Arts on the island

‘Catch Us While You Can’ exhibit calls longtime artists and musicians out to play

“Think Woodstock without the mud” — that’s how longtime island artist Christine Beck describes “Catch Us While You Can,” an upcoming month-long celebration of the creators who have kept Vashon artsy for the past 25 years.

The exhibit, presented by Open Space for Arts & Community in collaboration with Vashon Island Visual Artists and Vashon Events, will run Sept. 7 through Sept. 30 at the newly remodeled Open Space. A gala opening for the show will take place Friday, Sept. 7, and music and art events will follow each Sunday of September both inside Open Space and on its spacious grounds.

Beck, who with Kristen Reitz-Green is curating the visual arts portion of the event, said she wants to be inclusive and make sure no one is left out of the show. Beck also plans to include a memorial section to honor Vashon artists who have died, including Art Hansen, Joe Petta, Dwayne Hoyt, Marshall Sohl and others.

The show, Beck says, will celebrate those “who grew the arts on the Island, paved the way for new artists to emerge and continue to delight and enrich the senses of the island community through music and visual art.”

Pete Welch and Allison Shirk, of Vashon Events, will coordinate music and performing arts for the exhibition.

The deadline for submission to be in the show is Aug. 1. Visual artists can receive the call for entries or find out more by contacting cdbeck@yahoo.com. Musicians and performing artists should get in touch with vashonmusic@gmail.com.

Conscious Cartoons seeks cinephiles to help bring movie magic to the big screen

For the past year, islander Bill Jarcho has been prepping to launch a new international film festival devoted to animation that promotes themes of social justice, peace, equity and humanistic values.

Bill Jarcho (Courtesy Photo)

Bill Jarcho (Courtesy Photo)

The festival, called Conscious Cartoons International Animation Festival, will unspool Sept. 14 to 16 at Vashon Theatre, offering multiple programs of visual treats for audiences as well as the chance for participating filmmakers to win cash prizes totaling $20,000 in several categories.

The time seems ripe for this kind of festival, according to Jarcho.

“Animation has the ability to tackle difficult stories and at the same time move people in ways that many mediums cannot,” Jarcho said. “This is a unique opportunity for people to see a group of these award-winning films with a conscience that can’t easily be seen anywhere else.”

Right now, Jarcho and his collaborators are looking for islanders who would like to become involved in meaningful ways to help make the festival run like a top.

Volunteers are needed throughout the festival to take tickets, sell merchandise, hang posters, greet and transport visiting animators and help with myriad other tasks behind the scenes.

Jarcho has also already invited several international animators to attend the festival and is looking for Vashon hosts to open their homes to them.

Finally, Jarcho said, donations of airline mileage and cash are also needed to help pay for international flights for filmmakers who would otherwise not be able to attend.

Trine Habjorg’s film, “When I Hear the Birds Sing,” tells the story of how war has affected children from the Ivory Coast. The film will be shown in the first edition of the “Conscious Cartoons,” and organizer Bill Jarcho wants to bring the Norwegian filmmaker, along with others, to Vashon. (Courtesy Photo)

Trine Habjorg’s film, “When I Hear the Birds Sing,” tells the story of how war has affected children from the Ivory Coast. The film will be shown in the first edition of the “Conscious Cartoons,” and organizer Bill Jarcho wants to bring the Norwegian filmmaker, along with others, to Vashon. (Courtesy Photo)

“These particular animators are making films that have meaning for themselves and the greater world on a variety of important topics,” said Jarcho. “This is a chance for these talented filmmakers to visit our island, share their process and tell stories of why they made their films.”

Tickets and passes for the festival will are available on Brown Paper Tickets. To find out more about the festival and get involved or make tax-deductible donations, visit consciouscartoons.org or email animate@consciouscartoons.org.

Vashon Center for the Arts Auction needs donors and art

VCA is looking for artists and community members to contribute to its annual gala auction, the organization’s biggest annual fundraiser. The theme of this year’s event is “Masquerade,” and it will take place on two consecutive evenings, Sept. 21 and 22.

Last year’s auction raised approximately $125,000 in scholarship funds for classes for adults and children at VCA, $6,200 in funds that upgraded the Center’s dance studio, and $135,000 to fund general operating expenses at VCA.

For more information on donating art or other auction items, visit vashoncenterforthearts.org/2018/04/13/artist-call-vca-auction. Artists may also email DevinG@vashoncenterforthearts.org.