Introducing the new Lynnwood Lifestyle column

Happy New Year!

You have arrived at the new arts, events, culture and lifestyle column for Lynnwood Today titled, “Lynnwood Lifestyle”.

I am delighted to have been named the first columnist for “Lynnwood Lifestyle”.

“Lynnwood Lifestyle” will appear on the first day of each month and will feature arts and gallery updates, news on culture events, happenings and activities for our readers who live in and around Lynnwood. As we begin 2015 an exciting variety of family activities, evening events, performances and gallery openings await you.

Some of the Lynnwood Today readers may recognize my name from Artfully Edmonds, a column that I have written this past year for My Edmonds News. If so, I am pleased to have you as a reader of Lynnwood Lifestyle.

Over the next several months I will touch on what I learned there about the welcoming, visionary community that began as Alderwood Manor – with “ranchettes” and its own “Babe Ruth” – and became the culturally rich, active lifestyle community of Lynnwood.

Lynnwood, from its bronze sculptures by the likes of David Varnau – to extravaganzas in glass by William Morris – and remarkable murals by Jacob Lawrence – is a community with hidden gems and generous residents.

One Location for all your information

What’s the intention?  Wouldn’t you like your, “What should we do this week?” questions answered at one location, information that is easily accessible on the net – not accidentally tossed into the recycle bin?  Each month we’ll do the sleuthing for you.

If you are planning, or participating in, a community event – be it an author’s reading at the library or a book store, a cultural festival, a gallery opening, a school play – we would love to hear from you. We can let the Lynnwood community know of your “happening” together!  My email address can always be found at the end of each month’s column – and because Lynnwood Lifestyle is an online news source, it’s so easy to re-locate my address: arts@myedmondsnews.com

So! What is happening in Lynnwood that caught my attention for January?  Let’s begin at Edmonds Community College, set within the city limits of Lynnwood:

Edmonds-Community-College

Edmonds Community College (EdCC)
20000 68th Ave. W.

EdCC has exciting, edgy shows in Unexpected North Productions, provocative gallery shows and music highlights throughout the academic year by its faculty and students.

Black Box Theatre
Mukilteo Hall
Thursday, Jan. 15 – 7 pm

Painting the World House
Commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. 

mlk (1)
Courtesy of Emory Douglas

Keynote speaker, Emory Douglas will welcome participants to an event commemorating the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr. organized in collaboration between Edmonds Community College, Edmonds School District and the City of Lynnwood.

In the late 1960s, Douglas was art director for the Black Panther Party’s newspaper and later the party’s Minister of Culture. As the Minister of Culture, his political artwork articulated the party’s messages of black freedom.

Currently Douglas serves as Artist in Residence at Elam International School of Fine Arts, in Auckland, New Zealand.

(The Snohomish County United Way MLK “Day of Service” program is seeking high school student participation as explained in this mention in Lynnwood Today https://lynnwoodtoday.wpengine.com/lynnwood-meadowdale-high-school-students-take-mlk-day-not-day-off/)

UPN-Hip-Hopera

Improvised Hip Hopera
Saturdays through January – 8 pm

You’ve never seen rap and hip hop used in this context before. A story of tragedy and dark humor unfolds every Saturday night in this high-energy show through January.

Art Gallery
Lynnwood Hall, 3rd Fl.

Please Touch
Jan. 5 – March 13

stag-beetle

“Please Touch” is Edmonds Community College Art Gallery’s opening show for the New Year. Opening on Jan. 5 this exhibit by Jim Ballard, and main collaborators Richard Hestekind and David Varnau will focus on the themes of air, earth, and the human form.

An artist’s reception will be held at the gallery on Friday, Jan. 23 at 3:30 pm.

Lynnwood Library
Art Gallery
19200 44th Ave W.

Through Jan 23
Free!

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Jose Johann Bitancor
“Timeline”

The Lynnwood Arts Commission presents “Timeline” an exhibit by artist Jose Johann Bitancor featured at Lynnwood Library Art Gallery.

Bitancor’s multimedia art display traces of the everyday from the use of materials and graphic devices that hint at what is real – be it an anecdote or a commentary.

Bitancor admits owing allegiance to the concerns of Picasso and Braque in treating reality as a springboard towards abstraction. Jose Johann’s lifelong fascination has been with the possibilities of transforming a given object or material from one state to another with the barest of means and achieving intended spontaneity through manipulation of tactile qualities and juxtaposition of elements.

Lynnwood Library Gallery showcases local and regional artists on both the amateur and professional level.

Library hours are Monday-Thursday from 10 am – 9 pm, Friday from 10 am – 6 pm, Saturday from 10 am – 5 pm and Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm and is closed on national holidays. The Gallery is exhibited in the multi-purpose rooms; call ahead for viewing availability, 425-778-2148

Hanji Paper Craft
Free!

Jan. 24 1 – 5 pm

Learn the ancient Korean art form, Hanji, from masters Young Ok and Sebastian Kim as demonstrated in this video https://youtu.be/v-MOtN6bTh8
https://youtu.be/v-MOtN6bTh8

This arts event is funded by the Friends of the Lynnwood Library.

