Shakespeare on San Juan Island

 Island Stage Left's production of King Henry V, photo courtesy John Sinclair

What an amazing week this has been. The weather was summer, flocks of  friends have chosen to show up on the island. After the gallery by day, I am always looking for ways to share island night life with family and friends.

On San Juan Island, we have a treasure called Stage Left whose mission is to provide free professional quality theater to both the residents of  San Juan Island and its visitors.

This year's Shakespeare under the Stars  is King Henry V.

The performances are usually in the evening just prior to sunset. The evening we attended, I remembered to bring my sleeping bag to sit in. Under the stars on San Juan Island, it does Get Cold when the sun sets. That Sunday night the temperature dropped to 49. This has been such an odd summer.

[One can arrive early, bringing a picnic dinner and have a tailgate party. The property that is home to Stage Left has a newly fenced garden. It is a lovely addition to the locale.]

Zipped up in my toasty outfit, hat on my head, I was prepared to be mesmerized by the words of the bard performed on a simply built sturdy stage in the middle of San Juan Island under a moonlight night after a wonderful meal.

The production is an ongoing ensemble cast with each actor playing multiple roles. Costumes are hung on pegs in the rear of the set and are changed repeatedly as actors change their characters.

As with a simplified set, the scenic changes occur with addition or subtraction of  tables and chairs, helping to create the illusion of a palace or a battlefield.

Sitting under the light of a almost half moon was magical.

I found myself closing my eyes and being transported to the days of Henry V .

Politics ruled the day, accented with the human traits of greed and love, etiquette and proprietary, war and peace and of course boy gets girl!

The versatility of this group of actors, the simplicity of the set design, the contemporary and antique costumes all help create the time of Henry V. It is a fabulous production with a stellar cast.

 As it states on the program, "production design elements are kept deliberately simple and concentration is on acting and interpretation. In this way the company is able to focus on the art rather than the administration."

A must see for the summer season of 2010 on San Juan Island! Their spring production of The Clean House By Sarah Ruhl was fantastic.


The show runs a couple of hours without intermission. And the golden buckets await your  financial contribution as we know it is not inexpensive to produce live quality theater. It is marvelous to have such a theater troupe on San Juan Island.

Their website for more info:Stage Left
Cheers

Artist Collectors Appreciation Dinner

Last Saturday, I drove over to the studio of David Eisenhour located in Port Hadlock on the Olympic Peninsula. Leaving Friday Harbor on the 10.25 sailing, two ferry rides later I arrived on the other side via the Kingston run.

Driving the small highways and the crossing on the new and improved Hood Canal Bridge, the town of Port Hadlock was discernible by the 4 way intersection complete with gas stations and fruit stands.

The last fruits of summer were evident by the boxes upon boxes of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Almost there. I visited David's studio three years previous, things were starting to look familiar.

Two old dogs lay in the middle of the street. Drove slowly between the dogs, down the street, they did not bother to get up or bark.
They were tired, and besides, my car still smells dog.

On the right I notice this remarkable tall sculpture standing next to David's newly improved studio.
The new work, Unfolding Milkweed is worked cast steel with 15 ft tall 1/2 inch rods coming out of the top. Over a period of time, David will drive a wooden wedge into the rods to get them to spread out and unfurl.

The work was awesome.

So began the 1st Annual Collector Appreciation Dinner at the his studio. David and his wonderful wife Heidi, fabulous cooks that they are, planned a bountiful dinner with marinated lamb, white salmon, fresh vegetables, potatoes, carefully chosen cheese, and a delightful selection of wines. The kitchen crew was a labor of love. It showed.

I was curious. My impressions are of a solid base of friends and collectors helping to nurture an artist and his vision. I have represented David's work for 10 years. I believe in his portrayal and presentation of his world. His commitment to, as he says "make the invisible world of nature, visible".

Wondering thru the studio there are a few new works, the nautilus fountain, the orchid, and old favorites dock seed, the daisy seeds, the star pod. Out in the field next to the house there stands the magnificent Ibex.

David & Heidi, thank you for sharing.

PS the midnight boccie ball game rocked!

more photos are posted http://picasaweb.google.com/waterworksgallery/DavidEisenhourSStudioShow#

SO Much Art

This weekend on San Juan Island, there is so much art going on.

At Gallery San Juan, Barbara and a few other artists are opening up a show,
Women with texture and one man with flowers."

Experience the texture and colors of hand picked Northwest women artists

and one man with flowers. Also enjoy food of color and texture.

Artists: BJ Dollahite, Barbara DePirro, Jocelyn Russell, Teri Jo Summer,

Ann Walbert and Kevin Roth.

Down the street, or rather up the street on Sunday, Arctic

Publish Post

Raven in conjunction with the San Juan Island Library and Skagit Valley College will host, "In Creation the Raven Sings" at San Juan Island Grange Hall on Sunday, July 12, 2 PM. Acclaimed Northwest Coast Native artists Rande Cook and Francis Dick will bring their culture alive by connecting the elements of art and song in a presentation. For more info call 360.378.

And uptown at waterworks gallery, the gallery features new water and landscape paintings Tim Schumm, an impressionistic painter. Stop by the gallery and meet him on Saturday,July 11, from 4 to 8. Some beautiful water lily paintings and a collection of lively simple daisy paintings. Stop by and visit the galleries of San Juan Island.