Upbeat - Fall 2019

upbeat Fall 2019

Kitsap’s guide to arts, entertainment, culture and events.

Check out local musicians, artists, craftspeople, concert venues, events, galleries and much more.

East Blue

Kitsap musicians’ first full-length album ‘Hello to Happiness’ brings an eclectic, uplifting sound, which even the band members struggle to define.

Kitsap Children’s Musical Theatre | Island Treasures Abound on Bainbridge Bob Rau’s Cigar Box Guitars | Arts & Entertainment Directory A special publication of the Bainbridge Review • Central Kitsap Reporter • North Kitsap Herald • Port Orchard Independent

United Way of Kitsap County

United Way of Kitsap County

“Live in the present.

Do the things that need to be done.

Do all the good you can each day.

The future will unfold.”

– Peace Pilgrim

Save the Date 4th Friday in June!

Sign up to volunteer for projects usually opens the 1st of May www.volunteerkitsap.org

Lifting Spirits April 2020 stay tuned for event details at www.unitedwaykitsap.org

28th Annual Letter Carriers’ Food Drive 2nd Saturday in May!

July or August 2020 stay tuned for details at www.unitedwaykitsap.org

We believe to succeed as a community, we must tackle the challenges of inter-generational poverty together. Your gift of time, talent & treasure to United Way of Kitsap County is leveraged to provide the best value for your investment. Better Together.

Join our newsletter, register for upcoming events, make a donation & learn how you can help win the fight for the education, health, and financial stability of everyone in Kitsap County.

www.unitedwaykitsap.org | 360-377-8505 | 645 4th St. #101, Bremerton, WA 98337

Artistry is alive in Kitsap W

elcome to Kitsap County’s premiere guide to local arts and entertainment.

Those who reside in Kitsap march to their own beat, one which follows the rhythm of this special place which, for good reason, is home to countless artists, artisans and lovers of art.

Around us all exists a vast spectrum of artists, each with varying levels of experience, preference for media and artistic expression completely unique to their own lives. From the new musician picking up their instrument for the very first time to the recent retiree, finally making good on their promise to take up oil painting, all the way over to the experienced artisans who have honed their craft for years under the tutelage of masters in order to become the very pinnacle of craftspeople, Kitsap is home to them all. Each of these unique individuals are moved by the call of creative expression, like a drumbeat beckoning them to show us all how they see the world.

Recent studies even show that Kitsap County has continued to grow as a bastion of creativity. According to its 2019 Arts Vibrancy Index Report, the National Center for Arts Research at Southern Methodist University in Dallas ranked Bremerton and Silverdale as the 10th (out of 900 communities examined across the nation) most arts-vibrant medium-sized community in America.

In this special publication, you will find helpful guides for local galleries, artists, artisans, musicians, events, venues and other entertainment throughout Kitsap County. We have also included features that showcase the work of local artists, musicians, venues, troupes and more, to help you better understand the wealth of creativity that surrounds you.

From everyone here at Sound Publishing, we wish you the very best of times exploring what Kitsap County’s arts scene has to offer.

Enjoy Arts & Entertainment on the Kitsap Peninsula Collective Visions Gallery - Bremerton

The Kitsap Peninsula offers a wide range of arts & entertainment activities such as art exhibitions, gallery walks & fairs, live community theater and local bands and music festivals.

Carrie Goller - Poulsbo

Lisa Stirrett Studio - Silverdale

Kitsap Peninsula National Water Trails

Manette Saloon

Find Things to Do, Places to Eat, Drink, Play & Stay

VisitKitsap.com

Farm Funk Festival - Kitsap

Brickhouse - Port Orchard

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ON THE COVER: The musical group East Blue (see page 7), photographed at the Free Art Wall in Bremerton near Wheaton Way at the site of the Old Maple Leaf Tavern. The art wall was originally called the Seaglass Village Cultural Experiment when it opened in 2016.

The property is privately owned by Seaglass Village, and is available for free community art expression through painting, poetry and posters.

P.O. Box 278, Poulsbo, WA 98370 19351 8th Avenue NE, Ste 106, Poulsbo, WA 98370 Office (360) 779-4464 www.soundpublishing.com

VICE PRESIDENT Terry R. Ward GENERAL MANAGER Steve Perry ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Eran Kennedy EDITOR Nick Twietmeyer CREATIVE ARTISTS Bryon Kempf, Raquee Rivera DESIGN AND LAYOUT Bryon Kempf COVER PHOTO Brenda Jorgens Published by Sound Publishing, Inc. Copyright 2019 Sound Publishing

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Little actors, big stage Kitsap Children’s Musical Theater converts old school to performance prep haven

by KEN PARK North Kitsap Herald

T

hough it closed seven years ago Breidablik Elementary School facilities have been put to good use by the Kitsap Children’s Musical Theater (KCMT) group as a place to do everything from rehearsing choreography to set building.

The hallways of Breidablik are still buzzing with the voices of children, but the atmosphere is less like a busy school day and more like a busy day behind the scenes of a Broadway show.

Rooms that were once meant for teaching and learning, now house stage props, a costume shop, a woodshop, dance studios, and chorus rooms.

Posters of KCMT’s previous productions line the walls, or at least the parts not blocked by set-pieces, like the looming London Bridge or the stairs from the recent production of “Beauty and the Beast.”

KCMT was founded in 2000 by Kerby Criss and is a nonprofit semi-professional theatre production company for children, run entirely by parent volunteers.

According to the company’s website, its mission is to provide children in Kitsap County with the opportunity to grow and develop in the theater as well as offer wholesome entertainment for the community.

“Each year we have 120 kids, between 5 and 18 years old, from all over Kitsap County participating in our productions,” Criss said.

KCMT puts on three or four shows each year, with each show costing around $60,000 to produce.

During its 2018 season, KCMT raised a total of $215,366 total, with nearly half of that coming from ticket sales. But the real value comes from the volunteers and the work that the kids put in to make the

shows what they are.

“Whole families get involved with us.

You know we’ll have a kid come in and participate and then their mom or their grandparents will see what we have going on and will be like ‘I want to do that’ or ‘how can I help?’” Criss said.

Teenagers that participate in KCMT take on leadership roles and help as well.

They are often tasked with working with the younger kids on the choreography for the shows.

KCMT will be kicking off its season this year with a production of Oliver! A show based on the Charles Dickens novel Oliver Twist. The musical will hit the stage Nov. 8 and will run through Nov. 24 at the North Kitsap Auditorium.

In the Spring KCMT will begin work on its second production, “Alice in Wonderland.”

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The Viking City sound Growing Poulsbo Community Orchestra brings the crowds in

by KEN PARK North Kitsap Herald

F

ormed in March of 2014 by Blake Yarbrough and Steve Swann, the Poulsbo Community Orchestra has steadily grown in both musicians and crowd size over the years.

The group’s first performance was at the Poulsbo City Council Chambers. The then 35 member orchestra played for a crowd of 75.

“We now have 55-65 members and many of our shows are sold out and standing room only,” Yarbrough said.

Due in part to the growing crowd size, the orchestra now requires that show attendees reserve tickets.

“We do three free shows a year and they have become so popular that we have had to ask that people reserve tickets to guarantee a seat,” Yarbrough said.

Interested parties can reserve their tickets on the PCO Facebook page.

This year the PCO will kick off its 2019-2020 season on Dec. 8 with its annual Christmas Concert and sing along.

Crowd favorites such as the iconic “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” will be played.

Coming in March 2020 the PCO will be playing a selection of classical music from Brahms, Borodin, Mendelssohn, Schubert, and Sibelius.

Finally, in June 2020, spend an afternoon at the movies with the PCO

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as they play music from recent films, this year’s theme… superheroes.

“Our song selection comes from our music director. This last list of selections came from Mario Torres, who will be leaving after this season so we are currently seeking another music director,” Yarbrough said.

The song selection is also based on the orchestra’s capability and audience demand.

“There are some pieces that are too complicated for us to play. You won’t hear many French pieces or many pieces by Beethoven,” Yarbrough said.

For folks interested in participating in the orchestra, there are a few ways to get inovlved.

“We hold auditions for players in the summer typically, unless there is a real need for a particular type of player, “ Yarbrough said.

A second way to get involved is through the Friends of the Poulsbo Community Orchestra, who put on the charity barbecue every year.

“We are actually also looking for an executive director for Friends of the PCO,” Yarbrough said.

Yarbrough also noted that the Friends of the PCO are looking into doing more volunteer opportunities within the community as well.

style, each member shares their own interpretation.

“I tell people it’s like island-pop mixed with rap,” Ponton said.

