West Seattle, Washington
05 Sunday
(Photos by Christopher Boffoli for WSB)
It wasn’t a ribboncutting or “speechifying” occasion – just a casual gathering in the breezeway between Northwest Art and Frame and Puerto Vallarta in The Junction on Monday afternoon, to dedicate the three-panel art installation now gracing the breezeway, with the placement of a plaque:
Among those on hand for the occasion: Maureen O’Neill and Ron Davis from Parks, Roxanne Brown, Brian Judd, and Rebecca Hall from High Point Community Center, which partnered on the project, with a Seattle Housing Authority grant. It all started last summer, when we covered two milestones along the way: In August, we showed you the panels being created, and then the three panels being installed. 40 local youths between 10 and 17 took part along the way, choosing to tell the story of their “Past, Present, and Future”:
Here’s what the dedication plaque says:
As youth, we envision a diverse world that accepts everyone without judgment and allows us to explore our options. Our work is open to interpretation – we hope to inspire and open your eyes to the diversity and aspirations of the youth living in the West Seattle community.
So don’t just breeze through the breezeway – stop and take a look:
According to Liz Schroeder (above) from the West Seattle Junction Association, also involved with the project, the next step for beautifying the breezeway – which is privately owned (yes, the owner gave permission for the murals) – is new surfacing for the walkway.
Budget-mandated staff cuts at Alki Community Center have put the annual Alki Art Fair in jeopardy, as reported here previously. But volunteer power, and the Alki Community Council, might be able to save it. As announced at alkinews.com, there’s a meeting this Thursday, 5 pm, at the center, for anyone who wants to find out how to help.
By Keri DeTore
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
Yvonne Belshaw is the president of a manufacturing company, an artist with a current show at the Fauntleroy YMCA, a gardener, the writer of a new musical opening this week – and she just turned 90 years old. When you ask people about Yvonne Belshaw, they stop you and say, “You mean the amazing Yvonne Belshaw.”
Yvonne married into the Belshaw family, which owned Belshaw Brothers Bakery Equipment, in 1941. She says, “If you’ve eaten a donut recently, it was probably made on a Belshaw machine.” She headed the advertising department, designing layouts and “writing copy for machines they hadn’t invented yet” including the “Donut Robot.” This is an automated donut machine, one of which is used by the Daily Dozen Donut Company in Pike Place Market. She enjoyed the creativity of her work, adding, “I loved watching the machinery.”
Though the Belshaw company was sold, Yvonne remains in the food equipment manufacturing business and heads Food Equipment Design, headquartered in White Center. They produce the “Pancake Chef” — an automated pancake dispenser.
Yvonne remembers the exact day she moved to West Seattle: August 1, 1942.
Thanks to Susan Eng for sharing the photo of West Seattle author Paul Schmid signing his new children’s book “A Pet for Petunia” as it launched Thursday night at Secret Garden Books in Ballard. She says he cited daughter Anna as inspiration for, and consultant on, the book, which he wrote and illustrated. (Previously, he was published as illustrator of “The Wonder Book” by Amy Krouse Rosenthal.)
A rare sunny midwinter weekend afternoon … perfect for kids to go to the playground or maybe the beach, right? Instead, about 40 girls and boys ages 3-12 took time out at mid-afternoon to brighten the day for residents at The Kenney. Jenna Lutton from Gildenfire Dance brought her young students to the big lower-level community room, which filled with proud family members as well as Kenney-residing audience members, all of whom combined for quite the ovation. Three Gildenfire groups performed one dance each – above, the 3-4-year-olds (with two 5-year-olds, Lutton noted) did a kiddie can-can, coached by their teacher off to screen-left. Lutton says you can expect to see her students turn up elsewhere around the peninsula in the months ahead: “As part of our ever evolving mission, we hope to bring joy and happiness to our community through dance. This spring we are planning ‘guerrilla’ dance performances all over West Seattle.” Home base for her West Seattle dance classes is the Highland Park Improvement Club.
Just announced by the mayor’s office, a January 29th “open house” at City Hall downtown, with street-food trucks and live music – and one well-known West Seattleite is on the bill: Rocker Chris Ballew in his alter-ego as kids-music-maker Caspar Babypants. Here’s the full schedule for the January 29th event.
