May 2014

page 5

The Firebird

Studio Tour Vashon Opera Vashon Chamber Music Collector’s Choice Art Sale

2 May 2014

Photographer Charlotte (Lotta) Hansen is a former native of Sweden who moved to the Island in the early eighties. With parenting re-sponsibilities behind her, Hansen quit her job and engaged in what she describes as “a prolonged and necessary midlife crisis.” During that time, she purchased her first camera and took a photography class.

Augmented by part-time work as a technologist at a pathology refer-ence laboratory, Hansen has now launched her photography career. For this show, Hansen concentrated on two themes. First, an almost intimate view of flowers. She zooms in to find a bee drenched in pollen, suggesting summer bounty. Hansen displays

this work in circular prints on aluminum.

The second theme underlines sculptural, elegant forms and gestures of old, dry leaves. Under

Hansen’s lens, they take on new life. “Moving and dancing, leaves become warriors, birds or other crea-tures of nature,” she says.

Hansen’s versatility and artistic sensibilities have been honed by de-signing her own jewelry and knitted creations. Whether photographing people or the natural world, Hansen finds beauty everywhere.

– by Kathy Pine

Heron’s Nest

Tuesday-Saturday 11 am–5 pm Sunday Noon–3 pmFirst Friday, May 2 Open until 9 pm

This is an exciting time for our community. Our high school students moved into a beautiful, light-filled and technologically advanced new building in January. We are celebrating the opening of our spacious new

library. And we anticipate breaking ground for Vashon Center for the Arts this fall, and moving into the new building in late 2015.

These three projects provide a significant and transformative improvement to our Island’s infrastructure. They expand, rehabilitate and replace aging structures and support our community’s need for self-reliance. A healthy community requires amenities that serve and sustain its residents.

The pieces of the puzzle are falling into place to break ground for the construction of Vashon Center for the Arts. You may have noticed an actual puzzle

slowly emerging on the west face of the McFeed’s building. Keep your eye on it—watch it come together over the next couple of months. Thank you to Will Forrester, beloved Island artist and Chief Puzzle Maker, for creating a fun way to measure our funding progress.

You should have received our “ it’s not just a theater” brochure in your mailbox by now. I hope you took a close look at it and learned more about the project. VCA is also not just a building, but about what you will experience inside and the positive contribution it will make to our Island home. Please give VCA your financial support and help us fill in the last pieces of the puzzle. Visit VashonCenterForTheArts.org. We welcome gifts of any size. Be a partner with us.

Molly Reed Executive Director

VAA StaffExecutive Director Molly ReedDeputy Director Angela GistGallery Curator Janice Mallman Director of Communications Justin Huguet Director of Performing Arts Stephen JeongDirector of Arts Education Wendy FinklemanBookkeeper Lara McKnightOffice Manager Meredith NealDevelopment Coordinator Jill VenturiVolunteer Coordinator Katie HornerRegistrar Crissy BakerDatabase Manager Eileen BurkeHeron’s Nest Manager Kathy PineArtists in Schools Coordinator Pam McMahan Cleaning Services Jeremy EdmondsFacilities Manager Harmon Arroyo

IslandArts Issue#1014 Editor Justin HuguetDesign Novak Creative, Inc.Submissions 1st of the month prior to publication date, as space allows. Call 463.5131, ext 226 or email IslandArts@VashonAlliedArts.org.Published 10 times yearly (combined March/April and July/August issues).

Copyright © 2014 by Vashon Allied Arts. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

Printed by Oregon Web Press

Board of TrusteesPresident Tim RodenVice President Duane BedardTreasurer Chuck WeinstockSecretary Judith BurwellMember at Large Susan Kutscher Trustees Stephanie Halstead Baker, Scott Benner, Randee Crisman Blackstone, Karin DeSantis, Denise Katz, Jennifer McMurdo, Robert Misel, Bruce Morser, Ann Nicklason, Tom Nicolino, Mary O’Leary-Bryant, Susan Rives, Jon-Eric Schafer, Nancy Sipple

director’s notesPO Box 576

Vashon Island, WA 98070206.463.5131

19704 Vashon Hwy SWMon-Fri 10 to 6, Sat noon to 5

VashonAlliedArts.org

Thank you to our major contributors

Hatching in the Heron’s Nest

“Bee in Blossom” and “Leaf in Flight” by Lotta Hansen

In early March, Vashon Allied Arts welcomed two new staff members, Katie Horner and Crissy Baker.

Katie is the new Volunteer Coordi-nator. After seven years in Boise, Ida-ho, attending col-lege and pursuing business, Katie, a Vashon native, has returned to raise her son Carter near family and friends. Katie enjoys explor-ing with her son and continues to run her website, The FIT List.

Says Katie, “It’s wonderful working at an organization centered on the arts! I am blessed to be the one who gets to help enrich people’s lives by providing oppor-tunities for community members to play an active role in our thriv-

ing art community.”

Crissy is the new Registrar and communications liaison for VAA’s

dance company. She has taught tap for almost two years at VAA Center for Dance, and has been on the props team for the Center’s dance productions.

“I love be-ing a part of the performing arts world,” says Crissy. “Since having my daughter in the dance company, and learning more about VAA, and with the Center for the Arts coming and all the involve-ment with youth and artists, VAA is such a great

organization to belong to. I am so happy to be part of the team.”

