Artfully Edmonds: Drum roll begins for Edmonds Arts Festival, June 16-18

Local artist Pamela Harold, whose work was chosen for the 2017 Edmonds Arts Festival poster joins “My Edmonds News” for an exclusive interview.

If you are feeling a buzz in the air around Frances Anderson Center, it’s without a doubt the excitement building over this month’s Edmonds Arts Festival.

With our fair city growing in recognition for its dedication to all arts forms, Edmonds is fast becoming host to sculptors, actors, authors, painters – and audiences – who want to take a moment for the finer things in life.

This week leads with features concerning the upcoming arts festival, but Artfully Edmonds would like to draw your attention to the upcoming Friday night opening of Driftwood Players’ The Game’s Afoot.

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Pamela Harold

We are fortunate to have with us for an Artfully Edmonds (AE) interview local artist Pamela Harold (PH), whose artwork, Edmonds Fishing Pier, was selected for the 2017 Edmonds Arts Festival poster.

News of the selection of Pamela’s work was most recently reported on June 1 in My Edmonds News.

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AE: Pamela, thank you so much for agreeing to this exclusive interview. It’s a joy to meet you and to have the opportunity to introduce your story to our readers who, no doubt, will enjoy your artwork for many years in the form of this year’s EAF poster.

How did your “art life” begin?

PH: My fascination with line, color and shapes began at an early age with coloring books. As a child I loved drawing and using crayons. My father was a draftsman and taught me about perspective. My mother was a weaver and a gardener who loved color.

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AE: At what point did your begin your art education?

PH: At first I took oil painting lessons from a neighbor. I painted a large oil painting of my mother on a piece of plywood. My teacher entered the work in a competition and, at age 15, I won a scholarship to the Banff Summer School of Art.

I traveled on the train to get to Banff and upon my arrival I met other scholarship winners including an actor, a ballet dancer, a writer, a singer as well as many other artists. It was wonderful to spend time with other creative people.

When I graduated from high school I chose to study at a teacher’s college in Vancouver, B.C. for one year.

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AE: Was it a teaching career that you then pursued?

PH: Yes, I taught school in small Canadian towns. After three years two teacher friends and I quit our jobs and made our way to England by steam ship. We hitchhiked across Europe for five months.

After that experience I returned to teaching and saved up enough money to attend one year at the Vancouver School of Art. I achieved an Elementary Art Teaching certificate and taught art for grades four to eight.

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AE: What was happening in your personal development as an artist?

PH: I began as an oil painter but was fascinated by watercolor, and gradually learned to master it.

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AE: I understand that you began a family life while in Nova Scotia. . .

PH: True. My first husband and I had two children. We were living in Nova Scotia where I taught watercolor painting. But my attention was divided by an obligation to work in my husband’s store (which I hated!).

We lived in a 100-year-old farmhouse and had a horse and a goat. I grew the family’s vegetables and made my children’s clothes.

Ultimately we returned to Vancouver, B.C. where I became a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists. It was during this period that I divorced.

Then, some time later, while skiing at Whistler I met a wonderful American – a Boeing engineer. We were married and I moved to Edmonds and became a signature member of the Northwest Watercolor Society and Women Painters of Washington. One of the features of my home is the wonderful studio overlooking Puget Sound that my husband designed. Twelve years ago my husband passed away.

I spend my days on various activities: painting, drawing – I write, teach watercolor painting and travel journaling and also work in my garden. Over the years I have traveled to many countries and have 26 travel journals, have written and illustrated stories for my grandchildren. Now I visit my children and grandchildren in Canada.

Painting, teaching and meeting with other artists have become the mainstays of my life.

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AE: What highlights have comprised your art career as a resident of Edmonds?

PH: I served on the board of the Edmonds Art Commission for eight years. In 1999 I was chosen to do the poster for the Edmonds Arts Festival. Much to my surprise I have been chosen as the poster artist for this year’s arts festival.

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AE: What an incredible journey, and a well-told story. My Edmonds News wishes you many joyful moments as you celebrate your status as this year’s arts festival poster artist.

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Edmonds Arts Festival Performance Highlights are just one artful click away!

When the festival opens on Friday, June 16 you’ll see Artfully Edmonds cheering on the Madrona Middle School Orchestra and Jazz Band; then in the music and performance line-up there’s a little bit of country, some Gypsy jazz and folk music. As Friday evening approaches, the plan is to bring in some brazen horns, and the Blues will close out the first day of EAF.

Saturday, June 17

Barclay Shelton Dance Center will begin the day’s program followed by “Comedy Smorgasbord” by Edmonds’ own fun house, The Phoenix Theatre; a Cuban jazz beat takes over after lunch, followed by blues-rock. Want some old time Swing or Big Band music? Make your way to the main stage area by early evening.

Sunday, June 18

Sunday’s performing arts will begin with classical guitar, followed by performances by the Edmonds-Woodway High School Philharmonic, Meadowdale Middle School Jazz Band; and Edmonds Woodway High School’s Jazz I, one of the nation’s top jazz bands, directed by Jake Bergevin.

