle Blog, Viscon Cellars, and Alki Arts.
Before we get to today’s highlight list, it’s time to start rolling out the weekend previews. We’re fairly sure “Nerdlesque Rises” is the liveliest entertainment experience on this weekend’s lineup. From pirates to … politics? … it’s a one-of-a-kind show set to take over the main theater at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center this Saturday. Here’s the preview with some bonus info from producer/performer Scarlett O’Hairdye, who is a West Seattleite too:
Nerdlesque Rises!
A nearly nude nerd revue!That’s right! Just like Godzilla rising from the deep, Unnatural Redhead Productions rises from a five-year slumber to bring its particular brand of nerdlesque back to Seattle! Join us this September at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in West Seattle for an evening of nearly nude nerds celebrating their favorite fandoms and yours. ’80s cartoons! Gay pirates! Star Trek! A fully ADA-accessible theater! FREE PARKING! This show has it all!
You’ll get to see fandom faves live on stage from a diverse group of world-class burlesque performers, all in a beautiful theater with raked seating and great sightlines! Our cast will take you from the future of Star Trek to the swashbuckling seas of Our Flag Means Death, from the original ’80s She-Ra to cult classic Jean-Paul Gautier costumed The Fifth Element. It’s going to be fun! It’s going to be funny! It’s going to feature a live on-stage interview with mayoral candidate Katie Wilson! It’s going to be in your neighborhood!
Featuring burlesque performances by:
Scarlett O’Hairdye
Sin de la Rosa
Alexa Perplexa
Mx. Pucks A’Plenty
Ramona Rhapsody
Hosted by the incomparable Rebecca Mmm Davis!
Saturday, September 20th, 2025
$30 GA | $40 VIP | Season Tickets $100
18+
Doors 7 pm | Show 7:30 pmThe Thelma Dewitty Theater in the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW)0
Scarlett also told us, when we asked some bonus questions:
West Seattle used to host a monthly burlesque revue at the Skylark, and we have some occasional one-off shows here and there (as well as the Kenyon Hall Drag Cabaret), but there hasn’t been a regular burlesque show in this neighborhood in years. Unnatural Redhead Productions and the Stay Up Late Show are pumped to bring this art to the neighborhood, and I’m pumped to be a ten-minute drive from the venue so I can go to bed as soon as possible after the show! I’ve lived here for the last fourteen years! West Seattle is my home, and I love the art and music scene we’ve cultivated on our little peninsula.
My goal is to make the season a celebration of our neighborhood and local businesses. For NERDLESQUE RISES! we’ve teamed up with Ounces Taproom and the Revelry Room for pre and post-show drinks – the Thelma Dewitty Theatre doesn’t have a built in bar, which means we can produce an 18+ show instead of 21+, but if people want an adult beverage before they show they can show their ticket receipt at Ounces for 20% off their order, and after the show at the Revelry Room for a special custom cocktail.
Tickets for the Saturday night Nerdlesque show are available here.
You’re invited to First Lutheran Church of West Seattle (4105 California SW; WSB sponsor) this Sunday for a special service and lunch. Here’s what it’s all about:
On Sunday, September 21st, the West Seattle community is invited to celebrate musical transitions at First Lutheran Church of West Seattle. Luncheon is being served after the 10:30 a.m. morning service, to introduce Dana Robinson as our new Organist and Choirmaster, and honor Deacon Emeritus Dean Hard as our retiring Choirmaster.
Dean Hard began singing in the First Lutheran choir as a West Seattle High School student in the 1950s. It seems that he found his calling, because he went on to serve as Choirmaster, along with Andrew King as Cantor/Organist, for the last 50 years, in addition to his academic career at West Seattle High School. After Andy’s death last year, Dean postponed his own retirement to help shepherd FLCWS through numerous substitute organists and our search for an individual who could serve as both organist and choirmaster in the tradition of excellence that we have enjoyed in our liturgy and church services.
Enter Dana Robinson — who comes to us from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he was an Associate Professor of Music (Organ) for 25 years, and has an extensive background as a church Organist and Choirmaster dating back to 1978. Dana has performed nationally and internationally, and is considered by many to be, “one of the finest performers of Johann Sebastian Bach’s music in the United States.” (Music at 9th & Stewart, Seattle 2019)
How fortunate for us that when Dana retired from his professorship in Illinois last December, he intended to move back to Tacoma and find a local church that had a unique and excellent organ where he could make beautiful music and enhance worship for the congregation. Enter into the picture, First Lutheran Church of West Seattle! We so look forward to what joys will be heard from our Organs and Choir, Deo Gloria Santores, resonating in our church and surrounding us with lush tones that give us inspiration and delight as we worship every Sunday at First Lutheran. Soli deo gloria!!!
