The Comet - December 2018

EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE

everything will be fine

TATTOO GARDEN

EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE

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editor: Ron Evans

publishing assistants: Cy Peterson, Sarah Sims contributors: Holly Thorpe, Cory Calhoun, Dustin Hays, Jamie Howell, Allegra Hart. Cover: Elena Payne - MAC WEB: thecometmagazine.com

GOING BANANAS BY ELENA PAYNE

COMET HEADQUARTERS

december 6, 2018

I always feel like maybe I should be more grinchy than I am. I don’t know why. Maybe I like the idea of a more anti-commercial stance on the holidays, or rolling my eyes at Christmas music. But I can’t helps it. I’m a sucker for the ol’ yule tide crap. I like digging out the lights and untangling them (seriously, are wires coming to life at night and having wild entanglement parties? What the hay is happening in that drawer when we ain’t lookin’?) all while listening to the Rat Pack Christmas albums. Dean’s voice is as cozy as a cracklin’ fire.

I do think we go a little nuts with the presents sometimes, but as long as you aren’t going into debt by January, what’s the harm?

On that note, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that we have an amazing local collective of talented artisans and makers creating everything from eco-friendly jewelry and candles, to fine art paintings, sculptures, chocolates and apparel. I get the whole Amazon thing. I use it a lot. Just this morning I ordered a roll of toilet paper laced with itching powder for my brother, some robot socks for m’self and a pile of new wash rags for mother. All while eating bacon in my underwear.

I’m kidding. I don’t wear underwear.

You can enjoy convenience and sweat shop products while still supporting

the local economy and stimulating the arts scene. But you have to make the e ort to put some pants on (or not, I’m not your mom) and head downtown to see what you can find. We were starting to lose this wanderlust aspect of shopping to some degree but people are falling in love with it again. It’s fun to just head out and see what you can discover. It feels good to put your money back into your home town while having truly unique gifts under the tree that will make you look smart and sexy to your loved ones. Probably.

Happy Holidays everyone! And be aware, my mistletoe belt buckle is on its way from Amazon as we speak. So, I’d avoid me if you can.

Happy trails,

Ron Evans Editor, The Comet Magazine

Ron Evans is the owner of RadarStation art gallery at 115 S. Wenatchee Ave., host of the Tales from the Spacepod podcast, author of “Edgar Rue,” and creator of many other things, many of which have robots in them. He is editor of The Comet and lead designer.

SANTA GIVING A YOUNG EDITOR THE STINK EYE. “MAKE WITH THE WISHIN’ YOU LITTLE BITCH. DON’T TEST MY JOLLY.”

8 questions: karen dawn dean

by ron evans

karen dawn dean has been a driving force in the local arts world for decades. She was paramount in getting Wenatchee First Friday o the ground and she continues to work toward a more cohesive and wellsupported community for the arts, as well as actively persuing her own creative endeavors. We asked her 8 Questions.

What is your background in the arts?

I was trained in the Studio Arts Movement. Worked as a gallerist, professional artist, and intermittently taught college ceramics. In 2012 I began retraining as contemporary artist at WVC in Scott Bailey’s Advanced Painting Seminar.

You have shown at Mela a few times, describe your experiences in showing fine art in a co ee shop environment?

It’s about having good walls and lights, a space that is friendly to the art, an expectation of good curation, and a space with a

sustainable business model. Because Mela o ers all that, it is the second best site for hanging a curated exhibit in Wenatchee. If you took away the co ee, Mela’s space could function as an art gallery; so in that regard it’s not the typical co ee shop art experience. In a gallery, the gallerist handles the curation and marketing, in Mela those tasks fall to the artists.

Your upcoming event at Mela features plant-based materials. What was the catalyst for this show?

A couple of years ago I had an idea for a body of work that was valley (home) specific. I spent time taking clay impressions o di erent tree trunks. I was looking for interesting textures to impress into my clay forms. Because my botany was weak, I also needed an impression from the tree’s leaf before I could identify the species. The problem with that idea was when I glazed the ceramics, my treatment overwhelmed much of what the flora had

to relate. I wanted color, but not color from my hand. From considering the color in plants, it was a direct line to figuring out how to extract and preserve that color. This current body of work is but the tiny tip of a long tradition and evolving understanding about organic chemistry and plants.

How does this type of creative process

di er from say, pencils to paper?

If you started with making your pencil and paper, you’d have a start. What’s graphite? How do you come by it? What makes it harder or softer? Can you change the color? How do you stabilize it so it’s usable? By comparison, making charcoal sticks is somewhat more direct, but still a specialized process. Once you have the mark making medium, what do you do about the substrate? Does one paper work better than another? Yada, yada. Beyond all that, it’s about the marks you choose to make, or are made by directed happenstance.

You have dabbled in many di erent mediums, is experimentation a big part of your creativity?

Over the years, I’ve worked with clay, printmaking, and fibers. What has changed is the application of these mediums and establishing context for my e orts. That’s been a journey from objects that had utility as a component, to the nonfunctional realm, and back to objects that are useful. I see no di erence between bringing an artful object into touch with the body and the hanging it on the wall to be seen. The first engages several senses, the later says ‘eyes only.’ Coming to terms with the context aspect of contemporary art is layered and has asked for some di erent approaches and practices on my part.

What are your thoughts on the current arts culture in Wenatchee?

Blooming. Not booming; however the work being done locally has been reinforced with national Arts advocacy. We

are vital enough to have a seat at the table. We’ve been well established at the little kid’s table for a while. Now that we have a place in the larger community conversations, we’ve been invited to the big kid’s table.

How could things improve, in your opinion?

We need a nonprofit Arts umbrella organization, a 501c3 dedicated to the making of art; an organization that supports the five legs of art: discovery, instruction, making, marketplace and reputation. The way forward would be greatly facilitated by the ability to raise money to underwrite programs and projects.

