An interview with artist Lily Kamila

As an art enthusiast, I am always looking for new and inspiring work. I came across the art of @kamilaartz on Instagram and was immediately impressed with the skill, passion, and depth of the artwork. Come to find out these impressive pieces were coming from a local youth — an incoming student at Edmonds-Woodway High School. Lily graciously allowed me to interview her and share her work with our community.

Lily is a 14-year-old mixed media artist who loves drawing both realistic and abstract portraits. She is passionate about using her art to resurface stories of social injustice. Her current work reflects on what she has learned recently from the Black Lives Matter movement. She is currently taking time to educate herself about issues such as racial injustice and the need for criminal justice reform and finding ways to use that knowledge in her artwork.

The works she has produced most recently highlight the stories of Kalief Browder, The Central Park Five (now known as The Exonerated Five) and George Floyd. Her work includes a mixture of digital art and traditional pieces done with colored pencils, paint and graphite.

When asked how she has kept her creativity going during the last few months of quarantine, Lily shared that it has been a blessing for her art. The quarantine has given her endless time to listen to music while creating new pieces and experimenting with different styles. To view her art and the process of creation, you can follow her on Instagram @kamilaartz or purchase artwork at her Etsy Shop “kamilaartz”. All proceeds are donated toward social justice funds and organizations.

Cole Gallery announces new exhibits

Cole Gallery has launched two exciting new exhibits. The Diehl Family presents A New Adventure Together, featuring parents from an amazingly talented family – Susan, Doug and daughter Jennifer Diehl. The family of impressionists is presenting works that range from powerful land and seascapes to charming still lifes. The other featured artist, Jed Dorsey, brings his exhibit Refresh. Dorsey showcases a fresh perspective with pieces meant to remind the viewer of the little things in life, to breathe deeply, restoring and refreshing us all. The exhibits run until Sept. 14.

Celebrate Independent Bookstore Day

Independent Bookstore Day is this Saturday, Aug. 29. This year’s area-wide festivities have been canceled, but there are still ways to support independent bookstores. Both the Edmonds Bookshop and The Neverending Bookshop will be celebrating in their own ways this year. There is also an option to purchase a limited-edition T-shirt here that will go toward funding next year’s Seattle Independent Bookstore Day.

Edmonds Bookshop will offer exclusive Indie Bookstore Day merchandise on Aug. 29 and have loaded some IBD tote bags with advanced reading copies. With your donation of $20 for the Edmonds Food Bank, you will come away with a great tote and some new reads! Visit here for more information.

The Neverending Bookshop will also be celebrating. Check out their Facebook page to learn more

— 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.