CALL FOR ENTRIES — WIN $500 DOLLARS IN 2015 PROCTOR ARTS FEST POSTER CONTEST

As I write this, the rain clouds have parted, at least temporarily, and I'm dreaming of the summer that will eventually come and the 2015 Proctor Arts Fest, held on the first Saturday of August each year, in Tacoma's Proctor Business District. In 2015, the date will be Aug. 1. 

The colorful salmon image above, created by artist Janet Stiles, was last year's winner in the annual poster contest to promote this popular event. Maybe this time next year, I'll be writing another blog post showing YOUR design. All artists are eligible, not just those in Tacoma, although the policy now is that previous winners may not enter again.

Being featured on Good Life Northwest would only be a minor bit of glory compared with having your image spread around on billboards, posters, T-shirts, and other possible media. Imagine the thrill of winning a $500 purchase award and bringing widespread attention to your talents. 

For complete information on this contest, please click here. Entries must be submitted by April 15, 2015, so get busy creating your own unique design that reflects the spirit of a summer arts festival. (My advice? think SUN! We need some.) Good luck.

Please "like" Good Life Northwest on Facebook, and do share this post with artists you know! 

Northwest Artists - Enter to WIN $500 in Proctor Arts Fest Poster Contest

Artwork by 2009 poster contest winner Janette Stiles 

Spring flowers are just starting to bloom here in the Northwest, but the Proctor Arts Fest Committee in Tacoma is already busy planning another delightful festival during the warm days of late summer. On August 2, 2014, this popular one-day community festival will take over the Proctor Business District once again. That means another poster with bright and beautiful artwork to catch the eye is needed to promote this event. The committee invites Pacific Northwest artists to submit entries in the annual poster contest. The deadline for entering is April 15, 2014.

Artwork by Andrea Greenfield, 2012 poster contest winner.

Entries must be original works reflecting the spirit of a summer arts festival and submitted on a CD. This year, the winning artist will receive a $500 purchase award, an increase over last year. Art in any medium is permitted, with the exception of computer generated art. You can download a pdf. containing all the official rules and contact information by clicking here. 

It might be March, and still rainy, but get out those paints, pastels, etc., and create your own summer sunshine. Even if you don't win, it will make you happy. On the other hand, you could win, and that could make you, well, maybe even happier! Good luck! While in the Proctor District, remember to stop by the Proctor Art Gallery on 26th. 

Let these five winning posters from past contests inspire you.

Artwork by Janette Stiles,  2010 winner.

Artwork by 2013 winner,  Maura Desinone

Artwork by 2011 poster contest winner Jeffry Sart

I hope you will "like" Good Life Northwest on Facebook. 

NORTHWEST REPERTORY SINGERS OFFER "SONGS OF LOVE, LUST, AND LAUGHTER"



The Northwest Repertory Singers will give voice to some of life’s richest moments at their upcoming concert, “Songs of Love, Lust, and Laughter.” And just as those moments pass too quickly for all of us, so did the past season for fans of this highly acclaimed vocal ensemble. Their final performance for the 2012-1013 season takes place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 19, at Mason United Methodist Church in Tacoma’s Proctor District, the last chance to enjoy their stirring music until October. You won't want to miss this one, especially considering the delightful theme.

The ensemble’s Artistic Director Dr. Paul Schultz gave me some enticing details:

"This concert closes a terrific 2012-2013 season and has something for everyone. The Songs of Love include Brahms' Liebeslieder Waltzes for piano four-hands and my wife, Donna Gartman Schultz, joins accompanist Marjorie Skreen as the third and fourth hands. Songs of Lust are covered by selections from section three of the very popular Carmina Burana (The Court of Love). I will guarantee you'll leave laughing after a couple visits from PDQ Bach and songs carrots and rutabagas by Seattle's John Muehleisen."

 

Schultz will present a lecture between 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., before the performance begins, to offer background and enhance your experience of the choral music you’ll hear. With his warm and charming personality, his talks always entertain as much as they enlighten.