– by Eric Horsting

May 2014 3

2Gallery Cruise

Friday, May 2, 6 pmVAA Gallery, page 7 Heron’s Nest, page 2

3Captain Smartypants Seattle Men’s Chorus EnsembleSaturday, May 3, 7 pmVashon Allied Arts, page 8

4Vashon Chamber Music

Sunday, May 4, 7 pmVashon United Methodist Churchpage 6

3-4, 10-11Vashon Island Art Studio Tour

Saturdays & Sundays May 3-4 and 10-11 10 am-5 pm, page 14

6GiveBIG

Tuesday, May 6, page 3

16-18Vashon OperaWertherFriday, May 16, 8 pm Sunday, May 18, 2:30 pm Bethel ChurchWednesday, May 14, 7 pmVashonOpera.org, Vashon Bookshop, page 13

17Drama DockNight of ImprovSaturday, May 17, 7 pmVashon Allied Arts, page 14

18Science SeriesGifts of the CrowSunday, May 18, 7 pmVashon Allied Arts, page 4

31Father-Daughter Dance

Saturday, May 31, 7-9 pmDinner 5:45 pm [optional]Vashon Golf & Swim Clubpage 14

7Seattle Rock Orchestra

Open SpaceSaturday, June 7, 7 pm, page 6

30–June 1Collector’s Choice Art Sale

Friday, May 30, 5 pm-8 pm VAA Members only!Saturday, May 31, 10 am-4 pm Open to the publicSunday, June 1, 11 am-4 pm Open to the publicVashon Allied Arts, page 11

16-18VAA Center for Dance

Firebird Ballet and Short WorksFriday, May 16, 1 pm Children’s Matinee & 7 pmSaturday, May 17, 1 pm & 7 pmSunday, May 18, 1 pmOpen Space, page 5

May Events

On the cover: Meg Sayre dances “The Firebird”

photo by Mike Urban page 5

Save the Date!

June 21-22

pages 10-11

Welcome to New Staff!

From top: Katie Horner and Crissy Baker

June

On Tuesday, May 6, every donation made online through SeattleFoundation.org

receives a percentage of the GiveBIG “stretch pool.” Mark your calendar and support VAA!

4 May 2014

I recently had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Loren Sinner, the owner of LS Cedar Company, one of our neighbors at Center. Loren is a very busy man but graciously agreed to leave his office and cross the highway to his “other place,” The Roasterie.

Loren was born in Iowa in 1956 and moved to Vashon at the age

of 3 when his father was offered a job at Boeing. His dad chose Vashon because he was an avid hunter and fisherman and wanted a rural home. When Loren was 18, he started LS Cedar in his parents’ garage. When the busi-

ness grew too big for that space, he moved it to Betty MacDonald’s farm and then, in 1982, to its cur-rent location at Center where it has been for the past 32 years.

Loren recalls the early years when he and Jim Stewart would say hi to each other each morning and again each evening as they

opened and closed the gates to their respective businesses. It is hard to believe that all that time has gone by and now Loren’s three sons are working in the yard. It’s his goal that the boys will one day take over the business.

Loren appreciates the feeling of Center. “It’s cool to feel the history here.” He remarked upon the fact that Center is deceptive in that there doesn’t appear to be a lot of business activity there at first glance. However, in the pro-

cess of obtain-ing a permit for his current redevelopment (a story in it-self), he walked up and down

the highway and counted about 18 businesses in the immediate area. “There’s more here than you think. I have a feeling there’s a new surge at Center, that things are alive again,” he commented. In the next few months, Sinner will construct two large storage buildings at the east side of the

yard, and will tear down the cur-rent office building and construct a new space to house the company offices. The new building will reflect the style of the older build-ings at Center.

In addition to his more-than-full-time work at LS Cedar, Loren is a well-known Vashon musician and plays guitar, bass and piano both locally and off-island. He also promotes musicians he hears around the Northwest and is impressed with. As for the new Vashon Center for the Arts build-ing going up next door, he says, “I support it. I welcome it and I’m happy they’re doing it.” Not only does Sinner look forward to listening to live music in the new theater, he has a long-term view of Center and cited the two churches and school that stood where the Blue Heron and McFeed’s building now stand. “Everything has to be new at some point and then old.”

Please join us in this historic opportunity. To donate, visit VashonCenterForTheArts.org. Thank you! – by Susan Kutscher

Vashon Center for the Arts

I support it. I welcome it and I’m happy they’re doing it.

Crows are mischievous, playful, social and passionate. They have brains that are huge for their body size and exhibit an avian kind of eloquence. They mate for life and associate with relatives and neighbors for years. And because they often live near people – in our gardens, parks and cities –

they are also keenly aware of our peculiarities, staying away from and even scolding anyone who threatens or harms them and quickly learning to recognize and approach those who care for and feed them, even giving them numerous, oddly touching gifts in return.

John Marzluff, Ph.D., is Professor of Wildlife Science at the University of Washington.

His research has been the focus of articles in the New York Times, National Geographic, Audubon, Seattle Times and National Wild-life. PBS’s NATURE featured his crow research in the film docu-mentary A Murder of Crows. A

testament to years of painstaking research, his fully illustrated and riveting book Gifts of the Crow shines a light on the fascinat-ing intelligence, characteristics and behaviors of these amazing birds. Did you know that crows gather around their dead, warn of impending doom and commit murder of other crows? Find out more in the second lecture in our inaugural Science Series.

Vashon Allied Arts

Sunday, May 18, 7 pmTickets: $14 Member/Student/ Senior, $18 GeneralVAA, VashonAlliedArts.org

Gifts of the Crow

May 2014 5

VAA Center for Dance flies into spring this season with a celebra-tion of dance and tradition. Danc-ers step back into the Great Hall of the O Space with a production of Stravinsky’s The Firebird ballet, created in 1910 for the Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. The story is based on Rus-sian folk tales of a glowing, magi-cal bird that can be both a blessing and a curse to its owner. Interme-diate and advanced dancers bring to life Michael Fokine’s adapted choreography about the Firebird, the mythical creature that en-trances Prince Ivan, convincing him to free her from captivity.

This is the 18th VAA spring ballet for Christine Juarez, Direc-tor of VAA Center for Dance. Juarez adapts and creates original

choreography each season for the student body based on the his-torical romantic ballets. This year, Firebird was selected specifically with two graduating seniors in mind: Meg Sayre, graduating from Vashon High School, and Sam Opsal, guest dancer, who graduates from Cornish College of the Arts. These two dancers have collaborated wonderfully for years and both leave the Island to welcome their fu-tures within the next couple of months.

“Meg has been a dream to work with and I picked this part for her because she embod-ies the Firebird. She is full of life, quick to act and think and ready to embrace her freedom and change the world. Sam is

the passionate partner who has chosen dance as his life. He has been incredibly supportive to our dancers and has served as an ex-emplary role model,” says Juarez.

As part of this evening pro-gram, Creative Movement dancers (2-4 years old) will march and tip-toe to a narrated dance created by Juarez titled The Fairies and the Dragon. Pre-Ballet dancers will chasse and skip in a one-act ballet There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe danced to music by Edvard Grieg. Dancers from the Center for Dance’s Tap classes also perform. Costumes by Kate

Guinee, lighting by Stan Voynick and lobby design by Holly Goddard.

