West Seattle, Washington
28 Friday
Just got word that the traditional end-of-school neighborhood concert near Ercolini Park is on tonight – featuring the band DAD, 6:30 pm-9 pm. Neighbors are invited to the concert – BYO chairs and food/drink (an adjacent pig roast is not a public event). Kids will be playing in the park during the concert; all ages welcome. Free but if you care to donate, it’ll go to support the Genesee Hill Elementary music program.
6:16 PM: It’s on! You are invited to get out and enjoy the June 2018 West Seattle Art Walk right now. We featured this month’s map and venue list in our daily preview – one of this month’s featured venues is Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW; WSB sponsor), with three watercolor artists in the house tonight, and Click! shared the photo. Remember that food and beverage venues are on the list too, some with specials you can enjoy while out on the Art Walk. More to come!
7:51 PM: On the other side of the street, we stopped by CAPERS (4525 California SW), which is spotlighting painter Magdalena Cooney:
While you’re there, wish proprietor Lisa Myers “happy anniversary”:
CAPERS has been in business for 33 years!
Seen on our way back from low-low tide photos:
HARBOR/SPOKANE WORK BEGINS: As previewed earlier this week, work is now under way on the Harbor/Spokane project. That lane – westbound Spokane to north/westbound Harbor – will be kept open during peak pm commute hours, 3 to 7 pm weekdays, per SDOT, but remember that continuous work is planned this weekend.
ADDED THURSDAY EVENING: More info on upcoming Alki Trail closure/detours:
Starting Monday, June 18, crews will close part of the Alki Trail in order to remove sections of the sidewalk and road in preparation for the safety improvement work at the intersection. This phase of work is expected to take 3 weeks (construction dates and duration are subject to change). We wanted to share with you the Alki Trail detour information for people walking and biking.
People walking and biking will be detoured around the work zone as appropriate. The detour routes are:
Eastbound bikes on the Alki Trail
Continue south, past SW Spokane St, to SW Avalon Way
Left onto SW Yancy St
Left onto 28th Ave SW
Right onto SW Andover St
Continue east, across Delridge Way SW, and onto the trail
Detour signs will be posted along this route. A temporary crossing will be added for people biking to cross from the Alki Trail to the west side of Harbor Ave SW. Once on Harbor Ave SW, people biking will merge with traffic and continue following the detour to SW Avalon Way.Westbound bikes on the Alki Trail
Detoured south toward 22nd Ave SW
Right onto SW Andover St
Left onto 28th Ave SW
Right onto SW Yancy St
Right onto SW Avalon Way
Continue north onto Harbor Ave SW to reconnect with the Alki Trail
Detour signs will be posted at the east end of the trail, directing people biking toward 22nd Ave SW.People walking eastbound and westbound on the Alki Trail
A uniformed police officer will direct people walking at the intersection of Harbor Ave SW and SW Spokane St
Please note: Bikes will not be able to access the walking detour route and must follow the signed bike detour route.
(back to original story) Nearby, under the bridge, along SW Manning, we noticed this:
NEW SIGNAL-BOX ART: The rose-covered signal box is signed by Desmond (aka Graves) Hansen. It’s not mentioned on his Instagram page or elsewhere that we’ve found, so we don’t know yet if this is the finished work or, like the box at California/Graham, another tribute portrait might eventually be painted onto it. As mentioned here earlier this week, he’ll be painting a mural of and at the Morgan Junction Community Festival this Saturday, starting at 1 pm, at Morgan Junction Park [map].
Before we get to today’s highlight list – one to put on your calendar for tomorrow: A festival of short films created by 10th graders at Chief Sealth International High School. The photos shared with us show some of the students collaborating as they edit their films in the project’s final week.
Their work will be shown during the school day tomorrow and then at three evening showings to which you’re invited: 5 pm, 6:30 pm, and 8 pm at the CSIHS Auditorium (2600 SW Thistle). Some of the filmmakers will participate in panel discussions – it’s all detailed on the festival’s website. That’s also where you can see what the films are about – as described in the announcement we received, “local issues that are most important to students of this generation.” From the evening screenings’ schedules, just a few examples:
-“Humanizing the Homeless”
-“Immigration: Our Story”
-“Hip Hop/Rap Shows the Message of the Time”
-“Fishing for Clues”
-“Lockdown”
-“Perceptions of Body Image”
There’s even a short about “Juice the God,” the local rapper murdered downtown for whom a memorial is still in place barely a block northeast of the campus. See the world through the eyes of the up-and-coming generation, tomorrow night at Chief Sealth.