“My dad calls it ’hip rock,’” laughs Jen. “I usually say indie rock with an island and hip hop sensibility to it,” Jumaane said.

Some of East Blue’s influences come from Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Twenty One Pilots, and Kanye West.

East Blue recently participated in Kitsap County’s first Battle of the Bands.

Regrettably, they didn’t make it to the finale, but they say they still had a good time participating and have been busy finishing their first full-length album “Hello to Happiness” since being eliminated from the competition.

East Blue keeps it happy

By KEN PARK Port Orchard Independent

F

rom the south end of Kitsap County comes East Blue, a self-described multi-genre band that puts happiness at the center of their music.

East Blue is made up of high school friends Karl Ponton (drums), Jumaane Cabrera (guitar and vocals) and Jen Cabrera (bass and vocals).

Ponton moved to Kitsap from California while in high school, where he met Jumaane.

“Jumaane and I met while on the high school drumline, one day we were just hanging out and he showed me some of his songs and I showed him some of my songs and we started jamming,” Ponton said.

After graduation, the friends went their separate ways, with Ponton getting married and Jumaane and Jen becoming engaged. The three eventually reconnected and started jamming again in

Ponton’s attic. While recording a song for their wedding, Jen Cabrera says something “just clicked.”

“Jumaane and I are really passionate about music and we knew we wanted it to be a part of our wedding so we started recording a song for it,” Jen said. “When Karl added the drum parts to it, it just clicked with us that we needed to do this, to be a band.”

Jumaane and Jen had already recorded a few EP’s but wanted to add more to their sound.

Jen initially started on the keyboard and is also a vocalist, but she began learning the bass to fill a gap in the band’s sound once Ponton joined on drums.

“If we were ever to add another band member, like a keyboard player, I would want to stay on bass,” Jen said.

When it comes to describing their musical

“I wanted to give people a positive feeling when they listen to our music and that’s what I hope this album does,” Jumaane said. “But also let people know that it’s ok to not be ok, to be sad or depressed, but that they can choose to be happy as well.”

Jumaane also said they wanted to have a whole album of work for people to really listen to while they go about their day.

While each member of the band have day jobs, music is the ultimate career path for the group.

“When we started this, people asked us ‘well do you have a plan B?’ and we were like five years into this already and saying ‘no, there is no plan B.’ This is what we want to do,” Jen said.

With the music industry having undergone radical changes in recent years, it has become easier for musicians to get noticed, but much harder to make money due to the consolidation of record labels and the shift toward streaming services instead of album sales.

“You definitely need to have a strong team behind you or be very good at the business end of things,” Jen said.

East Blue is beginning to build its team with the recent addition of manager Catarino Alvarado from Gordon Sound.

“He’s basically the fourth, unseen member of the band,” Jumaane joked.

East Blue is currently working on getting things ready for a tour sometime in 2020 that will begin in Kitsap and make its way through the Northwest.

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The show goes on The Admiral Theatre marches along

by TYLER SHUEY Central Kitsap Reporter

T

he history of the Admiral Theatre in Bremerton is long, rich and has continued to transform itself to fit the public’s needs for over 77 years.

The venue originally opened as a movie theatre in 1942, amidst the nation’s involvement in the second world war. It was built at a time when there were four other movie theaters in downtown Bremerton, according to Executive Director Brian Johnson.

“That’s what people did, they went to the movies,” Johnson said. “It was wartime and that’s what they did for entertainment.”

The 1,400 square-foot building was much bigger than the other surrounding theaters, which led to them closing shortly after Admiral Theatre was built, according to Johnson.

In 1988, the movie theater closed down and sat empty for a few years, which proved to be a critical time for the future of the Admiral Theatre and what it would become. In efforts to revitalize downtown Bremerton, a group of local business leaders coined “Flagship City” came together to brainstorm projects that would benefit the city.

Ike Parker, the former owner of Parker Lumber, took on the Admiral Theatre project and tried to repurpose it as a live theater. Parker was able to assemble a board of 8 |

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directors, raise enough money, and got a deal with the city of Bremerton and commercial real estate agency Bremer Trust, who owned the building at the time, according to Johnson.

The City of Bremerton bought the venue and the theater foundation agreed to renovate and operate it before opening back up as a live theater in 1997.

Johnson admitted that the early stages of the repurposed theatre were a critical juncture to prove if the venue was a viable, long-term option in downtown Bremerton.

“It took a lot of time, early on we struggled a lot because we didn’t have a lot of money and couldn’t take a lot of risks,” Johnson said. “One canceled show or a show that didn’t sell any tickets could have bankrupted us.”

Perhaps the biggest risk that theater operations took was during the midst of the 2008 recession. At a time when many arts groups were being very conservative with their programming, Admiral Theatre opted to take the opposite approach and started booking big shows.

“It turned out to be the right decision but it still was a little bit scary,” Johnson said. Now we’re not afraid to book bigger shows for fear that it might not turn out.

Experience helps.”

According to Admiral Theatre’s Facebook page, the venue puts on roughly 110 diverse performances and community events annually. From September to June is considered the performing arts season, which is about 28 shows, according to Johnson.

“We have about 250 season-ticket holders for that.”

The theatre also welcomes more than 50,000 patrons a year for all the events they put on. The venue capacity is 800 people for seating, and up to 1,000 people for when they have standing room concerts, according to Johnson. Seating is available on the upper and lower levels. In 2018, 18 of their 28 shows were sold out, Johnson said.

“We typically know what an artist will average,” he said. We try to have shows that fit really well here. When we had Macklemore here in 2016, we took the tables out and had standing room on the floor.”

Johnson noted that blues, country, and classic rock performances seem to be suited quite well here too. Some of the more notable acts to come through the Admiral Theatre include Death Cab for Cutie, Boyz II Men, Ann Wilson of Heart, Don Felder of The Eagles, War, Glen Campbell, and Bob Newhart.

Some of the bigger names scheduled for this upcoming performing arts season include The Temptations and The Righteous Brothers. Johnson also noted the youth summer camp in August, where 75-80 kids will take drama, improv, music,

and dance classes for two weeks before putting on a full-scale music production.

At most of the shows, a dining experience is provided for patrons on the main floor

by Executive Chef Ted Ness. According to Johnson, Ness offers about three to four options per show. Past meals included hand-breaded fish and chips, prime rib, baby back ribs, and a salad option.

Johnson talked about what separates the Admiral from other venues in the area.

“The thing that makes it unique is the level main floor with the cabaret-style tables,” he said. “You don’t see that hardly anywhere. With that, you don’t get as many seats. In the theatre business, you always want more seats, but I think it was the best decision they ever made because we’ve been able to do tons of different events here.”

Some of those diverse events include meetings, fundraisers, wedding receptions, and class reunions, among others.

“Here, you’re kind of mingling around and the chairs are kind of facing each other at the tables,” Johnson said. “That social aspect is what makes it really unique and cool.”

In terms of future goals and aspirations for the theatre, Johnson said they would like to start taking more risks once again to attract different audiences and demographics.

“We’ve gotten to a point where we’ve kind of established our audience and we know what they like to see,” he said. “There are more people out there we can serve.”

Continued on page 34

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Bremerton’s big sound

Symphony offers professional-level talent

by TYLER SHUEY Central Kitsap Reporter

T

he Bremerton Westsound Symphony has been a staple in the local community for nearly 80 years, and the organization is looking to expand across the county in order to keep up with the increasing population.

The Bremerton Symphony Association started in August of 1942 when its board of directors was elected and soon gave their first performance a few months later. At its inception, the association had a budget of $700. In 2017, their annual budget was $350,000 supported through ticket and tuition revenue, individual contributions, foundation support, and federal funds, according to their website.

Currently, the Bremerton Symphony Association is made up of several different components such as the Bremerton Symphony Orchestra, Bremerton Symphony Chorale, Bremerton Youth Symphony,

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Symphony League of Volunteers, and the Bremerton Symphony Endowment Fund.

The Bremerton Symphony Orchestra is led by accomplished music director Alan Futterman, who has served in this role since the summer of 2009.

Futterman has been playing music as far back as he can remember, starting on the piano.

“I think I learned to read music before I learned to read words,” he said.

Futterman admitted that he really didn’t think of music as a career choice until he went to college to study chemistry and linguistics. He then came to a pivotal fork-in-the-road moment when he made the bold choice to drop out of school and pursue a music career.

“It’s always hard to decide to make a living in music because it’s a tough road to haul,” he said. “I was

very fortunate to be accepted at some good schools.”

