Aug. 27, 2014
Over 50 artists will gather in the seaside village of Langley to provide an extraordinary opportunity to observe and learn a myriad of artistry techniques from some of the best in their field.
A showcase of artists will be offered in the first annual “Arts Alive” event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13. This city-wide street event will bring together local artists demonstrating their talents and providing education in their respective artistic categories. Many of the participants are regionally, nationally and globally recognized local artists.
Whidbey Island has a long tradition of attracting artists. The water and mountain views, woods and pasture landscapes and rural environment have created a mecca for artists seeking idyllic surroundings. Langley offers a perfect setting to bring those artists together all on one day in one location.
The day will feature educational demonstrations by glass blowers, sculptors, painters, animators, sketchers, surface designers, print makers and photographers.
Sculptors
With chisels, hammers and hands, ten sculptors will demonstrate a variety of media from stone, clay and wood to the creation of soap bubble streaming by Tom Lindsay. Known for his work in creating interactive water exhibits at children’s museums, Lindsay is now experimenting with bubbles, which will provide an interesting contrast between creating bubbles and forming stone. Visitors will have the opportunity to try their hand at making their own creations.
Painting & Sketching
Dip a brush and join over twelve artists in painting and drawing from live models and still life undercover in ‘plein-air’ on Second Street. Artists, including Faye and Truman Castle, Phyllis Ray, Cary Jurriaans, Toby Hall and many more will depict an accurate and truthful representation of a subject matter in their own unique style. Other artists are invited to join.
Surface Designers
Weave your own design as surface artists demonstrate coloring, patterning and structuring of fiber and fabric. Ilene Sorenson will demonstrate kumihimo, a Japanese braiding art, on a freestanding braiding loom. There will be small handheld looms available for people to try this technique. Patti King will show Korean-style pieced work, known as bojagi. Janet King and Fine Gelfand will demonstrate unique felted fabrics and structures and drawing and painting on fabrics using Shivaa Oil paint sticks.
Glass Blowing
If fire is your attraction watch Callahan McVay lead a team of glass blowers at his studio—Callahan’s Firehouse on Second Street. Watch as starfish and flowers come to shape from fire and silica, or you can blow your own glass art.
Print Makers
Next to the Brackenwood Gallery on First Street will be multi-faceted art demonstrations. Skip Smith will show how to make an old-fashioned tin-type, including darkroom demonstrations. Francy Blumhagen will demonstrate her collage techniques and Buffy Cribbs will do printmaking on a copper plate printer. Buffy will also demonstrate reverse painting on plexiglass.
Photography
Adding mystical, luminous and dimensional qualities to photographs will be demonstrated by Kim Tinuviel. Photos come to life with photo-encaustic, a new synthesis of an ancient encaustic painting technique and modern photography. The technique utilizes beeswax, tree resin and heat, added to the surface of photographs, which adds texture through brush strokes, scratches on incisions, pigments and mixed media. Tinuviel has been developing her own photo-encaustic techniques and styles since 2009. Also, there will be a team of photographers, led by David Welton, award winning photographer, roaming the streets to show techniques, answer questions and capturing the day.
Animation
Amanda Moore and Drew Christi will illustrate animation. Their work includes short films, music videos, commercials, cartoons, books and relief prints featured in such prestigious publications as the New York Times, The Huffington post, The Atlantic, Seattle Magazine and more.
Children’s Art
Children are welcome to join Melissa Koch in creating a giant butterfly mural on the wall at US Bank on Second Street. The giant butterfly will be made from individual butterflies that children will create from muslin and paint. Once joined together, the butterfly will be hung from two bamboo columns creating an ephemeral curtain.
Organizers Colin Campbell and Rene Neff are thrilled to help facilitate and launch “Arts Alive” to showcase the incredible variety and quality of island artists. The event is sponsored by the City Of Langley, Chamber of Commerce and Langley Main Street Association.
Contact Rene Neff at 360-547-3352 or Colin Campbell at 360-969-5565 for further information.
