It’s time for another First Friday Gallery Cruise, so get ready to join swarms of eager art aficionados out for a stroll through shops and galleries. Check out the following exhibits, most of which have opening receptions slated from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, June 3.
Island artists will celebrate Vashon’s rural roots in the first ever barn-themed show at Blue Heron Gallery. The show has almost 30 works in a variety of mediums including oil, watercolor, acrylic, photography and mixed metal sculpture.
Artists include Pam Ingalls, Art Hansen, David Erue, Terry Donnelly, Mary Liz Austin, Karen Hersh Crozier, Kathleen Webster and Marilyn Blitz.
Live guitar, banjo and mandolin music for the opening will be provided by Jim Burke and Larry Muir.
Café Luna will offer paintings by Erik Hoogen, a painter and muralist known on Vashon for his K2 snowboard designs and engaging murals at Thriftway and Sporties. Hoogen will show new paintings specifically created for Vashon as well as other work by Hoogen.
Giraffe will feature jewelry made by Creamos — a collective of mothers in Guatemala City that makes jewelry from recycled materials. The sale of the work has been facilitated by Islanders Leah Mann and Ela Lamblin, who are involved in supporting families living in Guatemala City’s garbage dump community.
Islander Martin Koenig will be on hand at The Land Trust Building for an exhibition of his photographs and a book signing for “Voices & Images from Bulgaria,” his new, 96-page hardcover book of photography that also includes a 53-minute music CD.
More than 45 years ago, Koenig embarked on his first work trip to Bulgaria armed with letters of introduction from the legendary anthropologist Margaret Mead and musicologist Alan Lomax.
On his trip, as well as on almost a dozen subsequent visits, he researched and documented traditional Bulgarian and Balkan music and dance in their original settings. Working in villages throughout the country, he filmed, recorded and photographed the compelling and endangered aspects of the traditional culture he encountered.
Koenig’s photographs have been displayed in a wide variety of prestigious venues and museums. Koenig’s book signing takes place from 7 to 9 p.m.
At the Puget Sound Credit Union, there will be a reception for John Woodard, an artist whose oil paintings will be on display throughout July.
The Island has inspired Woodard’s work for more than 30 years.
“My objective in art is to make paintings which are seriously beautiful,” said Woodard, whose work as been seen in dozens of solo and group exhibitions.
Sunshine and Ideas, a new art space located in Parker Plaza, will open with an exhibit of pieces by Island woodworkers Jim Chabot, David Earle, John Moore and Devon Stair. Heidi Stair and four other local artists will show mirrors and boxes. Call 794-6427 for more information about the gallery, which will be open for a reception from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, June 3. Regular hours haven’t been decided for the gallery. For now, look for the “open” sign.
VALISE Gallery will present “Home,” a show of work by Nan Joy and Liz Brugato.
Joy, who is a VALISE collective member, will show work that combines photography, pastel and assemblage.
“Through this work I show my interest in understanding how fantasy is found in reality and how reality is found in fantasy,” said Joy.
Brugato is a painter from Portland.
“Art has been my passion since the age of remembering,” said Brugato. “It is my safe haven, the inner core of my being. It is the place I call home in my heart.”
Vashon Intuitive Art will present a mother-daughter duo, Silvija Paza and Chelsea Coldeen. Paza does sand engraved glass and Coldeen creates prints, dry point etchings and cards. The opening will feature music by Mark Pearson, a former Vashon Island resident and longtime member of The Brothers Four. The group’s new recording, “Golden Anniversary,” celebrates 50 years of sharing the American folk songbook with the world. Expect to hear many new songs as well a lot of familiar music that Pearson will play on his guitar and banjos. Islander Joe Allison will join Pearson in concert.
Sports fans won’t want to miss Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Museum’s new exhibit, “Athletic Vashon: Sports on the Island,” opening June 3 and running through Sept. 25.
Dick Warren and Jim Beattie, Pirate football players in the 1940s, have amassed a collection of Island sports memorabilia for the show. The men, who are lifelong friends as well as lifelong enthusiasts of Vashon sports, spent months poring over Beachcomber articles and high school yearbooks and collecting personal memories. The result is an assortment of photos, trophies, pennants, lettermen jackets and more, dating back to the days when Vashon College teams competed against the University of Washington.
More openings
Blooms & Things will will feature origami work by Alice Larson.
Books by the Way will show collages of rocket ships and “moon poems” from Geri Wilson’s multi-age class at Chautauqua.
Duet will show Lisa Betz’s wall hangings and jewelry pendants made with vintage china and handmade ceramic pieces.
Guiseppe’s will show Adam Cone’s lost copper plate etchings, 1987-2011.
Heron’s Nest will show Margaret Rothschild’s acrylic abstract paintings.
At Vashon Bookshop, Kat Eggleston will play music.
Vashon Senior Center on Bank Road will continue its display of watercolors by the students of Geri Peterson.
Wings Birdseed Gallery will show photography by Lotus. She will also show images captured during recent trips to several places, including the Gulf Islands of British Columbia and Zion National Park in Utah.