Thanks to John Christensen from Denny-Sealth Performing Arts for the report!
The Chief Sealth HS Music program was in Los Angeles / Disneyland last weekend for the 2018 Music in the Parks / Disney Magic Music Days. During the Music program they were awarded for their performances.
(Photos courtesy Zachariah MacIntyre)
Choir received First Place AAA HS Choir and Best Overall (Excellent Rating) – Brittany Delong – Director
Orchestra received First Place AAA HS Orchestra and Best Overall (Excellent Rating) – Jorge Morales – Director
Jazz Band received First Place AAA HS Jazz Band (Superior Rating) – Marcus Pimpelton – Director
Eli Allen-White was awarded the Outstanding Jazz Soloist Award.
We are proud of them.
You can cheer the Sealth musicians in person next Wednesday – the final orchestra/band concert of the year is at 7 pm (June 13th).
Last summer, Thunderpussy performed in the West Seattle Junction, headlining Summer Fest. Tonight, they were back in The Junction, taking the stage at Easy Street Records in honor of their debut album:
Easy Street proprietor Matt Vaughan welcomed the crowd:
After a busy day on the peninsula, it was definitely one of tonight’s hot tickets, with the ESR performance space filling up pre-show:
Sighted outside pre-show: County Executive Dow Constantine and 4-year-old daughter Sabrina:
Tonight’s Easy Street show kicked off an international tour.
Thunderpussy is headed back east, then to Canada, and beyond, starting next week.
HONK Fest West is on in downtown WC! pic.twitter.com/3v1KWZ0dWz
— White Center Now (@whitecenternow) June 2, 2018
2 PM: A day full of fun continues with the street-band festival HONK! Fest West taking over the heart of downtown White Center for the rest of the day, until 6 pm. We previewed it here last month – you might recall the festival’s day in The Junction back in 2010. Today, 16th SW is closed between Roxbury and SW 98th, with “stage” areas at either end, plus another one on 98th (closed between 15th and 17th) east of 16th.
The band list and map are on the HONK! Fest West home page. You will also find lineup boards by each stage – bands coming up range from Garfield HS musicians to the Seahawks’ famed Blue Thunder. Get down here – it’s all free.
8:05 PM: A few more photos:
And in case you missed Garfield – we had video in this tweet on our @whitecenternow feed:
Garfield High School band at 16th/Roxbury as @HONKFestWest continues! pic.twitter.com/RbQfd3jFcn
— White Center Now (@whitecenternow) June 2, 2018
WCN is also where we’re adding even more photos and video. Meantime, the third and final day of HONK! Fest West is tomorrow in Columbia City; day one, Friday, was in Georgetown.
(WSB photos/video)
9:25 AM: We’re at KEXP‘s Seattle Center headquarters for the announcement everyone’s been waiting for … who’s playing at Alki Beach for Sub Pop Records‘ already-much-previewed 30th-anniversary party? Sub Pop just announced it! The poster here tells the toplines:
Or, if you prefer the text version, from Sub Pop’s news release:
Beach House, Clipping, Kyle Craft, Fastbacks, Jo Passed, Loma, LVL UP, METZ, Moaning, Mudhoney, Shabazz Palaces, Wolf Parade, plus Caspar Babypants, The Not-Its, and The School of Rock West Seattle House Band
“Special guests” are promised too. We first reported the party plan back in January. It’s expected to draw thousands to Alki for a free four-stage music-and-more festival noon-10 pm on August 11th – 30,000 was the estimated turnout for Sub Pop’s 25th anniversary in Georgetown in 2013.
(WSB photo added: Sub Pop CEO Megan Jasper in-studio at KEXP)
Right after Sub Pop CEO Megan Jasper (a West Seattleite) and team’s announcement, Shabazz Palaces is playing live at the KEXP Gathering Space, and we’re staying for some of that.
Before entering the studio, Jasper told us she’s “so excited” to finally make the lineup public. Updates to come!
9:49 AM: The Shabazz Palaces mini-show has just begun (streaming live here).
Meantime, also announced by Sub Pop, three other events that weekend – not in West Seattle but you might be interested – details are on the special SPF 30 website.
And if you’re just tuning in to all this, Sub Pop reps have been visiting the Alki Community Council and Admiral Neighborhood Association for months to discuss logistics and answer questions, given the magnitude of the event – here’s our most-recent report.
