Exhibit boasts works ‘ignited’ by Vashon Artist Residency

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, September 3, 2025

In May 2021, just as the world was beginning to emerge from the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, islander and artist Cathy Sarkowsky founded Vashon Artist Residency on the tranquil shores of Vashon-Maury Island.

Her vision was expansive: to offer writers, musicians and visual artists a space that includes sweeping views of Quartermaster Harbor, gracious living quarters, well-equipped studios and writing rooms, but also something more elusive — time to look inward and reflect, get work done, or simply rest and recharge, away from the distractions and challenges of their daily lives.

Now, in just over four years, the residency has grown into an internationally respected program that has given almost 200 artists — ranging in age from their early 20s to late 70s and coming from Washington and far beyond — the chance to experience restorative respites on the island lasting between two and three-and-a-half weeks.

This month, there will be a new milestone for the residency, as Vashon Center for the Arts opens a one-month exhibition, Ignited by Vashon: Art from Vashon Artist Residency — a celebration of visual artists whose work was sparked by their time on Vashon.

The show, with an opening reception from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 5, includes the work of 31 artists presenting more than 40 pieces in a range of media that includes photography, fiber, sculpture, quilting, painting and mixed media.

Politte, who juried submissions to the show on a panel that also included Paul Martinez, an artist and exhibition designer, and June Sekiguchi, a residency alum, curator, sculptor and arts advocate, said the works chosen for the show all “carry the imprint of the island’s unique beauty and spirit.”

“For island residents, the exhibition offers the chance to see Vashon through an outsider’s eyes — to witness the shapes, colors, and textures their home inspires in artists from far afield,” Politte said.

The show’s artists include Jennifer Starkweather, a San Francisco-based artist, who with her partner, Amanda Hughen, creates collaborative, research-based abstract work exploring the impact of climate disruption.

In an interview, Starkweather said she and Hughen had deeply explored and researched Vashon, conducting interviews with islanders including Tom Dean, of Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust, and Bianca Perla, of Vashon Nature Center, during their time on Vashon.

“One of the things that stood out to us in our conversations with all these people was the incredible generosity with which they shared their knowledge and love for this island,” said Starkweather.

Starkweather’s productive time at the residency is not unusual, said Heather Dwyer, executive director of the residency, in an interview with founder Cathy Sarkowsky last week.

“‘Transformational’ is a word that people use to describe their experiences here,” said Dwyer. “I think one common experience is a renewed connection with and gratitude for the natural environment. Many artists, even those from rural areas, comment about their connection to the water and trees here.”

Sarkowsky said she was grateful to Politte and VCA Executive Director Allison Halstead Reid for making the exhibition possible, calling the show a tribute to the vast talent and diverse artistic practices of the visual artists who have passed through the residency thus far.

The show, she said, offers islanders a chance to learn more about the residency as well as provides the residency’s alumni with a professional development opportunity to show their work in a juried exhibition.

Both Sarkowsky and Dwyer described the residency as a place that centers inclusivity for artists of all means and at all stages of their careers, with applicants selected by an independent peer review panel and paying for their time at the residency according to a sliding-scale fee structure with no questions asked.

As a nonprofit, Vashon Artist Residency has been increasingly recognized by major funders including 4Culture/Doors Open, Allen Family Philanthropies/ArtsFund, Vitology Foundation/Pearl Jam and individual donors, they said.

Looking back on the trajectory of the project she launched in 2021, Sarkowsky detailed its joys but also her own steep learning curve in transforming her grand idea into a reality.

“There have been so many great challenges — figuring out how to run a residency, how to keep it sustainable and equitably accessible, how to continue to improve it, how to make it a truly unique experience, particular to living on Vashon Island,” she said. “All these challenges have been so exciting, rewarding and sometimes difficult. I wouldn’t change a thing. I am so grateful to be able to offer a place of respite and inspiration for artists to come to rest, create and commune, with nature and each other.”

Find out more about Vashon Artist Residency at vashonartistresidency.com.