Futterman earned a Master’s degree from the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, with two years of Doctoral studies in Musicology and Baroque Performance Practice. He also spent a year pursuing Jazz studies and composition at the Berklee College of Music in Boston with saxophonist Charles Mariano.

As an orchestral musician, Futterman performed many concerts in Carnegie Hall. He has appeared with the New York City Ballet Orchestra, New York City Opera, and the Seattle Symphony among others.

Another unique highlight of Futterman’s career was his work on the ‘90’s television show Northern Exposure, where he served as a technical advisor, scriptwriter, and multiple language coach.

“The only reason I got that job was because I came back from Europe with a bunch of language skills,” Futterman modestly said.

Fast-forwarding to current times, Futterman’s symphony orchestra encompasses around 65 members, most of which are musicians who have been with the orchestra for many years. Many of the member’s regular occupations include doctors, teachers, and military service members. Not one member is considered a professional musician.

For those that don’t know, the instruments that make up the orchestra are the violin, cello, bass, flutes, piccolo, oboe, English Horn, French Horn, clarinets, bassoons, trumpets, trombones, tuba, piano, harp, and various percussion instruments.

The orchestra season goes from September through May, with eight main stage performances and two chamber music performances, Futterman said.

The orchestra generally practices twice a week, and three times during a concert week.

The Bremerton Symphony Orchestra mostly plays at Bremerton High School’s Performing Arts Center, but Futterman said they are starting to spread out their venues across the county for more

exposure. In general, Futterman said concert attendance ranges from about 600 to 900 people per show.

Past concerts have included themes from 007, Magnificent Seven, and 2001: A Space Odyssey. Futterman also said he likes to mix up the genres with a little jazz, rock and hip hop.

“We have to choose music that our audience wants to hear, but it also has to be music our musicians like to play,” he said.

Futterman’s role as the music director requires him to wear multiple hats in order to keep things running smoothly.

Some of those duties include choosing the appropriate music, putting together special programs, recruiting new and younger musicians, and promoting their concerts to community groups.

“You have to go into music because you love it,” Futterman said.

“Nobody likes the paperwork part. I get to meet lots of people and there’s a fun aspect to that as well.”

The orchestra also collaborates with the chorale a few times a year, as well as helping with youth musicians who have a passion for playing instruments.

“We go into the schools and work with the talented kids there,” he said. “We invite the most talented kids to come and play with the orchestra. We try to get fourth graders mostly because that is the year when they decide if they’re

going to play instruments in school.”

In terms of the complexities of an orchestra blending together, Futterman said it’s nearly impossible to perform a perfect concert.

“Many great famous artists have said there is no such thing as a perfect performance. Very few people will play absolutely perfect in a night. Every night has its strengths, and maybe some flaws, but many times the public won’t even notice the flaws.

There’s nothing better and more completely satisfying than a really good live performance.”

At 63 years of age, Futterman doesn’t see an immediate end in sight for his current role.

“I’ve told my board of directors that I’ll do this as long as it’s still fun,” he said. “Conductors are notorious for going on forever. I’m a baby conductor, they tend to go on into their 90’s.”

With the new concert season just underway, Futterman has a few goals in mind to enhance the orchestra even more.

“I want to become more of a regional orchestra. As Kitsap County is growing, so is the roster of musicians, as well as the patrons and subscribers. There’s also been talks about bringing the orchestra to Europe. I think that would be wonderful.”

For a look at this year’s Bremerton Symphony Orchestra schedule, visit bremertonsymphony.org.

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North to San Juan Island & Canada

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

Sequim

To Port Angeles & Blackball Ferry to Vancouver BC

101

Brownsville

305

Puget Sound

Indianola

Bainbridge Island

Clearwater Casino Resort

Whidbey Island

Kingston 104

The Point Casino

Suquamish

Poulsbo

307

Port Gamble

Hansville

Coupeville

Keyport

Silverdale

3

Bangor

3

Hood Canal Bridge

104

Port Ludlow

To Port Townsend f\ ferry

Port Townsend

Edmonds

Map of the Kitsap Peninsula Region & Beyond

Bellevue

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rt

po

Ho

od s

to Shelton

Union

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od

106

3

Grapeview

Allyn

K

al

North Hood C a n a l A re a

Belfair

3

Kitsap Peninsula

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Ca n

Seabeck

insu ey P en

Bremerton National Airport

Gorst

166

Manchester

Vashon Island

Blake Island

TACOMA Tacoma 16 Narrows Bridge

Lisa Stirrett

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Olalla

Southworth

Port Orchard

Gig Harbor

Bremerton

303

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Fauntleroy-Vashon Southworth Ferry

West Seattle

SEATTLE

Venues BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Bainbridge Alehouse Taproom Trivia/Pinball 9415 Coppertop Loop NE bainbridgebeer.com 206-451-4646 Bainbridge Cinemas Cinema 403 Madison Ave farawayentertainment.com 206-855-8173 Bainbridge Heart & Soul DIY Art Studio Events/Classes/Camps 108 Winslow Way W bainbridgeheartandsoul. com 206-257-8182 Bainbridge Island Historical Museum Museum 215 Ericksen Ave NE bainbridgehistory.org 206-842-2773

Fletcher Bay Winery Sip & Paint / Live Music 9415 Coppertop Loop NE #102 fletcherbaywinery.com 206-780-9463 Historic Lynwood Theater Cinema 4569 Lynwood Center Rd farawayentertainment.com 206-842-3080 Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Museum 4192 Eagle Harbor Dr bijaema.org 206-842-2773 KiDiMu Kids Discovery Museum 301 Ravine Lane kidimu.org 206-855-4650 Lesser Known Players Theatre lesserknownplayers.org

Bainbridge Island Museum of Art Museum 550 Winslow Way E biartmuseum.org

Ovation Performing Arts Northwest Theatre 600 Ericksen, Suite 103 ovationmtb.com 206-488-1159

Bainbridge Performing Arts Theatre 200 Madison Ave N bainbridgeperformingarts. org 206-842-8569

Plate & Pint Trivia Night - Wednesdays 321 High School Rd NE Suite 1 theplateandpint.com 206-451-4433

BARN Classes/Events/Makerspace 8890 Three Tree Ln NE bainbridgebarn.org 206-842-4475

Weave at Rolling Bay Hall Open Mic - Wednesdays 10598 NE Valley Rd Suite B weavepresents.org

Bloedel Reserve Gardens/Lectures 7471 NE Dolphin Dr bloedelreserve.org 206-842-7631

BREMERON The Charleston Live Music 333 N Callow Ave thecharleston333.com 360-377-3360

Earth & Vine Wine Bar Live Music - Fridays 4642 Lynwood Center Rd NE #140 earthandvinewinebar.com 206-965-9937

Admiral Theatre with Olympic College Stages for all Ages admiraltheatre.orgeducation 360-373-8743

Eleven Winery Live Music 7671 NE Day Rd W elevenwinery.com 206-780-0905

Bremerton Symphony Symphony bremertonwestsoundsymphony.org 360-373-1722

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Brother Don’s Open Mic -Tuesdays 4200 Kitsap Way brotherdonsbremerton.com 360-377-8442 Historic Roxy Theater Cinema 270 4th St farawayentertainment.com 360-627-7409 Kitsap Forest Theater (Seattle Mountaineers) Theater 3000 Seabeck Highway, Bremerton, WA 98312 foresttheater.com 800-573-8484 Kitsap Opera kitsapopera.com 360-377-8119 Lovecraft Brewing Company Pinball/Trivia 275 5th St, Suite 101 lovecraftbrewing.com 206-717-4707 Manette Saloon Live Music 2113 E 11th St themanette.com 360-792-0801 Northwest School of Dance Dance Productions 5889 NW St Hwy 303 nwschoolofdance.com 360-509-7468 Olympic Cinemas Cinema 1520 NE Riddell Rd farawayentertainment.com 360-475-8888 Peninsula Dance Theater Dance 515 Chester Ave peninsuladancetheatre.org 360-377-6214 Rodeo Drive-In (March - Sept) Drive -In Cinema On Hwy 3 near the Bremerton Airport rodeodrivein.com 360-698-6030 The Dugout Live Music/Open Mic 4180 Kitsap Way thedugoutbremerton.com 360-813-1112 The Garage Live Music 6812 Kitsap Way thegaragekitsap.com 360-377-2116