Artists are often lacking in certain business type skills, even when it comes to their own work. Do you put a lot of thought into the financial side of your work or is it on the back burner?

I worked in the arts profes-

sionally until 1993 when I was injured in an auto accident. It was at the peak of a career. While I am well versed in the business side of an artist, functioning commercially is no longer within my capacity. In fact, I was sure that I’d never work in my preferred mediums again. If I couldn’t make art, I could use past experience to generate an arts friendly environment for local artists. That’s when I helped establish the WFF ArtsWalk.

What’s up next and where can we find you online?

I’ll have two pieces in the curated March 2019 Mela 220 Group exhibit, referencing a poem ‘Flashpoint’ by Cynthia Neely. The nine women in this group will each do two Ekphrasis pieces of art interpreting loss by fire. C

Crosswords & more made exclusively for The Comet

ACROSS

1. 1997 Smith/Jones scifi comedy, for short

4. Revolutionary Guevara

7. Wonder Woman portrayer Gadot

10. French 101 pronoun

13. Much ___ About Nothing

14. Tyrannosaurus _

15. Small scrap of food

16. One that's big and shady?

17. * Touch up

19. Decorative tropical flower

21. *Sets down, as a craft

22. Container with a built-in sharpener

24. Retort in a playground argument,say

26. * Garlic piece

27. PBS funder

28. *Flyers overfields and orchards

33. Piece

34. No-win, no-loss situation

35. Charging necessity, often

39. Like 49-Down, relative to most of the US

42. Civil Rights pioneer Parks

43. Pizzazz

44. * 30ish-day period on a financial calendar

48. Late crooner King Cole

51. * Messes up

Just this far 54. It's near the apostrophe on a Mac keyboard

ANAGRAM CHALLENGE

unrelated words. To solve this challenge, start by removing a single letter from, and then anagramming the remaining letters of, each word.

If done correctly, the new words formed by your anagramming will yield a list of things that all have something in common.

Also, if done correctly, all the letters you’ll have removed will, from top to bottom, appear in alphabetical (though not necessarily consecutive) order

Which you'll then anagram into one more thing that also belongs to your list of anagrammed words Good luck!

word anagrammed from removed letters:

58. * With 60-Across, a holiday wish ... or what words contained within the starred clues' answers represent

59. Like some laundry detergents

60. * See 58-Across

62. DVD precursor

63. Battery size

64. Pirate's cry

65. No-win, no-loss situation

66. It's been legal to sell in Washington State since 2012

67. Shifty

68. Call of Duty: Black

69. Subsidiary of Canon copiers that sounds just like the first two words of the US National Anthem ( which you can probably just get using the crosses)

DOWN

1. Miami slugger

2. Brainstorm

3. Sarajevo's region

4. Film edit from one action to another

5. That woman

6. Company bigwig

7. Developa need for a rug?

8. Words before crazy, joking, or serious

9. State leadership second-incommands: Abbr.

10. Highwayexit before 11,perhaps

11. Blend

12. Super-sized movietheater format

18. Gridiron scores, briefly

20. Punch combo

23. Proof of purchase: Abbr.

25. "Yes ___?"

29. To hear, in Tijuana

30. Organ related to 29-Across

31. Post-Q queue

32. "Zip it!"

35. Canine cry

36. " have your attention?"

37. Dolt

38. Casualwear brandbased in Anaheim, CA

39. Ash holder

40. Brad of the screen

41. Ones never expected to succeed

43. Big name in speakers

45. Vital valves

46 Hereditary

47. It's been observed in the US every mid-January since 1983, briefly

48. Close by

49. Polar region includingparts of Canada

50. Tiny giggle

53. "Is _ natural or what?"

54. Answer back

55. From whence Alexa speaks?

56. Tax

57. One with ups anddowns

61. Time out?

SOLUTIONS TO LAST EDITION'S META CROSSWORD, "FIGHT STARTERS"

ROAD N OISE TACKS

IOTA ZERO BRIE

EMOTI V E TVS END ANI IPAD

CUB SA M BADANCER

GREET OYE NAOMI

ILLMANN E RED WOO

ITNO LEM

FIE TOE S I XPACK

OBVI RSVP ALOE

REEDS TOO T HACHE

DAMES ATONE OOP

SMEAR BELTS ASS

The meta answer is RESIST. (The hint was: Find a 6-letter verb.)

Explanation: The six theme answers (aka the long answers with circled letters in them that spell out NOVEMBER SIXTH) are: ROADNOISE, EMOTIVE, SAMBADANCER, ILLMANNERED, SIXPACK, and TOOTHACHE

The puzzle title is “FIGHT STARTERS.” The STARTERS of each of the six theme answers (aka their first letters) are R, E, S, I, S, and T (see above in the yellow boxes).

RESIST is a synonym for FIGHT, and it also satisfies the hint’s request for a 6-letter verb.

GTFO: EVENTS WORTH LEAVING YOUR HOUSE FOR

Dec 6/13/20/27: RAYGUN STAGE Open Mic

RadarStation • Wenatchee

Music, Comedy, and Poetry. Now every Thursday! Sign up at 7:00, with performances starting around 7:30. 7:30pm • Free

DEC 7-29: McGlinn’s Winter Music Events

McGlinn’s Public House • Wenatchee • 7:00pm

Dec 7/8 Kimo Muraki

Dec 15 Jennan Oaks

Dec 21/22/23 Eddie Manzanares

Dec 28 Gina Belliveau

Dec 29 Casey Ryan

DEC 7-8: Magical Strings Celtic Yuletide

Icicle Creek Center for the Arts • Leavenworth

Three generations of the Boulding family will set the stage ablaze with the Tara Academy Irish Dancers, lively fiddling of Jocelyn Pettit, soulful songs of Colleen Raney with brilliant Dublin guitarist Colm MacCarthaigh, dynamic percussionist Matt Jerrell, and Philip and Pam’s Celtic harp and hammered dulcimer, augmented by cello, violin, whistles, accordion and concertina. This festive gala of music, dance, storytelling, juggling, and songs of the season brings warmth and joy into the heart of winter.