The “William Tell Overture” – by steel drums! That was just one of the highlights in a night full of music by Denny International Middle School students, performing their Winter Concert across SW Thistle Street at Chief Sealth International High School‘s remodeled auditorium – next door to the new school Denny will occupy later this year. We also have video highlights from seven more of the groups that performed Thursday night as the culmination of four months of hard work – click ahead!
(WSB photos by Ellen Cedergreen)
South Seattle Community College‘s food and wine programs are famous in their own right – perhaps because they’re open to even international education, with guests like the team from Spain that came in on Thursday. Among the team that led cooking and wine classes and presentations almost all day was guest sommelier Jesús Sanguino Collado (above). The featured wines and foods were from the Castilla y León region of Spain. Click ahead to see what they tried, and how:Read More
Thanks to Sha’ari from Inner Listening for sharing that photo from tonight’s Westside Symphony rehearsal, during the first West Seattle Community Orchestras sessions of the year. That’s founder Toni Reineke conducting, at top left. Sha’ari says, “Lots of strings but we still need another French horn, trombone, a couple trumpets, another bassoon, two oboes, a bass trombone and a couple celli. No more flutes please – we’ve got a whole cocktail already. It’s fun! Join us next Tues.” The orchestras rehearse on Tuesdays, Chief Sealth International High School – the schedule can be found, with lots more info, on their website.
If you are not part of the local writing scene, you might know West Seattle poet Nicole Hardy best for her work at Circa in the Admiral District. One week ago, a national/international audience got to know her because of her essay published in the New York Times, “Single, Female, Mormon, Alone.” Tonight, Nicole Brodeur of the Seattle Times (WSB partner) follows up with Hardy and reports that the essay was received so sensationally, she now has an agent and a new book deal. (She’s already published two books of poetry, which you can read about on her website.)
As the CD release party for Pearl Jam‘s “Live on Ten Legs” got going at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) less than an hour ago, it was so wall-to-wall, we barely had room to get Shawnte, Mollie, and Melissa to pose with their newly purchased copies of the CD and vinyl versions. Easy Street Records is there selling the album, Ten Club is there selling merchandise, and The Feedback has on-loan rare PJ memorabilia on display (in addition to their existing collection):
We’re told the party continues the rest of the night. Or till closing, whichever comes first. Next special event, Fiasco plays live, as a benefit for a nonprofit helping multiple-sclerosis patients, January 29th.
“We keep getting bigger and better, but would like to fill in some of our smaller sections,” says Toni Reineke of West Seattle Community Orchestras, with days to go till their first rehearsal of the year (last week was “snowed out”). She elaborates:
We especially need cellos, string basses, trumpets, and percussion—and oboe and bassoon, of course!
If you are a beginner or haven’t played for a while, don’t be shy! We have three orchestras spanning beginning to advanced levels.
Pre-register online at wscorchestras.org, then be ready to rehearse on Tuesday night at Chief Sealth International High School. E-mail Toni with questions, tonireineke@comcast.net.
(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen for WSB)
Besides the monthly West Seattle Art Walk (see our previous report), Thursday night brought another major art event – the West Seattle High School Winter Art Expo, a juried show. Here’s a group of WSHS ceramics students and their teacher – from left: Korina, Nelsy, Silvee, teacher Michelle Sloan, Regine, and Justice:
Parents, jurors, and students perused a vast array of “Me Boxes,” one of three featured mediums:
What’s in a “Me Box,” you ask? They are process boxes the students make and decorate.
WSB contributor Ellen Cedergreen, who covered the expo, explains that each panel represents a different part of the student, in the following layout: The outside top of the box represents who the students appear to be to the world; the inside is meant to show how the student sees her/himself; the four outer walls represent one of four emotions – peace, sadness, anger, and joy. WSHS student Socheata Thon told Ellen that the inside of hers is primarily dedicate to speed since she is fast, “like a cheetah”:
Here are WSHS students Jordan Jackson and Tyler Johnson with their “Me Boxes”:
Retired Ballard High School art teacher Jane Morris (in the next photo with WSHS student Maxwell Zimmerman), was a juror:
Jane told WSB that students were judged primarily on how well they executed their own artistic intent, which they wrote out as “artist statements.” Jurors read the statements before sitting down with students for one-on-one critiques. The expo included 10 professionals judging more than 200 students; winners will be announced in class today.