On-line registration to sign up for this unique art form is at  https://host5.evanced.info/sno_isle/evanced/eventsignup.asp?ID=60823&rts=&disptype=&ret=eventcalendar.asp&pointer=&returnToSearch=&num=0&ad=&dt=mo&mo=1/1/2015&df=calendar&EventType=ALL&Lib=11&AgeGroup=ALL&LangType=0&WindowMode=&noheader=&lad=&pub=1&nopub=&page=&pgdisp=

Music

Trinity Lutheran Church
6215 196th Ave. SW

Wednesday, Jan. 14 – 7 pm

Chamber Choir & Willamette Singers
Willamette University.  Free Admission.

Jacobs on the organ Trinity (1)
Simon Thomas Jacobs

Sunday, Jan. 18 – 7 pm

Artists at the Organ

To open its 20th season Artists at the Organ will feature the talent of Simon Thomas Jacobs on the Pasi Organ. This performance will serve as Jacobs’ introduction to Seattle-area audiences after his win at the St. Albans International Organ Competition.

Tickets are arranged by calling 425-778-2159.

Dance!

What improves one’s lifestyle more than the joy of dancing?  Whether you’re the parent of a Little One, or the grandparent of a Little One, there are many just dance options to choose from in Lynnwood. Here are a few for this month:

Some selections that “Lynnwood Lifestyle” noticed in the City of Lynnwood Parks and Recreation guide https://www.ci.lynnwood.wa.us/Assets/Departments/Parks/Documents/Recreation+Guide.pdf include

“Hip Hop Dance” for the kid crowd. Divided into age groups 5-8 and 9-12 this introductory clss promises a fun-filled, energetic environment for kids. Time to get them out of the house for something fun?  Classes begin soon – Jan. 7.

With winter winds swirling are you and your kids thinking “Hawaii”?  If so they might warm to the Hula lessons offered on Tuesday evenings. Sets for the month-long dance sessions begin on Jan. 6 and will teach children about Hawaiian culture and the Spirit of Aloha.

Dance classes are what catapulted area residents Casey Askew, Rickie Taylor, and Erik Linder to fame!  All three were featured this past year in My Edmonds News: https://myedmondsnews.com/2014/07/meadowdale-graduate-competes-dream-tonight/ and https://myedmondsnews.com/2014/12/local-dancing-duo-wins-gold-ballrooom-world-championships/

Ballroom dance classes for those 15+ are offered Friday evenings through City of Lynnwood Parks and Recreation beginning Jan. 9.

For more information, and the on-line sign up sheet go to https://www.ci.lynnwood.wa.us/Assets/Departments/Parks/Documents/Recreation+Guide.pdf

Dudes and Dolls
Square Dancing

The Dudes & Dolls Square Dance Club lessons begin on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at the Cedar Valley Grange 20526 52nd Ave. W.  Sound fun? Details are on their website: https://www.dudesanddolls.org/dance–events-schedule.html

Events and Activities

Sat./Sun.  Jan 10/11
10 – 4 pm  

Lynnwood Convention Center
3711 196th Ave. W.

Winterific Holiday Show
Free Admission!

THIS Winterific Lynnwood 

Greater Puget Sound (GPS) Fundraisers and Events will be hosting the “Winterific Gift Show” as a fundraiser for the Lynnwood Food Bank on Sunday, Jan. 11.

Billed as a winter gala the fundraiser will feature seventy vendors, artists, crafters with DJ Tobi running the tunes, and raffles.

Museums

Heritage Park 

Wickers Museum at Heritage Park
19921 Poplar Way


Discovering museums is the perfect winter activity and the site of Wickers Museum at Heritage Park is the perfect venue for a day of local history. Acknowledged by historians as Snohomish County’s first planned development, this site – once known as Alderwood Manor – tells the story of Lynnwood’s early heritage.

The museum’s buildings and features include the Superintendent’s Cottage (1917), the water tower, the Humble House (1919), the Wickers Building, and Interurban Trolley car No. 55 which ran on the rail line connecting Everett and Seattle via “Alderwood Manor” between 1910 and 1939.

Public Arts exhibits by renown artists at the Lynnwood Convention Center; Jacob Lawrence lithographs are featured at Lynnwood Senior Center; “Strategies” a bronze sculpture at Spruce Neighborhood Park by Wendy Reed has become iconic to Lynnwood, and the glass extravaganza, “Petroglyph 1990” by William Morris can be viewed in the lobby at City Hall.

Emily ~ 2015 Bio jPeg for NewsEmily Hill is an author of two novels and one short story collection and writes the Artfully Edmonds column. She is retired from a career in public information and news media relations.  If you would like your event listed, or featured, in Lynnwood Lifestyle, Emily invites you to contact her at: arts@myedmondsnews.com.

  1. Wow – very very cool Emily. The citizens of Lynnwood are so lucky to have you providing this great info for them. I look forward to reading your column every month.

  2. Anyone that mentions Dudes & Dolls Square Dance Club in a column has to be a person of impeccable taste, and a commendable community spirit. Keep up the good, nay, GREAT, work. From WarnzWords.

  3. Dear Maggie and Warren,
    Thank you for your kind words of encouragement for “Lynnwood Lifestyle” ~ Lynnwood is such an energetic, brightly-lit community of welcoming residents, this maiden column was simply A Joy to write.
    See you next month! ~*~ Emily

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