A&E briefs — March 15, 2023

Authors set readings at Sequim gallery

Hear readings from Olympic Peninsula Authors (OPA) members from 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, at the Blue Whole Gallery, 129 W. Washington St.

Surrounded by original, local art, the authors will read from published anthologies that include poetry and short excerpts celebrating the secrets, beauty and variety of life on the Olympic Peninsula.

“Come and enjoy the humor and pathos from local authors as they read from their own works,” event organizers say.

The readings are from two OPA published books: “In the Words of Olympic Peninsula Authors” and “Tall and True Tales of the Olympic Peninsula.” Both books are featured in the Back Ball Ferry’s gift shop.

Fiddlers set jam session for Saturday

Members of the Washington Old Time Fiddlers Association meet from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, March 18, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 525 Fifth Ave.

A jam session runs 10 a.m.-1 p.m. followed by a performance from 1-2 p.m..

The group plays “Old Time” music, a genre of North American folk music played on acoustic instruments — generally centering on a combination of fiddle and plucked string instruments including the guitar, banjo and mandolin, dobros, dulcimers, autoharps and ukuleles.

Those interested are invited to play or just listen to and learn about this traditional style of music.

There is no charge to attend, though donations to support the group’s youth scholarship program are welcome, as are snacks to share.

Sound Advice to hit 7 Cedars stage

Playing Motown, classic soul and favorite hits from the 1960s and ’70s, the local favorite Sound Advice plays on the Club 7 stage at 7 Cedars Casino, 270756 U.S. Highway 101 in Blyn, from 7-10 p.m. on Friday, March 24. There is no cover charge.

For more about the band, visit soundadviceband.com.

Annual rock, gem jewelry show set

Organizers of the annual Rock, Gem & Jewelry Show, hosted by the Clallam County Gem & Mineral Association, say this year’s event will celebrate the beauty of Mother Nature, particularly that in rocks, minerals, crystals and fossils.

The show is set for 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, March 18, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, March 19, at the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St., Port Angeles.

The show will feature 26 vendors with their varied inventories of rocks from around the world, along with lapidary items for all ages. Those seeking specimen rocks for display, cut slabs for lapidary use, cabochons for jewelry making or finished jewelry will find plenty to choose from, show organizers say, and Rock Alley (designed for youths) has new games.

The show also features a 40-plus item raffle, one that includes specimen rocks, jewelry and jewelry making items, sea glass and more. Tickets are $1.

Attendees can get information about classes offered by the association, including those in silversmith, faceting and wire wrapping. Club Ambassadors will be available in the lobby area to talk about the club and answer questions regarding the items in display boxes.

For more about the show, call show coordinator Kathy Schreiner at 360-460-0827. For more about the association, visit sequimrocks.org.

PT exhibit shows ‘Second Skins’

The Peninsula Fiber Artists have a new walk-by exhibit, “Masks: Second Skins” in uptown Port Townsend. The Fiber Habit window exhibit is on view through April at 675 Tyler St. and demonstrates “the new meaning masks have in our lives,” organizers say.

Participating Sequim artists include Lora Armstrong, Liisa Fagerlund and Lynn Giles.

“Many of the masks were inspired by a back story, or by found materials,” said Donna Lark, one of the exhibit curators. “Our masks vary from traditional and ceremonial to whimsical and imaginative, in materials ranging from bark peeled from the artist’s cherry tree to paper-mâché, felted sculptures and collages.”

Lark and co-curator Annie Karl pointed out, “Mask use has been documented across cultures throughout at least 9,000 years. This is our take on masks of the 21st century.”

Peninsula Fiber Artists’ monthly meetings are open to artists and crafters at no charge; for schedules and locations, see sda-np.com/meetings.

Free demo scheduled at Blue Whole Gallery

The Blue Whole Gallery, 129 W. Washington St., offers “Principles and Elements of Design,” free, two-hour demonstration by gallery member Carol Janda, from 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, March 18.

Janda is a multi-medium 2-D and 3-D artist proficient in the art of watercolor, oils, oil monotypes and clay. She is a signature member of the Northwest Watercolor Society and has studied with masters of watercolor such as Eric Weigardt, Carla O’Connor and Chris Schink. She started creating works in clay from an early age and today her pottery remains most popular with gallery visitors.

“This demo is an opportunity to learn, recognize, and remember the fundamentals for creating satisfying two and three dimensional art,” Janda said.

For more information, contact Janda at 360-452-4234 or Studio@olypen.com.

Blue Whole Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Starting in April, the gallery will be open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sundays. See bluewholegallery.com.

PAFAC sets fiber arts exhibit

The Port Angeles Fine Arts Center, 1203 E. Lauridsen Blvd., host an opening reception for “What’s For Lunch?”, from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, March 17.