Valentinetti Puppet Museum Museum 280 4th Stree ectandpuppets.org 360-479-6226 Bremerton Community Theater 599 Lebo Blvd bremertoncommunitytheatre.org 360-373-5152 Bug & Reptile Museum Museum 1118 Charleston Beach Rd W bugmuseum.com/ GIG HARBOR & PORT ORCHARD Paradise Theatre Theater paradisetheatre.org 253-851-7529 KEYPORT Naval Undersea Museum STEM Activites/Museum 1 Garnett Way navalunderseamuseum.org 360-396-4148 KINGSTON Firehouse Theater Cinema 11171 NE State Hwy 104 kingstonfirehouse.com 360-297-4707 Kingston Chamber of Commerce Community Events 25923 Washington Blvd kingstonchamber.com 360-297-3813 The Point Casino Casino/Live Entertainment 7989 NE Salish Ln thepointcasinoandhotel. com 360-297-0070 OLLALA Ollala Winery Live Music 13176 Olalla Valley Rd SE olallawines.com 253-851-4949 PORT GAMBLE Port Gamble Theater Theater Company 4839 NE View Dr portgambletheater.com 360-977-7135

PORT ORCHARD Bethel Saloon Live Music - Fridays 3840 Bethel Rd SE bethel-saloon.com 360-876-6621

Slippery Pig Local Band - Saturdays Karaoke - Fridays Blues & Brews - Thursday 18802 Front St NE slipperypigbrewery.com 360-394-1686

Carlisle II Mosquito Fleet Foot Ferry Floating Museum 87 Sidney Ave visitkitsap.com

The Brass Kraken Pub Live Music 18779 Front St NE facebook.com/TheBrassKrakenPub 360-626-1042

Red Dog Saloon Live Music - Fridays 2591 SE Mile Hill Dr reddogsaloon.net 360-876-1018 Slaughter County Brew Co. Pinball / Trivia 1307 Bay St slaughtercountybrewing. com 360-329-2340 The Brick House 714 Live Music 714 Bay St brickhouse714.com 360-876-0519 Western Washington Center for the Arts Theatre 521 Bay Street wwca.us/ 360-769-7469 Whiskey Gulch Open Mic/ Trivia 2065 Bay St whiskeygulchcoffeepub. com 360-443-2922 POULSBO Dancing Brush Ceramics Painting Studio 18846 Front St dancingbrushstudio.com 360-598-3800 Jewel Box Theatre Theatre 225 NE Iverson St jewelboxpoulsbo.org 360-697-3183 Kitsap Childrens Musical Theatre KCMT Musical Theatre kcmt.org Poulsbo Historical Society Martinson Cabin Museum 317 NW Lindvig Way poulsbohistory.com 360-440-7354

SILVERDALE All Star Lanes & Casino Rock ‘n Bowl - Saturdays 10710 Silverdale Way NW playallstar.com 360-692-5760 Guitar Cafe Live Music 3381 NW Bucklin Hill RD guitarcafe4u.com Irene’s School of Dance Dance Productions 3390 NW Bucklin Hill Rd irenesdance.com 360-692-4395 Kitsap Great Escape Escape Rooms 9481 Silverdale Way NW Suite 205 kitsapgreatescape.com 360-633-7512 Kitsap School of the Arts Classes & Events 3425 NW Byron St kitsapart.com 360-662-1542 Central Stage Theatre CSTOCK Theatre cstock.org 360-692-9940 SUQUAMISH Clearwater Casino Casino/Live Entertainment 15347 Suquamish Way NE clearwatercasino.com 360-598-8700

Artists BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Bergh Images Photograpy 400 Winslow Way W, Suite 115 berghimages.com Michael & Donna Day Ceramics hiddencovetiles@aol.com 206-842-5408 Michele Soderdtrom Fine Art facebook.com/horsepaintermish/ BREMERTON Alan Newberg Painting, Drawing, Sculpture 9255 Illahee Rd NE 360-692-3981 Brian Bellinger Paintings 360-471-6733 Karna Peck Fine Art 107 Washington Ave karnapeck.com 360-801-0424 KINGSTON Judith Ryan Photography 360-297-0401 Sherri Underwood Pottery 360-440-1400 KITSAP Betsy & The Boys Country Band betsyandtheboys.com 360.620.4040 Joel Gibson, Jr. Musician oelgibsonjrmusic.com The Big Bear Band Classic Rock & Blues Band 360-731-1891 PORT ORCHARD Ble.Photography, Birtney Doyl Photography BlePhotographyInvestments.com 360-464-4265

Cassie Newquist Photodesign Photography 208-231-1723 Crisa Edwards Photography 1700 SE Mile Hill Dr #250 littlefeatherphotos.com 360-535-3643 East Blue Band Alternative Rock Band facebook.com/eastbluemusic/ 360-990-6583 Elissa Whittleton Artist 360-621-0702 Gloria Nahalea Hula Dancer & Teacher Towne Square Mall pacificohanafoundation. org 206-484-2511 Irene Beckham Photography irenesphotosanddesign. com 360-631-4382 J. Louis King Photography 206-714-2324 Janice Talaroc Sculpture & Jewelry Towne Square Mall, Ste 107 facebook.com/stickybeakstudio 253-217-3188 Karsten Boysen Sculpture 11550 Alpine Drive SW karsten.boysen@yahoo. com 360-876-3234 Shirley Deford Photography 5548 Sidney Rd SW defordphotography.com 360-731-7727 South Kitsap Artists Association 360-621-0702 Dana Davis, Dana’s Pour Expression Fluid Art and Workshops Towne Square Mall, Ste. 116 danaspourexpressions. com 360-552-8574

Ben Stanton Tattoos & Paintings 110976.com 808-428-3108 POULSBO Al Anderson Bentwood Box verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4471 Andy Buck Pottery verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4474 Bob Rau Cigar Box Instruments verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4480 Connie Lobo Fiber Artist nwwolfstudio.com 360-620-3622 Dan Spence Sculpture verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4479 Danna Tartaglia Oil Painting verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4481 Jenny Cowan Fairy Sculpture verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4475

Jerry King Mulimedia Painting verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4487 Jerry Lyman Horn & Antler Art verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4486 Jo Art & Design Fine Art 22450 Miller Bay Rd NE oartanddesign.com 206.890.5945 Joan Wells Paintings & Wearable Art joanwells.com/fish.html Karen Lyman Craft Clocks verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4484 Ken Blair Sculpture verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4473 Leigh Knowles Fine Art 20432 Noll Rd NE knowlesstudio.com/index. html Marianne Welling Mosiac verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4482

Melissa McCanna Fine Art melissamccanna.com Norman & Karen Geiger Silver & Gold Jewelry verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4477 Pam Sanders Painting & Jewelry verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4483 Patricia Thomas Photography verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4488 Richard Ashton Jewelry verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4472 Rick Gilmore Pen & Ink verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4476 Sanae Groveas Paper Quilting verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4478 Skye Loyd Watercolor verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4485

Harv Kolln Painter/Sculptor/ Printmaker 360 -268-6532 Kitsap Childrens Musical Theatre KCMT Musical Theatre kcmt.org SILVERDALE David Holman, Olympic Tae Kwon Do Martial Arts 3295 NW Lowell St olympictkd.org 360-509-1429 Judy Sorrels Layered Mixed Media & Enhanced Acrylic Pours Nature Themed judysorrelsart.com 360-692-7066 Tina Abeel Vocal Coach 3295 NW Lowell St tinaabeel.com 360-271-1474 Dr. Irene Bowling Piano Teacher bowlingmusicstudios.com 360-990-5302

Sue Baldwin Slab Pottery verkstedgallery.com 360-697-4470

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Galleries BAINBRIDGE ISLAND Bainbridge Island Museum of Art 550 Winslow Way E biartmuseum.org 206.842.4451 Bergh Images berghimages.com 206-451-4849

Danger 285 Winslow Way E dangerbainbridge.com 206.855.9661 Fenwick Photography Gallery 292 Ericksen Ave NE fenwickphotographygallery.com 206.842.3384

Friedman Oens Gallery 8897 Three Tree Ln NE friedmanoensgallery.com 206.295.9321 Roby King Galleries 176 Winslow Way E robykinggallery.com 206.842.2063 The Island Gallery 400 Winslow Way E., #120 theislandgallery.net 206.780.9500

Director’s Gallery 126 Madrone Ln N thedirectorsgallery.com 206.842.6000 BREMERTON Collective Visions 331 Pacific Ave collectivevisions.com 360.377.8327 Eastern Wind Glass 2604 Burwell St easternwindglass.com 360.627.9961

scholarships

Gallery Row 3102 Harborview Dr gigharborgalleryrow.com 253.851. 6020 Waters Edge Gallery & Framery 7808 Pioneer Way watersedgegallery.com 253.858.7449 INDIANOLA Fatima Yourg Art 7173 NE William Rogers Rd 206 954-0157

events

grants &

GIG HARBOR Ebb Tide Co-Op Gallery 7809 Pioneer Way ebbtidegalleryofgifts.com 253.851. 5293

Fern Street Pottery 20505 Fern St 360-509-6598

Join the WSAC!