The weather eased just in time for hundreds to come see and hear the Seattle Symphony for free last night at South Seattle Community College on Puget Ridge. It’s an annual tradition for the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle to host the orchestra’s peninsula appearance as part of the symphony’s Community Concerts series. You’ll find more information about that series here (as well as details on last night’s musical program).
Not only is next Thursday night — one week from tonight — the monthly West Seattle Art Walk, it’s also a chance to celebrate student art at West Seattle High School.
Fine arts teacher Martha Tonkin says the WSHS Winter Art Expo is set for 4-8 pm next Thursday in the school library:
We will have 200 Drawing & Painting/Ceramics students exhibiting their artwork and ceramic pieces in a large show, judged by 10 professional artists/art instructors. Music, food, a beautiful setting, and a feeling of “celebrating the arts” makes this a fun event to drop in on, as the teen artists are available to speak about their work, similar to an art opening in a gallery setting.
Meantime, another set of student artists showed their work last month. 10 professional photographers judged the work of 60 high-school students at the WSHS Photo Expo in December. Among them, Highland Park’s Dina Lydia Johnson, who also put together a Flickr gallery with more than 60 photos of participants and their work. Here’s one of the winners:
That’s Zaya Wylde-Page, whose work was honored as “most professional.” Next on the winner list shared by the school, Francisco Morseletto, for “most ethereal”:
The rest of the winner list, and the judges and coordinators, after the jump:Read More
(12/15/2010 video of Westside Symphony performing “Nutcracker” selections)
From Rob Duisberg with West Seattle Community Orchestras – one week from tonight, your chance to join!
The West Seattle Community Orchestras are beginning their spring season on Tuesday evening, January 11th, at Chief Sealth International High School at 2600 SW Thistle.
The orchestras welcome all musicians. There are three different orchestras to suit your individual skill level, from our beginning strings ensemble to the Westside Symphony playing the great standard orchestral repertoire, and each group is open to all ages.
We are particularly interested in recruiting string, double reed and percussion players. So if your instrument has been in the closet too long, make this New Year the time to reconnect with the joy of fine music-making in a fun, inclusive atmosphere!
Visit us at wscorchestras.org and click on the Registration Page, or e-mail us at westsidesymph@gmail.com, or call Toni Reineke at 206.243.6955 for more information.
If you go play trivia tonight at Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor), wish Charlie Beck luck at the upcoming 14th annual Seattle Elvis Invitationals. He’s the second West Seattleite to enter the Kingly fray, according to Marlow Harris, who notes that Charlie not only hosts Tuesday night “Entertainment That Rocks” trivia at The Feedback, he also performs with the popular local band Memphis Radio Kings. According to Marlow, he’s got a hunka-hunka “Burnin’ Love” on tap for the contest. At left, she provided a photo of him from The Feedback’s Elvis Death Day event last August. Also contending, Bret Wiggins, who came in second last year – here’s video from that almost-winning performance. You can see them face off (along with more than two dozen other Elvises – or if you prefer, Elvii) — fringe, sequins, sideburns and all — at Club Motor in SODO this Saturday – the day The King would have turned 75. Marlow notes that the treats on sale will include fried peanut butter-and-banana sandwiches (“with and without bacon”).