A new documentary that has its Northwest premiere next weekend has multiple West Seattle ties. You’ll recognize the local names involved with “Return to Mount Kennedy.” Here’s the announcement:
The locally produced documentary chronicles the expedition of the sons of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and mountaineering icon Jim Whittaker, and features original music by Eddie Vedder.
Director Eric Becker and other special guests will attend the hometown screening.
In 1965, Robert Kennedy was the first man to summit Mount Kennedy in the Yukon Territory, named in honor of his late brother. Leading that expedition was Jim Whittaker, the first American to summit Everest and original fulltime employee of REI.
50 years later, Jim’s sons Bob and Leif, along with Christopher Kennedy, decide to climb the mountain again in honor of their fathers’ joint accomplishment and unique friendship. Seattle-based filmmaker Eric Becker’s touching documentary combines archival footage —including several Kennedy home movies — with interviews from Jim himself and those who know them best as we follow three sons and the journey literally in their fathers’ footsteps.
The documentary features original music by Eddie Vedder, never-before-seen archival footage, and includes interviews with Sub Pop records co-founder Bruce Pavitt, mountain guide Dave Hahn, and members of the original climbing team.
The film was scheduled to have its world premiere last night as the opening night film of the Telluride Mountainfilm Festival. Its scheduled local screenings are Saturday, June 2 at 3:30 pm at Kirkland Performance Center (tickets here), and two at SIFF Uptown on Queen Anne – Saturday, June 9 at 6:30 pm, and Sunday, June 10, at 3 pm (tickets here).
(WSB photo)
Tonight we seem to have an art theme going. Above is artist Henry Luke, who is leading the community mural project for the future home of Roxhill Elementary at renovated EC Hughes Elementary in Sunrise Heighs. He’s been offering workshops for youth interested in getting involved – and now there are two chances for everyone, all ages, to get involved, at two design meetings:
These will be a chance to discuss our ideas for the mural design which will be painted 8′ x 40′ at the new EC Hughes playground this summer. What is important to illustrate about the cultures and communities of Roxhill? How do you want to be represented in this mural? What is your vision for a bright future for the neighborhood?
Sunday, May 27, 11 am
DubSea Coffee: 9910 8th Ave SWTuesday, May 29, 6:30 pm
Southwest Branch Library: 9010 35th Ave SW
The mural will be painted this summer after the new playground is installed.
Passing through Morgan Junction this afternoon, we spotted muralist Bob Henry continuing his work restoring the mural on the west wall of the Peel & Press/Starbucks/Pet Elements/West Seattle Vision/Subway building, so we stopped to check in.
It’s been about two weeks since he started. Check out how bright and clear the mural is looking!
It depicts a late-1930s scene across California SW, where West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) is now, with the homes of north Gatewood Hill behind it. As announced in front of the mural a week and a half ago, the restoration of this almost-30-years-old mural is intended to spark restoration of the others painted around that time in The Junction.
(WSB photos)
Something fun to do tonight and/or tomorrow – go admire, browse, maybe even buy local artists’ work! It’s a show and sale organized by artist Genna Draper at West Seattle Church of the Nazarene, where she has a studio.
That’s Genna, above, with the church’s Pastor Shaun Mattson. Genna explains that the show has transformed the church “into a beautiful Art Gallery filled to the brim with high-end, quality art by 7 local artists, a perfumer and Seattle dress designer.”
Part of the show proceeds will be donated to the church, for its community-service work and upkeep, Genna says.
The show/sale is on until 8 pm tonight, continuing 11 am-5 pm tomorrow; other participating artists are Rick Duque, Magdalena Cooney, Scott Gibson, Bryant Goetz, Laura Van Horne, Jennifer Carrasco, and Ruby Trinneer. The church is at the corner of 42nd SW and SW Juneau, and Pastor Shaun is also happy to answer questions about the long-planned development on part of the “park” site south of the sanctuary. He says that depending on the rest of the permit process, work could finally start this summer; the church is still planning to use funds for renovation of its building, and that should start by fall.
Thanks to West Seattle High School music director Ethan Thomas for the photo and report:
The West Seattle High School Concert Band and Orchestra traveled to Southern California last weekend. While down there, we participated in the Music in the Parks competition at Disneyland, took part in a studio soundtrack session led by renowned conductor/musician Stan Freese, and performed at Disney’s California Adventure Park. Both groups placed 1st in their division of the competition. While in California we had the opportunity to visit Balboa Beach, spent two days at Disneyland, and one day at Universal Studios. Our orchestra is conducted by Taylor Fritts.