Sterling Studio 19931 Indianola Rd NE 360-204-0509 KINGSTON 47-6 West Photography 29403 Gamble Pl NE 508-212-4049 Almost Candid, Photo, Frame and Fine Arts 10978 State Hwy 104 almostcandid.net 360.297.1347 Kingston Artist Tree 11264 Hwy 104 #202 360-536-1725 Magdelena Studio 5941 NE Timberland Dr 360-271-8236 Mud Club 21994 Seattler Rd 360-297-8510 Ray Hammar Studio 6810 NE State Hwy 101 360-821-1927 Spirit of Horse Gallery 27357 Ohio Ave NE 360-297-7736 Two Dog Studio 33803 Hood Canal Dr NE 360-536-2047 PORT ORCHARD Sidney Gallery & Museum 202 Sidney Ave sidneymuseumandarts.com 360.876.3693 Sticky Beak Gallery 1700 SE Mile Hill Dr facebook.com/stickybeakstudio

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Vincent at Studio 724 724 Bay St facebook.com/jlouisking 360.662.6181 POULSBO Carrie Goller Gallery 18801 Front St carriegollergallery.com 360.779.2388 Front Street Gallery - An Artists’ Co-op 18881-A Front St NE frontstreetgallerypoulsbo. com 360.598.6133 Gallery at Liberty Bay 18830 Front St. Suite 103 thegalleryatlibertybay.com 360.930.0756 Ice House Studio 2889 NW Parris Road 360-598-5974 Iron Mountain Arts Studio 31281 State Hwy 3 NE 425-281-8278 Joi De Vie 22450 Miller Bay Rd NE 360-779-4700 Juicy Fabric 1220 NE Gilmax Ln 360-286-1093 Knowles Studio 20432 Noll Rd NE 360-440-1399 Stix & Stones 18881 Front St NE 360-930-0242 Verksted Co-op Art Gallery 18937 Front St verkstedgallery.com 360.697.4470 Wide Mouth Frog 3577 NE Lincoln Rd 360-930-4191 Woven Cedar Works 24377 NE Deerfern Dr 360-598-5447 SILVERDALE Lisa Stirrett Glass Art Studio 9536 NW Silverdale Way lisastirrett.com 360.613.5472 SUQUAMISH Mark Purdy Studio 6435 Columbia St 360- 598-4068 Rosie Creek Studio 6421 Middle St 360-434-6449

Market in Seattle and seeing a man who builds and sells cigar box guitars he thought, “Wow, that’s cool. Why don’t I build one?”

Rau built one, and it wasn’t very good.

Then he built another, and that went a little better. Over time, he added the right tools so he could build his own necks. Before long, his children and grandchildren were overstocked with guitars and ukuleles.

Thinking inside the box The sweet, smokey sounds of Bob Rau’s cigar box guitars

By MARK KRULISH North Kitsap Herald

M

aking musical instruments is a hobby nearly as old as time.

The earliest drums were made out of animal skins and flutes from the ivory of the wooly mammoth, and today even more complex instruments, such as the trumpet, can be made from simple household items.

A few years ago, one local resident decided to try his hand at making his own unique instruments.

Cigar box guitars date back to the Tramp art period of the mid-1800s that saw early musical instruments made from these small, portable boxes that were cheaply obtained, putting music in the hands of even the poorest of folks.

Rau had a number of things on list to occupy his leisure time. He played the banjo often during his younger days in Portland, Oregon. The extent of his professional career was playing singalongs on the banjo in a pizza parlor for $5 a night and free pizza and beer.

Today, there is a revival among artists making cigar box instruments for either display or performance. There are even musical groups who tour with nothing but cigar box guitars.

Bob Rau, a resident of Poulsbo, retired about six years ago from his career as an engineer, working mainly maritime projects – docks, ferry terminals, piers – up and down the west coast.

He has spent the last 30 years of his life in Washington. He lived in Kent for 10 years before moving to Poulsbo 20 years ago. And it was after a visit to Pike Place

“That’s where all the fun is, building the necks too,” Rau said. “Using different woods and different headstock styles and try to adapt them to fit whatever box I find. I started building just guitars, then a banjo or two out of cans, which I call a ‘canjo,’ and then ukuleles, violins, mandolins, any kind of stringed instrument you can think of. It’s just fun.

It keeps me out of the bars.”

Rau’s instruments serve two purposes – they are both incredible works of art and highly playable.

“Some people just want to hang them on the wall,” Rau said. “And then some people, they can’t play but they have friends that come over and play them.”

Many of them are currently displayed at the Verksted Gallery in downtown Poulsbo, an artist co-op where he also volunteers a few days per week.

“I have a space I can display all the time and we each work here so many shifts a month, and that way we can keep the commission percentage low and keep the price down,” Rau said.

The first step in making an instrument, is of course finding all of the right pieces.

Typically, Rau will gather the materials to make several instruments at once. He starts with acquiring empty cigar boxes, generally from high-end stores since they tend to look the nicest.

Then Rau goes out and gets the hardwood for necks and fretboards – he particularly enjoys working with eastern hard maple, because it is strong and stable. But he also uses Bolivian rosewood, wenge, blood wood and canary wood.

Once enough materials have been accumulated, he’ll look to pair up the proper box with the proper wood to create the best sound. The wood is laminated to create the heel part of

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Proud Proud to support the to support the Arts

We are deeply connected to our community and the Island life, and are thrilled to be the exclusive real estate sponsor of the Bainbridge Island ArtIsland Living Gallery after the We are deeply connected to our community and Visit our Museum’s third annual Within/Earshot Jazz the Island life, and are thrilled to be the exclusive Within/Earshot Jazz Festival!

We are deeply connected to our community and the island life, Visit our Island Living Gallary Festival, bringing world-class jazz musicians to are thrilled to be theof exclusive real estate sponsor of the Art after the Within/Earshot Jazz Festival! throughout the month 240 realand estate sponsor the Bainbridge Island Winslow Way East, Bainbridge Island Bainbridge of October.

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Vi

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One of the most recent Island Treasure Award winners, Lynn Brunelle.

Courtesy photo

Island Treasures A proud history of creation, service on Bainbridge Island

by LUCIANO MARANO Bainbridge Island Review

B

ainbridge Islanders are justifiably proud of the vibrant arts scene round “the Rock.” There are galleries and museums and theaters and festivals all dedicated to mankind’s more creative pursuits - plus another very different kind of treasure cache that is ever-growing.

Most recently, Bainbridge art world icons Lynn Brunelle and Steve Stolee were inducted into that storied tribe of Island Treasure Award recipients.

Award officials confirmed the duo’s nomination earlier this year, capping a secretive selection process which mandates anonymity on the part of nominators and approval by a final five-juror panel, its members drawn from island-based cultural organizations and individuals long associated with local arts and humanities entities: schools, theaters, libraries, etc.

Conceived in 1999, the Island Treasure Award honors excellence in the arts and/or humanities and is presented annually to two individuals who have made outstanding contributions in those areas and the

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community at large. Candidates for the awards must have lived on Bainbridge Island for at least three years and have displayed “an ongoing commitment to their chosen field.”

Past winners have included such Bainbridge luminaries as Bob McAllister, Frank Kitamoto, Gayle Bard, David Guterson, Kristin Tollefson, Kathleen Thorne, Sally Robison, Johnpaul Jones, Janie Ekberg, John Willson, Diane Bonciolini and Gregg Mesmer, and Cameron Snow, among others.

Brunelle and Stolee were officially presented their awards, and a cash prize of $5,000 apiece, at the annual ceremony, held every February.

Lynn Brunelle: The science of success Geek chic is rarely so perfectly personified as it is in Lynn Brunelle, a former classroom teacher turned award-magnet author, editor and illustrator, whose work has long proved education can also be first-class entertainment.

She won four Emmy Awards as a writer for “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” five Telly (excellence in video and television) and two CINE (Council on International Nontheatrical Events) Awards, has created numerous projects for National Geographic, Scholastic, Random House, Penguin, A&E, Discovery, Disney, ABC, NBC, NPR and PBS, among others, and is the editor, illustrator and/or author of more than 45 books, including her latest: “Mama Gone Geek,” a memoir for which she was awarded an Independent Publishing Award Gold Medal.