(Photos by Ellen Cedergreen)
In our previous coverage of the new West Seattle restaurant Avalon, which officially opened this afternoon at 2940 Avalon Way SW in the Luna Park business district, we’ve talked about the food, and the coffee – but the art is part of the story, too. It’s all by Diann Sales:
She’s the sister of co-proprietor and head Chef Deborah Breuler – at right in this next photo with co-proprietor Mary Palmer (Deborah had answered questions about their plans in one of our earliest reports):
Diann’s work incorporated many repurposed materials found at the site (the photo above shows her in front of a collage done on an old door they turned up). More Avalon photos ahead:
Six months after Diane Venti and artist husband Tom Wyrick took over the space vacated by All the Best Pet Care, between Alki Urban Market and Cactus, their business Alki Arts is celebrating its first half-year right now: 10 percent off everything, till 7 tonight. Refreshments, mingling, and art admiration free:
As reported here when they opened in July, the gallery rents space to artists, as well as selling some pieces on commission. They also rent the gallery as an event space (not just arts events – a snippet of a Journalism That Matters gathering there this fall wound up on YouTube, with Diane explaining how WSB coverage and social media helped her get the word out when her business started [we weren’t at the meeting; the clip was posted by a JTM member]). Right now, they continue to sublet the space from All the Best, whose owner Susan Moss is praised by Diane for her support, including affordable rent.
If you have looked at – and/or participated in – the WSB photo pool on Flickr, you have likely admired the work of Machel Spence, whose favored subject is mushrooms, and other fungi. She e-mailed us today to share the news that her photos are now on display at Coffee to a Tea with Sugar in The Junction, today through the end of the month, and she’ll be there on January 13 to meet anyone interested in talking about them. She also says her photos are under consideration for a book, too! By the way, January 13 happens to be the first West Seattle Art Walk of the year – 6-9 pm; we’ll have the full list of venues (which changes quarter-by-quarter, and this WSAW starts a new quarter) as soon as it’s available.
Joan has been noticing some apparent “guerrilla art” around town and e-mailed us twice in the past few weeks about them. We made no progress in divining their source otherwise, so we’re asking you. Above is the photo she took yesterday of the latest artwork to appear, this one on a utility pole near 45th SW/Fauntleroy (map), but she says today it’s since disappeared, and the wires from which it hung appear to have been cut. Joan says it recently replaced a similar artwork with the word FISH on it, a lot like the one she pointed us to earlier this month at California/Brandon (map):
Joan sums up, “I am curious as to who is doing this interesting art installation? Any ideas?”
Two arts businesses in West Seattle are about to celebrate milestones:
TWILIGHT ARTIST COLLECTIVE TELLS ITS STORY: January will mark six years for Twilight Artist Collective. It didn’t begin in West Seattle – but this is now its only home (next to Easy Street Records in The Junction). Twilight’s Mary Enslow decided to celebrate early by recounting the “strange and cool” story of how she and her co-proprietors met – a story that spans half the globe, from Rome to Pike Place Market. Click to read “How The TwAC Did We Get Here?”.
ALKI ARTS’ SIX-MONTH-IVERSARY SALE: Diane Venti is proud to proclaim that Alki Arts has made it six months, and will celebrate with a sale and party this Sunday (January 2nd), noon-7 pm. Everything’s 10 percent off, and they’ll have dessert and refreshments. If you haven’t been to Alki Arts – it’s at 2820 Alki SW, next to Cactus.
(WSB photos from July 2010, 1st concert of this year’s series)
Think summer in winter! West Seattle’s hottest outdoor-concert series is getting ready to line up next summer’s acts. From Admiral Neighborhood Association president Katy Walum:
The Admiral Neighborhood Association is now accepting Band Submissions for our 2011 Summer Concert Series at Hiawatha Park. Concert dates will be July 28th, August 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th, and September 1st. The ANA asks that bands include website information (or other means by which we may listen to music samples), number of band members and staging/sound requirements, and the best means of contacting the band. We also request that you submit your band’s fee for a 90 minute set, including a 10 minute break. When determining your fee for submission to play our series, you may wish to take into account the community, not-for-profit nature of our organization, and the high degree of visibility your group would receive as a series participant (last summer’s audiences numbered up to 1,200 people).
Please note that the ANA’s Summer Concert Series is a free, family outdoor concert event in a residential neighborhood.
The ANA will receive submissions through January 15, 2011; please submit to katy.walum@gmail.com. We hope to announce our 2011 series schedule by January 31st.
If you or your business is interested in sponsoring the 2011 ANA Summer Concert Series at Hiawatha Park, please contact Dave Weitzel at dave@weitzelconstruction.com.
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