Meet Jen Lawson, owner of the new Crow boutique at 114 4th Ave. N. in downtown Edmonds. When Jen opened Crow in Edmonds, she reached out to the community for a little part-time help. I responded to the call and have since spent my Sundays getting to know the newest boutique in town.

Crow opened just in time for November’s Art Walk and has been a welcome addition to the downtown shopping district. When you walk into the store, you are welcomed with visual delights of Jen’s whimsical merchandising style and the pleasant aroma of hand-crafted candles. Many of the unique pieces of jewelry that greet your eyes have been designed by Lawson herself.

Jen moved to Seattle in 1991 after graduating from Butler University. She started out working in a bead store and learned the basics of jewelry making, moving on to classes at Pratt Fine Art Center to focus on working with sterling silver. She started her jewelry company full time in 1994.

Opening a permanent brick and mortar in Edmonds has been a dream of Jen’s; the combination of foot traffic, quaint downtown buildings and local shoppers interested in artistic gifts made Edmonds her first choice.

Looking through the shop, you quickly get a sense of Jen’s artistic acumen as she has hand curated a variety of unique gifts, both made locally and from afar. When asked about the concept of the shop, she eloquently described it: “I sell unique, handcrafted items. I love supporting local artists and buy local whenever I can. But if it’s not locally made, it’s from a small business. None of my lines are mass produced and they are all unique to my shop. It’s very important to me that you can’t find my items in any other shop.”

Another thing you will notice in the shop is the recognizable orange couch when you walk in. Yes, if you were wondering, it is a replica of the couch from Friends. Make sure to ask Jen how she ended up with one of only seven replicas of that couch. Pictures are allowed but you have to bring your own coffee.

Perhaps, like me, you are all wondering where the name Crow came from. Jen filled me in. “I live in Kenmore and every night 10,000-plus crows fly back and forth between Bothell and Seattle. Our family loved watching them, crow o’clock we called it. When I was coming up with a name for my pop-up shop in Kenmore a few years ago, Crow was a good choice. And I love that’s it’s a mysterious name, people need to come in to see what I have!”

For local artists who are interested in goods being carried at Crow, send a line sheet and a short description to jen@edmondscrow.com, Jen said she is always on the hunt for unique, handcrafted lines and welcomes local submissions.

What to Hear:

A variety of entertainment awaits you in January at the Edmonds Center for the Arts. Choose from a diverse range of options, expanding the mind through sound.  

Edmonds Center for the Arts Presents Dan + Claudia Zanes

Grammy Award winner Dan Zanes and  his wife Haitian-American jazz vocalist and music therapist Claudia Zanes will be coming to Edmonds on Saturday, Jan. 11. Their performance is highly interactive, inviting children to dance and sing along in a fun and party-like atmosphere (with a little education sprinkled in along the way.)

Edmonds Center for the Arts
410 4th Ave. N.
Sat, Jan 11, 11 a.m.
Tickets are $10, with $2 Arts for Everyone tickets available for low-income families
Learn more here

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Edmonds Center for the Arts Presents SheshBesh

SheshBesh is an Arab-Jewish ensemble comprised of three members of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra along with four musicians from Israel’s Arab community. There will be a free pre-show talk before the performance where the artists will discuss the model of two cultures living in harmony and how music can be a bridge between people.

Edmonds Center for the Arts
410 4th Ave. N.
Sat, Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $19 – $49
Learn more here

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Cascade Symphony Orchestra celebrates Beethoven’s 250th Birthday

The Cascade Symphony Orchestra – under the direction of conductor Michael Miropolsky – is celebrating the 250^th anniversary of the birth of German composer Ludwig van Beethoven. Three internationally renowned musicians will be performing the “Happy Birthday, Ludwig” concert, Mae Lin (violin), Eric Han (cello) and Jessica Choe (piano).

Edmonds Center for the Arts
410 4th Ave. N.
Mon, Jan 13, 7:30 p.m. (pre-concert lecture begins at 6:30 p.m.)
Tickets are $15 – $27
Learn more here

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What to Do:

An opportunity to celebrate MLK Jr. Day with a variety of performances and activities, some of which are free for the whole family.  

Be the Light A Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Be the Light, the Second Annual Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a full-day event with family-friendly activities starting at 10:30 a.m. and going until noon. The morning event is FREE and has a variety of performances for families and children. The evening event begins at 7:30 p.m. with critically acclaimed composer, conductor, gospel/jazz vocalist and pianist Dr. Stephen Newby. Both morning and evening programs are designed to inspire Dr. King’s vision of a Beloved Community – a local living environment free of hatred, injustice and poverty.

Edmonds Center for the Arts
410 4th Ave. N.
Mon, Jan 20, 10:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are $12 – $15
Learn more here

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What to See:

Get some inspiration for what can be done in 2020 by visiting the Frances Anderson Center Art Commission Gallery, featuring the 52 individuals who joined in the 2019 draw-every-day challenge. Sign up for the 2020 challenge to see your own progression from drawing every day. 

ARTSpot Draw-Every-Day-For-A-Year Group Show

If you are looking for inspiration to bring art into your life in 2020, this is an excellent opportunity to see what can happen when you commit to drawing every day. Last year ARTSpot sent out a challenge to draw every day for a year, expecting about 20 people to join in. To their great surprise there were 52 registrants! The hard work of this group is on display at the Frances Anderson Center Arts Commission Gallery until Jan. 27. ARTSpot is holding a 2020 Drawing Challenge. Join now to create a new art goal for the new year. Learn more about the 2020 challenge here

Frances Anderson Center
700 Main St.
Now – Jan. 27
Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

— By Rachel Gardner

Rachel Gardner has a heartfelt appreciation for art in all forms and believes everyone is an artist, some just don’t know it yet. A dedicated and involved Edmonds resident, she can often be spotted onstage cracking jokes between sets or in the audience enjoying local live performances. She enjoys being playful with her art and finding unique ways of expression, like forming a boho-grunge-folk ukulele trio with local Edmonds moms.