Brunelle is also a glass artist, with work on display at several local shows and galleries, and appeared, along with her son, in a recent Olympic Performance Group production of “The Nutcracker.”

As one nominator wrote, “Not only is she tremendously accomplished in her field, she is also the definition of the criteria for the Island Treasure Awards - commitment, unique vision, and inspiration.”

Regardless of her resume, Brunelle said she was gobsmacked to learn of her selection.

“There are so many cool people on this island, I still keep saying, ‘Why me?’” she laughed. “I was blown away, seriously blown away.”

She came West from New York to work on “Bill Nye,” (she got the gig based on a random cold call and several stellar spec scripts) after a stint in the publishing world where she worked primarily on science and nonfiction books for kids.

But even before that, Brunelle said, though the means and medium may have changed since, her first job was ultimately her calling.

“I went to college and then I went to England to work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, because I fell in love with Shakespeare, and then I came back and got a teaching job,” she said. “This was back in the day when they would take the kids who were the ‘behavior problem’ kids and pull them out of classrooms and put them all in one classroom, that was my first teaching job. I had like 28 behavior problem kids, grades four through eight, in one room.”

It actually wasn’t the nightmare you’d expect, surprisingly.

“A couple of them were really scary,” Brunelle said, “but most of them were brilliant kids [who] just thought really

differently.”

Lesson learned: Thinking differently has been the hallmark of her own work since.

“Bill Nye the Science Guy - ‘Saturday Night Live’ meets ‘Mr. Wizard’ [is] what we were going for,” she said.

Pop Bottle Science: a book inside a miniature bottle-shaped science lab.

“Turn This Book Into a Beehive!” - which, delivering on the title promise, can be morphed into an actual living home for backyard bees.

The list goes on.

Visit islandtreasureawards.org to learn more and see a complete list of recipients.

Formerly officiated by Arts & Humanities Bainbridge (formerly the Bainbridge Island Arts & Humanities Council), the Island Treasure Award is now an independent organization, its committee chaired by Cynthia Sears.

“I’ve certainly had fun,” Brunelle said, recalling her career thus far. “I just feel like as long as it made a difference to someone who said, ‘That’s so interesting! Maybe I’ll do that?’ or ‘I never thought about that before!’ That, to me, is the best. And I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘Oh my God, I became a bio major because I read this or saw this.’”

Steve Stolee: Life through a lens The DIY ethic has long been a guiding command for Steve Stolee, on stage and behind the camera, and today’s readily available technology and a culture of obsessive documentarians looking to share stories has finally caught up to his abiding initiative.

Coming to Bainbridge from North Dakota, via Alaska, the canny independence that marks much of his work is a holdover, Stolee said, from his time spent in America’s last frontier.

He’s a producer/director of many films, including “One Man’s Treasure,” about the annual Bainbridge Island Rotary Auction & Rummage Sale, “Old Goats” (2010), “Out of Gas” (2007), “Listen, Draw and Tell,” for which he partnered with Island Treasure George Shannon to lead kids in an interactive storytelling project, and also

“Portrait of Louise” (2009), about longtime Bainbridge Performing Arts costume designer Louise Mills, among others.

Ironically, Stolee has documented the lives of some of Bainbridge’s greatest art world figures, including many past Island Treasure Award winners, the resulting short films, screened at the annual award banquet, being an acknowledged highlight of the event.

This year, when he was first contacted by the award committee, Stolee said he thought it was business as usual - and was then told he’d be pointing the camera at himself.

“Being the focus of it is very weird,” Stolee said. “It’s not true that it didn’t occur to me; I bet anybody here who’s paid any attention at all to this [has thought], ‘Gosh, I wonder if I will ever get one of those?’

And I always thought, ‘Forget about that.

That’s a stupid dream and certainly not an appropriate expectation.’”

Stolee is something of a local art world fixture, having been involved, directly or jointly, in many of the most prominent creative undertakings of recent decades.

He knows everyone, it seems, and everyone knows him.

In the words of one nominator: “To many in our community he is already considered a treasure and I hope we can fully recognize his many contributions by officially naming him an Island Treasure.”

In addition to his many movie credits, Stolee has been a regular BPA stage presence, and was a founding member of Island Theatre in 1994. He has served as stage manager, director, performer and marketing specialist, and was likewise instrumental in founding the group’s incredibly popular annual Ten-Minute Play Festival. His photography has been shown in several galleries, and he was the designated photographer of a 1990 international children’s theater production which established the connections that made possible the subsequent founding of the famed Camp Siberia project by Island Treasure Awardee Janie Ekberg.

In 2002 his nonprofit The Picture Project photographed an exhibition of children’s artwork and, so moved as Stolee by their enthusiasm, he then worked with Hansville artist Fred Nicholson to create a threefilm series about the participating young creatives and their work.

Continued on page 34

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The show behind the show at work with the BIMA Exhibition Assembly Crew

by LUCIANO MARANO Bainbridge Island Review

A

lot of hard work, sweat and creativity is on display on the walls at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art - and that’s before any artwork is even hung.

Behind every show, and for days before every reception, the hardworking staff and volunteer members of one of Kitsap County’s premiere artistic epicenter’s small speciality unit paint, sand, spackle, pack, unpack, adjust the lights and even move the walls to ensure the best possible viewing of the works to be on display there.

They are called the BIMA Exhibition Assembly Crew, and, if they’ve done their job right, guests never even notice all of their work behind and around the art.

The use and ready availability of quality volunteers is something unique and extremely beneficial to BIMA, explained the museum’s chief curator Greg Robinson, adding that very few museums are able to use and depend on such quality community support.

“On the installation crew we work as a group to solve a lot of problems and look at different options,” Robinson said.

“It’s not like as the curator I come in with one single view of how [the show] should be hung. We get all the work here, and then the team has a lot of great ideas too.”

“We sort of play around with different options,” he added.

Located a stone’s throw away from the Bainbridge Island ferry terminal (550 Winslow Way East), BIMA is home to a

growing permanent collection with a focus on artists and collections from the Puget Sound region.

Since opening its LEED Gold-certified building in 2013, BIMA has become the cultural living room for the local community. The museum’s galleries, auditorium, bistro, store and plaza buzz with a variety of events covering the entire artistic spectrum, and the exhibitions feature recognized masters and emerging artists that are sure to leave you inspired by their striking work and thought-provoking themes.

With major exhibitions changing at least three times per year (that’s 15-20 new shows to experience annually), as well as classes, tours, films, workshops, lectures, concerts and events, BIMA is a must-see for any trip to Bainbridge Island.

It’s open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (minus major holidays); call 206-842-4451 or visit biartmuseum.org to learn more.

The assembly crew consists of more than 12 volunteers who work different schedules during exhibition set up and take down as they are available.

Many have artistic backgrounds, but nearly as many do not. Some are students; others are retired.

“We’re a little unusual for an art museum in that we do use volunteers,” Robinson said, adding that the practice had worked so well at his previous job - executive director of the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, Washington - that he decided to implement it on Bainbridge.

The volunteers are trained to “museum standards” regarding the movement and handling of the artworks, he explained, and they are supervised by several key museum staff members including executive and curatorial assistant Charlie Gore, a former BIMA volunteer himself.

“Usually there’s only one or two people on hand for each gallery and they sort of outsource if they need the extra help,” Gore explained of the typical art museum’s exhibition set-up. “But here at BIMA, we just always have the help available when we need it.”

“It’s working out very well for us, actually,” he said with a hint of disbelief. “We’ve been able to get through each show with very little hassle.”

That admission makes things sound easier than they are, though, and most people would probably be very surprised to truly learn what goes into the preparation of each show, Gore added.

The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art Exhibition Assembly Crew works to hang a new exhibition. The special unit consists of more than 12 volunteers who work different schedules during exhibition set up and take down as they are available. Many have artistic backgrounds, but nearly as many do not. Some are students; others are retired.

Photos by Luciano Marano

“There is a ton of background logistics,” Gore explained. “We have to prepare months in advance.

We’re already planning stuff out for the show after this in the summer, as well as the winter.”

Running beneath the controlled chaos of exhibition hanging is the slightly absurdist knowledge amongst the crew that, if they’ve done their job right, guests never notice all of their work, according to Gore.

“Everybody sees the face, you don’t see the body behind the work,” he said.

Continued on page 24

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That may be true, but it has not dampened the spirits of the crew one bit, and they continue through the work with the same enthusiastic mix of reverence, carefully handling and considering each work of art, and with elation, unwrapping each piece with the wonder and excitement of children tackling a Christmas present.

The museum could not manage the quick and professional turnaround that it does (and ensure the public the most time with each show) without the tireless efforts of the volunteers on the assembly crew, Gore said.