You can catch the WSHS groups in concert next month, according to the program calendar.
(WSB file photo)
Just announced by the Admiral Neighborhood Association – the lineup for this year’s Summer Concerts at Hiawatha, six free outdoor concerts, 6:30-8 pm Thursday nights starting July 19th. From ANA’s concert coordinator Stephanie Jordan:
The Admiral Neighborhood Association is getting ready for summer with a fresh lineup of artists to play at Hiawatha. Save your Thursday evenings for some incredible music in the park, made possible through the generous support of community businesses, Seattle Parks, and the Associated Recreation Council. Here’s what’s ahead:
July 19th
URAL THOMAS AND THE PAINUral Thomas started singing beneath his mother’s knee in church at the age of 3. By high school he led the doo-wop group the Mono Rays. Ural’s voice and songwriting soon gained national attention and he found himself sharing the stage with the likes of James Brown, Otis Redding, Johnny Guitar Watson, and “Little” Stevie Wonder. He played the Apollo 44 times. He backed the Northwest’s biggest soul and garage outfits of the 1960s (The Kingsmen, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Cavaliers Unlimited) and he never for a moment stopped teaching, singing and loving soul music.
July 26th
GOOD QUIVER
Good Quiver is a relatively new band, but the bandmates have a long and winding history playing music together, featuring high-school friends Ehssan Karimi on drums and West Seattle resident Martin Celt on bass. He and vocalist Katelyn Berreth have also been playing music together since high school. Their groovy, fresh sound is rooted in soul, jazz, funk, hip hop, and “everlasting friendship”!August 2nd
MICAIAH SAWYER
Micaiah Sawyer is a prolific singer-songwriter from Olympia, playing a catchy blend of folk, blues and rock. Her relatable and wise-beyond-years lyrics quickly make an impression on the listener, connecting them with not just a piece of music, but with the artist herself. Armed with an accompaniment of energetic and talented musicians, Micaiah recently won the Sound Off 2018 competition hosted by Seattle’s Museum of Pop Culture and KEXP 90.3 FM. She will be releasing her first full-length album this summer.August 9th
GENERAL MOJO’S
General Mojo’s is a space-elevator ride of psychedelic pop, reminiscent of the past with all courses set for the distant future. Despite their light-hearted approach to stage presence and style, General Mojo’s provides a serious sound, collecting the hook-laden melodies and complex lucid solo sections evocative of Yes and Emerson Lake & Palmer. General Mojo’s plays both the loose and groovy rock you remember and a buttoned-down psychedelic sound you’ve never experienced before!August 16th
THE SERVICE PROVIDERS
Labeled a “Superband” by The Stranger, the Service Providers are as mysterious as they are deeply rooted in the northwest music scene: “Not all bands are good. These ones are.” The Service Providers is a new project of Mike Musburger, Arthur Roberts (formerly of The Posies), Dave Fox, and Brian Naubert.August 23rd
CASPAR BABYPANTS
Summer favorite Caspar Babypants will be back to sing songs for parents and kids ages 0-6 with a catchy simple sing-along good-time folk acoustic country rock-and-roll feel that will make you smile and dance at the same time.
The stage and lawn are on the east side of Hiawatha Community Center, along Walnut south of Lander. (WSB is a co-sponsor again this year, as we’ve proudly been each year since the concert series launched in 2009.)
(Adah Cruzen, left, with Lora Swift and photo of Earl Cruzen)
Story by Tracy Record
Photos by Patrick Sand
West Seattle Blog co-publishers
The “father of West Seattle’s murals,” Earl Cruzen, was there not only in spirit but also in photo as his widow Adah Cruzen announced a big gift toward their restoration.
“He left me a bunch of zeroes,” Adah Cruzen quipped about her husband, who died last year at age 96. Five of them were on the ceremonial $100,000 check displayed this afternoon, as she joined community leaders at the foot of the mural that’s being restored right now in Morgan Junction.
The announcement was hosted by Lora Swift of the West Seattle Junction Association and Dan Austin of Peel & Press, whose restaurant is in the building that’s home to the Morgan mural that artist Bob Henry is now working on. (Added: Video of the event:)
As it began, both Swift and local journalist/historian Clay Eals told the story of the murals – 11 in all – that were painted in West Seattle between 1989 and 1993.
