By Janette Turner

Thursday night’s Art Walk from 5-8 p.m. will have the added bonus of “First Dibs,” a pre-holiday sale going on at nearly all 40 venues. Here’s a glimpse of the big sale, along with other events and the opening of Stunningly Strange Gallery this calendar week.

Art Walk: Stunningly Strange Gallery opens

Edmonds is an artist’s paradise with Gallery North, Cole Gallery, Aria Studio Gallery, and now Stunningly Strange Gallery. If you’ve walked past the storefront on Main Street, you know Tim Burton’s big-eyed children have a home in our fair town. Make sure to stop in during Art Walk and check out their First Dibs wares.

Art Walk: Aria Studio Gallery

Joan Archer of Aria Studio Gallery has been painting in town for nearly 12 years. She recently gave us an update on her work: “This painting is an oil and reminds me of a photograph I once saw of Portuguese fishing boats. I paint primarily in watercolor, but also enjoy acrylics and oils. I am presently president of Women Painters of Washington, which meets regularly at SAM. We have a Traveling Exhibition opening at the Schack Gallery, in Everett, WA on Nov. 17. Sixty-nine paintings will be shown here, and after six weeks the show moves on to our Women Painters of Washington Gallery at the Columbia Tower, then to Olympia, and lastly to Ellensburg. I also give instruction in watercolor and drawing at the gallery, two days a week. Come by the Art Walk next Third Thursday and say hi!” For more information on Joan Archer, visit Aria Studio Gallery.

Art Walk: ARTspot hosts Mona and Alyssa Fairbanks

How do you turn nature into a keepsake? Step into ARTspot during Art Walk and talk with Mona Fairbanks and her daughter Alyssa about their methods. For more information on the store’s classes, see here.

Art Walk: Cole Gallery hosts Joe MacKechnie

Enjoy champagne and refreshments at Cole Gallery during Art Walk while you chat with artists Joe MacKechnie, Michelle Waldele-Dick and jeweler, Sandy McManus. Learn more about the show, titled, “Life Unrestricted,” at Cole Gallery.

Art Walk: HOUSEwares holds holiday sale

Owner Robert Boehlke invites you to enjoy refreshments and pre-season reductions on ornaments, bathrobes and Emile Henry Bakeware at HouseWares.

Art Walk: Christopher Framing & Gallery features Autumn Kegley

Edmonds art aficionados are familiar with Autumn Kegley’s work, and now they have a chance to talk with her and see her plein-air oil paintings during Art Walk at Christopher Framing & Gallery. “Plein-air paintings are created on location in the great outdoors,” said Kegley when asked about her work. “When our somewhat unpredictable Northwest weather allows, I find taking my easel into nature an extremely relaxing activity. Painting landscapes on location helps me push my color-mixing technique and brushwork. Without a narrative to address, I can focus upon making the composition, colors and values of a painting come together within the limited daylight hours.”

Art Walk: Interiors of Edmonds

“The trend is chain!” according to your friends at Interiors of Edmonds, which is featuring Dusty Koenig of “dk designs” during Art Walk.

Art Walk: Manya Vee Selects Angie Heinrich’s mosaics

A love of Moroccan art and architecture infuses artist Angie Heinrich’s mosaics, now available at Manya Vee Selects. For more information, see the website.

Art Walk: Arista parties three times

Arista has three events this weekend:  During Thursday’s Art Walk, folks can stop by for entertaining ideas and tastings. Then come back Friday from 3 to 7 p.m. for sips of the Beaujolais Nouveau and find out why they pair so well with turkey and the holidays. On Saturday, Arista will break out the bubbly and sparkling wine from Roederer, along with samples from The Cheesemongers’ Table. You have three days to party at Arista.

Thursday-Sunday: EWHS play by Maxim Gorki

“The Lower Depths,” by Maxim Gorki will be performed by the Edmonds-Woodway Players on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 3 p.m. The show, according to the press release, is about the misfortunes of poor people living in the basement of a rich landlord, and “will touch the hearts of all who see it.” If you’ve never been to a local high school play, then you are missing out. And at $7, it might be the best entertainment value around.

Thursday: EdCC Jazz Band Fall Concert

Music lovers will be pleased to note the Edmonds Community College Jazz Band is holding a free concert on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre. Details here.