Mid-afternoon audiences will enjoy music arrangements by the Kellee Bradley Band, which will close the performing arts segment of the festival.

Words for the line-up? “Just Wow!”

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Shout Outs for beyond the festival grounds

If you are strolling downtown Edmonds during the arts festival in order to determine why so many people choose this seashore community as their home, you’ll want to take in the space that local artist Hannah Alex-Glasser has just created.

Driftwood Modern (403 ½ Main St.) enjoyed its much-anticipated relocation opening this past Saturday, June 3. For the past year Ms. Alex-Glasser’s gallery has been at the south end of 5th Ave.

We visited the gallery, which specializes in mid-century 1950s and 1960s curios, art and furniture, and were captivated by two art works in particular:

  • Kenneth Callahan (1905 – 1986) Cascade Landscape #776, obtained from the Foster White Gallery; and
  • Mark Tobey (1890 – 1976) Crowded City, signed and numbered

During our visit Hannah mentioned that Driftwood Modern is a regular monthly participant of Art Walk Edmonds and is slated as a ‘pour location’ for the Saturday, Aug. 5 “Wine Walk.”

What’s that, you ask? Details at the Wine Walk link.

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Thursday, June 8
7 p.m.

 

Pink Camel

North City Bistro
1520 NE 177th St.

While Edmonds’ behind-the-scenes staff and volunteers gear up for the upcoming festivities, we thought you might like to cruise out of town for one evening. By this weekend, Edmonds’ events will demand your undivided attention.

Artfully Edmonds has a couple of close-in attractions that we’d like to steer you toward – one being North City Bistro for Pink Camel, known for “organic folk rock” and led by Laura Lagerstedt on guitar and vocals, backed by Bill Riach, Bill Lord, Jim Brinkley, and Bret Glidewell.

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Friday, June 9
Opens at 6 p.m.

Elias Ka’uhane

Hawaiian and Polynesian songs

Engel’s Pub
518 Main St.

Elias Ka’uhane will be appearing at Engel’s Pub to present songs from his recently released CD, titled Ka’uhane. A resident of Richmond Beach, he is a well-known on the local music scene for music of the islands, specializing in Hawaiian and Polynesian songs.

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Friday, June 9
8 p.m.

The Game’s Afoot

By Ken Ludwig

Directed by Ted Jaquith

Driftwood Players at

Wade James Theatre
950 Main St.

(An ASL-interpreted performance is available for patrons during the Saturday, June 17 show.)

It’s a wrap for Driftwood Players!

The celebrated troupe has chosen Ken Ludwig’s The Game’s Afoot to close out the season before their summer camps begin and Missoula Children’s Theatre rolls into town.

However one describes this production – an amusing mystery, a killer comedy – we’re sure that with director Ted Jaquith’s casting selections of Jon Woods, Laura Crouch, Jay Vilhauer, Jennifer Makenas, Colleen Davis, J. Woody Lotts, Caitlin Gilman and Gretchen Douma, we have a hit on our hands.

Playbill

It’s December 1936, and world-renowned actor William Gillette, best known for originating the role of Sherlock Holmes, has invited fellow cast members to his castle in Connecticut for a weekend of good old-fashioned carousing.

But it’s not long before one of the guests is discovered … dead! Now it’s up to Gillette himself to live up to his onscreen persona and identify the killer before he strikes again in this hilarious Edmonds Driftwood Players production of the whodunit at the Wade James Theatre.

Your ticket link to Driftwood Players box office is here.

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Friday, June 9
8 p.m.

Crossing Delancey

By Susan Sandler

Directed by David Bailey

The Phoenix Theatre
9673 Firdale Ave

Plays through Sunday, June 25

Looking for comedy, mixed with romance and “hotness”? You need look no further than The Phoenix Theatre (TPT) current run, Crossing Delancey.

Review

Watch for Artfully Edmonds review of this production in our Thursday, June 8 edition.

Tickets to see Crossing Delancey are available through The Phoenix online box office, or by calling 206-533-2000.

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Saturday-Sunday
June 10-11

ART Market at ArtWorks

201 2nd Ave.

ART Market! This weekend!

The ArtWorks space is ground zero for ART Market. ArtWorks is a joint project of Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation and the Edmonds Arts Festival Association and is the headquarters for each of these organizations.

ArtWorks sponsors an on-going schedule of classes, workshops, exhibits, art shows, and year-round special arts related events.

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Saturday, June 10
3 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Fiddler On the Roof, musical concert

Sno-King Community Chorale

Edmonds Center for the Arts (ECA)
410 4th Ave. N.

“If I were a rich man” ♪ “Sunrise, Sunset” and many other evocative scores that have added the musical tapestry to weddings, funerals and many other passages of life, will be performed this Sunday by the Sno-King Community Chorale.