The newest exhibition, featuring work by members of the Peninsula Fiber Artists (PFA), will be on display from the opening reception through May 14. The exhibit contains textile art in various fiber media including quilting, collage, felting and sculpture from 26 members of PFA.

Attendees will hear from Caryl Fallert-Gentry, curator and internationally recognized quilt artist, about creating the exhibit, as well as Emily Dexter, executive director of the Port Angeles Food Bank, about food needs within the community.

The opening reception is free to attend and open to the public, with a suggested non-perishable donation for the Food Bank.

“What’s for Lunch?” is an exhibition of fiber and textile art exploring the relevance of food and nutrition, inspired by former Whidbey Island resident Gene White. White, who passed away in 2021, was the founder of the Global Child Nutrition Foundation and was internationally recognized for her lifelong dedication to child nutrition advocacy work.

PFA has previously honored White’s legacy through their vintage mink coat exhibition. Lead organizers have drawn upon White’s driving passion for sustainable nutritious food to develop this newest exhibition.

Sequim artists with works on display include Kathie Cook, Liisa Fagerlund, Linda Carlson and Lynn Gilles. Port Angeles artists include Diane Williams, Evette Allerdings, Marilyn Hiestand and Pamela Hastings.

Other artists with works on display are: Erica Iseminger and Mary Tyler of Chimacum; Joyce Brustad Gordon of Nordland; Barbara Houshmand, Barbara Ramsey, Caryl Fallert-Gentry, Cindy LeRouge, Debra E. Olson, Irene Bloom, Joyce Wilkerson, Leslie Dickinson, Maggie Grate and Pat Herkal of Port Townsend; Dale Walker and Donna Dowdney of Bainbridge Island; Jeri Auty and Terri Wolf of Port Ludlow, and Donna Lark of Redmond.

Toastmasters to talk LinkedIn visibility

Featured speaker Rebecca Murray will lead a workshop about increasing one’s visibility on the professional website LinkedIn at the next SKWIM Toastmasters meeting, set for 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, at the KSQM 91.5 FM broadcasting office, 609 W. Washington St., and on Zoom.

This event is free and open to the public, both online and in person. Register for the meeting at skwimlinkedin.eventbrite.com.

Murray will give attendees “easy peasy tips to leverage your LinkedIn profile like a digital dynamo,” organizers said. They will learn how to: design an attractive background graphic that showcases one’s brand and business; choose a profile photo that flatters one’s image; write an intro section that draws in prospective customers; select smart marketing pieces for one’s featured section; ask for recommendations that spotlight one’s skills, and use additional resources to delve further into creating a profile.

Leading the meeting will be ME Bartholomew, a past president of SKWIM toastmasters.

SKWIM Toastmasters is part of Toastmasters International, a worldwide nonprofit educational organization that “empowers individuals to become more effective communicators and leaders.” Learn more at skwimtm.org.

Dokken named Clallam’s first poet laureate

The North Olympic Library System, in partnership with Clallam County, announced last week that Jaiden Dokken has been named the first Clallam County Poet Laureate.

To celebrate, community members are invited to the inauguration event at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, at the Port Angeles Library, 2210 S. Peabody St.

Dokken will read a selection of their poems after opening remarks by Clallam County commissioner Mark Ozias and librarian Clair Dunlap. The event will also be livestreamed on Zoom.

Dokken, who uses the pronouns they/them, is a local writer, printmaker, ceramicist, cidermaker and a self-described highly persistent penpal.

Dokken’s work has been published in Fiction International, Algorithm, Muses and Vices, SpeakEasy, Superfroot Magazine and Pile Press. They are an editor and reader for Perennial Press.

Experiences unique to the North Olympic Peninsula resonate in poems by Dokken, who grew up in Sequim and returned to live there as an adult. As Poet Laureate, they will bring poetry to residents across Clallam County by participating in events, leading workshops, and championing the community power of the written and spoken word.

“This is the place I learned how to read and write, and where I found my voice through poetry,” Dokken said.

“In the Words of Olympic Peninsula Authors,” Vol. 3

Submitted photo / “The Goose Girl’ by Blue Whole Gallery member Carol Janda, who will lead a free two hour “Principles and Elements of Design” demonstration on March 18 at the gallery.

Submitted art / “Sequim Spring’ by Blue Whole Gallery member Carol Janda, who will lead a free two hour “Principles and Elements of Design” demonstration on March 18 at the gallery.

Submitted photo / “Paris Eyes Kinshasa” by Sequim artist Liisa Fagerlund, whose fabric collage is featured along with a number of other pieces in the “Masks: Second Skins” exhibit by the Peninsula Fiber Artists in Port Townsend.