Handbells will ring
Three handbell choirs will play in concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 31, at Vashon Methodist Church.
The Vashon Handbell Choir, directed by Tina Parrish, will be joined by two youth handbell choirs: “Just-in-Chime,” directed by Deborah Anderson, and Jingle Bells Preschool Choir, also directed by Parrish.
The program will include 14 selections of sacred music. Admission is by donation.
The choirs are seeking new members; call Parrish at 463-5066 for information.
Poetry Fest debuts
The Vashon Poetry Fest will take place Thursday, May 21, through Monday, May 25, at multiple venues Island-wide.
This three-day, four-night poetry extravaganza will feature a host of local, regional and international guests, as well as performances, food, drink, open mics and two full days of workshops.
To sign up for workshops, call Stranger Than Fiction Books at 408-7268. Space is limited.
Café Luna will host the opening night of the fest at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 21.
The event, “Young Poets Talk Back,” will star five poets younger than 30, who are all current or past Vashon High School students. Islanders are invited to come to the performance and then to stay for an open mic.
Other noteworthy events include the Poet’s Feast, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at The Hardware Store Restaurant.
Samuel Green, Washington state’s poet laureate, will lead an evening of intimate readings and conversations, accompanied by award-winning Irish poet Tony Curtis.
The evening will feature an auction of a large format print of the photograph used on the fest’s poster and two tickets to hear poet Gary Snyder read in Seattle.
Tickets, $10, are on sale now at Stranger Than Fiction books, Books by the Way and Vashon Bookshop.
The Hardware Store Restaurant will offer a special “poet’s dinner” for $15 as well as its regular bar and dinner menu.
For a complete listing of Poetry Fest events, visit vashonpoetryfest.com.
‘HOLD’ has a Seattle art show
In a Seattle show this month, Island artists Matthew Olds and Heather Joy (HOLD studios) explore the relationship humans have with the landscape from a micro and macro level. The multimedia exhibit, titled Land/Structure/Impact, is displayed at Fetherston Gallery on Pike Street. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday.
Olds “uses painting to document the rise and fall of structures in the landscape,” while Joy “uses photography to document human-made ‘ecotones’ (ecology and tension), representing human attempts to control natural systems,” according to a press release.
Olds and Joy will also exhibit their work at Vashon’s VALISE gallery for the month of July, with a gallery opening on Friday, July 3. Olds and Joy, a member of the artists’ collective, will bring an interactive project to the new art gallery.
Watercolor workshop
Island artist Ilse Reimnitz will hold a weekend workshop at her art studio from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday, May 22 to 24. The cost is $175.
Attendees are invited to explore the joyful creative process of watercolor, finding a balance between control and the natural flow of the medium — the essence of watercolor, Reimnitz said.
All experience levels are welcome. For more information, call Reimnitz at 463-2529.
Shop at VAA
Vashon Allied Arts has invited some of Vashon’s best known artists to clear out their attics and studios and put their stored pieces up for sale in a special “archive” sale held at the Blue Heron. From Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, the doors of the studio will be open to art-lovers seeking a unique piece to add to their collections.
The art — including jewelry, paintings, photography, sculpture, pottery and textiles — will be offered for sale at deeply discounted prices.
This is the Island’s second “archive” sale. For more information, call Vashon Allied Arts at 463-5131.