The Firebird Ballet and Short Works

Friday, May 16, 1 pm Children’s MatineeFriday, May 16, 7 pmSaturday, May 17, 1 pm Saturday, May 17, 7 pmSunday, May 18, 1 pmOpen SpaceTickets: $12 Member/Student/Senior, $16 GeneralVAA, Heron’s Nest, VashonAlliedArts.org

Clockwise from left: Tess Mueller as the evil witch Kostcheï, Meg Sayre as the Firebird and Maeve Haselton as Tsarevna, take a break from the rigors of rehearsal; Kostcheï casting a spell on Tsarevna (photos by Mike Urban), Dance Director Christine Juarez coaches male danseurs Josiah Boyajian and Quinn McTighe; little dancers take their cues from Selah Bellscheidt; Tess Mueller doing the always necessary barre work (photos by Jonathan Kuzma).

and Short Works

6 May 2014

Rock ’n’ roll and classical music are amazing traditions respectively, and when the two come together, the results are spectacular! Seattle Rock Orchestra (SRO) has been captivat-ing audiences since 2009 with their unique orchestral interpretations of rock music—everything from David Bowie, Queen, Beach Boys to Radiohead. For their in-augural Vashon Island performance, they present a full evening concert composed of classic Beatles, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin tunes, collaborating on a few songs with two local youth ensembles, i Solisti di Vashon and Vashon Youth String Orchestra.

An important part of Vashon Allied Arts’ mission is to connect our youth to rich arts and educational opportunities that will in-spire and empower them to dream big. We believe that meaningful participation in the arts is a precursor to success in all other areas of life, and sets up a lifelong apprecia-tion of culture. This collaboration with Seattle Rock Orchestra will be a tremen-dous achievement that allows our youth to

play alongside professional musicians and showcase their talents as musicians on the big stage.

This will be one of the largest single concerts in Island history, with Seattle Rock Orchestra’s contingent of 35+ musi-cians and vocalists performing with Vashon youth musicians on classic hits such as “Dear Prudence,” “Wish You Were Here” and “Kashmir.” VAA partners with O Space in presenting this epic event. Part of the fees for this large-scale production were raised by generous local donations made through power2give, an innovative new crowd-sourced funding platform from ArtsFund that provided an exceptional 1-to-1 match. – by Stephen Jeong

Seattle Rock Orchestra

Open SpaceSaturday, June 7, 7 pmTickets: $20 General Admission, $5 StudentYouth 12 and under are free, but advance reservations required.VAA, Heron’s Nest, VashonAlliedArts.org

Guest violist Timothy Christie

Vashon youth musicians rehearse classics such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” in preparation for Seattle Rock Orchestra concert.

Seattle Rock Orchestra. Photo by Jason Tang

Seattle Rock Orchestra

Vashon Chamber Music’s season finale on Sunday, May 4 features the music of Haydn, Schnittke and Brahms. Guest cellist Charmian Bartlett joins Artistic Directors Douglas Davis and Rowena Hammill on an arrange-ment for three cellos of a piece originally written by Haydn for baryton trio. It is a charming classical era work in four short movements.

Next on the program is the Schnittke trio for violin, viola and cello, with series regular Artur Girsky on violin, Hammill on cello and guest violist Timothy Christie. A violinist and violist, Christie is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival. He serves on the music faculties of the University of Puget Sound and the Brevard Center in North Carolina. The solo violist of Brave New Works since the group’s

inception in 1997, Christie has performed and premiered numer-ous solo and chamber works of the 20th and 21st centuries. He currently plays with the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra, IRIS Orchestra (Germantown, Ten-

nessee), the Seattle Symphony and the Seattle Opera, as well as numerous chamber music series throughout the U.S.

The program ends with the magnificent Brahms G Ma-jor string sextet, in which the Schnittke players will be joined by Davis on cello, Heather Bentley on viola and Natasha Bazhanov on violin—a wonderful way to conclude our fifth season of chamber music making!

– by Rowena Hammill

Vashon Chamber Music

Sunday, May 4, 7 pmVashon United Methodist ChurchTickets: $18 Member/Student/Senior, $22 GeneralVAA, Heron’s Nest, VashonAlliedArts.org

May 2014 7

There are so very many women artists, but for this show, it’s photographer Kim Farrell, oil painter Kathy Larsdotter and copper sculptor Ivonne Escobar de Kommer, three artists fascinated by the natural world.

Kim Farrell is well-known for her micro images of flowers, but she has also captured cheetahs in Namibia and landscapes in the Southwest.

This time, she’s off on a new trail: Fort Worden, the old mili-tary base, now an arts center in Port Townsend. She saw some macro photos that attracted her and, starting last Christmas, spent three days doing micros of the surfaces of the unrestored old buildings.

The result is a fascinating collec-tion of 13 images. “I approached them as abstract art,” says Farrell. “If I could paint, which I can’t, this is what I would do. Texture and color were what grabbed me, almost like a Rorschach test.”

“Rust and peeling paint,” she added, “graffiti and bolts created delightful displays of color and tex-

ture, modern art created by time and the elements. Nature reclaims things with time and water.”

Each of Kathy Larsdotter’s paintings, all produced since Christmas, focuses on an identifi-able place on the Vashon-Maury shoreline and watershed.

“Water is so precious,” says Larsdotter, “such a closed sys-tem on earth. Something that has such great beauty also has such great power for survival. It’s the thing that will be fought over. Vashon doesn’t get its water from anywhere else. We take

the beauty of this resource for granted.”

Larsdotter creates her images of that beauty in a unique way. She photographs, then plays with the images on her computer so that they begin to turn away from ap-parent realism to a visual record of

the feelings she had as she snapped the lens. She begins drawing and applying the oils to canvas, and the result, she says, is close to surrealistic. “Painting a picture,” she says, “is like writing a poem, a concrete reminder of my life’s epiphanies.”

Ivonne Escobar de Kommer, who showed regularly for years at Silverwood Gallery in Burton, is fascinated with how nature arises out of her garden and with the power of medicinal herbs.