7:30pm • Tickets at icicle.secure.force.com/ticket

Dec 7-9: The Nutcracker

Numerica Performing Arts Center • Wenatchee

The Wenatchee Valley Symphony Orchestra will once again join with the Fabulous Feet Dance Studio to present Tchaikovsky’s beloved classic, The Nutcracker. The production will offer something for everyone, with live music from our local orchestra, amazing costumes and sets, trained local dancers of all ages, lighting effects, and aerial performers. This incredibly magical performance is a true delight for the whole family. Details and tickets at www.numericapac.org

DEC 7: Ground Score/Rich&Rare Rebels/Dustin Hays

Wally’s House of Booze • Wenatchee

Snatchee Records Presents!! LIVE @ Wally’s! Featuring:

• Ground Score: Punk from Portland

• Rich & Rare Rebels: Punk Rawk from Wenatchee

• Dustin Hays: Solo Rock from Wenatchee Music at 9:30 • $5 cover • 21+

DEC 7: Brewers Bingo with Dru Bru

Tap and Putt • Wenatchee

Our popular Bingo nights will get more exciting as we host Dru Bru for our first Brewer’s Bingo. We’ll have some killer beers, tons of fun, and lots of prizes. (Some for all, but even bigger ones for the winners!)

7:00pm

DEC 7: Art of Beer Flight Night

Wenatchee Valley Brewing Company • Wenatchee Flight Night is here again! We are currently brewing a lot of fun new beers, and this event will include four of our experimental batches served on a flight! Experimental flights come with a tasting worksheet to rate the beer, select taste profiles, and provide general notes. Also, at least one of our Brewers will be part of the event to explain the brews and how they were produced.

5:00pm

Dec 10: Inspirement Plan Ugly Sweater Wrap Party

RadarStation • Wenatchee

Celebrate the completion of Season One with the cast and crew of our very own Inspirement Plan Docu-Series. Bring a tasty dish and share in our best and brightest potluck Hors d’oeuvres. Friends, loved ones, and small humans welcomed. :)

6:00-9:00pm

DEC 10: The Truth & I: Reading Betty MacDonald in the age of memoir

Wenatchee Public Library

Betty MacDonald burst onto the American literary scene in 1945 with her memoir, The Egg and I, a tartly witty tale about operating a chicken ranch on Wash-

Gina Belliveau

Magical strings

ington’s dauntingly wild Olympic Peninsula. Betty’s vivacity, offbeat humor, and sparklingly irreverent take on life captured a public ready to laugh again after the grim, hard years of World War II. During its first year, Egg sold one copy every 22 seconds.

Although she wrote autobiographically, Betty’s relationship with truth was slippery. During a 1951 libel suit, Betty testified that she’d made up nearly all of The Egg and I—questionable testimony that worked in her favor. Betty’s readers seemed not to mind this discrepancy, but why? Led by historian and Betty MacDonald biographer Paula Becker, “The Truth and I: Reading Betty MacDonald in the Age of Memoir” ponders how Betty’s kind of nonfiction relates to the popular genre of memoir today.

6:30pm

DEC 13: Tipsy Talks! Drunk on Jazz: a legit history of music in America

Bushel & Bee Taproom • Leavenworth

Sad you missed Tipsy Talks last month? Ever wonder why German music makes you crave tacos? Well, get ready to put those Jazz hands together because our next Tipsy Talks will not disappoint!

Prepare to have your mind blown as professional vocalist, music historian, & all around sassy badass Rhia Foster gets real about the real history of music in America!

8:00pm

DEC 14: John Underwood / Robbers Roost / Cowboy Dan Wally’s House of Booze • Wenatchee

Snatchee Records Presents!! LIVE @ Wally’s!!

Featuring:

• John Underwood: One Man Loop Master from Reno

• Robbers Roost: Americana/Folk from Ellensburg

• Cowboy Dan: Solo Folk/Americana from Wenatchee Music at 9:30 • $5 cover • 21+

DEC 15: Live Music from Rylei Franks

Tap and Putt • Wenatchee

Come get out of the cold and enjoy some great beers along with awesome tunes from Rylei Franks.

7:00pm • 21+ • Free

DEC 15: Brett Benton Duo Club Crow • Cashmere

Brett Benton returns with drummer Arthur Ortega to Club Crow! Always a party, so come get down on some dirty and heavy delta and country blues like y’all always do, and tell your friends so they don’t miss out!

9:00pm

DEC 16-18: Monthly Movies on the Big Screen

Numerica Performing Arts Center • Wenatchee

Holiday Movies on the Big Screen for only $3:

Dec 16 It’s a Wonderful Life • 6:30pm

Dec 17 The Muppet Christmas Carol • 1:30pm

Dec 18 Gremlins • 6:30pm Details and tickets at www.numericapac.org

DEC 21: Old Time Radio Show: Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge Numerica Performing Arts Center • Wenatchee “A hilarious success. Durang…has done it again. The show goes in so many wonderfully loony directions at once.” - Pittsburgh Pulp

Local performers bring this irreverent romp through Dickens’ classic Christmas Carol to the stage in 1940s-style radio hour as it is broadcast live. From the live sponsor spots, to the use of period microphones, to the sounds effects crew right there with the actors –the result is a nostalgic evening of entertainment from yesteryear. Actors juggle different parts, throwing their voices and racing to different microphones on the stage to re-create this comedy in the imaginations of the audience.

The public is invited to be part of the live studio audience at the Numerica Performing Arts Center. Then it will be rebroadcast on Christmas Eve.

7:30pm • Tickets $17-$21 • Details at numericapac.org

Dec 28: Champagne Sunday’s “Shine” CD Release

RadarStation • Wenatchee

Hey, Wenatchee!! We’re bringing our CD Release Party to you!! Come help us celebrate the release of our new album, Shine. Can’t wait to see you at RadarStation!

