Procession of the Species 2017 – Photo Essay

OLY ARTS is excited to partner with Shanna Paxton Photography for complete photographic coverage of Procession of the Species 2017! ((See also our LUMINARY PROCESSION photo essay here.)) CLICK THROUGH FOR ALL THE PICTURES >> CLICK THROUGH FOR ALL THE PICTURES >> CLICK THROUGH FOR ALL THE PICTURES >> CLICK THROUGH FOR ALL THE PICTURES …

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Blubber with puppet designer Jamie Jenson

OFT’s Original, Punk-Rock Musical: Fishnapped!

by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Evergreen State College alumna Amy Shephard has collaborated with Andrew Gordon and Daven Tillinghast to write Olympia Family Theater’s final show of its 11th season, Fishnapped! “It’s an interactive, musical mystery involving a missing goldfish,” says Shephard, who also choreographs the production. The musical numbers, composed by Tillinghast, are …

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bronze sculpture by Sophie Stimson

Sophie Stimson at City Hall

by Nora Kovacs for OLY ARTS Sophie Stimson’s work draws inspiration from body and form, both human and animal. Working predominantly with ceramic, bronze and oil painting, Stimson pays respect to the geographic and natural sources of each medium. For the ceramic pieces, Stimson’s clay is mixed along the Puyallup River, while its red tint …

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photograph by C. M. WIllyard

C. M. Willyard at Flourish

by Nora Kovacs for OLY ARTS The environment is part and parcel of artist Charles M. Willyard’s practice. Using nature as his palette, Willyard drifts between photography, oil and acrylic painting, charcoal, digital media and decorative interiors. From Canada to Michigan and Ohio to Washington, Willyard’s work has encapsulated a wide range of physical landscapes. …

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"Some Time Ago," acrylic on paper by Jean Nagai

Jean Nagai and Peter Scherrer at Arts Walk

by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS Jean Nagai paints with acrylic and correction fluid on paper — that’s right, correction fluid, commonly known as whiteout, the stuff used to correct typing mistakes. Nagai first showed his work in Olympia at Salon Refu in December 2014. The paintings were intricate patterns made of thousands of white …

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"Tech Twins," stoneware and mixed media by Joe Batt

Joe Batt and Students at Arts Walk

by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS South Puget Sound Community College professor of art Joe Batt creates comically surrealistic ceramic figures of men and women, children and animals. Rabbits that look for all the world like they just stepped away from a Mad Hatter tea party appear to be his favorite creature creation &mash; and …

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painting by Megan Bailey

Weekend Preview: April 21, 2017

WEEKEND PREVIEW is your weekly guide to events in Thurston County. This week, we’re bringing you everything you need to know about debut author readings, hilarious plays and stunning art exhibits around Olympia. The only question is how you’ll pick from this week’s stellar lineup of events.   Click here to listen to our podcast version …

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Dragon Boat Festival, photo by Joe Saladino

Celebrating the Dragon Boat Festival

by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Dip your paddle into the water, pulling the handle until the blade rises, and feel the spray of the Puget Sound’s cold, salty water. Move and breathe in time with teammates. It sounds relaxing, doesn’t it? But for dragon-boat racers across the Puget Sound, it’s not just relaxing. It …

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Loralin Toney, photo by Lisa Ellefson

Loralin Toney at Splash Gallery

by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS Loralin Toney created Aquapia, the mixed-media sculpture on the cover of the Arts Walk map, in and around her tiny, off-the-grid home in Tenino. “I used to have a thousand-square-foot studio, and now I have a picnic table,” she said in a recent interview. “But I’m much happier here. …

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The Slug Who Stole Solstice at OFT, set painting by Steve Bylsma

Steve Bylsma: When Art and Science Meet

by Kelli Samson for OLY ARTS Growing up in Bothell, Steve Bylsma loved drawing the natural world. The 2011 Evergreen State College graduate and freelance artist continually brings art and nature together. Bylsma enjoys creative problem solving, so his set-design work for Olympia Family Theater has been a perfect fit. “I generally enjoy designing sets …

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