“My theme,” says Escobar de Kommer, “is that beautiful nature is right next to us. It’s interesting

how when you know what you have in your garden, you can use it. We can reach to our gardens instead of the store. The cures we have are right next to us.”

“Herbs,” she adds, “are good for medicinal uses

and for beauty.”

She’s also grown a series of flower boxes of sculpted copper and large test tubes used in the diffusion of herb matter and water into medicines. “Chickweed” fea-tures a circular copper base topped

by one of the tubes encircled by a beautiful copper version of the chickweed stems and leaves.

She acknowledges these new pieces are a progression from what she made before. “As we age,” says Escobar de Kommer, “the best part is that I am able to recognize many things, I now have a reference.”

– by Eric Horsting

VAA Gallery Opening

Friday, May 2, 6–9 pmMusic by Island Fusion (Steve Meyer, bass; Fletcher Andrews, percussion; Jack Barbash, piano)Studio Tour stop #11, extended hours (see page 14)

In the Gallery

From left to r: “Shinglemill Creek” by Kathy Larsdotter; “Chickweed” by Ivonne Escobar de Kommer;

“In Defense of Art” by Kim Farrell.

May 2014 showcases three strong Vashon women artists, whose collective exhibit is also a stop

on the Spring Art Studio Tour.

Spring Classes

8 May 2014

ADULTS/TEENSYOGA WITH RONLYAges: 16 to AdultEvery Saturday 9-10:15 am10-Session card Member $125/ General $1355-Session card Member $65/General $75Instructor: Ronly Blau

Join this mindful, flowing yoga class that weaves together asanas with pranayama, meditation and Ayurvedic wisdom. Blau has taught yoga for over 12 years and is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, Yoga Instructor and Licensed Massage Practitioner. For more information visit Meadow-HeartAyurveda.com

GARDEN METAL ARTAges: 16 to AdultSaturdays, May 17 & 24, 10 am-1 pmTuition: Member $80/General $95; Materials $50Instructor: David ErueLearn to use a plasma cutter and basic welding techniques with mild steel and assorted found objects in this two-day workshop. Create a small garden sculpture of your own design. Class taught in David’s shop, 11706 Cove Rd.

GOURD PLANTER WORKSHOPAges: AdultsSaturdays, June 21 & 28, 9 am-2 pmTuition: Member $165/General $175; Materials $65Instructor: Charlotte Masi

Turn a raw gourd into a pot for an indoor succulent in this two-day workshop. Learn the process from start to finish: cut, clean and finish the inside of the gourd; transfer a design and use wood burning tools to outline your imagery, add coloration and prepare a steel ring for the base. Please bring lunch and a beverage. Class held in Charlotte’s stu-dio. Contact charlotte@charlottemasi.com for more information.

TEENS/KIDSDRAWAWESOME!Ages: 10-18Tuesdays, May 6-June 10, 3:45-5:45 pmTuition: Member $150/General $170Instructor: Steffon MoodyLearn to create the illusion of 3 dimensions on a 2D surface. One, two & three point perspective, geomet-ric primatives, line of action, values/shading, positive & negative space and composition. Weekly homework leads to awesome drawing skills! Steffon teaches drawing at DigiPen School of Technology to animators and game designers.

CREATIVE DRAMA: BUILDING CHARACTER Ages: 4-6Session 2: Saturdays, May 3-24, 9:30-10:45 amTuition: Member $70/General $85; Materials $5Instructor: Sue WileyJoin us for a playful exploration of literature

through music, stories and poems. Learn about story, plot, conflict and sequencing events. At the end of each class, kids work together to drama-tize a story they create using teamwork and imagination. Come play!

For more information or to register online, visit VashonAlliedArts.org. Scholarships Available!

Captain Smartypants is an a capella comedy group, an off-shoot of the larger Seattle Men’s Chorus, whose stylistic range includes swing, doo-wop, pop covers, Motown, techno-pop and barbershop. They have been heard all over the Pacific Northwest and beyond, thrilling, delighting and charming audiences from Wash-ington, D.C., to San Francisco with their unique blend of humor and accomplished voices.

Since their inception in 2000, Captain Smartypants has per-formed with stars such as Margaret Cho, Jennifer Holliday, Kristin

Chenoweth, American Idol final-ist Blake Lewis and many oth-ers. Their video performance of “Kislev Cowboys” (aka “Broke-

back Dreidel”) has received over half a million hits on YouTube since it posted in 2008, and was featured on NPR’s Hearing Voices.

Led by director Eric Lane Barnes, their 10-year anniversary show Captain Smartypants: the First 100 Years broke all previous Smartypants box office records in its May 2010 run at Seattle’s Town Hall. Their Vashon perfor-mance is guaranteed to have you tapping your feet and laughing out loud.

Captain Smartypants

Saturday, May 3, 7 pmVashon Allied ArtsTickets: $16 Member/Student/Senior, $20 GeneralVAA, Heron’s Nest, VashonAlliedArts.org

May 2014 9

June 23-27Puget Sound Friends Clay

(age 4-6)

Color Crazy (age 7-12)

June 30-July 3Art and Spanish

(age 3-7)

Olympics of Mind (age 8-12)

July 7-11Summer

Musical Theatre (age 7-14)

Glass Intensive for Teens (age 13-19)

July 14-18Fired Up Clay (age 10-17)

All About Me Art Camp (age 6-10)

Magical Kingdom Dance (age 3-5)

July 21-25People and Pets Clay (age 6-10)

Studio Tour Art Camp (age 10-17)

July 28-August 1Once Upon a Puppet

(age 7-12)

Magic of Mime (age 8-14)

Teen Photo Intensive (age 13-18)

August 4-8Clay Camp Down Under

(age 6-10)

August 11-15Nature of Art Camp

(age 8-12)

Triple Threat Dance (age 9-16)

August 18-22Sea, Sea, Sea Clay (age 6-10)

Glass Intensive for Teens (age 13-19)

Vashon String Camp (age 5-15)

Space Traveler Dance (age 3-5)

August 25-29Story Play (age 5-7)

For more information or to register online, visit VashonAlliedArts.org. Scholarships Available!

Summer Camps!

Visit VashonAlliedArts.org for full camp descriptions and to register. Scholarships available!

