Explore DigiPen digital art summer workshops this week

Hi Redmond Blog readers!

On April 23 from 10:00am to 3:30pm DigiPen wants to give you and your readers the opportunity to explore our 13 ProjectFUN summer workshop programs - aimed at reaching students in 5th through 12th grade.

These onsite and online workshops teach students how to create 3D animations, program video games, engineer robots and design the great games. All while learning problem solving skills and academic fundamentals like algebra, geometry, fine art, and physics.  Read More >>

14 professional artists create Art non-stop in 24 Hour Art Marathon.

14 professional artists create art in 24 non-stop continuous hour "Art Marathon"

Free and open to the public, artEAST invites everyone to its first annual "24 Hour Art Marathon". This is a unique opportunity to watch a group of skilled artists throughout the entire creative process. Drop in to the artEAST Center at 95 Front Street N., Issaquah, anytime between 9:00 a.m. Thursday, March 3 through 9:00 p.m. Friday, March 4 and you will see 14 professional artists creating art for 24 non-stop continuous hours. On Saturday, March 5, over 50 completed works will be presented and available for purchase at a $25 per ticket private reception and auction. To reserve your ticket, please call Deby Harvey at (425) 466-5971 or purchase at artEAST's UpFront Gallery. For details, visit http://www.arteast.org/ . 
Read Colored Poster >>

Juanita High School & Redmond High School drama students shine

Juanita High School & Redmond High School drama students shine

On Saturday, January 8, 42 Juanita High School drama students and 24 Redmond High School drama students participated in the Western Washington State Thespians Individual Events Festival held at Bellevue College. Students competed in the categories of Monologue, Solo musical, Duet musical, Duo Scene, and Group Musical.

Six students were in the top 10 percent of their category and are National qualifiers. These students are now eligible to compete at the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Neb., at the end of June.  Read more for the list of top performing students...

"Artists In Residence"



Redmond Skate Park Graffiti Wall Art

 "Artists in Residence" 

Summertime is slipping by, so get out and King County Parks

Aug. 20: Summertime is slipping by, so get out and enjoy King County Parks – Your Big Backyard:

Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer are just around the corner.  Don’t despair. King County Parks is prepared to fill the remainder of August with fantastic live music plus lots of other outdoor activities."

Read More

UPDATED! Rebecca Meredith is Redmond's Poet Laureate; read her poetry!

This just in! Rebecca will be speaking to The Redmond Historical Society on Saturday, September 11, 2010, 10:30 to 12:00 noon at The Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center, 16600 NE 80 Street,
Redmond, WA.  

Redmond’s Poet Laureate, Rebecca Meredith, lived in Redmond for more than 20 years.  She will be speaking September 11 about the power of place, and how poets’ works, as well as audiences’ responses, are shaped by their relationships to places in their lives, both past and present. Don’t miss this meeting. To receive the monthly RHS newsletter, contact the Society office at 425-885-2919, or email your request to info@redmondhistoricalsociety.org. 

Rebecca Meredith is the first Redmond Poet Laureate, a position established to promote the literary arts through workshops, public readings and special events throughout the city.  She is paid a stipend by the City to work part-time as our Laureate. 

Rebecca is a poet, writer, and psychotherapist, as well as a Redmond Association SPokenword (RASP) cofounder. She has performed at the Burning Word Poetry Festival, the Seattle Moon Viewing Festival, and on KUOW's The Beat. Her chapbook Intergenerational Delta Blues was published by Pudding House Press. She was a fellow of the Jack Straw Writers' Program and an alumna of Hedgebrook Women Writers' Colony.

Organizations interested in working with the Poet Laureate should contact rac@redmond.gov .

Click here to read The Seattle Times article and my news about Redmond's new Poet Laureate.

Three of Rebecca's poems are listed  "here"     Arts Commissioner, Tom Flynn's poetry site is well worth a visit, too!

Posted By Bob Yoder

Photo on city website

Abbott's Arbor

Abbott's Arbor
on NE 104th St.

Abbott's art  -- Arts Commissioner

Photo By Yoder

I-Phone

Tiny Redmond Pianist Wins Big Competition

Redmond fourth-grader Alex Lu, 10, plays the piano in his stocking feet in order to operate the pedal-extension box.

Tiny Redmond Pianist Wins Big Competition

Because he's just 10 years old, Alexander Lu's legs are too short to reach the piano pedals, and his hands are too small to play the chords in many classical music pieces. But he does have a secret weapon: his eyebrows.

