Arts Walk events: From mixed media, painting to kids activities, ceramics and more

For Arts Walk, Olympia papercut artist Nikki McClure will be showing illustrations from her new book, “Waiting for the Tide.” McClure, one of Olympia’s best-known artists, has something else new to share: She and husband Jay T. Scott are collaborating on a line of furniture that combines Scott’s woodworking with McClure’s designs. Check out the duo’s work — along with new wire sculptures by former Arts Walk cover artist Colleen Cotey — at Childhood’s End Gallery, 222 Fourth Ave. W., Olympia. McClure will be talking about and signing copies of “Waiting for the Tide” 7-8 p.m. May 6 at the gallery.

Arts Walk is mostly about appreciating art — and seeing the downtown streets filled with familiar faces. But there’s also hands-on fun, especially for the younger set. Among the options for kids:

▪ Get your face painted by members of the Lakefair Royal Court and turn a tiny patch of lawn into an animal friend with the Hands On Children’s Museum. You can also meet Olympia park ranger Sylvana Niehuser. The activities, sponsored by the city’s Parks, Arts & Recreation Department, are 5-9 p.m. Friday (April 22) outside The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia.

▪ Plant seeds to grow at home and do Earth Day crafts 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and noon-4 p.m. Saturday at LOTT’s WET Science Center, 500 Adams St. NE.

▪  Get hands on at the Hands On Children’s Museum, 414 Jefferson St. NE, offering free admission and tours for all ages 5-9 p.m. Friday. Kids can try creating pointillist art, guided by Jo Day.

▪  Get up close with musical instruments at Student Orchestras of Greater Olympia’s Pet the Instruments from 2-4 p.m. Saturday at The Washington Center.

Olympia Family Theater will have animal friends aplenty on hand for Arts Walk. Friday night (April 22), the theater company will alternate previews of “A Year With Frog and Toad,” opening May 13, with readings from “The Chicken and the Dog,” by Amanda and Andre Maxwell and with illustrations by Jill Carter. Carter’s illustrations, along with art by Ashley Larsen, will be on display in the lobby. See “Frog and Toad” every half hour 6-8 p.m. Friday, and hear the story at 6:15, 6:45, 7:15 and 7:45 p.m.

Check out chairs decorated in literary style at The Estate Store’s Literati Painted Chairs. It’s a fundraiser for Senior Services of South Sound. Bid on and vote for chairs painted by local artists Friday and Saturday at the store, 510 Columbia St. SW, Olympia. Winning bidders will be notified Sunday.

The teens who’ll be performing original hip-hop tunes Friday (April 22) at Artesian Commons Park aren’t just dedicated musicians. They’re a testament to the power of music. In Community Youth Services’ The Bridge program, the teens — all of whom have survived such challenges as being in foster care — worked together to write, produce and record songs. They’ll share the results of their talent and hard work 7-8:30 p.m. at the park, 415 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia.

Clark Gilman, appointed to the Olympia City Council in January, will be playing ukulele 3:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday at The Lanai Cafe, 514 Capitol Way S., Olympia. The city sponsors Arts Walk, but it’s far from typical for council members to participate. “This is the first time we’ve had a sitting council member on the Arts Walk map,” said Stephanie Johnson, the city’s Arts and Events program manager. Gilman, a regular member of the Monday Ukulele Ohana, will perform with vocalist-ukulele player AnaMalia Alonzo and singer-songwriter Jesse Branch. “Strumming my ukulele recharges me to fully engage in city business,” Gilman said. The city featured him in a video about Arts Walk. See it at facebook.com/cityofolympia.

Watercolorist Lynn Guenard of Gig Harbor describes her work as “juicy and whimsical.” She loves to incorporate color, texture and pattern into her paintings. “I flood the paper with water, achieving numerous watermarks,” Guenard writes on her website. “The unpredictability of the painting process brings joy and surprise.” Guenard’s work will be on display Friday through June 12 at State of the Arts Gallery, 500 Washington St. SE. Guenard will be on hand to discuss her work 5-7 p.m. Friday (April 22) and the gallery will be open till 10 p.m. that evening.

Scott Allan Stevens is probably best-known around town for his popular KAOS-FM (89.3) radio show “Spin the Globe,” which he’s been hosting since 1998. But Stevens is also a photographer. In his first Arts Walk show in several years, he’s showing images that reveal beauty in unexpected places. “Overlooked: Visions of the Neglected, Abandoned and Rusted” will be on view at the Christian Science Reading Room, 515 Washington St. NE, Olympia.

Artist and architect Trent Hart will share his talent and his passion for salmon with a raku firing project noon-4:30 p.m. Saturday outside Tovani Hart Architecture, 101 Capitol Way N., No. 202, Olympia. Hart, who creates sculptures of salmon in his spare time, has created tiles of raku clay, and he’ll have a propane kiln available so passersby can glaze their tile, have it fired and return in about an hour to get it and take it home. Hart will also have his art on display inside the firm.

Artists of all ages and experience levels are welcome at Hummingbird Studio. The studio, a project of Kokua, a nonprofit that provides services for individuals with disabilities, offers studio time and support at Hummingbird Studio, located at Arbutus Folk School, 610 Fourth Ave. E., Olympia. The artists focus on process rather than product, but they’ll be showing a variety of works at Olympia Federal Savings, 421 Capitol Way S., Olympia.

This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 1:00 AM with the headline "Arts Walk events: From mixed media, painting to kids activities, ceramics and more."