Garden Tour weekend features an exciting

lineup of speakers, all experts in their field. Here is a sampling of what to expect. For complete schedule, times, locations and Tour tickets, visit

VashonAlliedArts.org.Jan Nielsen, Project Man-

ager at Marenakos Stone in Fall City, knows a thing or two about stone. Stone is a versatile design ele-

ment, often used naturally among plantings, as pathways and patios, retaining walls and sculptural art in the landscape. Nielsen discuss-es the many unique uses of stone.

Terry Welch has practiced garden design/build for 42 years, featured in Sunset, British House and Gardens, Horticulture, Ken Druse’s The Passion for Gardening, and books by Valerie Easton and Anne Lovejoy. Welch often lectures on Japanese influences on Pacific Northwest landscape design.

Horticulturist Melissa Schafer of Schafer Specialty Landscape & Design explores the trend of vertical gardening. “Bring your garden art to life! Think of the plants as your palette; create composi-tion with plant texture, color and pattern and ditch the traditional canvas—get creative with vertical frameworks.”

World traveled and widely recognized photographer Ray Pfortner loves sharing his pas-

sion, em-phasizing technique, natural lighting and subject focus. Explore prac-tical tips for

creating garden photographs that begin to capture the beauty in front of your lens—remember to bring your camera!

Tom Conway has been an avid gardener since he could hold a trowel and writes about his adventures on his popular

home and garden blog: TallCloverFarm.com.

“Wheth-er for the vase or the sheer beau-ty of a bed of basking flowers, a cutting garden is eye candy for the soul.”

Past Kitsap Audubon Society President and owner of Wild Birds Unlimited of Gig Har-

bor, Jim Ullrich’s enthusiasm for birds and bees is contagious!

Ullrich explores diverse birds of the NW and encourages practices that promote wildlife habitat and recognize the importance of pol-linators.

For over 30 years, Carol Ahlfors has been in the floral industry, teaching and win-ning nation-al awards. Recently, Ahlfors started of-fering classes through her Vashon business, Blooms & Things, to share this extensive knowledge. Learn a modern spin on the tradi-tional floral centerpiece.

Lavender Sisters Merrilee Ru-nyan and Dana Illo and garden host Katy Jo Steward collectively farm lavender, and for 13 years

have handcrafted fine lavender products for wholesale florists, Puget Sound Metropolitan Mar-kets and farmers markets. The Lavender Sisters will detail secrets to growing bountiful harvests.

Tom Dean, Executive Direc-tor of the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust, is not trained as a botanist or a biolo-gist but loves plants and has fiddled with gardening and landscaping since his dad first ordered him to pull weeds. Dean speaks on the transition between landscape and forest, promoting forest health and slope stabiliza-tion.

Ed Swan, Master Birder and author of The Birds of Vashon Island: A Natural History of Habitat Transforma-tion, leads bird tours exploring Vashon and Puget Sound. “It’s a great pleasure to connect people with beauty and a richer under-standing of other species and their natural environment.”

“The best garden is the one where the gardener finds joy. Think of gardening as telling your story.” Garden designer and author Terry Her-shey provides an intro to English garden design and embracing the story that sings quietly in your soul. – by Melissa Schafer

10 May 2014

Garden Talks... Information from Experts!

May 2014 11

“Let thy food be thy medicine

and medicine be thy food,”

proclaimed the Greek physi-

cian Hippocrates almost 2,500

years ago.

In my ten-year research project, I’ve discovered that our ancestors—unwittingly —bred the medicine out of our food. This loss did not begin in the 20th century, as many people assume, but has gone on for hundreds of generations. I write about the nutritional history of our food in my latest book, Eating on the Wild Side.

I used the information I’ve gleaned to create a garden on Maury Island that features some extraordinarily nutritious and delicious varieties. This year, we

are growing orange super toma-toes from New Zealand, a species of apple from Nepal that has 100 times more antioxidants than a Golden Delicious, and hybrid and heirloom lettuces that turn a salad

into a recipe for health.

One of my new finds is a black-berry called “Wild Treasure.” It’s a cross between the delicious trailing wild blackberry and a

modern variety that is highly productive and thornless. The end result is a berry with the nutrition and flavor of the wild fruit but the more civilized traits

of a domesticated berry. I’d like to see “Wild Treasure” become a Vashon mainstay.

When you visit our garden, you will note dozens of other healthful and delicious varieties including purple carrots, purple cauliflower, black tomatoes and red Iceberg lettuce. When you know which varieties to plant, food becomes, once again, a natural form of medicine. – by Jo Robinson

Garden Tour

Garden #6 Featured Speaker Saturday & Sunday June 21-22

Artwork from floor to ceiling —this year’s Collector’s Choice Art Sale features works donated by passionate Island art collectors. Reminiscent of the always- anticipated Archives Art Sale, which features works by Island art-ists, collectors are releasing many works that they’ve held onto until now.

At the Vashon Allied Arts Gal-lery on the last weekend of May, a number of Vashon art collectors (and a few off-Island ones) are contributing works of art of every kind for sale to our members and friends.

Art owners who would like to obtain new works face the issue of “…but there’s no place to put it!”

These collectors have found their venue—the Collector’s Choice Art Sale.

Be prepared for special finds that you would not otherwise see for sale. If you already col-lect a particular kind of art, dis-

cover if mediums, styles and forms that you love are repre-sented.

This is not an auction, but an open gallery event. You walk in, find pieces you like, buy them, take them home! There will be

paintings, prints, photographs, posters, textiles, sculpture and pottery. This is a wonderful oppor-tunity to purchase excellent origi-nal art for your home, workspace, summer place or winter cabin.

For more information, contact Janice Mallman, 463.5131 ext 224 (JaniceM@VashonAlliedArts.org), or Susan Sullivan, 463.4164 (patsusan1@comcast.net).

– by Susan Sullivan

Collector’s Choice Art Sale

Friday, May 30, 5 pm-8 pm VAA Members only!Saturday, May 31, 10 am-4 pm Open to the publicSunday, June 1, 11 am-4 pm Open to the public

Jo Robinson, NY Times bestselling author, showcases her home garden on VAA’s annual Garden Tour. Below left to right, the stunningly beautiful (and healthy) Graffiti cauliflower, Black tomatoes and Forelle pear.