Surprise, delight, and occasional laughter make every Northwest Repertory Singers a thrill to attend. After hearing a vocal music performance of such unsurpassed quality and beauty, you will leave reminded that, in spite of all the turmoil in the world, we were meant to live with joy. Take a look at the joy in store during their 2012-1014 season by clicking here. The video below, from a past performance, shows the love, talent, and professionalism each dedicated member brings to the group. Here are some accolades.


 

Mason United Methodist Church is located at 2710 N. Madison St., Tacoma, WA 98407. If you’ve ever visited the Proctor Farmers Market, you’ve seen the large white church building on the street corner at the market’s west end. It’s also home to one location of the FISH Food Bank, and donations of non-perishable food or cash on the day of the concert, or any time, are deeply appreciated.

The last day to purchase tickets online is today, Wednesday, May 15, and you can do so, without a service fee, online at Brown Paper Tickets or by calling (800) 838-3006 or (253) 265-3042.

Unless they sell out early, tickets will also be available at the door: $18 general admission, and $15 for senior/student/military. Children under 12 are free.

And those tickets entitle you to discounts at three Proctor District Restaurants. See the NWRS newsletter for details.

Instead of your usual activities (gardening, housework, errands) why not treat yourself to something truly memorable this weekend?

Photos were provided by, and used with the permission of, Northwest Repertory Singers.

 

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PROCTOR ARTS FEST COMMITTEE INVITES PIERCE COUNTY ARTISTS TO ENTER POSTER CONTEST

The Proctor Business District, in the north end of Tacoma, is known for its atmosphere of vitality and community spirit and its delightful summer Arts Fest, which will occur on Saturday, August 3 this year. Through an annual contest, some lucky Pierce County artist's poster design will be chosen to promote this event. The artist will win cash and plenty of publicity.

 

The winning poster for the Proctor Arts Fest 2012, painted by Andrea Greenfield

“The ProctorArts Fest Poster contest is a great way to show off your art,” said BonnieCargol, a member of the festival committee and an artist herself. “If your art is selected, you will not only win $300.00, but you will see it on the Arts Fest posters all over town, in the paper, and on a billboard in the ProctorBusiness District! How great is that?”

 

Here’s how great it is.

·         The winner will receive a $300 purchase award, the acceptance of which grants the Proctor Arts Fest Committee the right to reproduce the artwork ONLY for the purpose of promoting the event. The original art will remain the property of the artist.

·         The winning artist can display his or her artwork in the Proctor Art Gallery on the day of the festival and all through the week preceding it.

·         With the exceptions of photography and art generated by computer, any artistic medium will be accepted.

·         The winner’s artwork will be an important and highly visible part of a popular event that keeps gaining attendees and attention.

Trumpeter Lance Buller and his Combo dazzled crowds at the 2012 Arts Fest

 

The ProctorArts Fest, purposely planned for what is statistically the summer weekend least likely to have rain, has everything going for it—plenty to see, do, and enjoy.  Many of the region’s best artists and artisans of all kinds prioritize this event and reserve their spaces early. Live entertainment and tasty foods make for a day packed full of family fun. But even if you’ve never been to this event, you can use your imagination to create a piece of artwork following the theme of the spirit of a summer art festival.

“Just imagine what a fun Art Fest and street fair mean to you,” Cargol said.  Paint, draw, sculpt, etc., a picture of it, put it on a CD, and mail it to us. Please no photography or computer generated art.”

Although limited to artists living in Pierce County, students at the local colleges are welcome to enter, as are artists of all ages. A committee made up of artists and Proctor business people will judge the entries.

 Additional information:

Do not include lettering on your art, unless it is integral to the design. The printed information will be added to the poster by our graphic designer/printer. Please do not feature any Proctor Business. Submit your entry on a CD. CDs will not be returned.

Entries must be postmarked by April 15, or dropped off at the Proctor Art Gallery, 3811 N. 26th Street, by this date.