To obtain tickets for this much-anticipated performance, proceed to this ECA ticket link and determine whether the afternoon, or evening, program fits best with your family’s schedule.

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 Sunday, June 11
6 p.m.

Cerebral Tone

The Kitty Catfe
9697 Firdale Ave.

Rock and Blues is what these cool cats have in mind. If you have not yet checked out Edmonds’ own cat café, and the craze that is (quote) “sweeping the nation” you will want to stop in at this Fur-dale location.

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SeaJazz ~ walk on the cool side of hot jazz on Edmonds spectacular waterfront.

Wednesday, June 14
5-7 p.m.

SeaJazz on the Waterfront

Edmonds-Woodway High School at

Port of Edmonds
336 Admiral Way

Strolling the Edmonds waterfront is simply one of those “Edmonds-Kind-Of” things that everyone does. Lucky for us the Port is continuing its popular SeaJazz program this season.

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June 15
7:30 p.m.

Date night!

Free movie!

Singles – filmed in Seattle

Edmonds Theater
415 Main St.

Celebrate the 25th anniversary of a Seattle film classic – Singles starring Matt Dillon, Bridget Fonda, Campbell Scott, and Kyra Sedgwick.

8 p.m. Costume Contest

Win Prizes!

“Fashion in the 1990s” costume contest. You do remember the fashion trends from the ’90s, don’t you? It was grunge, tattoos, body piercing at one end of the spectrum and casual chic at the other. Strut your stuff, and then enjoy the movie.

Opening credits roll at 8:15 p.m.

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Edmonds Arts Commission has selected the work of Lynn Hanson for display at the library gallery space. This particular work is titled, “Sejbade (Sailboats)”

Lynn Hanson Exhibition

Edmonds Library
650 Main St.

Edmonds Arts Commission invites the community to view local artist Lynn Hanson’s show, “Sense of Place, Denmark” which is on exhibition at the Edmonds Library now through July 28.

Lynn Hanson is a contemporary mixed media painter, who, with her husband Robert Gutcheck, is the co-president of Art Walk Edmonds (AWE). They are also involved with the Edmonds Wine Walk, the newly formed Edmonds Mural Project, as well as commissioners with the Lynnwood Arts Commission.

Edmonds Library hours are Monday through Thursday 9 am to 8 pm, Friday 9 am to 6 pm, Saturday 10 am to 6 pm and Sunday 1 to 5 pm.

For information about Lynn Hanson Gallery go to the gallery link.

Click here for more information about Edmonds Arts Commission and its programs.

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Now is the time to make sure you have your 2017-18 season tickets!

Friday, June 9
Noon

Edmonds Center for the Arts (ECA)
410 4th Ave. N.

Single engagements!

Does your busy travel schedule prevent you from purchasing a full-season ticket pack for ECAs upcoming 2017-18 season? Single engagement tickets go on sale Friday, June 9 at noon.

You may visit the ECA performance line up online and make your selections, or call the box office at 425.275.9595 for tickets to any of these upcoming attractions.

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Artfully Edmonds has selected two shows to profile for this week’s column.

Friday, Oct. 20, 2017

PIAZ! The Show, promoted in this YouTube video of a Carnegie Hall performance celebrating the star’s 60th anniversary appearance at Carnegie. PIAZ! The Show narrates, in a tapestry of color, choreography and cabaret the striking story of Parisian singer Edith Piaz whose Paris roots and rise in fame gained attention on the world’s stage.

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Readers! This is not artwork — it is an actual photo of a live actor in the show, “Color of Reality”. You must see the YouTube video to appreciate this awe-inspiring choreography.

Thursday, Jan. 11
7:30 p.m.

Lil Buck and Jon Boogz, shown here in this YouTube video, are two New York artists/ choreographer/dancers who bring to life a still-life painting in reaction to news accounts and current events.

Pick your pleasure from this line up.

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Cascade Symphony Orchestra (CSO)

Edmonds Center for the Arts
410 4th Ave. N.

Members of the Cascade Symphony Orchestra will take their places on the stage of the ECA Monday, October 23 with a program titled, Russian Ark.

Tickets for this sell-out orchestra are available at this ticket link or through the ECA box office (425.275.9595).

— By Emily Hill

 

Emily Hill is the author of two novels and a short story collection. Emily is retired from a career in public information and news media relations. If you would like your event listed, or featured, in Artfully Edmonds, Emily invites you to contact her at myedmondsnews@gmail.com.

 

  1. I hope people will go see Fiddler on the Roof by the Sno-King chorale on June 10. But I doubt the evening performance starts at 9:00,
    Usually the evening performances are at 7:00 or 7:30.

      1. Barbara,
        Thank you for being a reader of “Artfully Edmonds” — and for pointing out the performance time error — Of course 7p.m. makes more sense ;D

        The Snohomish County Tourism office inadvertently listed the second performance as 9p.m. We’ll contact them to see that entry is corrected. ~Emily

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