A Harvest of Health and Flavor

Collector’s Choice Art Sale

Bringing Back the Medicine in our Fruits and Vegetables

Hitch your wagon to the

Vashon-Maury Island

Heritage Museum

we’removing with

the times

12 May 2014

Vashon Allied Arts is Grateful for the Support of Our Generous Sponsors

Buyer BrokerageReal Estate Consultant

VashonIslandRealEstate.com

Amiad & Associates, Inc.Emma Amiad, Broker Exclusively Representing Buyers

17500 Vashon Highway SWP. O. Box 407 206-463-4060Vashon Island, WA 98070 Fax 463-4063E-Mail eamiad@VashonIslandRealEstate.com 800-209-4168

ISLAND ESCROW SERVICE

Dayna MullerEscrow Officer

Patrick CunninghamDesignated Escrow Officer

Locally owned since 1979

206-463-3137www.islandescrow.net

Smooth, round & voluptuous wines...

Wine tastings Noon-5 pm

Saturdays & Sundays!

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Shop Senior Tuesdaysfor your 10% Discount!

May 2014 13

Jazz Phenom Alex Dugdale & Fade “Flamboyant…

larger than life!”

Scott Jones and Yvonne Lever describe the design opportunities presented in creating unique settings for Werther, Vashon Opera’s May production.

From museum exhibits to theatre sets, costume design to special-ized movie props, Jones and Lever contribute broad expertise. Their Vashon company, Atlas Fine Art Service, provides exhibit design and installation services to muse-ums, corporations and private col-lectors through-out the U.S. and Canada.

“Our inter-est in set design stems from the joy of turning our training and philosophies on their heads,” Jones explained. “Our museum displays are generally subdued; these opera sets come alive with interaction from the living ‘arti-facts’ themselves.”

Concerning this local pro-duction, Jones added, “The challenge of a small venue not intended to accommodate an opera’s backstage space and lighting needs has directed our focus from the beginning.”

Sung in French with English supertitles, the opera is based on Goethe’s iconic novel The Sor-rows of Young Werther, the story

of a sensitive young artist. Jules Massenet’s vivid music—some-times grandiose, sometimes ach-ingly fragile—illuminates the complexity of its protagonists.

Along with local singers, the cast features professional opera stars Wesley Rogers as Werther, Melina Pyron, Barry Johnson,

Courtney Ruckman and Ryan Bede. Chamber orchestra and children’s chorus are directed by Jim Brown; costume design is by Jocelyne Fowler.

Werther

Vashon OperaFriday, May 16, 8 pm Sunday, May 18, 2:30 pm Bethel Church 14736 Bethel Lane SWTickets: $32 Season/Indi-vidual TicketsWednesday, May 14, 7 pm$15 Student/Family Dress RehearsalVashonOpera.org, Vashon Bookshop

Alex Dugdale studied tap since he was six years old, and discov-ered the pull of jazz while stand-ing on a NYC subway platform from a man playing Duke Ellington’s Take the A Train on steel drums. “I put on my tap shoes, and took the ‘A’ train with the steel drum player, and we started jamming to it. The people in the station started to hear our conversation and watched and listened as we spoke through the music… the crowd got with the beat and followed us on board.”

Dugdale studied at the presti-gious Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York—classi-cal saxophone with Chien-Kwan Lin and jazz saxophone with José Encarnación and Charles Pillow, plus jazz with pianist Harold Danko, drummer Rich Thomp-son and bassist Jeff Campbell.

Four years of intense study shaped Dugdale’s sound. His saxophone echoes the melodic approach of Lester Young, Dexter Gordon and Hank Mobley. Dug-dale’s rising star was spotted by

Seattle’s Repertory Jazz Orchestra (SRJO), who began featuring his tap dancing on “David Danced Before the Lord” to climax the annual Duke Ellington Sacred Music Concert.

Dugdale and his band Fade perform often at Lucid, in the U-District; Dugdale also plays with the Smith Staelens Big Band at Tula’s and with the Hal Sherman Big Band. His groove is strong and the musical vocabulary derives from the 1950s hard bop style of improvising.

Dugdale (saxophone, tap) plays at VAA with Fade: Gabe Glennie (bass), Remy Morritt (drums) and Owen Ross (guitar). Vashon’s own Monday Night Jazz Club opens.

– by Steve Griggs, excerpted from Earshot Jazz, December 2013

Alex Dugdale and Fade

Vashon Allied ArtsSaturday, May 10, 7:30 pmTickets: $14 Member/Student/Senior, $18 GeneralVAA, Heron’s Nest, VashonAlliedArts.org

May is time for your traditional roam through the Vashon Island Spring Art Studio Tour. There’s no better way to inspire yourself, meet Island artists and enjoy parts of the Island off the beaten track.

Paintings, prints, pot-tery, glass art, sculpture, crafts, jewelry and all kinds of fantastic whimsy

wait for you from one end of the Island to the other. Ken Judd’s space-age folk sculptures; Kris-ten Reitz-Green’s luscious oils;

WabiSabi Studio’s Japanese inspired wood-cut prints; Steve Zartman’s garden art—there really is something for everyone.

Spring Art Studio Tour is blooming with art! Find

a tour map at any Vashon business and enjoy!

Spring Art Studio Tour

Fridays & Saturdays, May 3-4 & 10-11, 10 am–5 pm

“Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is the theme for the seventh annual Father-Daughter Dance at the Vashon Golf & Swim Club, Saturday, May 31. Proceeds from the event benefit VAA Center for Dance. Smiles, laughs and great memo-ries are guaranteed.

Sponsored each year by Vashon Allied Arts, last year’s event sold out early, leaving some dads scrambling for last-minute tickets. Uncles, grand-fathers and other stand-ins are also welcome.

In keeping with tradition, attire will be semi-formal—dresses for daughters and coats and ties for dads. Desserts and drinks are provided, along with a complimentary photo, frame and rose for daughters.

Music se-lections are handpicked by an expert com-mittee of Island daughters; song requests during the event are always welcome. John Sage graciously re-turns to provide the photogra-phy (check out FinchHaven.com to view prior events). Dinner is buffet style with a vegetarian option.