As Roxhill Elementary prepares to move to EC Hughes, it’s time to ramp up the community mural project at the new site. From Jenny Rose Ryan of Friends of Roxhill Elementary, a special invitation for kids (and read through to the P.S. for adults):
Friends of Roxhill Elementary (FoRE) is pleased to announce the selection of Henry Luke as the artist to lead our community mural project. To kick off the project and help develop our community’s vision, Henry invites youth ages 7 to 13 to a series of workshops in the upstairs meeting room at the Southwest Branch of the Seattle Public Library from 4 to 5 p.m. on three upcoming Friday afternoons: May 18, May 25 and June 1. All kids are welcome — not just those from Roxhill.
Our goal is to create a long-lasting piece of art that truly represents the history, culture, and aspirations of the people in the neighborhood who will see it every day. We are excited to work together with Henry to create a mural that reflects our hopes, dreams, and visions for the future while making connections with each other.
The mural will be located at the concrete retaining wall at the corner of 32nd Avenue SW and SW Holden Street, along the street side of Roxhill’s new home at the historic E.C. Hughes Elementary. If you are an adult interested in participating in the mural design or volunteering to help paint the mural, please contact us at friendsofroxhill@gmail.com. It will be painted this summer, after installation of our new playground.
P.S. Friends of Roxhill will also be hosting a community build day for our new playground at our new home at the renovated and restored E.C. Hughes, where Roxhill is moving in the fall. Volunteers will be supervised by our selected playground firm, PlayCreation, on June 2 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Details are coming very soon — if interested now, you can sign up here. We have morning and afternoon shifts.
Both the mural and the playground have been made possible by a Seattle Department of Neighborhoods Neighborhood Matching Fund grant.
Thanks to Meyer for the photo: A little over two weeks after we reported that the project to save West Seattle’s murals would kick off with restoration of the one in Morgan Junction, the artist is at work. Meyer spotted Gig Harbor artist Bob Henry at work today on the mural behind the California/Fauntleroy building that houses five businesses including Peel and Press, whose proprietor Dan Austin is spearheading this part of the project. We expect to hear more next week about broader plans for restoring more of West Seattle’s murals.
(1st 2 photos courtesy John Smersh of Click! Design That Fits)
6:12 PM: Wearable art! That’s some of what you’ll find on tonight’s West Seattle Art Walk – at Click! Design That Fits (4540 California SW; WSB sponsor), the artist is Elyssa Cichy:
Here again is tonight’s map/venue list – with places you’ll find food and drink specials, as well as places with art:
ADDED 6:37 PM: Stop by Wallflower Custom Framing (4735 42nd SW) and meet artist Heidi Bruns Shank:
The display description explains that her “series ‘Adapting Clarity’ explores individuality of sight and perception.”
7:30 PM: Also in The Junction, Graystone Mortgage in Jefferson Square is featuring art by Chief Sealth International High School students – including Tuvy!
Says the WSAW preview: “The student art … on display represents work from the beginning Drawing/Painting class and the International Baccalaureate Art program.” Between there and WSB HQ, we stopped at Locöl for Graham Vittum, presented by the Bruno B Art Colletif:
Next month’s Art Walk – always the second Thursday – is June 14th.
Congratulations to Chief Sealth International High School artist Zhen Williams for winning a competition that will see her winning work displayed in D.C.! The announcement and photo are from our area’s U.S. House Rep. Pramila Jayapal‘s office:
Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal announced the winners of Washington’s 7th District 2018 Congressional Arts Competition. They are:
1st: Zhen Williams, Chief Sealth International High School, “Voice Through My Hands”
2nd: Marlowe Pody, Garfield High School, “Fleeting”
3rd: Min Jeong Lee, Shoreline Christian School, “Hope”
Zhen’s painting will be displayed in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year; Jayapal will hang the second place entry in her congressional office.
“Congratulations to Zhen on winning this year’s Congressional Arts Competition. I’m proud of the 7th District for another successful year celebrating the arts. This would not have been possible without the six schools who participated or without our amazing judges, supportive parents and teachers,” said Rep. Jayapal. “Every year, students have raised the bar, and I look forward to seeing the entries we receive in next year’s competition.”
Six high schools from around the district participated in this year’s contest, including Chief Sealth International High School, Shoreline Christian, Ingraham, Garfield, The Northwest School and New Start High School.
