Luminous self-portraits by first-graders and a flock of magnificent birds created by fourth-graders are now on display on Vashon. If you’re out and about, stop by Café Luna (now open for take-out) or check out the big picture windows of Vashon Center for the Arts to see these charming and skillful works of youth-made art.

Fourth-grade bird project still flies high

The long-running fourth-grade bird project — a collaboration between Vashon Center for the Arts’ Vashon Artists in Schools and Chautauqua Elementary School — continued in the spring of 2020, despite a lack of in-person school.

Bruce Morser, an award-winner local illustrator and VCA board member, led the program for the third consecutive year, working with students online to create artworks that are now displayed in the soaring street-facing windows of VCA’s lobby.

According to Morser, the project was more remarkable than ever this year.

“When Chautauqua closed down right before the annual bird project began, I figured ‘no birds this year,’” Morser said. “But thanks to the intrepid fourth-grade teachers — Shannon Browne, Karen Barich, Chris Muller and Allison Reynolds — and the tireless Kayie Alanis from VCA who assembled and distributed all the art kits, all 100 fourth-graders had the chance to paint birds.”

For the project, Morser created nine step-by-step drawing and painting videos from his home, and then made them available online. He also joined each fourth-grade class four times by Zoom for more instruction, demonstrations and reviews of the project.

“The kids were just great, working hard and asking all the right questions,” he said. “I thought the results this year were incredible. When life gets challenging, art thrives.”

Faces to remember at Café Luna

Cafe Luna, now open for take-out, has adorned its walls with mixed-media self-portraits created by students from Siri Bookani’s and Holly Boyajian’s first-grade classrooms. See them from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturdays, and 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, at the café.