The dance is limited to 120 participants, and an early sell-out is expected again this year. Tickets for the dinner need to be purchased at least 7 days in advance to ensure an accurate meal count.

Vashon daughters—invite a few friends, your dads, and make an evening of it! Regard-less of age, you’ll be sure to outlast your dad! Financial assistance is available. Ques-tions? Please call the VAA office, 463.5131 or Jeff Sayre, 463.2150.

Father-Daughter Dance

Saturday, May 31, 7–9 pmDinner 5:45 pm [optional]Vashon Golf & Swim ClubTickets: Dance $25; Dinner $20VAA, Heron’s Nest

14 May 2014

Gordon R. Barnett of GRB Bells (Tour #21) crafts exquisite wearable bells.

The porcelain, stoneware and raku of Mary Hosick

(Tour # 9) is useful and beautiful.

Jane and Rob Oswald at last year’s “Singing in the Rain.” Photo by John Sage, FinchHaven Digital Photography

Hysterically funny scenes, choc-olates and prizes! Drama Dock offers another Night of Improv and it promises to be just as much fun as last year.

All ages can participate by forming a team of at least 3 per-formers. The audience participates by giving ideas to the performers.

Jet City Improv from Seattle will provide the Master of Cer-

emonies. There will be prizes awarded to the winners, as well as a Silent Auction.

Drama Dock Night of Improv

Saturday, May 17, 7 pmVashon Allied ArtsFundraiser tickets start at $10 in support of Drama Dock.VAA, Heron’s Nest, VashonAlliedArts.org

Night of Improv

7th Annual Father-Daughter

Dance

Vashon Island

sprIng2014

May 3-4 & 10-11

Satu r day & Su n day

10 a M t o 5 p M

jewelry, ceramics, sculpture,

photography, paintings,

glass, printmaking

& much more

May 2014 15

(206) 463-9148 - www.WindermereVashon.com - 17233 Vashon Hwy SW/PO Box 1867

Windermere Vashon

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NancyDavidson

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SueCarette

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Giving Your Dreams a Home

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RoseEdgecombe

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JRCrawford

Beth de Groen

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PaulHelsby

Business, Foundation & Government Supporters4CultureAmiad and AssociatesAndrew Will WineryArtsFundBangasser and AssociatesBergamot StudioBlooms & ThingsThe Boeing CompanyCambia Health SolutionsThe Country Store & GardensJR Crawford, RealtorBeth de Groen, RealtorDIGDragon’s Head CiderFrame of MindThe Hardware Store RestaurantIsland Escrow ServiceIsland Home Center & LumberJohn L. ScottKathy’s CornerLMN ArchitectsNational Endowment for the ArtsNovak Creative, Inc.Obelisco EstateOtis Kenyon WinePalouse WineryPartners in EducationpointbThe President of MePuget Sound EnergySaucy Sisters Pizza

The Seattle FoundationSellen Construction CompanyThriventTrigg Insurance AgencyThe Vashon Island Coffee Roasterie &

MinglementVashon Golf & Swim ClubVashon Island School DistrictVashon Market Fresh IGAVashon-Maury Island Heritage AssociationVashon OperaVashon Tea ShopVashon ThriftwayWashington State Arts CommissionWindermere Real Estate

Leaders $5,000+Anonymous (2)Ray and Edith AspiriBeth and John de GroenDavid Foege Memorial FundArt Hansen

Builders $1,000-$2,499AnonymousKira BaconKaren Baer and Rick WallaceJanet and Tracy BishopPat and Ellen CallJeff Carson and Marcia BruyaMike and Cathy CasteelGrace and Gary ChristophersenKarin and Bob DeSantisJaculin and Brian Dougher

Dick and Mona HardyDana and Lindsay HofmanTed and Susan KutscherZabette Macomber and Kelly StraightJoy Thal Mann and Chai MannPaul Martinez and Renee RomanAnna and Nick MartinsenLeslie McIntoshAnn Nicklason and Allen ResslerKatherine PineRaleigh Roark and Beth PreslarMolly and Richard ReedLanora and Charles RosenberryKirk N. and Janie H. StarrCindy and Stephen StockettJohn Stratton and Carolyn Webster-StrattonSusan and Pat SullivanEric and Mary WalkerJan Wall and Chanda CarlsonGina and Anthony Winkler

Stewards $750-$999Marilyn and Eric BlitzMary and Whit CarhartCliff and Carol EckmanMarilyn GreenMarie Stanislaw and Steve AbelCatholine and Stuart TribbleMelodie Woods

Champions $500-$749Jo Ann and Tom BardeenKimberly and Scott BennerRobert Blackstone and Randee Crisman

Bill and Teresa BourkeJudith BurwellThomas and Lynn BuscagliaBruce and Debi CekoshGail Cunningham and Sara WoodKathleen and Richard FarnerGeoff and Terri FletcherLouise Friend and Zachary MillerLisa Hasselman and Chris HedgpathGeorge HeidornDavid and Gigi JackJohn Jenkel and Mary ParadiseKathleen Kinney and Peter MantleMarilyn Kleyn and Steve AustinGary and Margaret KochKevin and Jenny McMurdoNell MillerMarsha Morrison and Stuart BakerWilliam and Betty MorseBruce and Juli MorserSy and Ric NovakMary O’Leary-Bryant and Dennis BryantSusan and Bill RivesMarion RoseCathy SarkowskyTom Skarshaug and Janice MallmanKasia StahancykMichael TracyDave Van HornChuck Weinstock and Kim von Henkle

Patrons $250-$499David and Helen AndrewsAnonymous

Sharon and Barry BriskmanJohn and Carolyn CandyMark and Melinda DavisPamela de Ryss and Neil WiesblottDonna Dederer and Larry JayBarbara DuntleyChristine and John DwightWalt Ebell and Dianna GentryJohn and May GerstleDick and Karen HadleyDon and Mary Lou HarlanderBecky and Richard JankeJeffery Jones and Tom NelsonDenise KatzDonna and Bob KellumAnne Leiter and Ina OppligerMary Frances Lyons and James RoyJanet McAlpin and David GodseyPamela McMahan and Jacob SchlumpfLee and Joan MillerBrenda and John MooreJane NeubauerClaudia J. PostWalt and Pat RiehlTeri Smith and Carolyn DavidsonJulie Speidel and Joe HenkePamela and Greg TheriaultPatricia Van Den Broek and Bob CusterSue and Rich WileySally Ann WilliamsJudy Wright and Alun Vick

