SEQUIM — The Sequim Irrigation Festival theme — “Where water is wealth” — inspired the aqua color theme celebrating cultivation and culture during Sequim’s First Friday Art Walk.
The art walk from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday will focus primarily on the first weekend of the Sequim Irrigation Festival — Crazy Callen weekend from Friday through Sunday.
The Irrigation Festival Innovative Arts and Crafts Fair launches the First Friday Art Walk Sequim Patron Preview along with the new Crazy Daze Breakfast for Dinner at the Sequim Civic Center Plaza, 152 W. Cedar St.
Friday’s entertainment schedule includes Crazy Daze Community Skits from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sara Shea and Group from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the performance stage. D.R. Callen, nicknamed Crazy Callen, was the designer of the first irrigation ditches in Sequim that took water from the Dungeness River to the Sequim Valley.
The fair celebrates creativity, inventiveness and sustainability. It emphasizes reusability, repurpose and recycling, as well as high-quality hand-made craft products with the opportunity to engage directly with the artists and learn about their art practice and passion. Join us for shopping, food, photo ops, entertainment, demonstrations and fun as we honor the innovation that turned Sequim into a growing, productive community.
Innovative Arts and Crafts Fair artists, food and nonprofit vendors include 3D Wood Maps, 10 Buffalos Art, Aloha Smoothies, Ansley Art & Images, Artisan Sea Glass, Blue Mountain Baking Co., Bottleworks451 Recycled Material Art, Cal Sal Pies, Colibri Sustainable Living, Contour Vision LLC, Coyotesong, Designed by Meg, Dougerly Candle Co., D’s Nuts, Egg Roll Hut, Fairview Lake Studios, FOCC, hue are you?, Lil Log Cabin Creations, Lisa’s Designs, Little Green, Mary B Truly, Northwest Niche, Olympic Peninsula Authors, Olympus Hot Dogs / Gyros, Paperwings Studio, Peninsula College / Morning Star Designs, Peninsula Craft Studio, Peninsula Friends of Animals, Pop’s Sausage Grill, The Crusty Clam, Sassy Glass, Sequim Bee Farm, Sequim Botanical Garden, Sequim Farmers & Artisans Market, Smoothie Essentials, Reuse Art Spotlight with City Arts Advisory Committee, and Irrigation Festival merchandise.
Other special events on the art walk are:
• Blue Whole Gallery, 129 W. Washington St., which features the exhibition “Create from Nature’s Order” with fractal artist Dan Brewer and Dennis (Doc) Pangborn, a painter of two-dimension art.
• Sequim Museum & Arts, 544 N. Sequim Ave., features Keith Ross of Keith’s Frame of Mind in Sequim, in the Judith McInnes Tozzer Gallery. Ross is widely known and respected for his wildlife photography, and for his event and portrait photography as the official photographer for the Sequim Irrigation Festival season. This exhibit is called “Heavy on Herons,” featuring a full gallery of framed Great Blue Heron images, along with a laser projector slide show of 283 heron images on a 10-foot big screen.
• Cedarbrook Lavender Gift Shop at 120 W. Washington Street has farm-fresh lavender creations, treats and vintage décor items.
• Sequim Spice and Tea at 139 W. Washington St. has heartfelt unique art including glass, pottery, illustration and photography by local artists. You can also find artful, creative tea blends, colorful and fun teapots and cups and cheerful culinary gifts.
• From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Rainshadow Café at 157 W. Cedar St. has live music with Dawn & Steve. Come sing your favorite songs with a full menu and drinks to enjoy. Some dancing is encouraged too. Rainshadow Café is also hosting the Sarah Necco.
• Pacific Mist — Books, Cards & Gifts, 122 W. Washington St., hosts By the Sea Simple Luxuries by Kathy Snoden connecting with the Art Walk’s aqua color and water theme.
• Wind Rose Cellars, 143 W. Washington St., hosts The Wazoo (rock, blues and a little folk music) and local artists Bob Allen and Verna Allen. Wind Rose Cellars is also hosting Peninsula Art Friends art exhibit through the month of May. Participating members are Beverly Beighle, Connie Drysdale, Melissa Doyel, Allyne Lawson, Roger Huntley, Cecilia Olivera-Hillway, Shirley Rudolf and Randy Washburne.
First Friday Art Walk is a free, self-guided tour of Sequim art venues the first Friday of every month. At SequimArtWalk.com are a map and details about special events.
The color aqua expresses responsible, sustainable elements of cool fresh water, abundant salty seas, renewing rain and bright sunny skies.
Besides wearing the color theme of Aqua, everyone is encouraged to dress up in amusing and whimsical outfits for the Irrigation Festival’s “Callen Crazy Days,” said Renne Emiko Brock, who orgnizes the art walk each month.
To participate as a venue or artist on the Official First Friday Art Walk Sequim map, listing and website, contact Brock at 360-460-3023 or renne@uniqueasyou.com. Artists of any media are encouraged to get information to her for publicity and opportunities.
