First Friday gallery cruise beckons at arts spots in town

Check out shows at Hastings-Cone Gallery, Hardware Store Restuarant, VALISE and other venues

Here’s what is opening at Vashon’s First Friday gallery cruise on Friday, Aug. 5. Most galleries are open from 5 to 8 p.m.

Gather Vashon

Stop by Gather Vashon to salute a place of support for Vashon artists — the gallery will close in September (see page 5).

Hastings Cone Gallery

“Paintings,” an exhibit of work by island artist Steffon Moody, will open at Snapdragon Bakery & Café’s Hastings Cone Gallery, at 5 p.m.

Outstanding in its Field Gallery

“The Dog and Cat Days of Summer,” featuring Vashon artists, will benefit Vashon Island Pet Protectors (see story, this page).

Raven’s Nest

“Ravens Reign: Oil Paintings of Tricksters by Pam Ingalls,” will have an opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m., at Raven’s Nest, the downtown gallery and shop featuring the work of Israel and Sue Shotridge, as well as other Pacific Northwest Native artists.

“When Sue and I decided to have an oil painting show of ravens at her shop, Raven’s Nest, I got excited about a new, powerful subject to paint,” Ingalls said. “I’ve always been fascinated by ravens, but haven’t seen too many up close. Then, when I was visiting a graveyard near San Francisco, a whole flock of them descended around me. Their calls, their shapes and their creative poses took my breath away.”

The exhibit will remain on view through the month of August, and can also be seen online at pamingalls.com.

VALISE Gallery

The mother-son duo, Hita von Mende and Jesse Edward Johnson, will be featured in the exhibit, “Horizons,” which pairs Johnson’s visual poetry with new bold, abstract and semi-abstract large works by von Mende.

The centerpiece of Johnson’s contribution to the show will be an installation of a single new piece spanning the back wall of the gallery, flanked by some of its framed cousins.

“It’s exciting to be showing with my mom again,” said Johnson. “It usually takes us a while to agree on a theme and a title, and this show was no different. But I think the results are going to be fantastic.”

During August, VALISE Gallery, in downtown Vashon, will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m.

The opening celebration is Friday, Aug. 5 from 5 to 9 p.m., and the show may be previewed on Friday afternoon. The show runs through Saturday, Aug. 27.

Vashon Center for the Arts (VCA)

VCA’s Summer Arts Fest — a rolling series of exhibitions featuring an all-local lineup of artists — will be on view on First Friday, with new work by noted island sculptor Morgan Brig featured in the gallery’s gift shop.

Other work currently on view is by Bill Dilley, Denise Dion, Brette Flora, Jeff Good, Gretchen Hancock, Kassana Holden, Suzanna Leigh, Maija McKnight, Annette Messitt, Kate Munson, John Woodard and a Vashon group potter’s show with Heidi Anderson, Christine Beck, Sonja Bergström, Mary Hosick, Gale Lurie, Adrian Moger, Jane Neubauer, Dave Olsen, Irene Otis, Mary Rose O’Reilley, Mary L Robinson, Pam Schubert, and Barbara Wells.

Islanders can return to the gallery again on the evening of Aug. 12, when a new batch of arts fest exhibits will have opening receptions.

Artists will include Creighton Chamberlain, Susan Gross, Suzanne Hubbard, Rachel LordKenaga, Terra Clarke Olsen, Ilse Reimnitz, Kristen Reitz-Green, Deborah Taylor, Robert Thomas, and Jeanne Marie Thomas.