Volunteers seek out work with the assembly crew for a number of reasons, and everybody has their favorite jobs and technical strengths.

2019

NORTH KITSAP

A Fine Arts & Crafts Gallery of Local Artists locaed in downtown Poulsbo 18937 Front Street, PO Box 922 Poulsbo, WA 98370 | 360.697.4470 Open Daily, 10-5:30 | VerkstedGallery.com

Kitsap Children’s Musical Theatre Presents

Oliver!

November 8 -24, 2019 NK Auditorium

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Bainbridge resident Marci Williams has been a BIMA volunteer since the museum’s opening, and said that she was intimidated at first to handle the art, but now finds her work at BIMA even affects her decorating decisions at home.

“I have put more art up on the walls, actually,” she said. “A lot of people, even the volunteers, have some kind of art background, which I don’t. I just like art; I go to museums all the time. So I think maybe I was a little intimidated about putting things up and, ‘How do you frame them? How do you group them?’ and all this kind of stuff.”

Having retired and only moved to the island when the museum initially opened, Williams said she had hoped her work at BIMA would help her to make new friends and become more involved in the community.

It has, she said, but it also helped her find her own capacity for artistic creation, quite unexpectedly.

April 30 - May 17, 2020 NK Auditorium

“Coming here and doing this has made me more confident about what I can do at home,” she added, saying that she has begun a personal project to repurpose old family photos into artful framing arrangements for better display.

It can be easy to forget, surrounded by walls adorned with so much great art, that the walls themselves are a kind of artwork in a good museum, and the display is an interactive experience designed by artists whose names won’t necessarily be found on an informational card or plaque within the show.

Bremerton Mayor’s 2019 Public Art Initiatives

Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler

Utility Cabinet Wrap Project Continue to select and install art on utility cabinets • Budget for and install one or two cabinets per year • Select art from local artists for wraps through open calls and other various means • Continue art wrap partnerships and build new partnerships • Secure sponsorships • Develop educational, marketing and tourism materials for the art wraps Washington Avenue Retaining Wall Project • Paint Washington Avenue Retaining Wall with vandalism proof paint to reduce tagging • Select art from local artists to hang on wall and create an outdoor

gallery • Select art through open calls and other various means • Develop outdoor art gallery partnerships and build new partnerships • Secure sponsorships for gallery art • Develop educational, marketing and tourism materials for the outdoor gallery • Maintain the current art hanging on the Washington Avenue Retaining Wall Maintain Current Public Art • Assess and monitor current public art’s condition • Develop a maintenance plan for current public art • Budget for maintenance accordingly Public Arts Education • Develop new City poet laureate program • Foster increased collaboration between arts organizations, local artists and community • Formulate a database of local artists, art organizations and art

supporters • Formulate and develop a local artist resource guide • Conduct networking, education and outreach to local artists and community Foster and Build a Creative and Innovative Arts Community • Create task force to identify possible locations for public art to beautify, develop and promote Bremerton • Increase tourism through arts and culture offerings • Contribute to the City’s overall economic development through the arts • Promote Bremerton as a vibrant community for artists to work and reside • Foster a healthy arts community where artists, nonprofits and creative industries thrive • Ensure that all neighborhoods included in the Arts Master Plan benefit from public art

BREMERTON WASHINGTON

Focus on Arts and Culture

From local art and galleries to theater and live performances, we are proud of the thriving arts and culture in our community and the important role they play in enhancing the quality of life of our residents. In 2019, Bremerton was recognized as part of the region’s 10th most arts-vibrant, medium-sized communities in America, and we are continuing to focus on strengthening the arts in our city. Please take a moment to see just some of the exciting ways Bremerton is expanding local arts and culture.

- Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler

Poet Laureate Tia Hudson

Seattle to Bremerton Ferry Sea lions resting on the buoy pointing the way with lazy flippers.

A child stops and waves back, turns to see who noticed, runs to find someone to tell Now the water reflects the light; the sun grasps the edge of the mountain, before it falls off for the night.

And now the gulls hang on the wind at eye level, wait patiently to take the garbage from our hands I turn to see, circling with them at the dock, a bald eagle old enough to have gone grey; small movements take her past the houses and forest; and when she moves into the dusk over the water, She sees us safely home.

- Tia Hudson, Bremerton Poet Laureate

Tia Hudson

was appointed the first Poet Laureate of the city of Bremerton

by Mayor Greg Wheeler as part of his 2019 Arts Initiatives. Hudson teaches creative writing and English Composition at Olympic College.

Her work has been published in several regional publications, including Poets on the Coast Anthology and Ars Poetica. Her poems have been published in Wend Poetry Journal, The Stillwater Review, and Signals. Most recently, three of her poems were accepted for the anthology This is What Love Looks Like. Poetry By Women Smitten with Women, to be published Fall of 2019.

As a Bremerton resident since the 1990s, she is passionate about the City and promoting the literary arts in the community. “I’m am very honored to be named as first Poet Laureate for the City of Bremerton.

I want to inspire young people and residents to participate and enjoy poetry about our City. This program celebrates the diversity and creativity we have in our community and I’m so proud to be part of this program,” said Tia Hudson.

“Tia Hudson is one of several talented poets that we have in our community, and I know her experience and ability will enrich

the program. Tia brings a passion for Bremerton and an outstanding background to the new position.

I look forward to the ideas and creativity she will bring as our City’s first Poet Laureate,” said Mayor Wheeler.

You can catch Hudson at local open mic nights, including first Wednesdays at Anita’s at Boston’s and third Wednesdays at Fraiche Cup.

BREMERTON WASHINGTON

Bremerton’s Utility Box Art Wraps The City of Bremerton Public Works Department is updating and replacing utility boxes in Bremerton. The Bremerton Arts Commission has been asked to help select the art for the new utility boxes located throughout Bremerton. The City’s Arts Commission wishes to locate public art in places that will have the greatest opportunity for public interaction and to reach citizens that may not otherwise experience the arts. The Commission believes that the utility box project presents a unique opportunity to achieve this goal.

By the end of 2019 Bremerton will have 19 of 39 of its art wrap collection completed. There are 4 more art wraps planned for 2020. Artists are encouraged to apply. The Bremerton Arts Commission is seeking support from the community through a unique opportunity to sponsor public art. Interested artists and potential sponsors should contact Cynthia Engelgau at the Bremerton Arts Commission: cynthia.engelgau@ ci.bremerton.wa.us or (360) 473‐5425.

Arts Registry The City of Bremerton Arts Commission is collecting contact information of local artists and organizations who would like to receive emails about upcoming opportunities for artists and art events in our community. To register, use the quick link at www.bremertonwa.gov/229/Arts-Commission or contact BREMERTON Cynthia Engelgau at the Bremerton Arts Commission, WASHINGTON (360) 473-5425.

Bernies Tree by Bernice Walsh

Blue Heron by Denise Mahoney

Buoy Dance by Heather Andersen

Bremerton’s Outdoor Art Gallery You can view six art panels on display along the Washington Avenue retaining wall where it intersects the Manette Bridge. The city plans to expand the outdoor art gallery along Washington Avenue between 6th and 11th Streets in the high traffic corridor that connects the Bremerton Arts District downtown to the Manette business district.

Squid Bulb by Sam Enlow

Ferry by Erica Applewhite

Familiar Boats by Isaac Ferraro

The six art pieces on these pages have been selected by the Bremerton Arts Commission to add to the art installation before the end of 2019.

Public art enhances the visual landscape and character of Bremerton. Public art turns ordinary spaces into community landmarks, promotes community dialogue and is accessible to everyone. The city hopes to preserve the BREMERTON history of the 1970’s relief wall and to enhance the revitalization of the downtown core.

WASHINGTON

Bremerton First Friday Art Walk First Friday Art Walk is held in the Bremerton Art’s District in Downtown Bremerton and Downtown Manette across the bridge.

BADFF is a free community event held every First Friday of the month from 5pm–8pm, rain or shine. The downtown community is growing and you may discover your future favorite gallery, retail shop and local eats. Local participating businesses may feature art, live music, refreshments or awesome specials at their place of business.

businesses and other areas on Callow Avenue, downtown Bremerton and Manette by Karen Sawyer of Pier Six Press. If you find a poster, you keep it. A new poster each month is designed by Sawyer or a guest artist.

You can find clues for seeking posters on the Heavy Jeens Instagram account, @heavyjeens.