Send entries to:

Proctor District Association

Proctor Arts Fest Poster Contest
P.O. Box 7291
Tacoma WA 98417

Include name, telephone number, email, media and brief resume.

For questions, contact Bonnie Cargol at bonniecargol@gmail.com

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Help Save the Blue Mouse Theatre

 

  

Like the subject of a Norman Rockwell painting, Tacoma’s Proctor District thrives and functions as the quintessential American village—walkable, convenient, and complete, with a lively retail core, schools, churches, fire station, restaurants, library, services, a farmers market, and more—a gem within the larger city. And if Proctor had its own official town hall, that might be the historic Blue Mouse Theatre.

On balmy summer evenings or rainy November nights, it’s a community gathering place. Outside, friends and neighbors visit with each other while waiting to step up to the box office window, where General Manager Susan Evans will offer a cheery greeting and joke around as she hands them their tickets. The old paneled doors open and the warmth of the lobby and smell of popcorn wrap around you like a hug. Above it all, those little blue neon mice just keep scampering across the marquee, at least for now. But they are in danger.
 



Concerning this icon of the community, the word on the street in Proctor is “Go digital or go dark.” Like every small, vintage theater across the country, the Blue Mouse faces the high cost of digital conversion. During 2013, it will become far more difficult, if not impossible, to obtain 35mm film versions of movies as the digital format sweeps the market. But converting to digital projection equipment can cost $75,000-$100,000 or more.

You can help to save this 89-year-old treasure by participating in the KICKSTARTER campaign set up, in partnership with Tacoma Neighborhoods Together, to raise funds for the conversion. This Kickstarter page includes a great video about the Blue Mouse. The theater’s loyal fans are already chipping in and at last check, I see that fewer than 200 people have already contributed over $11,000. But it will take much more. With the minimum contribution set at just $1.00, everyone can help, at least a little. Won’t you, please?

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PROCTOR ARTS FEST in TACOMA AUG. 4 Offers More FREE Music Than Ever

The Proctor Arts Fest, in the Proctor business district in Tacoma, just keeps getting bigger and better each year. This year's event, on Saturday Aug. 4, tops them all with the addition of the new CHALET BOWL STAGE and many more arts and crafts vendors.

As you wander through the many attractions, be sure to head east on 26th to Washington Street, near the Wheelock Branch of the Tacoma Public Library where the new extension of the festival will be set up for your enjoyment. 

The entertainers booked for the CHALET BOWL STAGE  will make it the place to be, the hot spot of the day. And speaking of HOT, the weather forecast sounds pretty toasty, making the COVERED SEATING even more appealing.

Here are the acts for this new stage:

11:00 - 12:00

LOS FLACOS is a quartet performing traditional acoustic music from Mexico and Latin America on a variety of instruments. Among them are harp, violin, guitar, flute, and hand percussion. They will also sing. This is something truly special and different that you don't get to hear every day. Add to this delightful mix, the talents of a lovely dancer for an experience you won't forget. Violinist Tim Wetmiller is also well known for his band Hot Club Sandwich.

12:15 - 1:15

TOBY HANSON, Leader of the popular and extremely busy Smilin' Scandinavians band, master of the accordion and vocals, and an all around great entertainer, treats us to a special solo performance here. He skillfully presents traditional Scandinavian and European music, including polkas, as well as some great American Western Swing! Fun, funny, and super talented, he'll turn you into an accordion fan for sure.

1:30 - 2:30

LANCE BULLER TRIO  Lance began playing the trumpet at age 13 in Los Angeles and just kept getting better! He excelled at music all through high school and college and was playing with the best rock and jazz bands in L.A.before making a splash in Las Vegas. He played, toured, and recorded with the Beach Boys for years and formed his own band, the Monarchs. Buller has done about 25 albums and continues to grow in popularity as a jazz master all up and down the West Coast and in Canada. But the best part is, he's a proud citizen of Tacoma and lives in the Proctor District. Catch his act at Maxwell's in downtown Tacoma every Friday night!

photo by Dave Prill

2:45 - 3:45

KIMBALL AND THE FUGITIVES  This trio seems to do it all and do it extremely well, offering the truely American music you love and bringing back all those good memories of summers past. With classic rock, rhythm and blues, jazz, swing, rockabilly, country and more, Kimball Conant and the crew keep the good times rolling. Come hear why this band has been so popular throughout the Northwest for years. Don't miss them!