When he plays, Alex gets so wrapped up in the music that his whole body moves expressively with the piece, weaving and swaying (see video).  Read More 

By Katherine Long
Seattle Times Eastside Reporter
Video and Photography By Ken Lambert, Seattle Times
Posted By Bob Yoder, Seattle Times Communities Partner

Redmond Region Orchestra sets a Guinness World Record

Bob - Just wanted to let you know that String Jam '10 was a huge success!  392 musicians - met all the criteria for a Guinness World Record(TM) for the world's largest string ensemble playing the same tune under one roof.  (Juanita High Field House).

The Redmond Region Orchestra is composed of Redmond High, Redmond Junior, Evergreen Junior and invited community members.

For more information and pictures visit:  http://www.redmondorchestras.org/    

By Mary Bourguignon

Redmond resident and community volunteer

Source:  "Redmond Neighborhood Blog"  Fan Page

Best Selling Novelist Stephanie Kallos Speaks at Overlake School

NOVELIST STEPHANIE KALLOS SPEAKS AT THE OVERLAKE SCHOOL ON MARCH 4

Novelist Stephanie Kallos, author of the best-selling "Broken For You" and "Sing Them Home," speaks at The Overlake School, 20301 NE 108th St., Redmond at 7:30 p.m., March 4, in Discovery Hall. The free public lecture caps the school's annual Writer's Symposium. For more information, visit http://www.overlake.org/ or call 425-868-1000.

Kallos' short fiction received a Raymond Carver Award and a Pushcart Prize nomination. "Broken for You" (2004) was a "Today Show" book club selection, and won the Washington State and PNBA Book Awards. Her second novel, "Sing Them Home" (2009) is a Pacific NW Independent Booksellers bestseller and was named one of the 10 Best Books of 2009 by Entertainment Weekly. You can read more about her at http://www.stephaniekallos.com/ .

By Claire Tuohy-Morgan

Communications Manager
The Overlake School
(425) 868-6191, Ext. 615
ctuohymorgan@overlake.org
http://www.twitter.com/ /OverlakeSchool

Seattle Times Newspaper announces Redmond's poet laureate

Photo by ERIKA SCHULTZ/ THE SEATTLE TIMES

Local poets asked to give voice to cities

The list of poets in the state who can claim the title of poet laureate is short. The state and the city of Tacoma have anointed poets laureate, while the city of Seattle does its own egalitarian thing with an elected poet populist.

But last year, the city of Redmond popped up on the list. read more

By Nicole Tsong

Steattle Times Eastside reporter

###

* FLASH:  Rebecca Meredith will be reading her poetry tonight (1/28), 7-9PM, Soulfood Bookstore on 15748 Redmond Way (next to Ben Franklin).

* INCLUDED in the Seattle Times story (arts/local) are related entries from my blog.  read them here

Cirque du Soleil returns to Marymoor in June; tickets on sale Sunday

Cirque du Soleil returns to Marymoor in June; tickets on sale Sunday

"The top international attraction Cirque du Soleil returns to the Seattle area this summer, right on cue, to pitch its Grand Chapiteau tent and perform its show 'Kooza' at Marymoor Park in Redmond.

The limited engagement runs June 3-27, but the company often extends its runs due to ticket demand.

Tickets go on sale Sunday." complete story

By Misha Berson
"Seattle Times theater critic"

"Reflections Art Show" coming soon!

Reflections Art Show 

PTSA sponsored arts recognition and achievement program!

Theme: " Beauty is..."

Reflections Art Show - Friday, January 8, 2010

6:30-8:30PM

LWSD Resource Center

Art is on public display during normal business hours after the show from 1/11-13.  Reflections is sponsored by the Lake Washington PTSA.  Fabulous youth art on display!!!

Students and parents!  Send a photo of your art work for display on the Redmond Blog!  Attach your photo (jpeg) and a message to my email at:  redmondblog@gmail.com. 

posted by Bob Yoder

Rebecca Meredith is the City of Redmond's first Poet Laureate

The City Council approved Rebecca Meredith for Redmond's first Poet Laureate. 

Rebecca's Poetry Collection Journal

I am a poet and psychotherapist in Bellevue, Washington who conducts poetry therapy groups as a part of my practice. My work has appeared in The Forum, a psychoanalytic quarterly, as a part of Seattle's Jack Straw Writer's Program, and others. I am a Hedgebrook Fellow as a result of my work in short fiction as well.  -Rebecca Meredith*

According to a city ordinance adopted this year, The Redmond Arts Commission has considered the position of Poet Laureate of the City of Redmond since 2006. The position is based on the concept of the Poet Laureate first established in America by the Library of Congress in 1985. Since then, States including Washington have established such positions.

The objectives of the program will be to broaden the awareness of poetry, express the spirit of Redmond culture through poetry, and raise the level of discourse during discussions and debates in the City.

Funding for the Poet Laureate will not exceed $5,000 a year and is part of the Arts Activity Fund budget. These funds would be used to contract for services from the Poet Laureate such as providing public writing workshops, poetry readings, or publishing poetry.  - city ordinance.