Friday and Saturday: Sculptors Workshop pottery sale

Need a serving dish for Aunt Grace’s Green Beans? Pick up everything from decorated platters to coffee mugs at the Sculptors Workshop Semi-Annual Pottery Sale at Frances Anderson Center, room 210. The sale runs Friday from 1-8 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cash and check only, and if you bring a bag, you can save a tree.

Saturday: ArtWorks hosts Puget Sound Gift Show

Bring your credit cards to ArtWorks on 2^nd and Dayton on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the Puget Sound Artists’ Gift Show. We recently checked in with artist Barb Childs, who provided this update on the sale she and her sister started twelve years ago.

“This year, 30 local professional artists have turned their talents towards art with the gift-giver in mind. Juried to maintain a wide variety of gallery quality work, you’ll find the show overflowing with things you’ll buy for friends and family but want to keep for yourself. Potters present stoneware serving platters, bowls, wine crocks and cheese plates that are great for entertaining, as well as ornamental pieces, mugs, trivets and boxes. A world class wood-turner borrows designs from her signature gallery pieces to decorate affordable salad bowls, ornaments, small decorative bowls, key chains and pocket mirrors.

“Painters working in acrylics, watercolors and pastels will not only show original pieces but also gifts made from reproducing their art into other forms, such as calendars, cards, checkbook covers, luggage tags and smaller prints. Photographers have made cards, bookmarks and other gifts with shots taken of chickadees and other northwest native birds sitting on teacups as well as exotic underwater creatures taken while diving near coral reefs half way across the world. Fiber artists have painted silk scarves, felted wool hats and pins, and knitted hats and scarves using colorful textured yarns. There is jewelry to fit every fancy, sterling, beaded, glass, button and crystal. To compliment the fine art, we’ve expanded the show to include artisan soaps, lotions and bath products, honey grown right here in Edmonds and delectable chocolate truffles made by Immaculate Confections.” Visa/MC accepted and free admission onsite.

Saturday: Author Lisa Costantino at Edmonds Bookshop

Edmonds Bookshop hosts Lisa Costantino, writer of “Maiden’s Veil,” on Saturday at noon for a signing. “Pick up a copy,” said Costantino on her Facebook page, “buy a gift, or just drop by and say hi. Hope to see you there.”

Saturday: ECA welcomes Toots and the Maytals

With gray skies above, it’s good to know Edmonds Center for the Arts has ordered an infusion of Jamaican sunshine. If you want to join in, head to ECA on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. for ska, reggae, gospel, soul and rock with Grammy Award-winning Toots and the Maytals, with special guest Anders Osborne. You can buy tickets here.

Saturday: Driftwood Players hold auditions for Oscar Wilde play

The Driftwood Players invite community actors to audition for the parts of four women and four men in the upcoming play, “The Importance of Being Earnest,” by Oscar Wilde, directed by Paul Fouhy. Auditions will be held Saturday at Driftwood Rehearsal Annex, 200 Dayton Street. Actors are to prepare a one-minute comedic monologue, and bring a head shot and resume. To schedule an audition appointment, go online here or call 425-771-9600.

Monday: EPIC hosts Mark Matteson

Here’s another free event for literary art fans. You are invited to join the drop-in writing group hosted by EPIC Group on Monday at 10 a.m. and stay for the talk by best-selling author Mark Matteson. You’ll learn how he sold 100,000 books, including “Freedom from Fear,” and get motivated to take on your own life challenges. Limited seating, so you may want to arrive early. More information on Matteson on his website.

Advance notice: ‘The Music Man’ comes to Wade James Theatre Nov. 23

Starting Nov. 23, we’ll have 76 trombones and trouble with a capital T in town, as one of America’s beloved musicals plays at Wade James Theatre with The Driftwood Players. Meredith Willson’s “The Music Man,” is directed by Roy Arauz, with performances Nov. 23 through Dec. 23, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8 p.m.; Sundays at 2 p.m., and an ASL Interpreted performance on Nov. 29. For tickets, call 425-774-9600 or purchase on-line.

Arts reporter Janette Turner is your guide to local culture. In addition to covering visual, performing and literary events for My Edmonds News, Janette is President of EPIC Writers Group, a writing teacher, and a member of the Swedish Hospital Art Committee. (Photo by Jennifer McKinney).