Tales at 60 degrees

			IlluminatedHighlights from the Yukon Permanent Art Collection

Downtown Whitehorse

Mountains near Whitehorse

With the arrival of summer, and visitors from all over the world traveling to Friday Harbor, late July is the time when I leave town for a few days.

This year the spot was Whitehorse in the Yukon. Long story as to how I chose this area to visit and yes it does include artists and light.  Traveled a small airline called Air North, you can carry on 2 bags and check 2 bags. Wahoo! Rented a car and  spent the next 5 days experiencing light, art and amazing beauty.

For those of us that live at 48 degrees of latitude, the sun rises at 4.30 am and sets at approximately 9.00 pm and we love the light this time of year. At 60 degrees of latitude the sun never really sets.  So active sunlight is from 4 .00 am till midnight, with the sky looking somewhat overcast from 1.00 am to 4.00 am.

This experience is very odd, and yet very energizing. I found myself sitting and chatting with folks, and my sense of time was stymied. The only way I felt the time, was my body hurt from sitting for so many hours. I almost got used to it.

The mountains and lakes in the Yukon are huge, the scale of the landscape is much larger than the scale of landscape in the lower mainland. Majestic mountains, flowing rivers and gigantic lakes. The ice had melted recently so there were abundant wildflowers. What struck me was the similarity of the flowers to the San Juans.

A  center for culture is the Yukon Arts Centre located in Whitehorse.  I saw a show featuring works from the Yukon Permanent Art Collection.  From their website

The Yukon is often defined by extreme light. Its presence or absence is a constant in this ever changing place, infusing the atmosphere with an indescribable energy. The Yukon Permanent Art Collection is a testament to the resulting spirit of creative exploration that has long driven an extensive and diverse artistic community. For over 30 years the collection has evolved and grown, tracing and echoing changes and developments in this place and its people as interpreted through the eyes of visual artists.

In the 5 days I spent in this beautiful and challenging area, [no cell service,with wifi in many cafes], I left with a feeling of renewal in seeing all the beauty in both the land and the people. I look forward to returning to this land to see the Northern Lights.. Hmm or maybe I will just go to Iceland for that.

Cheers

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Playing visitor on San Juan Island

With the summer in full swing, I have not been able to get off island. Running a gallery is a full time job..I have had the pleasure of meeting visitors from Denmrk,Mexico, Austrailia, New Zealand, France, Italy and from most of the states in the Unites States and many Canadians. Friday Harbor turns into a small cosmopolitan town. How sweet.

Living close to Roche Harbor, I decided to cycle there, have breakfast with a friend, and then tour the IMA Sculpture Park.

My friend Dona and I had breakfast at the Lime Kilm Cafe. It was a great way to start of a partly cloudy/party sunny day. Mmmm,I even had one of their chocolate covered cake donuts.

The Sculpture Park is an amazing park located on the edge of Roche Harbor Resort. It has been in existence for many years and has seen many generations of directors, board members and volunteers. The land has been underpopulated with unique work and overpopulated with grass. Till now.

The park has never looked better.
Through the efforts of two volunteers, David & Stewart.  The grass in some areas is left tall intentionally and other areas are mowed intentional. The trails have taken shape. Vista are being cleared. The sculptures are connected to the land and do lead you, the visitor, to each new work.
What a wonderful day on San Juan Island.

Posted from WordPress for Android

Playing visitor on San Juan Island

With the summer in full swing, I have not been able to get off island. Running a gallery is a full time job..I have had the pleasure of meeting visitors from Denmark,Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy and from most of the states in the Unites States and many Canadians. Friday Harbor turns into a small cosmopolitan town. How sweet.

Living close to Roche Harbor, I decided to cycle there, have breakfast with a friend, and then tour the IMA Sculpture Park.

My friend Dona and I had breakfast at the Lime Kiln Cafe. It was a great way to start of a partly cloudy/party sunny day. Mmmm,I even had one of their chocolate covered cake donuts.

The Sculpture Park is an amazing park located on the edge of Roche Harbor Resort. It has been in existence for many years and has seen many generations of directors, board members and volunteers. The land has been underpopulated with unique work and overpopulated with grass. Till now.

The park has never looked better.