4:00 - 5:00

MORGAN AND GRAVES This amazing duo from Seattle is known far and wide for their performances of a variety of tunes played on guitar and fiddle, plus great vocals. Ranging from traditional mountain music to modern folk tunes, rock, jazz and captivating originals, their sound is one you will fall in love with. Be sure you take advantage of this chance to hear Morgan and Graves so you can learn why they are so much in demand.

See you at the Proctor Arts Fest, Saturday Aug. 4, in Tacoma.



Goodbye, Rhododendron — Historic Washington State Ferry's last day on the run between Vashon Island and Point Defiance (video included)

When I awoke to a downpour this morning, I thought about Monday's remarkable sunshine and the odd way it arrived just in time for an event that was both sad and largely ignored. My husband and I appreciated the meager warmth as we leaned against a railing on the Point Defiance waterfront and watched history being made. We witnessed the 64-year-old ferry Rhododendron making its last run between the Talequah landing on Vashon Island and Point Defiance in Tacoma, before being retired. On a rainy day, it would have felt even more depressing to say goodbye.

View of Chetzemoka from North Tacoma

We had been in Tacoma's Proctor District and headed north from there to go down to the Point Defiance Park because I wanted to take some photos in the sunshine. But as we reached the bluff, we saw how opportune our decision had been. There was the replacement ferry, M/V Chetzemoka, sailing past Maury Island in a spot where no ferry belonged. Until we saw it, we didn't realize the day had come, the day the Rhododendron would sail off forever. We headed straight for a vantage point above the ferry landing. By the time we arrived, the new ferry was pulling in.

The Chetzemoka approaches the ferry landing at Point Defiance

Built at Todd Shipyard in Seattle at the cost of  $79.4 million, the Chetzemoka caused all kinds of fanfare when it arrived in Port Townsend to serve the Port Townsend/Coupeville run. That was only a little over a year ago. (You can read about the whole expensive and probably misguided saga in this article from the Port Townsend Leader.) This ferry was meant for Port Townsend and named for a Native American leader from that area. The passenger cabin even features artwork portraying historic Port Townsend. Now we have it here in Tacoma, and they don't.



Maybe I'll get used to the Chetzemoka, but it might take a long time. Right now, it doesn't feel like it belongs here. With a gross tonnage of 4,623 and horsepower of 6,000—compared to the Rhododendron's gross tonnage of 937 and horsepower of 2,172— it will obviously use far, far more fuel for the 1.5 mile, 10-minute trip. How much shorter does a 10-minute trip need to be? And so what if it has a galley? Who has time to buy food and consume it during this short trip? Here is a comparison of the two vessels: M/V Rhododendron and M/V Chetzemoka

The Rhododendron heads for the Point Defiance dock with the Chetzemoka waiting in the background.

After what seemed like some kind of test, the Chetzemoka pulled out, heading toward the passage on Vashon's west side, then made a surprisingly quick maneuver, turning around and positioning itself for another approach to the dock, even as the older boat headed for Point Defiance. At that moment, I felt the sadness of what was happening. It seemed like the 64-year-old Rhododendron, still beautiful—and in the opinion of many, still repairable—was leaving a long marriage against her will. And out there in the water, her much younger replacement watched and waited impatiently, to move in.  Here is a video of the Rhododendron's arrival.

Leaning against that railing, surrounded by things I love—the gulls, the smell of the salt water, sounds of boats and waves, the sight of Vashon Island— I thought about change and how many endings life brings. Ships, like people and places, can be taken for granted, there one day and then gone forever. I've seen many ferries come and go and I treasure childhood memories of some of the older ones. Even though the Rhododendron showed up on the Vashon-Point Defiance run many years after  my childhood, I've come to know it well. And my husband had worked on this ferry when it was in the dry dock. He loved it. Now it was leaving.     

