My fingers are sore from typing out the title of all the goings on this week! Take a look in today’s column for the many upcoming art events around town.

Edmonds College Student Art Showcase

The Student Art Showcase will be on display until June 16 at Lynnwood Hall on the campus of Edmonds College.

Now through June 16

Lynnwood Hall

20000 68th Ave. W., Lynnwood

The Edmonds College Art Gallery’s spring exhibition is a Student Art Showcase featuring students’ drawings, paintings, designs and photography. The exhibition will be displayed until June 16.

This year’s show is co-curated by Edmonds College’s faculty chair of the art department, Audineh Asaf, and drawing and painting instructor Tim Cross. While many of the pieces on display were created as part of classes the students took at Edmonds College, some are independent works by students.

“We’re excited to feature a special exhibit of short, self-published works called zines created by my two-dimensional design students, which explores a variety of thought-provoking topics,” said Asaf. “These zines are now part of the library’s collection, and students can check them out to continue engaging with the artwork and ideas beyond the exhibit.”

The Student Art Showcase is on display through June 16 on the third floor of Lynnwood Hall. The gallery is open 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Friday. A reception celebrating the exhibition will be held at the gallery 2-4 p.m. Friday, May 12. For more information, visit here.

~ ~ ~ ~

Art show featuring Jemicaca World Art Photography and Nancy Peacock opening this weekend

Saturday, April 15, 4 p.m.

Cafe Louvre

210 5th Ave. S., Edmonds

Stop by Cafe Louvre this Saturday to enjoy refreshments and local art by My Edmonds News’ own Jeanne Misha Martinez Carter and Edmonds artist Nancy Peacock. Attendees will also be eligible to win a beautiful canvas print original.

In her show, Imagine Nature, Carter captures the quintessential world of nature through her lens to bring an abundance of inspiration and emotion to the thirsty heart. “There are no tragedies, only living, and even though living sometimes wounds, the next beautiful thing may be right under your feet.”

The other artist, Nancy Peacock, has a long history with local high school bands and draws beautiful posters for them. Her paintings are aptly titled School of Jazz.

~ ~ ~ ~

All Decks On Hand pop-up art show

Thursday – Saturday, April 20-22

Graphite Arts Center

202 Main St., Edmonds

Have a skateboarder in your life? Make sure they don’t miss the All Decks on Hand pop-up art show, where over 30 local artists will showcase their unique, one-of-a-kind artworks created on repurposed, recycled or salvaged damaged skateboard decks. The art pieces will vary in styles and mediums, making this an event not to be missed.

Presented by Salvage Arts and sponsored by Art Start Northwest, the show will take place from April 20-22 at Graphite, in the heart of downtown Edmonds.

This event is a silent auction art fundraiser aimed at promoting “artists helping artists,” while also raising awareness about the importance of environmental sustainability. Funds raised will be used to fully launch Salvage Arts, a recycled art movement dedicated to funding free, repurposed materials art classes, workshops and demonstrations. Additionally, the funds will also support community clean-up missions and enable future art shows that will benefit various nonprofit organizations, charities and causes.

Each artwork will be available for bidding starting at $200, with increments of $20 for each bid. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate creativity while supporting a worthy cause.

~ ~ ~ ~

Save time during Art Walk Edmonds for Poetry Night 

Thursday, April 20, 6 p.m.

Edmonds Bookshop

111 5th Ave. S., Edmonds

Edmonds Bookshop will be celebrating National Poetry Month with their annual Poetry Night April 20 at 6 p.m. during Art Walk Edmonds. This is the first time the Poetry Night has been held in person since the pandemic. It promises to be a wonderful evening, moderated by David Horowitz of Rose Alley Press and featuring three local poets: Michael Magee, Janée J. Baugher and Bethany Reid. More information on each of these poets and their extensive accomplishments can be found on their respective websites: Michael Magee at MoonPath Press; Janée Baugher at her website here; Bethany Reid at her website here; and host David Horowitz at Rose Alley Press. All the poets will be available after the reading to sign books and chat with attendees.

The event will be both in person and live-streamed on Edmonds Bookshop’s Facebook page.

~ ~ ~ ~

Original staged reading of “The Unrequited”

Sunday, April 23, 7 p.m.

Wade James Theater

950 Main St., Edmonds

Catch this free staged reading of The Unrequited, written and directed by Jeff Mandels. It’s part of the First Draft staged reading series presented by the Edmonds Driftwood Players and Driftwood After Dark.

30 January, 1940. We are in the psychiatric hospital at Wiesloch, Germany as we see four female patients on the eve of being sent to a transfer center where they will receive special care. Our nurse in charge of this group, Nurse Ava Gerhard, has a secret. And so our story begins…

*Content warning from playwright/director: This story contains dark themes, but it needs to be told. It does have comedic elements, however, this play contains adult language and some violent behavior (although physicality is limited due to scripts on music stands). Themes include Nazi Germany, suicide, sex work, eugenics and the mentally ill.

Admission is free but seats need to be reserved in advance. Get yours here!

~ ~ ~ ~

“Painting Away The Trauma II” exhibition spotlights art created by veterans 

Wednesday, April 26, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m

Shoreline Community College, Pagoda Union Building (PUB, Building 9000) 

16101 Greenwood Ave. N., Shoreline

Artwork created by Puget Sound-area veterans engaged in art therapy will be spotlighted at Painting Away the Trauma II, an exhibition presented by WA AmeriCorps Vet Corps and Shoreline Community College. This free, one-day exhibition will feature creative works illustrating what the military experience was like for veterans and how the arts and creative projects provide a platform to build community and connection. For more information, send an email.