8:00pm • Tickets at radarstationart.com

DEC 31: NYE! Jesse James and Nick Mardon and the MOB Club Crow • Cashmere • 8:30pm

Jesse James and the MOB combines their original music with favorite blues, rock, country, and funk. Be ready to move and dance to upbeat guitar based music!

Dec 31: New Year’s eve burlesque party!

RadarStation • Wenatchee

RadarStation presents the party of the year! A New Year’s Eve show with The Radar Dames Burlesque. Musical numbers, magic performances and fortune telling all in one glorious evening. Then, stick around after the show as we count down to the new year with the ceremonious Bra Drop. You read right! This will be a night to remember, so don’t wait to get those tickets! These will go fast.

9:00pm • Ticekts $30 at eventbrite.com • 18+ ONLY

Wenatchee first Friday

Kasey Koski with Wenatchee First Fridays helped put together this list of shows, along with their First Friday hours. Remember, while most places have special events, artists receptions and free admission during First Friday, the art itself is on exhibit all month long in most locations.

Christmas Art Gallery

19 S. Wenatchee Ave. • Mon-Sat 10am-5pm

• First Friday 10am-9pm

New to the Avenue, in time for the holiday season, the Christmas Art Gallery will feature artist Dean Rainey. View his selection of paintings, sculpture and pottery. The gallery will feature outdoor landscapes, western and wildlife painting; wood, clay and metal sculptures.

Class with a Glass

10 S. Columbia, Ste 205 • Thur-Sat 6:30pm-9pm

• First Friday Reception 5pm-8pm

DEEP IN THE HUGE: Join artist Nicole Haskey as she uses abstract painting and varied media to take us along on her journey in observing unexpected pockets of light. Participate in creating a hands-on collaborative community piece. Nicole’s work includes absracts in acrylics and felted bowls, broaches, and trees.

Designer Floors

19 N. Wenatchee Ave • Mon-Fri 9am-5pm • Sat 10am-3pm

• First Friday 9am-8pm

Ginger Reddington is a Washington native and has been an Art Educator throughout the state. She developed a multi-step process using layers of acrylic paints, 3-D outline and clear acrylic finish. Ginger’s paintings have a depth, movement and jewel-like quality to the color that make them truly unique!

Gypsy Lotus

1 S. Wenatchee Ave • Mon-Fri 10am-6pm • Sat 11am-5pm

• First Friday Reception 5pm-8pm

New to First Fridays, Gypsy Lotus will be featuring Jaime Koenig’s original artwork, prints and wire work jewelry. Come and see her incredibly creative and unique pieces.

Julie Aynn Photography

15 Palouse Street #103 • Business hours:

By appointment • First Friday 5-8pm Scotty & Calvin Designs – Handmade, reclaimed wood plank signs, custom

watercolor cards, wood ornaments, and home décor. Bourbon Sweet – Cakes, cupcakes cookies, brownies; for any occasion, say it best with a treat from Bourbon Sweet. Samples, and goodies available for purchase. Michael Carlos – Michael will be playing his own Latin-influenced music as well other acoustic favorites.

Lemolo Cafe & Deli

114 N Wenatchee Ave • Sun-Mon 11am-4pm • Tue-Sat 11am-6pm • Open First Friday until 6pm

Lemolo is happy to present the work of Debra Nava. Debra is originally from Quincy. “I have been living at the Cascadian on the Avenue in Wenatchee since April of 2015. I photograph things in plain sight that catch my attention, inspire me or pique my curiosity. I hope that you enjoy what you see!”

MAC Gallery

WVC Music and Art Center • 1300 Fifth Street

• Mon-Fri 9am-5pm • First Friday Reception 5pm-7pm

WVC Art Department faculty members show that they are professional practitioners of their disciplines with a group exhibition of their creative work in a variety of media. The exhibition includes pieces by Ruth Allan, Scott Bailey, Vicki DeRooy, Natalie Dotzauer, Elena Payne, Yev Rybakov, and Majka Sadel.

Mela

17 N. Wenatchee Ave • Mon-Fri 6-6 • Sat-Sun 8-4

• Opening Reception 5-8pm • caffemela.com

karen dawn dean’s fourth exhibition at Mela is centered around botanical contact printing and eco-dyeing on paper and textiles. Plant material can be persuaded to give up impressions and color under pressure, with the help of heat, tannin and mordants. Also in the exhibition, collage and ceramics.

Music by William Luckensmeyer on acoustic guitar.

Mission St. Commons: A Coworking Community

218 S. Mission Street • www.missionstcommons.com

• Open Mon-Fri 8am-6pm

Vonda Drees is a creative contemplative. She has used her artistic gifts and passion to share images from her spiritual journaling practice, facilitate online journaling groups, deliver art programs, and develop immersions and resources for churches. Vonda and her husband Jim, are the directors at the Grunewald Guild, an art and faith retreat center in Plain, Washington. Vonda’s daily journaling practice has rendered over 1700 images of connection, intuition and spirit. Several of her journals will be on display, along with some of her larger pieces.

Pan’s Grotto

3 N Wenatchee Ave, Suite 2 • Don@pansgrotto.com

• 10am-8pm

A WIZARDLY CHRISTMAS: Join us for a Christmas Art Show inspired by our favorite witches and wizards. Have you ever wondered what a witchy Christmas would look like? You don’t want to miss this show. We’ll be celebrating the holidays for all of December! From chocolate frogs to mythical creatures, come check out our artists’ interpretation of the holiday. Custom wands created by Bill Chadderton.

RadarStation

115 S. Wenatchee Ave • Wed-Thu 4-10, Fri 4-11, Sat 2-11

• First Friday Reception 5pm-9pm

EARTH-SEA-SPACE: A joint show by Sarah Sims of Third Eye Designs and Ron Evans. Hand crafted Earth-friendly jewelry, Mars-friendly raygun paintings and robot sculptures. Beer, wine and cider. Original mini-paintings for $10!