M/V Rhododendron at the Point Defiance ferry landing.

I know my husband and I weren't the only ones who cared. I am sure the officers and crew did, along with the islanders who depended on and loved this vessel. I know that last Sunday a group of folks from Vashon took a farewell ride, described here in the Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber. But where was the press on Monday? Did the people sitting in Anthony's seaside restaurant pay attention? 

It seems that too often people quickly lose interest in the things that are part of our local history and every day lives—and in this case our maritime heritage—just because they are old. Why must we always replace things with something newer and always far more expensive? Old buildings and old ships seem to lose their lustre in some people's eyes. Not mine or my husband's. He had worked doing repairs on the Rhododendron in the past.

So for all of you who will miss this great old ferry as much as we will, no matter how few your numbers, here's a gift. I discovered a wonderful website called "Evergreen Fleet" and on this page, ou can hear the Rhododendron's whistle blow once again, lest you should forget.

Note: Video recorded by Candace Brown. All text and photos in this blog post are the property of Candace Brown and cannot be used without permission. Copyright 2012 Candace J. Brown

Rain Barrels- an idea to consider on Earth Day

It must have been the rain here in Tacoma this morning that made me feel so cozy in bed, not wanting to crawl out. But what could be more perfect than to wake up on Earth Day 2009, planning to write a blog post about rain barrels, and find it raining?

I know that one local guy named Dan Borba woke up happy when he heard the rain. I can just picture him with that grin of his, listening to the gurgle in his down spouts and thinking "YAHOO!" Why? Because when Borba hears that sound it means he's harvesting rain. He's an expert at it, THE guy to talk to if you want to learn about making and using rain barrels to create an off-the-grid source of free water for many uses beyond watering your lawn and flower beds. Some people have even figured out how to access it to flush toilets.

He sells rain barrels at local farmers markets and through his fascinating website for Natural Rain Water. Check the website for interesting and thought provoking articles, instructions on how to build your own, where to locate them and how to install, "gadgets and gizmos" and other information. You can also see photos and read about some ways people in Tacoma benefit from rain barrels. You'll be amazed to learn how much free rain water you've been missing out on if you don't have a rain barrel.

"A 1,200 square foot roof in Tacoma has roughly 27,000 gallons/year falling on it!," Borba says. "With four downspouts, that's about 7,000 gallons/year running through your rain barrel!" If you're curious about the potential rain harvest where you live, check on rainfall statistics by clicking HERE.

"Wait a minute," you're saying. " Aren't you in the Pacific Northwest where it rains all the time?" Sorry folks, but that's just a myth we perpetuate to keep everyone from moving here. The past two days have been unseasonably warm and sunny and sometimes it can get pretty dry here in the summer months. That isn't to say we regularly run short of water, but we can, and Borba sees no reason why this abundant natural resource should be wasted. He has a lot of good reasons for harvesting rain that range from the condition of salmon streams to self sufficiency. But part of the attraction is what he refers to as the "childlike joy" of having his own water system. It's part of Borba's sense of freedom as a human being, and hey, it's just plain fun.

Celebrate Earth Day 2009 by learning more about water conservation and checking out Natural Rain Water. You can meet Dan Borba at the Proctor Farmers Market in north Tacoma's Proctor business district any Saturday spring through fall, or contact him through his website. He'll be happy to answer your questions. Then you too can start smiling more when you wake up to a rainy day.