Special guest veteran artist Michael Reagan of Edmonds has raised millions of dollars for charities across the country, primarily through his artwork. Through his Fallen Hero Portrait Project, Reagan has created more than 8,700 portraits of the fallen, free of charge for their families. Reagan will open the event with remarks and will be on hand displaying several of his works.

~ ~ ~ ~

Movie buffs, get your tickets to the Everett Film Festival

Saturday, April 29, 1-9 p.m.

PUD Auditorium Theater

2320 California Ave., Everett

The Everett Film Festival announces an exceptional and riveting lineup for its 2023 event. Saturday will be a full day, with doors opening at 12:30 p.m. There will be nine screenings, including documentaries, narrative features and shorts, beginning at 1 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m. Boxed meals will be free for the first 200 ticket purchasers.

Feature film Hard Shell Soft Shell, by emerging French director Emma Benestan, tells a tale involving romance, feminism and the meaning of happiness. Guest speakers at the event will include Patricia and Kevin Paul from the Museum of Northwest Art, following the artistic short film Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: Honoring Our Stolen Sisters; and a representative from Seattle’s beloved Kubota Garden will lead a Q&A following the film Fujitaru Kubota and His Garden.

The nonprofit Everett Film Festival has been engaging local film-lovers with quality international films since 1997. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit the event website.

~ ~ ~ ~

Edmonds Bookshop celebrates 10th anniversary of Independent Bookstore Day 

Saturday, April 29

Edmonds Bookshop

111 5th Ave. S., Edmonds

Edmonds Bookshop will be joining other independent bookstores in the Seattle area and around the U.S. to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Independent Bookstore Day on Saturday, April 29. There will be prizes and exclusive event giveaways throughout the day and Seattle-area authors Marie Bostwick and Rachel Linden will be at the store from 11 a.m. to noon to help with the festivities. A link to purchase special t-shirts for the event is available on the Edmonds Bookshop website, and they will soon be at the store as well.

As a part of the Seattle Independent Bookstore Day celebration, participants can complete the challenge to visit all 27 registered bookstores from April 29 through Monday, May 8. Bookstore champs who complete the challenge will receive a Bookstore Day Champion Stamp Card, good for a one-time 25% discount at each participating store and valid until April 26, 2024. For those not quite as ambitious, there is an intermediate reward: Get your passport stamped at at least five participating stores during the10-day period and receive a single 25% off coupon, good at any of the participating stores. For more information and a complete list of participating bookstores,  visit the Seattle Independent Bookstore day website.

~ ~ ~ ~

Evergreen Ensemble – A new professional choir, based in Edmonds

Saturday, April 29, 7 p.m.

Edmonds United Methodist Church

828 Caspers St., Edmonds

and

Sunday, April 30, 3 p.m.

Trinity Episcopal Parish Church

609 8th Ave., Seattle

Evergreen Ensemble, directed by Edmonds native David Hendrix, is one of the newest professional vocal ensembles in the Pacific Northwest. Based in Edmonds and featuring some of the finest vocal artists in the region, the ensemble seeks to use choral music as a way of exploring a variety of voices and cultures, as well as a means to support advocacy work that cultivates a more caring, inclusive, and compassionate world.

Evergreen Ensemble’s debut concert is titled All Creation Sings, and is a program centered on the beauty of creation, a lament for the ways we have and continue to harm our world, and a message of hope for the future. It includes music by Jake Runestad, Henry Purcell, Rosphanye Powell, Alice Parker, and more, and also features a world premiere by GRAMMY®-nominated composer, Benedict Sheehan. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit their website.

~ ~ ~ ~

Music in the Museum: Cascadia Art Museum presents Naeim Rahmani

Saturday, May 6, 6 p.m.

Cascadia Art Museum

190 Sunset Ave., Edmonds

This don’t-miss event features classical guitarist, Naeim Rahmani. Rahmani has received numerous accolades, most recently a 2022 Goethe-Institut Residency Award, and a 2023 CityArtist Award from the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture. His previous performance at Cascadia in 2018 was truly memorable.

An accomplished performer nationally and internationally, Naeim is also the artistic director of the Seattle-Isfahan Project. This collaborative venture brings together musicians from Seattle and Iran, it has been recognized by awards and grants from Artist Trust, 4Culture and the Bellevue Arts Program. Outside of his performance career he teaches at Bellevue College. Rahmani immigrated to the U.S. from Iran as a refugee.

Planned repertoire includes pieces by: Villa-Lobos, Sergio Assad, Michael Finnissy, Carlos Rafael Rivera, Dušan Bogdanović, Arthur Kampela, and Atanas Ourkouzounov.

The concerts are about one-hour in length starting at 6 p.m., leaving you time to dine out after. Your concert ticket includes admission to all the museum galleries, so make sure you come early to see the current exhibits! Seating is limited and concerts sell out quickly, so make sure to get tickets today.

~ ~ ~ ~

Save the date: Art For All Showcase and Auction

Sunday, May 7, 11 a.m-5 p.m

Cascadia Art Museum

190 Sunset Ave., Edmonds

Plan to see beautifully designed art pieces made by students. Adaptive technologies helped these students with special needs learn how to create art and strengthened their communication skills.

— By Elizabeth Murray

Elizabeth Murray is a freelance writer thankful to call Edmonds home. When she’s not busy wrangling her two kids (and husband), you can find her playing ukulele and singing with The Band LeLe.