Beats, bachata Not so Random More Vince Brown Natural impressions Classic Nikki Utter-ly surprising Hall of government Making a Splash The big 4-0 Chance to buy
At Plum Street and Fourth Avenue, the Eagles Hall Ballroom is on the fringe of the Arts Walk map. But the ballroom has put itself squarely on the metaphorical map with its full schedule of dance performances coordinated by Donna Pallo-Perez of the Eagles board of trustees. There will be 60 performers, live music, a craft fair and refreshments. Donations will be taken for SafePlace. On the schedule for today: Comerford School of Irish Dance, 6 p.m.; Beats Euphorium with belly dance fusion from flamenco to hula, 6:45 p.m.; Tap Cats with vocalist Gretchen Christopher, 7:45 p.m.; shim sham demo and lesson with Pallo-Perez, 8:15 p.m.; a swing dance lesson, 8:40 p.m.; and a bachata and blues community dance ($5 suggested donation for SafePlace), 9 p.m. And on Saturday, there’s a craft fair, 11 a.m.; a beginning flamenco lesson, 11:50 a.m.; a performance and CD signing by Christopher, 1:10 p.m.; a lesson in social dance essentials with Pallo-Perez, 2 p.m.; and belly dance by Troupe O-Wa, 3 p.m. Olympia’s D.I.Y. scene is not just about art, music and fashion. There’s also D.I.Y. dance. A prime example is Radco (Random Acts of Dance Collective), a loose-knit group of dancers with no director, no teacher and no studio affiliation. The dancers meet, dance, play and create, and tonight at Arts Walk, they’ll be showing off what they’re up to. Among the performances tonight at 7 p.m. at Fusion, The Integrated Body, 302 Columbia St. N.W.: a piece set to poetry by Elizabeth Shé and a ritual of atonement in honor of Yom Kippur with dancers Roel Hammerschlag and Susan Gresia and flautist Richard Lopez. Go to fusionolympia.net to learn more. Music fans can get an extra helping of Olympia’s Vince Brown. Catch him with saxophonist Steve Munger from 7-9 today at Swing Wine Bar & Cafe, 825 Columbia St.; with Monica Peabody from noon-2 p.m. Saturday at Cascadia Grill, 200 Fourth Ave. W.; and from 3-4 p.m. Saturday at the Make Olympia Street Market on Washington Street between Fourth and State. Go to vincebrownmusic.com . All three work in pastels on the theme of nature, but artists Susan Glendenning of Olympia, Barbara Newton of Renton and Karen Schroder of Coupeville each have very different styles. The women are featured in the Arts Walk exhibit at The State of the Arts Gallery, 500 Washington St. S.E. Call 360-705-0317 or go to thestateofthearts.com . When “papercuts” and “Olympia” are in the same sentence, it’s not too difficult to guess the artist: Nikki McClure, whose books, posters, T-shirts, storm-drain covers and calendars populate the city almost as thickly as her beloved crows. “In many ways, I think she’s the Norman Rockwell of her generation,” said art collector Sandy Desner of Olympia. “Her work is so iconic.” Art for McClure’s 2012 calendar, “Inherit” (already in stores), will be on view at Bryce’s Barbershop, 198 Fourth Ave. E. This year’s calendar began with a focus on interdependence, McClure said. Go to nikkimcclure.com . Sarah Utter is best known for her “Reading Is Sexy” T-shirts, her letterpress posters and her graphic, stylized paintings of cute and friendly yet somehow hip animals. At Arts Walk, though, Utter has a surprising show that’s quite different in both style and subject from the animals: It’s “Ladies of the Dollar Bin,” which will be on view at Alchemy, 4161/2 Washington St. S.E. The ladies in question include Patsy Cline, Dusty Springfield and jazz singer Nancy Wilson, all found in the clearance section at Rainy Day Records. “The more time I spent sifting through those records, the more I noticed how certain amazing artists were stacking up,” Utter said. Of her new direction in painting, she said: “I set some parameters: fast and loose, each painting just taking one day to complete instead of weeks, and no masking – and I loved it. I’m viewing this series of paintings as highly experimental.” She’s accompanying each of the 10 ladies with a sheet of letter-pressed song lyrics. Call 360-943-5810 or go to alchemy-salonspa.com or sarahutter.com . If you haven’t yet been to the new City Hall, Arts Walk provides an additional incentive to check out the building at 601 Fourth Ave. E. The hall is showing work by city employees including Daisy Curley, Ellen Miffit, Sophie Stimson and Brenda Vance. Curley is a water-quality specialist, and water is the inspiration for her collages, which begin with neighborhood maps and include cake doilies, game pieces, beads and more. “I feel blessed to work with water every day,” said Curley, a graduate of The Evergreen State College. “My artwork celebrates the relationship between humans and the natural resources that enrich our lives every day.” Among new businesses taking part in Arts Walk XLIII is Splash Gallery, a cooperative art space that opened its doors in August. On display are ceramics by Marion Pollman, fabrics by Christine Malek, glass by Janet Schrader, jewelry by Jan Sogge, oil paintings by Thomas Boatright, photography by Anna Boatright and Rick Ranum, sculpture by Irene Osborn, and watercolors by Melodi Cottongim and Heather Taylor. The gallery, at 501 Columbia St. N.W., Suite C, gives 5 percent of proceeds from all sales to local organizations that support the arts. Call 360-943-5177 or go to splashgalleryolympia.com . Childhood’s End has been a staple of Arts Walk — and of downtown. The gallery, at 222 Fourth Ave. W., is celebrating 40 years in business this year. Featured in its Arts Walk show, “Place,” are Susan Aurand, Beth Brooks, Shelley Carr, Alfred Currier, Mary Denning, Lucia Harrison, Keith Lazelle, Ross Matteson, Barbara Noonan and Marianne Partlow. Call 360-943-3724 or go to childhoods-end-gallery.com . We know Arts Walk is about looking at the art — and the throngs of people who are walking the streets downtown. But it also is about shopping. Of course, the galleries and galleries-for-the-weekend have plenty to sell you, but even in a tough economy, Arts Walk brings out more transitory spots for buying. Among them:
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