Chief Sealth International High School will host a film festival this Friday and Saturday – and the second day is open to the community. This celebration of Spanish-language films has quite a backstory – it’s a program with University of Washington involvement, and this UW article explains how it happened, who’s involved, and why. Here’s the announcement we received from the school:
You are invited to Chief Sealth International High School’s Spanish Language Film Festival this upcoming Friday and Saturday. While Friday’s events will be during school hours and mostly open to only students, the events on Saturday, May 5, are open to the community.
We will be viewing the Chilean film Rara and the Colombian/U.S. film Entre Nos (trailer above), with screenings, time for food, and other activities happening between 11-6 that day. We hope you can join us at Chief Sealth International High School. And please encourage your students to attend as well!
Schedule for Saturday:
11:00 am: Doors open. Light snacks
11:30 am: Brief intro to Pepa San Martín’s Rara; Screening of Rara (Chile)
1:00-2:00 pm: Food and social hour
2:00-3:15 pm: Workshops
3:30 pm: Brief intro to Gloria La Morte and Paola Mendoza’s Entre Nos (Colombia/U.S.) Screening of Entre Nos
6:00 pm: Closing Ceremony
The film festival’s theme is “Outsider Heroes.” Chief Sealth IHS is at 2600 SW Thistle; festival admission is free.
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
After years of planning and discussion, the next step toward restoring West Seattle’s murals will soon go from plans and hopes to reality.
We first reported in October 2015 that Dan Austin, owner of Peel and Press in Morgan Junction, was leading a project to save the mural on the west side of the California/Fauntleroy building that holds his business and four others.
It’s been a long road but that road reached one big milestone back in January, when the Morgan Community Association committed money to the restoration project. Then, another milestone this week, when the muralist who will restore it got his first look at it.
(L-R, Lora Swift, Deb Barker, Phil Tavel, Dan Austin, Bob Henry, Clay Eals)
He is Bob Henry from Gig Harbor, and we were there as he visited the mural Tuesday with Austin, MoCA’s president and vice president Deb Barker and Phil Tavel, and the Southwest Seattle Historical Society‘s executive director Jeff McCord and past ED Clay Eals, plus Lora Swift of the West Seattle Junction Association, which is working toward restoration of the Junction murals too.
The two featured writers at this month’s WordsWest Literary Series event, 7 pm Wednesday (April 18th) at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor), include one of the series’s co-curators. Here’s the preview of who you’ll see and hear:
Poets Aimee Nezhukumatathil (above left) and Susan Rich (above right) celebrate National Poetry Month with poems that revel in the world’s mysteries, from the vast to the minute, from nature to art, from curiosities to companionship.
Aimee Nezhukumatathil’s newest collection of poems is Oceanic from Copper Canyon Press. She is also the author of the forthcoming book of illustrated nature essays, World of Wonder, and three previous poetry collections. Her most recent chapbook is Lace & Pyrite, a collaboration of nature poems with the poet Ross Gay. Aimee is the poetry editor of Orion magazine and a professor of English in the University of Mississippi’s MFA program.
Susan Rich is the author of four poetry collections: Cloud Pharmacy, The Alchemist’s Kitchen, named a finalist for the Foreword Prize and the Washington State Book Award, Cures Include Travel, and The Cartographer’s Tongue, winner of the PEN USA Award for Poetry and the Peace Corps Writers Award. Susan teaches at Highline College, where she runs the reading series, Highline Listens: Writers Read Their Work.
The Favorite Poem Project, a vital part of WordsWest’s monthly literary events, invites a community member to share a favorite poem and information about his or her organization. On April 18th, we welcome a favorite poem from Billie Swift, owner of Open Books: A Poem Emporium.
WordsWest is curated by West Seattle writers Katy E. Ellis, Susan Rich, and Harold Taw, and this season’s intern/co-curator is Joannie Stangeland. Grant funding from Seattle Office of Arts and Culture and Poets & Writers, Inc. allows WordsWest to pay featured writers for their time and talent.
We spotlighted the series curators last September, before the current season of presentations began.
Thanks to Nicole for the photos! Graves (aka Desmond) Hansen has just painted another signal-box portrait … this time, a tribute to Kurt Cobain on the southeast corner of California/Graham. He actually painted this signal box first, as we showed you more than a month ago, but it just held the swirling background pattern until he added Kurt today. (Nicole’s photo below features Hansen at right, an assistant Dozer at left:)
He’s also continuing to collect donations to cover his costs. His previous four signal-box portraits are Jimi Hendrix at California/Morgan, Bruce Lee at 35th/Morgan, Chris Cornell at 35th/Alaska, and Layne Staley at Harbor/Spokane.
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