SAVE THE DATE
Sunday, September 21Following the service, you are invited to a luncheon in the Parish Hall, honoring Dean Hard’s many years of service as Deacon and Choirmaster at FLCWS and to welcome Dana Robinson as our Organist/hoirmaster
10:30 a.m. Eucharist Service
11:45 Luncheon in the Parish HallFirst Lutheran Church of West Seattle
4105 California Ave SW
206-935-6530
www.flcws.org
New local members of the WSB sponsor team get to tell you about what they do, so today, as we welcome artist Diane Kappa, here’s what she wants you to know about the classes she teaches:
The Magic of Block Printing
There’s a special moment when a student lifts their first print from the block—a mix of surprise and delight that never gets old. Block printing is accessible to beginners yet endlessly inspiring for seasoned makers. In my workshops, I focus on creating an atmosphere where everyone feels supported to experiment, discover, and leave with both artwork and the confidence to keep creating at home.
Workshops in West Seattle (and Beyond)
I’ve been teaching workshops in West Seattle for almost 2 years, and they’ve become a place where creativity and community naturally come together. Each class takes place in my studio with no more than five students, providing plenty of space to spread out and lots of personal attention. The intimate setting makes it easy to relax, connect, and dive fully into the creative process. While block printing remains at the heart of what I teach, I also offer a variety of other art classes, giving students fresh ways to explore their creativity. I’m especially grateful for the opportunity to host week-long retreats in inspiring locations, where my students and I can carve out meaningful time to create, connect, and recharge.
Join the Community
Workshops and retreats aren’t just about learning a skill—they’re about making space for creativity in your life and finding a community that inspires and encourages you. If you’ve been curious to try block printing or another creative class, or if you’re ready to dive deeper, I’d love to welcome you into an upcoming workshop or retreat. As a thank-you for finding me through West Seattle Blog, mention this article when signing up for a class and receive 10% off.
I’m proud to be a host site and participating artist for the West Seattle Art Tour this weekend, September 20 & 21! During the tour, I open my studio doors so neighbors and visitors can meet me and three fellow artists, getting a behind-the-scenes glimpse into what a creative life looks like.
Visit dianekappa.com to see upcoming workshops and retreats. And instagram.com/dianekappa for a day-to-day look into my creative life.
We thank Diane Kappa for choosing to advertise her art classes by sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB. Interested in doing the same? Please email WSBAdvertising@wsbsales.com for information – thank you!
The new school year also means a new season for the West Seattle Community Orchestras, which is celebrating some fresh starts this year – and that could include yours! Here’s all the WSCO news:
With the 2025–2026 concert season fast approaching, the West Seattle Community Orchestras (WSCO) has announced registration and audition details as well as new conductors for two of their four ensembles — well-known Concert Orchestra conductor Bryan Kolk returning as conductor of WSCO’s Symphony Orchestra and Allion Salvador joining as the new conductor of WSCO’s Concert Orchestra.
Fall registration for all ensembles is now open. Auditions for new members are tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 23. For more information, visit wscorchestras.org/register or e-mail info@wscorchestras.org.
Bryan Kolk is a music educator, conductor, and bassist who served as Concert Orchestra conductor for four years. He was chosen to conduct the higher-level Symphony Orchestra earlier this summer after former conductor Asieh Mahyar accepted a professorship in another state. Kolk directs the orchestra at Mercer Island High School, which performed at Carnegie Hall earlier this year. He previously directed orchestra and guitar classes at Garfield High School in Seattle and at high schools in Michigan. He also directs the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestras’ Debut Symphony and has years of experience directing music festivals and camps.
Following Kolk’s move, WSCO launched a broad search for a new Concert Orchestra conductor. Allion Salvador — a violinist who is completing a master’s degree in conducting at Central Washington University — was chosen to serve. From 2023–2025, Mr. Salvador served as Music Director of the Federal Way Youth Orchestra. He has also worked with Spokane Symphony, Seattle Philharmonic, and Missoula Symphony, and currently serves as assistant conductor of Wenatchee Valley Symphony and a pops conductor for Candlelight Concerts. He is associate concertmaster of Yakima Symphony and co-concertmaster of the String Orchestra of the Rockies. A 2021 Music International Grand Prix winner, he studied violin at Manhattan School of Music.
Four ensembles comprise WSCO, which also offers beginning strings instruction for young people and for adults (Bill Panks is teacher). In addition to the orchestras mentioned above, beginning students can join the WSCO Debut Orchestra (Rachel Nesvig, conductor) and advanced brass, woodwind, and percussion players can try out for WSCO’s Wind Symphony (Justin Murray, conductor). All four ensembles are multigenerational, offering youth an opportunity to perform alongside more experienced musicians.
If you can’t, or don’t want to, get involved with WSCO right now, you can still make plans to enjoy their fall concerts – watch for the dates, on their website as well as the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar.
5:41 PM: A “thunderstorm of art” is how one attendee described our first stop on tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk:
It’s happening in the back room at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor) – the preview of the upcoming WWest Seattle Art Tour. Many of the artists who’ll be spotlighted on the two-day tour are at Viscon Cellars tonight:
And of course, so are examples of their art:
Taste wine, taste art – you can do both if you want at Viscon Cellars until 9 pm (and the preview art will be up the next two days too). Meantime, here’s the list of Art Walk venues:
Tonight’s specific venues and shows can be previewed here – and go here for the lineup of the Art of Music mini-concerts, which start at four venues at 6 pm!