For more information about Bremerton’s First Friday Art Walk, visit facebook.com/ BremertonFirstFriday or on instagram, @bremertonfirstfriday

To make the First Friday Art Walk even more interesting, join the Heavy Jeens Project scavenger hunt to find one of the unique hand-printed art posters hidden in

Alexis & Ava Shockey of Team Current Dental

Wayzgoose Kitsap Arts Festival The first known Wayzgoose, thrown in 1681, was a boozy summer feast hosted by a Letterpress Printer for his Print Shop employees. The printing community embraced this annual tradition, often sharing a harvest goose... hence the name, Wayzgoose. Today, the Wayzgoose has been re-imagined as a public arts festival. At Wayzgoose Kitsap held in downtown Bremerton over Labor Day weekend, local artists print hand-carved linoleum blocks with full-size steamrollers!

BREMERTON WASHINGTON

Love’s West Coast Motown Band. Soon after, the band was sent to Las Vegas to back Wonder at the opening of a new hotel. Carter had never flown on a plane before, and, ever the jokester, he turned to his seatmate and deadpanned, “If I die, we all die.”

The music world is often portrayed as an endless party filled with good times and good music, and Carter remembers being flabbergasted that there were people to greet the band in Vegas and handle their instruments and baggage for them.

Bill Carter Passing on a lifetime of music

By MARK KRULISH Port Orchard Independent

B

ill Carter has been giving his time and talent to the Kitsap Peninsula for over 25 years now.

Since moving to Washington in 1989, he’s been giving lessons to local students at various music stores, including the since-closed D.J.’s music store in Port Orchard. He also spent a number of years volunteering for the various music programs at South Kitsap High School, spending upwards of 30 hours per week there working with the kids on their musicianship or putting together arrangements.

These days, he spends his time giving lessons to students at Mainline Music on Bay Street in downtown Port Orchard where you can still hear his smooth, bluesy style from one of the back rooms.

“You can’t beat this place,” Carter said.

“You can always find something you want to learn.”

Students fortunate enough to spend time with Carter soon learn that teaching

is actually his second life. For decades, Carter was a professional musician, playing the saxophone for some of music’s most famous artists – Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, The Four Tops, Etta James, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Sammy Davis Jr., Gladys Knight and the Pips and the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson.

Wonder was the first artist he worked for and still remains one of his favorites.

“It was a pleasure to play music with him,” Carter said. “We had a beautiful time with Stevie Wonder because he wanted to do the best stuff.”

He’d just joined Preston Love, who was the bandleader of the West Coast Motown Band. At a club in Los Angeles, Love approached Carter and asked him if he’d ever heard of Stevie Wonder.

“No,” Carter said.

“You’re in for a treat,” Love replied.

That was his first rehearsal with Preston

But he and the band were also stuck doing a five and a half hour rehearsal with various acts that came to the stage.

That was followed by an hour off, during which singer Maxine Brown graciously lent the band her room to relax, before a five-hour show. That’s a long day for anyone, especially for the guy who has to lug around a heavy baritone saxophone.

By the time he hit his early-40’s, Carter decided that the time for change was coming. A few years later, he and his wife packed up and moved up to the coast in Washington.

“You work so hard, so much of the time,” Carter said. “I told my wife, ‘let’s get out of here.’”

Carter got his start in music during his childhood. He came from a musical family; his mother and sister both worked as concert musicians for Leonard Bernstein. The Carters moved around a bit, Bill remembers living “on top of a mountain” in Orting as a child.

When he was in grammar school, the principal there, who Carter remembers as Mrs. Haskell, asked him if he knew how to play The Star-Spangled Banner.

Carter replied that he did know how to play it, and at 7:30 the next morning, he was performing the anthem in front of the whole school.

From there on, teachers continued to encourage him to keep playing.

“It made a difference,” Carter said.

“People like her, meant for me to get something going. Mrs. Haskell, you can’t beat her.”

Carter ended up in Los Angeles during his high school years and then went on to attend Los Angeles City College. He Continued on page 34

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BILL CARTER - Continued from page 31

was never much for school himself, but it was the perfect place to launch a music career.

He spent time playing anywhere he could with anyone who wanted him.

He found his way to all kinds of strange joints, including a pill factory turned music venue in Pasadena. There he watched a saxophonist who would simply cut his reeds down to produce a different sound. Reeds are thin at the top and thick at the bottom. The thicker the reed, the more power required to produce a sound, but it also gives the player greater range.

“I was in the mecca of the music in L.A. and I knew everybody,” Carter said.

“They were all good.”

Now in his mid-70’s, Carter passes on his lifetime of musical ability and knowledge to his students. He had to take a break in 1996 when he suffered an aneurysm.

He now walks with a cane, and needs a moment to recall some of the smaller details of his stories, but his wit and sense of humor are still as sharp as ever.

BOB RAU - Continued from page 11

the neck, then he carves a headstock and drills holes for the tuning pegs.

Fretboards are typically made from onequarter inch thick hardwood with precise cuts with a table saw made for the frets.

He uses different types of material for the fret markers, but tends to prefer abalone.

Next, he cuts the sound holes in the box and makes a place to put the neck, which goes all the way through the cigar box because they tend not to be strong enough to support the neck’s weight.

Rau also puts an electric pickup in his instruments so it can be used with an amplifier and adds volume and tone controls. Lately, he has also been adding a resonator to his instruments too.

The whole process takes a couple of weeks, but he usually builds several at a time.

ISLAND TREASURES - Continued from page 21

Throughout, Stolee said he has sought above all to keep engaged.

“I’m constantly curious, that’s what led me to photography and filmmaking,” he said.

“I like to talk to people. I like to know what they’re doing. I like to hear how they did what they did, that’s just fascinating to me.

“This is a vibrant community full of people who are doing awesome stuff.”

Though receiving the award has put him in a retrospective state of mind, Stolee said he doesn’t dedicate much time to the idea of a personal legacy. He’s not too worried about the future either. He’s got work to do.

“I don’t need to know what’s going to happen,” Stolee said. “I don’t have a goal about how it gets done or where it goes or who it affects exactly - I want to be engaged. Everything I do is a decision about how I can be engaged better.”

NKHS DRAMA - Continued from page 8

“It really doesn’t take that long once I have all the stuff,” Rau said. “It takes time to accumulate things. Usually I will do several at a time because a lot of it is waiting for glue to dry. It’s a lot easier to build more than one at a time.”

“I felt like this vision would capture their imaginations and the imaginations of the audience, more so than going back in time.

For me, it’s all about the ‘what if’s,’” he added.

He spends his Tuesdays and Wednesdays at Mainline where he brings the same no-nonsense professional approach to his teaching as he did his music. Much like during his professional career, he emphasizes punctuality and practice.

He never liked to be late to a rehearsal or performance, and he certainly never liked being unprepared.

Among his newer works are instruments that are more difficult to build, specifically violins and mandolins.

The violin is a challenge because the measurements have to be precise in order to produce the correct notes and sounds. Mandolins are also tough because of their eight strings placed in close pairs.

“I initially wanted the Space Needle to be Oz, but the set designer convinced me that Gasworks Park would be a fun challenge,” Kongela said.

“I’ll teach you, and it’ll maybe take me 15 minutes,” Carter tells his students. “But in the other 15 minutes, it’s up to you to perfect it.”

With each new set of projects growing bigger and more ambitious, who knows?

Maybe one day he will tackle a six-foot stand-up bass.

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upbeat

The theme also creates a new challenge for the costume and set designers, who jumped at the chance to try something new.

For costume design, the show will channel the PNW’s 90s grunge past and mash it with a rough, futuristic steampunk look.

Kongela’s second aim for the production is to get the next generation of NKHS theater excited to participate.

“I want to create excitement and anticipation on the middle and primary school levels, for students to look forward to ‘growing up’ in the theater arts program at NKHS,” Kongela said.

“There is a wealth of talent in these young people and with the help and support of the community, I believe we can foster a creative, wonderful and rich environment for students in the district to dream a little about the possibilities,” he added.

Needless to say, the NKHS Drama students are excited to get started on the production and bring it to audiences spring 2020.

PRESENTS Tony Award Winning Performer Brian Stokes Mitchell

UNPLUG. BREATHE. STROLL. REPEAT. UNPLUG. BREATHE. STROLL. REPEAT.

EXCLUSIVE HOLIDAY CONCERT Roxy Theatre Fundraiser Saturday, December 7, 2019, 7pm Ticket info/details: roxybremerton@gmail.com

WEST SOUND FILM FESTIVAL (formerly the Port Orchard Film Festival) May 1st-3rd, 2020 at the Historic Roxy Theatre Mark your calendar to attend!

Film Entries now being accepted Info: westsoundfilmfestival@gmail.com

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