Robert Graves Gallery

Sexton Hall • Wenatchee Valley College • Mon-Thur 9am1pm • Closed Fri-Sun • By appointment: 509-663-0100

• First Friday Reception 5pm-7pm

Robert Graves Gallery presents Thinking Through Paint, an exhibition of extraordinary new work by contemporary artist Robert Wilson.

Tumbleweed Shop & Studio

105 Palouse • Tue-Sat 11am-6pm • Sun 11am-4pm

• First Friday Reception 5pm-8pm

Please join us as we celebrate all that is Tumbleweed Jewelry—from rings, to earrings, to bangles and necklaces! We are excited to share our top sellers and some fresh designs with you this holiday season! Tumbleweed believes in keeping life and accessories simple, fun and beautifully designed.

Two Rivers Gallery

102 N Columbia • Wed-Sat 11am-4pm, Sun 1pm-4pm

• First Friday Reception 5pm-8pm

SEEING AND FEELING: Twenty Years of Brushwork.

Brad Brisbine is a Wenatchee architect who loves powder skiing, Cascade Mountain high-lakes, photography and landscape oil painting. After decades of composing photographic scenes, a trip to Seattle Art Museum was the final catalyst to inspire Brad to buy painting gear, and more fully express his love of nature.

Music by harpist Suzanne Grassell.

Wines by Horan Estate Winery.

Wells House

1300 5th St. WVC Campus • (509) 888-6240

• First Friday Open House 4-8pm Ever wondered what is inside? Come check out the Wells House decked out for the holidays! See the recent renovations and new displays. Tours available of the first and second floors.

Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce

137 North Wenatchee Avenue • 509.662.2116

• First Friday Reception 5pm-8pm

Sage Hills Bakery will be in the house with a Christmas cookie decorating station for your inner artist.

December First Friday at the Chamber will also feature Chris Daniel Winery. Come meet the wine makers, learn about the art of wine and enjoy a tasting.

Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center

127 South Mission Street • Tue-Sat 10am-4pm

• First Friday 10am-8pm (FREE)

December at the museum is all kinds of fun! The Beauty of Bronze Exhibit will open upstairs featuring more than 600 miniature bronze sculptures made by Wenatchee 5th graders. Come by and learn about the program as well as support these young artists! The main gallery still hosts Beyond the Frame: Inland Bounty, the Work of Edward S. Curtis in the Columbia River Basin.

mid-month arts events

Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center wenatcheevalleymuseum.org

Dec 8 Free Kids Art Class • 11:00am-Noon

Dec 10 Get Lit! Conductive thread card making workshop for adults • 6:30-9:00pm

Dec 15 & 16 Wells House Holiday Tea • 12:30pm

Wenatchee Public Library

310 Douglas Street • wenatchee@ncrl.org

DEC 6 Spokane author, local historian and naturalist, Jack Nisbet presents his latest book, The Dreamer and the Doctor, which details the adventures of John and Carrie Leiberg with a focus on a landmark 1893 plant survey John Leiberg carried out that passed through the Grand Coulee area, Wenatchee, and Leavenworth. • 6:30pm

DEC 10 The Truth & I: Reading Betty MacDonald in the Age of Memoir • 6:30pm

DEC 20 Music & Storytelling: Gary Stroutsos • Bring the whole family and join renown flute musician Gary Stroutsos for an afternoon of Native American music and storytelling. • 2:00pm

DEC 28 Trivia Night! Are you ready to show off your nerdy side? Bring your own two- to eight-person team OR join a team when you arrive. Free fun! Brain food! Prizes! • 7:00pm

Ye Olde Bookshoppe

11 Palouse St

Open Mic Nights • Poetry, Spoken Word, Short Stories, Music! • Wednesdays at 6:00pm

Class with a Glass classwithaglass.com

Check our website for details on classes and events throughout the month.

COMET TALES: rEADER SUBMITTED WRITINGS

My body is a monument - By Holly Thorpe

My body is a monument to what I’ve lost. What was once a home is now empty, And like all houses left to gather dust, There’s something haunted and beautiful about those parts of me.

My hands are rooms which once held life, Witnessed love, Sheltered good and precious things from the world outside.

My chest a hearth where great fires once burned. And where there are ashes now, There was once the sound of blistering pitch, The smell of pine and fir, And the glow of flames stoked by those who would warm themselves there.

My head a great attic, full of forgotten things, Weathered, cherished things, Left behind by those who would eventually become my ghosts. A dark attic, where the sun falls in feeble shafts, Across all the things we refuse to keep, And cannot bear to lose.

And if there is a soul, Deep inside the body-home of mine, Then it is the wild and untamed garden, Where roses and ivy and foxglove have wrapped their fingers around the gate, and pulled it shut. The garden left to flourish, stretching tree limbs and vines into perfumed air, No longer trimmed and trellised. A place of great abandon, of color and life and danger. What those who have lived here have left behind, the garden will eventually reclaim. Roots creeping under the foundation, Vines like so many fingers stretching over the roof, Returning this haunted house, with all of its ghosts, back into the earth.

IN THE CARDS: SIRI ROSE’S Cascadia Tarot Project

by holly thorpe

We’ve talked with you before about your photography business, Scandinavian Dinner Party. For those who missed that interview, want to give us a short and sweet introduction to you and your photography?

Absolutely! My photography style has undergone a few transitions since I first started, but I’ve always gravitated toward portrait photography. I love costumes and makeup and theatre and creating scenes. It’s the best way to become a director without going to film school.

When and where did the idea for the Cascadia Tarot project originate?

I was browsing around on the internet one day, as us twenty-somethings are wont to do, and I came across a college project of a woman named Bea Nettles. Bea had created a photographic tarot deck with nothing but a film camera and a pair of scissors and I was in love. I thought that if this college student in the seventies could create something so incredible using only film then I could probably make a pretty okay tarot deck too.

