by Adam McKinney for OLY ARTS It’s a dream, for many, to have their presence keenly felt in their community. Whether this be through the simple act of offering a friendly face, lending a hand in civic projects or providing beauty through the arts, leaving a positive impression is an admirable goal for anyone to …
by Jonah Barrett for OLY ARTS Every year in the first week of August, the Thurston County Fair arrives in Lacey for a period of five days. Guests from all over Thurston County are attracted to the event, with about 28,000 attending overall. The fair is a family-oriented endeavor. Crowds attend to experience a lick …
by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS When not appearing on area stages, Dennis Rolly can be found serving customers at Pellegrino’s Italian Kitchen in Tumwater or riding scooters (a Taiwanese SYM 200 and an Italian Piaggio 500) with his wife, Gail, or traveling cross country. The latter is an every-other-year excursion, usually going to Kentucky, …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS When artists stop creating art in one medium, they most likely start in another. Whether the transition is from painting to sculpting, drawing to writing or dancing to photography, the chances of an artist being truly “done” with art are slim to none. When talking about Alec Clayton, Olympia’s …
by Molly Gilmore for OLY ARTS The International Bob Dylan Tribute Festival, stopping Saturday in Olympia’s West Central Park, was founded not by a lifelong fan of the Nobel Prize-winning folk icon. Rather, tribute organizer and singer-songwriter Dewey Paul Moffitt of Keystone, Colorado, got interested in Dylan only after a stint selling merchandise for a …
by McKenzie Murray for OLY ARTS Pacific Northwest Theater Company’s summer youth program, “Little People Productions,” will showcase two musical performances for the community this month. Actors aged 5 to 9 have been hard at work rehearsing Disney’s The Aristocats KIDS over the span of three weeks. A separate group of older actors, ages 9 …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS Mother, nursing student, mountain climber, author, search-and-rescue leader … the list of job titles for Bree Loewen gets longer the more one gets to know her. This month, Olympia community members can listen as Loewen interweaves these skills at an author reading at Browsers Bookshop. She’ll present her newest …
VISUAL ARTS REVIEW by Alec Clayton for OLY ARTS New to Olympia’s art scene is metal sculptor Cyrra Robinson, a recent graduate of The Evergreen State College, who’s showing a group of sculptures derived from life under the sea. Her sculptures are monumental in concept if not in actual size. They look like they should …
by Christian Carvajal for OLY ARTS Perhaps making up for the pervasive aroma of fertilizer wafting from its mushroom farm in Lacey, Ostrom’s is one of the primary sponsors of the Pacific Northwest Mushroom Festival. This year the event marks its 10th anniversary, and it’s grown — well, like a mushroom. Proceeds benefit Boys & …
by Christina Butcher for OLY ARTS On a clear, summer day, the view from the Heritage Park Fountain in Olympia is nothing short of stunning. The Capitol rises behind a line of cherry trees to meet blue sky as jets of water shoot upward, delighting park visitors. It’s the perfect backdrop for public performances, and …