6:28 PM: Alki is a hotspot this Art Walk, with shows at three venues, including the Log House Museum, tonight showing work by Shannon Kringen:
The artist had stepped out for a moment when we stopped by, but should be back if you visit. Some of her items are reminders that she was long famous on public-access TV – what YouTube has become, in part – as Goddess Kringen. Meantime, Art Walk night is also a rare chance to see the museum in the evening (it’s regularly open Fridays and Saturdays noon-4 pm) – it’s at 61st/Stevens, open tonight until 8.
7:31 PM: Alki Arts (6030 California SW) is the southernmost Art of Music venue this month – we visited for a quick clip of the instrumentalists playing there tonight:
That’s Bob Antolin and Chet Corpt (Chet’s playing the kora), with tonight’s setting sun behind them and to the right.
Tomorrow brings September’s West Seattle Art Walk – last one of summer! – featuring these venues for art and/or food and drink specials:
Three highlights:
*The Art of Music brings four mini-concerts. 6-7:45 pm:
Trevor Ras @ Welcome Road Winery [WSB sponsor] in the greater Admiral District
Katydids @ Verity Credit Union in The Junction
Taryn Hadfield @ Darby Winery in The Junction
Bob Antolin/Chet Corpt Duo @ Alki Arts in Morgan Junction
Preview the performers and their music by going here.
*The West Seattle Art Tour preview, at Viscon Cellars (5910 California SW; WSB sponsor), 5-9 pm
*Alki is abuzz with art this month, with receptions at West Seattle Arcade, Gary’s Place, and the Log House Museum – details are all here (along with other venues around the peninsula hosting receptions Thursday night)!
(WSB is a community co-sponsor of the West Seattle Art Walk)
(WSB photo from 2024 South Park Fiestas Patrias parade)
In case you wondered, this year’s Fiestas Patrias celebration – presented by Sea Mar – is on this weekend, beginning with Saturday’s annual parade in South Park celebrating Latin American heritage and culture. This year’s theme is “Our Voice, Our Strength“; State Supreme Court Justice Steven C. González is the Grand Marshal this year. Dozens of entries, from folkloric dancers to horseback riders, will head eastbound on South Henderson to 14th Avenue South at 10 am Saturday (September 13), then heading north on 14th to South Cloverdale, and turning westbound. It’s a relatively short – 45 minutes last year (WSB coverage here) – but spirited parade. Sea Mar also presents a Fiestas Patrias event all weekend at Seattle Center (see the program and schedule here).
Seems like it’s all about Lincoln Park lately. That’s where Anne snapped this photo and sent it to us. The group is Aztec (Anáhuac) – we showed a similar scene, same park, two and a half years ago (and as often happens, more information emerged in the comments).
Also coming up this week – Thursday is West Seattle Art Walk night, and this month’s special features include the first of three preview dates for the upcoming West Seattle Art Tour! Here’s what to know:
Get a Sneak Peek at the 2025 West Seattle Art Tour During Preview Night (and more) September 11-13!
The West Seattle Art Tour is pleased to announce that Viscon Cellars (5910 California Ave SW, Suite B) is hosting the West Seattle Art Tour’s Preview Night, September 11–13, 2025! The fun begins Thursday, September 11, from 5:00–9:00 pm. Stop by for a sneak peek at the colorful, dynamic work of this year’s tour artists. Many of the artists will be there in person to chat about their work and answer your questions. While you’re there, enjoy a glass of Viscon Cellars’ delicious wine, sample some snacks, and mingle with other art lovers.
If you can’t make it Thursday, the artwork will also be on display Friday, September 12, 5:00-9:00 pm and Saturday, September 13, from 1:00–6:00 pm. Plus, don’t miss the chance to see paintings by artist Eric Peterson, whose work will be featured at Viscon Cellars through the end of September.
About the West Seattle Art Tour: The West Seattle Art Tour (September 20-21) is a free, self-guided tour that showcases a unique array of art created by exceptional West Seattle artists in the spaces where artists create, live, teach and work. This year sites will be open for two days, allowing more time for visitors to see all of the locations. This year’s tour Information includes a printable map, an interactive online map and artist profiles to help guests plot their own adventure across the West Seattle Peninsula. Maps and more are available on the Tour’s website, wsartwalk.org/west-seattle-art-tour. Print copies of This year’s Tour Map will be available on site at Viscon Cellars all three days.
The West Seattle Art Tour is organized by local artists and art lovers with support from West Seattle Art Walk as well as in-kind sponsorship from West Seattle Blog, Viscon Cellars, and Alki Arts.
Lots of opportunities for singers in West Seattle this fall and beyond! Here’s another announcement we were asked to publish:
Love to sing?
The choir of West Side Presbyterian Church in West Seattle is welcoming new singers who love to sing in our community. The choir sings in the beautiful sanctuary space at WSPC and is also joined by an orchestra ensemble for festival services. For more information about how to join our welcoming and vibrant group of people, please reach out to Music Director Anthony Spain at anthonys@wspc.org
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