How long have you been working on this project? And how many shoots did you do for it?

Oh sweet lord almighty. So many. I think it’s been about two years since I first started shooting for The Cascadia Tarot, and it has undergone such an enormous transition. What started out as a fun project with my friends turned out to be a statewide photoshoot, with the project getting attention from all walks of life. The deck now has mothers, clothing designers, musicians, cabaret performers, one of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence which is so cool (look them up) and about a hundred other incredibly talented Washingtonians. To just estimate a number I would say this project included about ninety photoshoots.

How does the editing process work for you? How long do you spend editing and adjusting photos before you’re happy with them?

I wish I had a certain routine I had to keep the editing process flowing consistently, but the truth is I can stare at my computer for hours trying to perfect one

photo, and sometimes it’s just perfect the way it is. Mindset definitely plays a role there, but most of the time I focus so intently on color. There are a few things that will make a photograph pleasing to the eye, but the one I can spend hours on is making the hues tell a story. Like how you can feel something nostalgic when the light changes at dawn or dusk, I want the colors to spark a memory.

For those of us still uninitiated to tarot cards, what are they? And what personal significance do they have for you?

Tarot cards are something I grew up around, though they definitely weren’t welcome in the home. My mother, being a Jehovah’s Witness throughout my childhood, was very anti-anything that brings in evil spirits, while my auntie (her sister) was alllll about it. She had a big picnic basket full of them and they just filled my little baby heart with wonder.

First o , tarot cards don’t bring in evil spirits. Evil brings in evil spirits. Don’t be evil and your tarot cards will be fine.

Anyway, it wasn’t until later in life when tarot cards started “trending” that I remembered being so fond of them as a kid.

I know the tarot leaves most people thinking of the occult or Satan worshippers, but most of the time when you’re afraid of something you just don’t know enough about it. The tarot isn’t using the spirit world to get a message to you, it’s you getting a message to yourself. No matter what cards are pulled, it’s about how you’re able to interpret it toward the issue at hand and how you use your intuition to guide yourself through it. The cards are just a tool. I’ve always felt the same way about horoscopes, whether or not you believe the stars can dictate your day, you could probably use some sound advice.

How did you pick people for each card? What was the most challenging part of shooting each card?

I actually rarely chose any of my models, they came to me with what card they wanted and I would do my best to turn them into a living, breathing tarot card. I can’t really say anything about the

shooting process was di cult. I really love every aspect of what I do. However, the business end of this has been a pain in my tuckas! When the project started I was a one woman show with a camera and a dream, but then I needed writers and marketers and designers. It all got to be a bit much. Not to say I don’t appreciate all of the help I’ve gotten throughout all of this, but it was a lot to jump into from someone that started out knowing literally nothing about business.

How did the Indiegogo campaign go? How many backers did you get? Were you expecting the response you got? The campaign went incredibly well, we hit our goal! Which is a dream come true. I honestly still cannot believe it happened. Our initial goal was targeted at a much higher number, but I met an investor along my journeys who has become a good friend, and he truly believes in this tarot deck. It’s really all because of him that we’ll be able to order enough to get to the masses.

You’re slated to print decks in January - how can we get one?

January is still the goal! We’re working double time to find a printer that will be able to fill our needs in a timely manner while still maintaining quality, they’re a lot harder to find than you’d think…. Once all is said and done there will be release parties in Seattle and Wenatchee where anyone who pre-ordered can pick up their deck at the door and we’ll have them for sale at the venues. Both venues are TBA.

Anything else you’d like to add about Cascadia Tarot? Any other projects you’d like to plug?

Gosh, I am constantly thinking of new photo projects so it’s hard to say, but one thing I can say is there may be another tarot deck theme waiting in the wings so be sure to follow ScandinavianDinnerParty and CascadiaTarot on Instagram and feel free to email me directly with any inquiries at SDPphoto@yahoo.com. C

the judged: SCOTT BAILEY ON MAC GALLERY’S FACULTY SHOW

by ron evans

Scott Bailey is the Director of the Wenatchee Valley College Art Department, Director of the MAC Gallery, a fulltime instructor of painting, drawing, and art appreciation, and an exhibiting artist. While predominantly a painter, he has also shown drawings, sculptures, installations, and videos. He has held solo exhibitions in the US, Japan, Italy, Egypt, and South Africa, and his work has been critically recognized in a variety of national and international publications. He works also as a writer, curator, and educator who has written as the Seattle Corresponding Editor for Contemporary Magazine (London). He draws heavily on his experiences of living in Italy, Japan, and Egypt, and having traveled to more than 50 countries. We talked with him about his work at the MAC and the upcoming faculty show.

Aside from the usual tasks involved with teaching and instructing curriculum-based lessons, The Wenatchee Valley College arts program seems to have a great reputation in also nurturing artists into the often-confusing and daunting world of art at large. Talk about the process of ushering talent into a future of success in art, however the individual would define that word?

A good percentage of our students at WVC are taking one class in art as an option in order to complete humanities requirements for the AA Degree, so the vast

majority of the disciplines we teach allow for students to come in with no skills or experience. They gain an improved appreciation for what artists do and develop some pretty amazing skills as they learn to draw, paint, sculpt, etc. in 11 weeks, but they aren’t interested in being fine artists.

Sitting right alongside those students are students who have already taken a number of classes in high school and developed some strong skills. These students might be stopping at WVC on their way to art school or a bachelor’s degree in art at a university, in order to build their portfolios and shorten the amount of time they have to pay the comparatively insane tuitions at those schools.

And then we have a good number of local artists who come back and take classes with us in order to further their skills, find a community of people who can give them feedback, and help them with networking and professional development. I teach a seminar/practicum class (ART220) that brings together local artists and advanced students to build strong bodies of work, critique the work in progress, put together statements and other documentation of what we are doing, all understood within the context of contemporary art and artists elsewhere.

