PORT ANGELES — A diverse mix of Second Weekend Art parties gets under way tonight with rock, remembrance, art-making and dancing at Bar N9NE.
There, Second Friday Art Rock, aka 2FAR, is back with a vengeance and with a special El Dia de los Muertos — Day of the Dead — tribute to rock stars who have passed on. El Dia, that Mexican celebration of the departed souls, was Nov. 1-2, but the 2FAR folks are drawing things out with a party tonight.
Beginning at 8 p.m., DJ SchmeeJay will stir up the music he loves; “his creative, funky beats and mixes take you back, forward, and to the limit, keeping you dancing all the while,” promised 2FAR spokesman Dan Lieberman.
At the same time Altarama, a band of artists, will create a shrine to deceased musicians such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and even Amy Winehouse, all of whom belong to the “27 Club” since they died at that tender age.
Costumes and ofrendas — mementos placed on the shrine — are encouraged all evening at Bar N9ne, 229 W. First St. The $3 cover charge supports this monthly event.
Since this is the second weekend of the month, Second Weekend Art Walk festivities will spread across town to include a variety of venues and parties with refreshments, music and actual artists on hand. These include:
■ The Art Blast at the Port Angeles Library, 2210 S. Peabody St., will cause a commotion among local artists and storytellers. Starting at 6:30 p.m., refreshments will be laid out for the reception celebrating a new display by art makers Melissa Klein, Robert Morgenstern, Jan Kepley and Jeanne Edwards. The public is encouraged to come meet the foursome and then stay for live tales by three of Clallam County’s most seasoned storytellers: Cherie Trebon, Alice Susong and Erran Sharpe. The tellers will step up at 7 p.m. for the Art Blast.
Admission for all of the above is free and more details await at 360-417-8500.
■ A Tribute to Veterans, a memorabilia and shadowbox show, has been mounted at Karon’s Frame Center, 625 E. Front St., and everyone is invited to an opening reception from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. tonight
Framed badges, awards, photos, pastels and shadowboxes await, along with a mystery item called a Plank.
To find out more about tonight’s reception and the tribute, phone Karon’s at 360-565-0308.
■ “Creature Feature” is the title of the new art show at Oven Spoonful, 110 E. First St. Melanie Salazar’s collages, paintings and charcoal drawings adorn the cafe, and art lovers are invited to an opening reception at 6 p.m. Saturday.
A portion of the sales of Salazar’s work will go to the World Wildlife Organization.
■ The first Functional Art Show and Sale, an exhibition of furniture, fiber, ceramics, jewelry and such, takes over Studio Bob, the gallery upstairs at 1181/2 E. Front St., this weekend.
The public is invited to the reception with contributing artists from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday. Then, as is the custom at Studio Bob, the show will stay up, with the gallery open from noon to 3 p.m. this Sunday; from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. Saturdays through November.
■ At the Allé Stage, the venue inside the Studio Bob gallery space, DJ Dano will host a Saturday night dance party to cap the Second Weekend Art Walk. Michael’s Divine Dining will take care of the no-host bar; admission to the party will be $5 to benefit future productions on the Allé Stage.
For details about the venue, phone Studio Bob owner Bob Stokes at 415-990-0457, email Sarah@TuckerArt.com or visit the Allé Stage page on Facebook.
■ Art Up Front, the gallery with the view of downtown, is spotlighting its newest artist this month: Ellie Polk.
Her “Simple Ideas” show features delicate small works inspired by the mood inside Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples of Japan, as well as abstract, color-saturated large oil paintings.
All of this awaits upstairs, beside Studio Bob at 1181/2 E. Front St.
Also, the Art Up Front gallery will be open through November during the same hours listed above for the Studio Bob show.
■ The Landing Art Gallery is graced through November with totem art by Ole Olson, carver of the two totem poles at the entrance to The Landing mall.
Olson’s oil paintings and carvings, inspired by locations across the West, are gathered around the show’s centerpiece, a large cedar carving of an eagle and orca in the Northwest Coastal style.
Everyone is invited to the opening reception at The Landing, 115 E. Railroad Ave., from 5 p.m. till 8 p.m. Saturday; the event will include appetizers by Smuggler’s Landing and music by Andrew Courney.