4CultureAbel Family FundFred AlbertThe Amgen FoundationChristine AndersonJill and Murray AndrewsAnonymous (10)Ray and Edith AspiriAutomatic Data Processing, Inc.Karen Baer and Rick WallaceMelanie BaerTom Baker and Stephanie Halstead BakerJo Ann and Tom BardeenJoan BatemanMarjorie and Jim Beardsley FamilyDuane and Katherine BedardBetty Lou and Barry BiggsJanet and Tracy BishopMarilyn and Eric BlitzThe Boeing CompanyBeth Ann BonnecroyTeresa and William BourkeSteven A. Brown and Sally J. FoxJudith BurwellMary Lynn Buss and Ronald SimonsCarol and George ButlerPat and Ellen CallGary and Marnie CannonLisa and Tom CarhartMark and Sabrina CarhartMary and Whit CarhartWilliam Carr and Beng-Imm LowJeri Jo and Jim CarstairsMike and Cathy CasteelGrace and Gary ChristophersenDoug and Connie ClarkeLarry and Susan CommereeMarta CouKathryn and Jerry CrosbyJames and Edna DamDonna Dederer and Larry JayBeth and John de Groen

Myrla DeanKarin and Bob DeSantisTom DeVries and Marijke van HeeswijkJeanne Dougherty and Bill WoodDrama DockPhil Dunn and Stephen FloydCarole DysartCliff and Carol EckmanCarol EggenJean Emmons and William DacusYale and Bea EnsonTim and Verna EverittKathleen and Richard FarnerGerry and Mike FeinsteinWendy Finkleman and Derek ChurchillKathleen Fitch/Essentials4Susie FitzhughGeoff and Terri FletcherJon, Shannon and Brette FloraBud and Jill FloydJudith Fong and Mark WheelerWilliam and Jasper ForresterScarlett and Nancy Foster-MossCarol and Sheldon FrankelWill Furth and Jennifer L. JonesBetty and Charles GardnerJean Gardner and FamilyMarc and Gwen GavinJohn and May GerstleAngela GistDick Gordon In Memory of Fran GordonJan GoucherClaire and Tom GouldingMarilyn GreenDale Greenfeld and Patrick CunninghamLynn Greiner and John MidgleyPenny Grist and Larry MuirMadie GustafsonChristian and Carolyn HalabiRobert and Claire HallowellAnita Halstead and Kelly RobinsonRowena Hammill and Doug Davis

Dick and Mona HardyStephanie Harlan and Charles BackusDon and Mary Lou HarlanderCarolyn HarrisonRalph Hawkins and Anne NorthrupSusan Hedrick and Ben BonkowskiArt and Mary HodginsRuthann Howell and Tom QuackenbushAlan and Amy HugginsKaren Hust and Todd VogelDiane Inman and Verne JohnsonDavid and Gigi JackKathi JenkinsKathryn L. Jenkins Charitable Remainder

TrustPam and Dwight JewsonGay and Neil JungemannLonny KanekoAbraham KaplanAnne KappelmanMichael and Nancy KappelmanDenise KatzThe Kirschner FamilyLori and Brad KittredgeHans and Cindy KochDr. Gary and Margaret KochTed and Susan KutscherLangston Family FoundationCorey Lindberg and Dan McDevittMary Frances Lyons and James RoyZabette Macomber and Kelly StraightMike and Ann MaherJoy and Chai Mann and FamilyPaul Martinez and Renee RomanAnna and Nick MartinsenJerome and Sarah MathewsMcEachern Morrison FoundationLeslie A. McIntoshLara McKnightKevin and Jennifer McMurdoNell MillerLisa Minogue and Geoffrey Atkin

Nancy MiracleThe Charles Hosmer Morse

Foundation, Inc.Bruce and Juli MorserMary Anne NaglerDeborah NaishMeredith NealJane NeubauerAnn Nicklason and Allen ResslerThomas and IdaGay NicolinoChristopher and Nancy O’BrienDan O’KeefeAnne and Brian O’LearyMary O’Leary-Bryant and Dennis BryantBetty and Don Olson FamilyNancy and Debbie PaulMary Margaret and Todd PearsonSteve and Leslie PerryDeb Phillimore and Gib DammannKatherine PinePuget Sound EnergyKelly and Collette QuackenbushArthur and Susan RackJanice RandallMolly and Richard ReedSusan and David ReedHerbert ReineltWalt and Pat RiehlSusan and Bill RivesTanya Roberts and Paul KolenbranderTim Roden and Brian AustinMargaret Rothschild and George E.

HeidornFred SayerJon-Eric SchaferGay Schy and Charles TorreyCarol Schwennessen and Jerry GehrkeTaylor and Carol ScottAndrew SeifertThe Seminar Group/Elfi RiceMary G. L. Shackelford and

James S. C. Burke

Bill and Lynne ShepherdStephen Silha In Memory of Mark SheppardNancy and Gary SippleTom Skarshaug and Janice MallmanSandy Smith and Judy SchwedesJulie SpeidelKasia Anna StahancykMarie Stanislaw and Steve AbelKirk N. and Janie H. StarrSophia and Tyrel StendahlJohn Stratton and Carolyn Webster-StrattonStratton Law and MediationNancy and Eugene StuderStudio 216/Charlie ChooSusan and Pat SullivanJoan TegenTom and Anne TerryRobin Miller ThomasMimi ThompsonCatholine and Stuart TribbleSusan ValentiJoseph Van OsVashon Island ChoraleVashon ThriftwayJill VenturiCynthia WalkerEric and Mary WalkerJeanne WalkerKimberly and Kevin WardWashington StateMuriel and Allen WattsChuck Weinstock and Kim von HenkleMelania and Bill WellerJennifer WellsKay WhiteSue and Rich WileyFaye WilkinsonSue WillinghamDan Willsie and Carol FerchWindermere Real EstateJudy Wright and Alun Vick

Vashon Allied ArtsPO Box 576Vashon, WA 98070

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Visit VashonCenterForTheArts.org for current project and donor information.

Vashon Center for the Arts Benefactors