The Best Christmas Shopping in the Northwest- (plus a FREE GIFT for you)

Forget about Santa’s workshop at the North Pole. The best gifts are made right here in the Pacific Northwest, and they’re waiting for you in an old brick building on the corner of 27th and Proctor, in Tacoma, Washington. It’s the Pacific Northwest Shop, one of my favorite places any time of year, but especially now. (Read on to find out about the totally FREE gift you’ll get just for coming in.) I stopped by today, greeted by the bell on the door, and a pretty display of lighted trees in the window, and owner Bill Evans. “Well hello there, Candace!” he said, while giving his usual caring attention to customers, employees, and boxes of new merchandise that keep arriving. I call him a friend, but so do hundreds of other local people, so it’s always “old home week” in the shop. Those four walls contain not only the bounty of the Northwest, but the spirit of this place as well: natural beauty, good taste, friendliness and warmth.


Every year I send gifts with a regional flavor and flare to places as distant as Denmark. It’s easy to find something special at Bill’s shop. If you’re reading this but don’t live near Tacoma you can even browse the vast selection on line and read about the products and their makers. I picked up a basket at the door (that is, a REAL basket, not a dirty plastic one) and started selecting gifts I wish someone would buy for me, and that could mean anything in the store.





Specialty foods tempt shoppers immediately. There’s smoked wild Pacific salmon from Kasilof Fish Company, local preserves, dried fruit, extraordinary chocolate, coffees and teas (try Enchanted Teas made right in Tacoma), soup and baking mixes, Dan the Sausage Man summer sausage, and novelties like Space Needle Pasta, or Huckleberry Salt Water Taffy. I wish I could mention them all. How about a Washington State wine? Delights like these end up in specially chosen or custom made signature gift boxes the shop sends out each year by the hundreds, if not thousands, all over the country. They do the packing and even take them to the post office for you. I love thinking of recipients in far away states, or right in town, opening one of those collections of treasures.



Man cannot live by delicacies alone, but must also feed the soul with art. I am madly in love with the exquisite fused copper and glass creations of Jones Glassworks in Seattle, with their classically Northwest salmon theme. “It’s two brothers, the Jones brothers,” Bill said. Knowing about the vendors means a lot to him. I relished the richly colored pottery by northwest potter Mark Hudak, and tiles by Paul Lewing. These combine form with function, but the shop carries framed artwork as well, with subjects like regional scenery, Native American images, maritime, etc. The artwork extends to greeting cards, calendars and more. How could I forget the jewelry? Oh my! Those silver pieces in Northwest Native American designs call to me every time, and I've bought a lot of the Jody Coyote earrings.


If you love art glass, in addition to Jones Glassworks’ wonders, you'll find a huge selection from Glass Eye Studio. Made from the ash of Mount Saint Helens, these gems are arranged in front of a south-facing window like one huge kaleidoscope in every color and pattern imaginable. Impressive bowls and vases sit on shelves, but for only $22 you can buy one of the hundreds of glass balls displayed hanging or heaped in a trunk. Call them Christmas ornaments if you wish, but I’d hang one in a sunny window all year around, and they’re always available.



Books make great gifts and the Pacific Northwest Shop is loaded with titles from local authors, on a variety of regional subjects: cooking, travel, nature, history, and more, including one written by the store’s owner Bill Evans himself, along with historian Caroline Gallacci. It’s a fascinating history, from the popular Images of America Series, called "Tacoma’s Proctor District".



What makes this shop so special is Bill himself. He loves supporting local artists, artisans, writers, photographers, and cottage industries, especially in small towns, with products ranging from foods, like Thorp Prairie Corn Bread to natural soaps and lotions of which he has a large selection. “Look at this,” he said, holding up a bar of handmade soap. “Shepards Soap Company, in Shelton, Washington. Aren’t these great?” What’s also great is the way Bill knows his vendors personally and sincerely wants to help their businesses succeed. ( I too, wish I had space to mention everyone by name.) You can feel the warm and giving spirit of this shopkeeper permeating the store, so if you need a dose of Christmas cheer, unique Northwest gifts, and old-fashioned customer service from a great staff, come on in, and… (here’s the surprise) If you tell him you read this blog post on Good Life Northwest he’ll give you a FREE package of Rocca Thins chocolate coated buttercrunch candy.

Hey Santa, you’d better watch out! With a red hat and a beard, this guy could have your job.