Does the faculty get together in the break room and secretly talk about

which students are blowing their minds this year the most?

Not even secretly! We love to see what talented students are doing in each others’ classes, and show o their stronger pieces in the hallway. We’re all proud of the students coming out of our program, whether or not we have them in our particular class. At the end of the school year, we have an exhibition of student work in the MAC Gallery, with help from a professional artist from outside WVC, which is important for publicly recognizing the strong work students do throughout the quarter. Whether they see examples in class, in the hallway, or in the Student Art Exhibition, the other students can be inspired and strive to attain similar levels of achievement.

When you spot an individual that seems to be ahead of most in terms of talent, ideas and ambition, do you go after them in a more one on one aspect?

Honestly, every student becomes an individual project of how to get them to grow as much as they are able for as long as they are with us. This is whether they are identified as extremely experienced or just getting started. Some students even pick up skills they never thought they had and end up doing better than the “aspiring artists” by the end of the quarter. We have group projects and discussions, but there is a part of every class that involves

working one on one with each student, not just the most talented. That said, when we identify a student who is clearly strong and with potential for going on to bigger and better things, we try to provide all of the support and encouragement they might need.

What are some of the biggest challenges you encounter as you work to keep the arts an important, and hopefully well-funded, part of academia?

In academia, one measure of a given class’ success is how many students are in them at any given time. Art classes are always going to have fewer students than traditional lecture classes because of the studio needs and the one on one approach outlined above. We have been able to create a curriculum that is broad (with a wide range of disciplines taught) and deep (with multiple levels of almost every discipline), but it is sometimes hard to justify in economic terms. We are teaching over 300 students per quarter in the art department, but there are a few classes that might only have a few students in them in any given quarter. This requires a true understanding by the administration of what we provide to the college and community.

As a curator of art shows, I often have a hard time coaxing shy beginners (no matter how talented) out into the harsh light of public showing. Are stu-

NOCTURNE IN BLACK AND ORANGE 1 BY SCOTT BAILEY

WAY FINDER BY NATALIE DOTZAUER

dents required to display their work as part of the courses?

There is some critiquing and presentation of artwork to the class and in the hallway in every class, so students have to get somewhat used to putting things out there, but it is always a challenge, especially for the more self-conscious. We stress that it is important to show the work to others, because that is where the communication occurs. The students who are doing inspiring work get pumped up when they see the reactions of others, hopefully providing a positive feedback loop for more work.

Graphic design is often overlooked in the fine art world. MAC has been an exception to this as you have featured many design-focused shows/ artists. Many people think design is limited to t-shirts and logos. Tell us your thoughts on the notion of what is sometimes called “commercial work” vs. fine art when speaking about graphic design.

Graphic design and 3D digital design are very important parts of our department, and hopefully feel a great deal of respect here. We have designed curriculum to flow back and forth between the design and fine arts media, because we believe that each can positively influence the other. Artists these days can use skills in many di erent areas to strengthen what they do. There are awesome examples in the hallway of what the graphic design students are doing in their classes, right alongside the things going on in drawing, painting, and sculpture.

How many years has this faculty show been held?

We have had group faculty shows about every other year, and we have solo shows by faculty members regularly as well. We’ve been in the MAC Gallery for six years now, and had some faculty shows in the Robert Graves Gallery before that. It is very important that our students (and the public) can see what we instructors do when we are in our own studios. It shows them that we “walk the walk,” as it were.

How has the response been from the public/students?

Students and other visitors seem to be impressed with the show and the level of quality expressed in the works.

Wenatchee has an Art Walk every First Friday. Of course the MAC is a bit of a trek on foot, have you had any challenges in getting folks up to you on a typical First Friday?

It does require extra e ort to do both the downtown galleries and the WVC Galleries (MAC and Robert Graves), so we appreciate those that make it and understand those who can’t. We’re going to try to make it worth their while to make the trip every First Friday, but we’re open all day every weekday, in case another time is better. Our students are very lucky to have two good galleries on campus!

Link has generously just started o ering FREE transportation for First Friday events, so even for those on foot it will soon be an easier task to hit more places.

Agreed, this is much appreciated! C

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THE SPACEPOD: the big fat legend of Tarrare

by ron evans

“...able to consume his own weight in beef by the time he was 17.”

Sound made up? Well, you sound made up! Sorry. That was uncalled for. Let’s just both of us take a step back. I just get so passionate about food. Ok, technically this story is not really about food. It’s about one ungodly machine that devoured all the food. Even some of the non-food. Although, said machine may have brilliantly illustrated that in reality...it’s all food. This machine was called Tararre. Tararre was a French showman in the 18th century. During his early years, his appearance was fairly typical by most accounts. Save for his unnaturally wide mouth. And again, I know this all sounds like some set-up to a joke. But let’s be honest, it was no accident that John Holmes became the most successful male pornstar of the 70s, right? Sometimes our gifts dictate where we go in life. Haha. Dictate. Go on, say it aloud. Fine, I’ll move on.

Tararre was known for having an especially o ensive odor. One historian claimed most folks had to converse with the beast from 20 paces o . An impressive distance at anyone’s gait.

The legend begins with Tararre’s folks kicking him out of the house for eating too damn much. Is this where we get the phrase “he ate them out of house

and home?” I do not know. Moving on… The teenage food-chute hit the road and eventually met up with a traveling sideshow type-thing where he bedazzled anyone with a coin by swallowing live rats, mice, bats and the occasional house cat. You read right. Aren’t you glad I do this article?

Later, the evil fuck discovered yawns in the crowd at the idea of belly-meows, so he upped the intrigue by eating inedible things like stones, corks, wine bottles and such. This tomfoolery unshockingly led the young genius straight to the operating table to get some of this garbage removed from his tum tum. But, this would be no scared straight scenario. In fact, immediately after surgery he o ered to swallow the good doctor’s watch just for laughs. The doc threatened surgery number deuce would be administered with a sword if he did.