Through the efforts of two volunteers, David & Stewart.  The grass in some areas is left tall intentionally and other areas are mowed intentional. The trails have taken shape. Vista are being cleared. The sculptures are connected to the land and do lead you, the visitor, to each new work.

What a wonderful day on San Juan Island.

Posted from WordPress for Android

MONA Auction

The annual MONA Auction happened last weekend.
There was a vast selection of art from both well know Seattle and Valley artists to unknown local artists. The work can be a limited edition silkscreen print to a ring to a vase to a major work of art.
The event is set up in 3 separate silent auctions and the then main event. A live auction.

This year the crowd were a bit livelier, and very boisterousness. At times the level of conversation was in audible unless you were right next to each other. Lots of pretty people both young and old done up in their dress up outfits. Men in coat and ties, not really but there were a few sports jackets. Women in basic black long dress to the cutest mini’s . Wonderful people watching.

This year the mood in the Main Auction Tent was rather upbeat as small bidding ward occurred reminiscent of years gone by, when people remembered that this event was a major fundraising for a non profit and not a bargain hunter’s paradise.
This year the star item was a painting by valley star Joel Brock, that was sold out $ 20,000 plus a buyers premium. What excitement and fun. Hats off to the collector who won the painting.

A few other items generated excitement. The auction was a success and raised money for the museum. I have not heard the final number, but am so glad that WaterWorks Gallery is a small part of it all.

Art in Everett?

Last week I visited Everett for the first time in many years.
The reason: SIFF (Seattle International Film Festival) now included a movies from the festival being screened in Performing. Arts Center. In case you were wondering, I saw Amaldovore, a poignant and unexpected story with a few twists that make these movies so inspiring for me.
Being a good islander, my day was filled, and I arrived a while before the movie.
When in doubt, or curious about a community I seek out galleries and art centers.
Imagine my delight to discover the brand spanking new Schack Art Center.( www.Schack.org) The space is large housing a complete glass blowing , classroom space and exhibition space.
All of this is located under a loft/live/work space.
Pretty fabulous with a full complement of classes for artists of all ages, and an open and airy gallery/gift/sales area.
I look forward to seeing another exhibition there, as the inagrual show was curated with Traver Gallery from Seattle.

The other place I found was a coffe shop named after the mascot dog, zippy……Cafe Zippy was a treat both the dog and the coffee.
Cheers

On the Road Again

Recently, I was able to steal away from the San Juan Island for a visit to wine country. My reason for going was to see the Walla Walla Balloon Stampede. Image a sky full of colorfulbhot air balloons. I was so excited. Got to Walla Wallalate Thursday. I stayed with a friend and artist the gallery represents, Leslie Cain.

Up early on Friday, to an overcast grey day. The launch time of 6.30 was doable. Arriving at the Walla Walla Fair Grounds, about 6 balloons were streched out waiting to be filled. It was an amazing site filled with people, color and a bit of overcast sun.

Wonderful site, lots of color in the sky, not much sun to punch up the color. Spent the day chasing the balloons, in the fields and around the farms. Great contrast of the richness of the green fields to the browns of unplanted fields to the reds and oranges of the balloons.

The whole balloon adventure was over by noon or so. The weather was totally uncooperative for the Saturday and Sunday launches.  Got to spend time exploring the tasting rooms of Walla Walla.

A personal favorite is Seven Hills Winery, where Leslie had a show hanging. Her pastels of this landescape are the result of her love affair with this earth in this town where she has lived her life.
Cheers

As a member of the visual arts community, I am always looking for new resources about and for artists.
One of my favorite organizations is called Artist Trust, an organization whose mission statement is as follows:
Artist Trust is a not-for-profit organization whose sole mission is to support and encourage individual artists working in all disciplines in order to enrich community life throughout Washington State. To accomplish its mission, Artist Trust raises funds from an array of sources in order to:

Give financial grants, through a peer review process, to individual artists working in the visual, performing, media, literary, and interdisciplinary arts;

Serve as a professional information resource for artists and encourage artists to support each other; and,

Provide recognition and support for the contributions artists make to the lives of people of Washington State and for the merit and integrity of artists’ work.

To do all this their membership is $ 45 annual.  In these times, organizations  like ARTIST Trust need our support, by joining we help in their work. I am joining,  will you?

For more info; http://artisttrust.org/index.php