Diane Chiddister

hummingbird studio: “Art Belongs To Everyone”

Many who come to hummingbird studio are defined by our society as disabled, and many are not. There are volunteers from Evergreen along with community members who just love to create and be part of this community of creators. “It’s the people,” said Willow, a former Evergreen College student who first discovered the studio through the college’s work-study program, but keeps coming back. “They (the leaders) do an amazing job of creating an environment where people feel safe and relaxed,” Willow said. hummingbird sudio is an inclusive art space where everyone is welcome, with people of all kinds and all abilities creating art together. At its foundation is a belief in the transformative power of art.

Studio West launches holidays with Nutcracker

Studio West Dance Theater kicks off Olympia’s holiday season with Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker on the weekend after Thanksgiving at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts. “The music is delicious,” said Studio West co-owner/co-director Stephanie Wood-Ennett. “People are drawn to it — the costumes, the dancing. The story is timeless. It’s a classic.” The Nutcracker cast includes about 200 people, mainly children. “There’s such a sense of community,” she said. “I think people end up loving the community as much as the dance itself.”

The Musical Chemistry of Garrett & Gunn

On Saturday, October 24, the acoustic duo of Reggie Garrett & Christine Gunn will perform for the fourth time at New Traditions, this time celebrating the release of The Road Taken, their first collaborative CD.
“We’re always so moved and engaged by both of them,” said New Traditions co-owner Jody Mackey, who expects the event to sell out.
The two share a similar musical sensibility, according to Garrett. “Christine is one of those musicians for whom the thing that’s important is the song,” he said. “There’s not a lot of ego involved. She listens, plays what the song calls for.”

The Book of Mormon arrives in Olympia

In his New York Times review, critic Ben Brantley compared The Book of Mormon, coming to Olympia’s Washington Center, favorably to The King and I and The Sound of Music, adding “… “but rather than confronting tyrannical charismatic men with way too many children, our heroes must confront a one-eyed genocidal warlord… and a defeated, defensive group of villagers, riddled with AIDS… In setting these dark themes to sunny melodies, The Book of Mormon achieves something like a miracle.”

Collaborative Paintings at Tobin Gallery: Jazz in color

“This work needs to be seen by more than the 120 people who attended the opening,” said Tobin Ropes, owner of the new Tobin Gallery in downtown Tacoma, which is showing Schmitt & Hall: Collaborative Improvisations through August 15. Thirty-one Schmitt/Hall paintings are on display in the gallery, mostly figurative, most telling a story. While the artists cite German expressionists such as Max Beckmann as an influence, they’ve veered away from the darkness of expressionist paintings. Rather, these works feature color.

Oly Arts Summer 2025 Print Edition

The Summer print edition of OLY ARTS N0. 33 is published! Here is a list of where in the Olympia area you can pick up your FREE copy, and a link to the PDF file so you can read it online. Enjoy!

LoveOly SummerFest Brings Summer Fun

The purpose of LoveOly, in its third year, is to bring people together and promote downtown. “I love it that we bring the community together right when kids are fresh from the school year,” said Desiree Freeman, executive director of the Downtown Olympia Alliance, which organizes LoveOly. The family-friendly event comes to life June 20 to 22.

‘Lizzie’ rocks at South Puget Sound Community College

SPSCC Theater Collective’s rock musical “Lizzie” about Lizzie Bordon, accused of the ax murder of her mother, assumes Lizzie’s guilt, according to its director. It also doesn’t shy away from suggesting that Lizzie’s relationship with her father included sexual abuse, a theme explored in the song “This Isn’t Love,” one of the 26 songs that tell Lizzie’s story.

The Wonder and Delight of the Procession

by Diane Chiddister It was dark, cold and wet last April 27, but the dismal day didn’t dampen the high spirits in downtown Olympia. Drums rumbled and saxophones wailed as a cavalcade of creatures — huge swooping butterflies, a truck-sized blue peacock, and leaping dolphins, among others — progressed down Legion Way. Kids had transformed …

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Olympia Symphony Orchestra Showcases Rising Stars

Lin Tokura and Ava Pakiam “… are two young fearless women, taking on these challenging pieces,” Music Director Alexandra Arrieche said. “This is the type of concert where you see young people embracing and pouring their hearts into music, and it reminds us of why we do what we do.” “Open Doors,” a concert by the Olympia Symphony Orchestra is Sunday, March 16 at the Washington Center.

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