Oly Old Time Festival: Yodelady

By Molly Walsh A hometown act, Yodelady, has been kindling the traditional music scene in Olympia and surrounding areas since forming in 2010. The members of this triple threat trio have deep roots in the Pacific Northwest old-time music community, and their sets boast three-part harmonies that send audience members to their feet for a …

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Sharon Styer Collages at Harlequin Productions

ART REVIEW by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Tacoma artist Sharon Styer is primarily known as a photographer whose photographs of vacant and abandoned buildings, among other subjects, are haunting and mysterious. Now she’s onto something new. About two years ago, Styer began making collages that are funny, bizarre and intelligent – often with known …

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Where Old-Time Music Came From … and Where It’s Going

By Ned Hayes In 1991, MC Hammer was huge. I was a published music critic; yet I wouldn’t write about Hammer’s platinum hit “U Can’t Touch This.” Instead, I was obsessed with a young, touring folk musician. In an era when hip hop was going corporate and rap and rock bands were increasingly signing their …

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Oly Old Time Festival: An Interview With the Sassafras Sisters

By Aigner Loren Wilson This February, the Arbutus Folk School will host their volunteer-run Oly Old Time Festival that aims to bring together fans, players and appreciators of old-time fiddle music. Events at the festival celebrating old-time music in Olympia last for several days and feature musical performances, workshops and dances all around the theme …

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CINE•FILES: The Secret of NIMH

By Ellis Boran The Secret of NIHM is an animated adventure movie based on Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (fun fact—the name was changed to Mrs. Brisby in the film due to trademark concerns with Frisbee) about a charming family of mice who try their hardest to relieve the sick little mouse, Timothy, …

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A Londoner and a Local Walk Into a Theater…

By Lucy Volker Transformation is the theme for Harlequin’s 2020 season. They begin the New Year with Noises Off and The Highest Tide. Riffing on the season’s theme, Noise’s Off is said to be “one of the funniest plays ever written, offering the community some much-needed comedic relief.” The Highest Tide is a coming of …

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Ballet Northwest: En Pointe for Half a Century

By CHRISTIAN CARVAJAL For all the influence they had on popular music genres, aside from success they’ve enjoyed on their own, the Fab Four were only together eight years. Alexander the Great ruled the Macedonian empire from 336 BC till his death a mere eight years later. The Qin dynasty that reunified China lasted a …

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Letter From the Publisher: Support the Arts in 2020

2020 is almost here, and we’d like to ask you to make a resolution to support the arts with us. Since we opened in 2016, OLY ARTS magazine has continued to expand its FREE coverage and offerings to our community. We hope that you will be able to take part in one or more of …

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Hundreds of Paintings: a Visit to Art House Designs

Review by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Art House Designs is a large frame shop and gallery with hundreds and hundreds of paintings, prints and other artworks displayed salon style on the walls and on tables and even stacked on the floor. The collection includes hundreds of original paintings and prints by local and regional …

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