Samples

posted by Bob Yoder

Sonic Forest at Redmond Town Center - Last Night is December 15!

Play and dance in the Sonic Forest until December 12, at Redmond Town Center!

This is an innovative and exciting interactive sound and light sculpture.  Children love it, too! It was created by internationally known artist/architect, Christopher Janney. This is one of Janneys urban instruments played by people waving their hands over different parts of the sculpture. Brought to Redmond Town Center, December 2009 by the City of Redmond and the Redmond Arts Commission.

Video by Eva Moon
Facebook

Sonic Forest, Grand Opening!

Christopher Janney’s Sonic Forest will be at Redmond Town Center December 4-12. We’ll have an opening at 7:30 pm on December 4 at the center plaza at Redmond Town Center. It is free and everyone is invited. Drummers are welcome to bring their drums!

Sonic Forest runs from December 4-12, 9am-10pm.

The Sonic Forest

Link to more information

How and Why you should help the SecondStory Repertory.

Donate Today! 

Why should you patronize and donate to Redmond's Second Story Repertory? 

1. Because the repetory is one of the brightest attractions on Seattle's Eastside, with nine Mainstage            and four children's productions this season.
2.Because over 20,000 people depend on experiencing live theatre at SecondStory Repertory.
3.Because you love having live, professional theatre in your community.
4.Because if you love the arts, you should contribute to organizations creating it.
5.Because more than 200 kids take theatre classes here after school and in the summer.
6.Because over 5,000 school kids will be introduced to the magic of theatre here this year.
7.Because we really, really need it - $80,000 is needed by December 31 or the theatre will leave Redmond.
 
DID YOU KNOW
•SecondStory Repertory is a cultural institution with a mailing list of over 5,000 local households, with an average household income of $96,000, according to Redmond Town Center research.

WEB SITE & DONATE HERE:  http://www.secondstoryrep.org/supportssr/donate.html

DROP YOUR KIDS OFF DURING  RTC HOLIDAY SHOPPING
"Drop and Shop"  http://www.secondstoryrep.org/classes/publicclasses.html

This website information and plea for support was posted in response to Holly Plackett's urgent request.  Holly is a past Redmond City Councilmember, Planning Commissioner and community activist.

The Eastside Symphony and the Concert Opera of Seattle perform at Redmond Performing Arts Center

 Eastside Symphony and the Concert Opera of Seattle Presents Tenor: Gino Lucchetti

Hey Bob,

I was given your card by John Vasko our Oboe player in the Eastside Symphony. He said you are friends and ran into each other in front of the school during our last rehearsal on Thursday evening  and exchanged cards.  I am wondering if you would post our press release below on the Redmond Neighborhood Blog to help us promote our upcoming concert on November 21 at the Redmond Performing Arts Center.  Thank you!

Valentina Giovannetti
Eastside Symphony VP

The Eastside Symphony and the Concert Opera of Seattle will combine forces on November 21 in a concert version of Verdi's renowned opera, Rigoletto, conducted by Alexei Girsh. Featured soloists include tenor Gino Lucchetti, soprano Christina Kowalsky, baritone Charles Stephens, and bass Craig Grayson. Rigoletto is one of the most popular operas in the repertoire, known for such famous melodies as "La donna è mobile" and "È il sol dell' anima." Tickets for this special event are available in advance at www.eastsidesymphony.org at $17 general, $12 student/senior. Tickets at the door are $20 general, $15 student/senior.

Concert is November 21 is 8:00 p.m. at the Redmond Performing Arts Center,
Redmond High School,  17272 NE 104th St.

Contact eastsidesymphony@gmail.com
Eastside Synphony -  http://www.eastsidesymphony.org

Artist Christopher Janney's "Sonic Forest" will connect and inspire the public at Redmond Town Center

"The Sonic Forest" is coming to Redmond Town Center

Recently, an arts enthusiast and neighbor told me Christopher Janney’s exciting light and sound “Sonic Forest” art will be installed at Redmond Town Center Dec. 4-12. Perfect timing for Redmond's “Winter Festival of Lights!

Mr. Janey is an architect and jazz musician, world renowned for his "sound and light" art installations found in public spaces throughout the nation. Read my report and opinion  on Janey's May 15 interview with the Redmond Arts Commission and learn more about his installation art!

Paraphrasing Arts Commission Chair John Stilin: 'Art connects people. The purpose of Art in Redmond is to build community. Art brings people together. It's what gets people talking together.'

Last week the Arts Commission pounded out their new Vision Statement: "The community is connected and inspired by arts and culture". Will you connect and be inspired in the Sonic Forest December 4 -12?