Summer Arts Fest continues

For the next eight weeks, Vashon Center for the Arts will host its third annual Summer Arts Fest, featuring artwork by more than 70 local artists in 35 solo and collaborative exhibits. Now through July 18, see exhibits featuring the artists Denise Dion, Christopher Allen, Steven Ellis, Miya Sukune, Robert Thomas, Stephen Malshuk, Renee Marceau and Erin Schulz.

Renée Marceau’s “The Sound Of Her Flowering,” is on display at VCA’s Summer Arts Fest (Courtesy Photo).

To learn more about their work and all the upcoming events of the fest, visit vashoncenterforthearts.org.

VIVA ahead of the curve

Members of Vashon Island Visual Artists (VIVA) sacrificed the organization’s 2020 Spring Art Studio Tour, and also recently jettisoned plans for its December Holiday Art Tour, to join the Vashon community in flattening the curve of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, the group has developed a new way to stay ahead of COVID-19, while giving its members a method to connect with islanders, and vice versa. “VIVA Art by Appointment: Your Personal Path to Island Artists,” to be published later this month, will be a guide for art lovers who wish to have one-on-one studio visits with local artists throughout the coming year. Watch for information on where to find the guide later this month, and visit vivartists.com for more information on the group and its members.

See you at the movies!

Coming soon to the big outdoor screen at Vashon’s new pop-up Night Light Drive-in — a collaboration between Vashon Theatre and Open Space for Arts & Community: July 9 and 11: “Gravity;” July 10: “E.T. “The Extra-Terrestrial;” July 16 and 18: a double-feature of “Back to the Future” and “Animal House;” July 22 and 24: a double-feature of “Liar Liar” and “The Big Lebowski;” and July 23 and 25: “Mad Max Fury Road.” Tickets must be purchased in advance at vashontheatre.com — safety protocols are also listed on the site. And while you’re there, check out Vashon Theatre’s slate of the newly released independent and foreign films that movie fans can rent and stream at home.

Shake it up with a lecture

At 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, Vashon Center for the Arts will present an online lecture by Mouse Reusch on a new Earthquake early warning system. The livestream, from VCA’s Kay White Hall, will be live-streamed on the VCA website and its Facebook page. There is a $10 suggested donation. Reusch is regional ShakeAlert coordinator with the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN) at the University of Washington. A Q&A session will follow the talk, facilitated by Rick Wallace. Wallace, vice-president of the Voice of Vashon board, has an extensive background in radio and television news, and won numerous awards for both breaking news and investigative reporting, capping his journalism career as a news assignment desk editor at a Los Angeles TV station. He has leadership roles in island institutions including Vashon Emergency Operations and Vashon BePrepared.

Vashon Live livestreams roll on

Vashon Live continues its roll of presenting live-streamed shows from inside Snapdragon’s Black Cat Cabaret. Coming attractions include island musicians Pat Reardon and Greg Dember, playing a show at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 10; a cooking show with Snapdragon’s owner, Megan Hastings, at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 14 and a concert by Gregg Curry at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 18. For more information, visit Vashon Live on Facebook, or go to vashonevents.org.

VCA moves camps outdoors

Summer camp at VCA’s Blue Heron Education Center launches on July 13, with registration for camps, as well as summer scholarships, open now. The camps will kick off with photographer and teacher, Ray Pfortner, leading an active, online version of his popular “Crazy About Photography” camp. Pfortner has been leading online courses all spring, developing a curriculum to actively engage and challenge students. At the end of July, VCA camps will transition to in-person, outdoor learning, with camps focused on drawing, painting, printmaking, puppetry, song-writing and performance.

Look for camps including a “Creative Clay Lab,” taught by local ceramic artist Caroline Silva, and a “Mythical Creatures Puppet Camp” led by Adam Ende. To learn more about all VCA’s camps and the safety protocols around them, visit vashoncenterforthearts.org and vashoncenterforthearts.org/safety-precautions-camps. Camps will have smaller enrollments and shortened hours. Masks are required for all participants.