Somehow this goober found himself in the military amidst the Revolutionary War and even managed to become a spy.

Briefly.

His first mission seemed appropriate enough. He was to swallow a note that he would later ralf up to a French colonel being held in jail. He was caught by the Prussian forces almost immediately. After a vigorous strip search, the human

goat confessed that he had a letter in his tum tum. One that was key and potent to the war in content. So, the Prussians tied Tararre to a post and shoved things in him to expedite the delivery of said message. Both the Prussians and Tararre were furious to discover the message was essentially a “Howdoo, Colonel. Anything interestin’ goin’ down? Over.”

After the beating of a lifetime, the fat bastard went to see a doc about getting cured from his insatiable mouth crimes. After all, if the scratch-fest and heartburn from live cat-eating was the least of his troubles, it was worth looking into. Sadly, all of the cure-attempts were met with failure of the rumbly tummy variety. Including eating over one hundred boiled eggs a day. This belly was of the Devil! Oh, it gets worse. At one point he was caught in the morgue eating the flesh of the recently deceased. Seriously. Feeling bad about finishing o the whole carton of Ben & Jerry’s, dear reader? FUCKING PLEASE.

Not long after this, a toddler went-amissing from said hospital. He was never found. HICCUP. No, really. The case file ends with “likely eaten.”

Eventually, Tararre left the hospital to sneak into a butcher shop where he ate pretty much all. The authorities tried to track the man down but… he disappeared. For four years. It was only a series of seri-

ous tummy pains that brought the beast out of hiding. He checked himself into a hospital, thinking his troubles were from swallowing a fork. We’ve all been there, am I right? Turns out, he was actually in the latter stages of tuberculosis. Good news is, it didn’t last long. Tararre died just a few days later.

Autopsy time! This is where we discovered just how this monster was able to swallow whole cats, wooden boxes and entire sacks of gravel. Upon peaking into the behemoth’s mouth, the surgeon found that the victim had an abnormally large throat and esophagus. So wide, in fact, you could see all the way into his rotten pus-covered stomach. Anyone eating lunch whilst reading? Tararre’s liver, gallbladder and heart were all enlarged and infected from disease and abuse. Der.

The surgeons had to stop mid-way through the autopsy due to stink, so no one really knows what miserable combination of physical and mental irregularities led to the freakshow that was one Tararre. Monsters do exist, kids. Know this. It’s quite unsettling and yet, I do take a strange comfort in knowing that sometimes even science finds shit too gross to look into. “What do we got right here...10 SECONDS OF SILENCE...I’m out.” C

THE DOC IS IN: inflamed in london

Q: How much turmeric do I need to eat to help me?

-Inflamed in London

A: Turmeric has become a very popular rhizome. You might even consider it the herb of the moment. You’re probably seeing it in everything from drinks, and supplements to superfood mixes and recipes.

There’s a lot of good, and a lot of inaccurate information out there, so let’s clear some of that up, shall we?

Turmeric is typically used to reduce inflammation. We now understand inflammation is a large part of most diseases, especially chronic diseases, which are the primary killers in our Western civilization. Chronic diseases are things like eczema, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune diseases, thyroid dysfunction, cancer, anxiety, and depression to name a few. Turmeric can be helpful in addressing all of these

chronic diseases. Sound too good to be true? It’s not. You’ll get the most benefit when you address inflammation at the source, which is what turmeric does best. Chronic diseases cost us 2.5 trillion dollars each year in just the US alone. It’s also estimated that 133 million Americans have one OR MORE chronic diseases. These statistics show things are going from bad to worse. Finding multiple ways to fight inflammation is an essential part of becoming and staying healthy in our modern world.

Turmeric is a wonderful and versatile herb that helps reduce inflammation in many ways. Research shows it may help your liver do a better job of dealing with inflammation. The first step is to add more of it to your diet. You can add turmeric powder to pretty much anything you eat or drink. Try putting a 1/4tsp in your smoothies, soups, co ee, tea, and even salad dressings.

There are also a few things that will amplify the benefits of eating turmeric. First, eat it with good fat such as coconut milk, avocado, and even butter. Second, eat it with black pepper because pepper enhances the absorption of curcumin. These combinations increase all the great ben-

efits you receive from turmeric. The next layer is to add in a supplement with turmeric extracts. Diet alone cannot provide enough turmeric to fully address the level of inflammation present in most of us. This is where supplementation can be very helpful.

First, look for turmeric extracts that contain at least 95% curcumin, one of the most active compounds. Research shows it’s great at supporting your liver to reduce inflammation while helping to protect your liver function, unlike over-the-counter drugs like ibuprofen, acetaminophen (Tylenol) and naproxen (Aleve), which can actually harm your liver.

Second, combine turmeric extracts with other herbs and vitamins. This works on many facets of inflammation and creates multiple layers of health building support. A good anti-inflammatory contains multiple ways to reduce inflammation. This is true of my favorite, Advanced Antiinflammatory Complex, which includes 4 di erent herbs, 5 nutrients, and enzymes. Multiple layers of support are always the best route to maximize rapid healing.

Moving forward, try eating turmeric more often AND add in a good multifaceted anti-inflammatory supplement to

give yourself the tools required to fight inflammation every day.

Dr. Allegra Hart is a naturopathic physician, speaker, bestselling author of “Nourishing Space Within: Essentials of SelfCare,” founder of Naturae Naturopathic Clinic and Dr. Allegra’s Apothecary, and works with patients worldwide.

Dr. Allegra specializes in helping women cultivate natural self-care and rebuild their health from the inside out. When we do the work necessary to create a healing foundation of our own, the ripple e ect will inevitably ignite others to do the same.

If you have a question for Dr. Allegra, please send it to info@naturaeclinic.com with the subject “The Doctor Is In Question”.

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional health care. C

ABOUT DR. ALLEGRA

ALLEGRA HART

Naturopathic Physician

by ron evans

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