The Comet - March 2020

EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE

everything will be fine

COMET HEADQUARTERS

Greetings Cometeers.

Spring has almost arrived and I know we are all thankful for having survived the terrible Winter of 2020. I don’t know about you but I had to wear a jacket on some of those brisk 43 degree afternoons. I’ll ease up on my snark just in time to avoid the topic of the encroaching fire season. And just in time to point out how stacked this month’s events pages are. Too much good stu - as a gas station that sells $1 hot dogs used to say. Grab your anti-bac hand wash and get out there. You’ll be fine. Probably.

Now, some news that many of you have already caught wind of. The Wenatchee World posted on their Facebook page this past week on the sad situation of WEN-CON not happening. As someone who has been heavily involved with this wonderful little con since its conception (ewww) I am pretty bummed to see it go dark. With RadarStation going away I had looked forward to this show as a little slice of normality (and delicious chaos) in April by getting immersed in the con planning and programming. As the World says...it’s not dead necessarily, but unless someone steps forward with a chunk of money to either purchase the show (I’m not certain it’s even for sale) or sponsor it back into existence, it’s likely gone.

One bittersweet note is that we proved the concept to some degree with WEN-CON. To have a first year con of this size bring in over 2000 people is almost unheard of. There will be things popping up in the near future that will hit some of those WEN-CON notes, but let’s all hope we can get the mother of all things nerdy, playful and art-centric back ASAP.

In other news, The Comet has just launched a new YouTube channel Comet Satellite Television. This will be updated weekly (or more often) with interviews, mini-documentaries, art demonstrations and all sorts of fun stu we can’t do with print. Our first episode is a feature on The Radar Dames Burlesque troupe. If you’ve been curious about what goes into pulling these kinds of shows o - and about the sexual politics surrounding all things naughty - you will definitely want to see it. Also coming this week will be my interview with Mark Pickerel of The Screaming Trees. A feature on his successful record shop and a little history and insight into the notoriously troubled Screaming Trees. You won’t wanna miss this one.

Have a grand March everyone. Get out there and revel in the clean Spring air. Hike that mountain. Bike that trail. Eat those sliders. See some live music. I know we are all a little spooked right now, but keep in mind that small businesses often fold in these times of panic. Support your favorite spots. Wash your hands. Pack the anti-bac. Live. You’ll be fine. Probably...

Happy trails,

Ron Evans Editor, The Comet Magazine

Ron Evans is the owner of RadarStation Art & Entertainment, host of the How Bizarre 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.

ARTBEATS: WHAT WE TAKE

BY Lonnie Broadvalley

Artist Natalie Dotzsauer’s installation titled, ‘What We Take’ is an invitation to reconsider nostalgia. Segments of houses, a fence, and an oversized, sugar-studded quilt have been constructed for our senses in the MAC Gallery on the WVC campus. While the pieces in this exhibit have personal significance for Natalie, she invites our senses to infuse this experience with our own memories. She is interested in nostalgia because it is something we can never obtain but are always searching for - visiting but not entirely returning to. When you enter the gallery you might notice the huge house in the middle of the room. Well it’s a roof peak, technically, sticking up like the prow of a sinking ship. The siding is painted bright blue after an abandoned farmhouse that used to stand outside of Quincy. Natalie says that its interior looked like an entire fam-

ily just up and left, leaving the materials of a life behind. Maybe what was left led her to wonder what was taken? One day she drove by and the house was gone. Deserted places like this are goldmines for the imagination, especially if you happen to be an artist using found objects in your work. But objects just sit there, reflecting back whatever associations we have with them… until they are gathered and reconstructed to reflect something of their own. In this exhibit, Natalie is inviting us to climb on the roof, run the stick along the fence and look under the skin of an old house.

The beauty of an art installation is that we get to be part of it. The artist has created something that considers our physical presence to be an essential element of the piece. One of the first people to see

her show was an older gentleman who immediately climbed to the peak of the roof like the king of the mountain. And I’m sure more than one person has licked that quilt on the sly, reliving the thrill of stealing sweets when no one was looking. When you add the thwack thwack thwack thwack of running a stick along the fence, your part in this exhibit is becoming integral. Memories may be stirring.

Most of us reconstruct a slightly di erent past each time we bring a memory back to the surface, kind of like playing telephone with yourself. It’s pretty humbling to think that our recall can be so subjective. One thing we can usually rely on for more specific detail is our sense of smell. Natalie draws on this ability by infusing her sugar quilt with the scent of vanilla. Turns out, sugar doesn’t really smell but

vanilla is in so many sweets that the scent brings to mind everything from grandma’s cookies to ice cream to the candy store on the corner. Not only do I get layers of food memory from the scent of this piece but I feel that sneaky urge to pluck a sugar dot & eat it and… oh…is that?… yes, yes it’s another feeling coming in… it’s the pull of a quiet room and a soft bed covered with a handmade quilt. Hmmm, I like this game.

I like thinking about a time when life was less complicated, running around with a gang of kids all jacked up on sugar, looking for adventure. But that’s just my memory of childhood - I bet, at the time, it WAS complicated and I NEVER had enough sugar and I was bored as hell. C

Crosswords & more made exclusively for The Comet

"INITIAL REACTIONS"

ACROSS

1. "My bad!"

5. Subject on atelephone pole sign

12. IV units

15. Cooking fat

16. The "O" in the GreatLakes' acronym HOMES

17. Tide competitor

18. Absolute insanity

20. Lowisland

21. Tar

22. Kenan's Good Burger partner

23. Shave

24 "I'm Every ___" (1978Chaka Khan hit)

26. Yellowfin tuna 28. Kindle downloads 30. Cracked open 31. Madison Square Garden, e.g.

56. Second beginning?

57. Greek letter

59. Tackle box contents

60. Tolkien tree creature

61. Laughing gas

66. Messenger___

67 Polish remover

68. Carbon compound

69. Certain batteries

70. Lady's at-homehangout, in modern parlance

71 Some mil. officers

DOWN

1. Corvalliscollege, briefly

2. "Scram!"

3. Big seller ofchew toysand litter boxes

4. Flightattendant

5. Bausch & ___(eyecare brand)

6. Wordsbefore roll or bender

7. Benchmark:Abbr.

8. Type oftwo-piece swimsuit

9. Algonquian language

10. Supermarket section

11. How-___ (instruction guides)

12. Chocolate trees

13. "2001: A Space Odyssey" author

Arthur C. ___

14. Most like a fox

24. Trumpet sound

25. 42-Down, in Fuerteventura

26. Pound sounds

27. Chop down

29. Rodeo beast

31. Blue-ribbon

32. Inhaler target

35. Put away

Feb. 19, 2020

36. Place for a throne

40. Hanging around for

41. Donated

42. Theyhouse a pair of pupils

43. Coin with 12stars on it

44. Dannon and Yoplait offerings

45 Used to be

46. Spiralshapesassociated with 66-Across

47. Subwayalternative

48 "Pickme!Pick me!"

49. Overseascarrier with a kangaroo logo

53. 1991 Wimbledon champ Michael

55. Toy retailer ___ Schwarz

58. To (perfectly)

59. Faked it, verbally

61. "If I Ruled theWorld" rapper

62. "How exciting!"

63. Nice one?

54. Fed.property mgmt. org. 55 Tackle box contents

19. Scrammed

23. Frost lines?

64. Part of a URL

65. Chicago trains

Coming soon: META CROSSWORD PRIZE CONTEST #4! See last edition's solutions & results below.

HINDSIGHT. (Hint: Find a 9-letter noun.) This one the meta else the included numerals in (hinted at by the equally 2nd" in the puzzle's title, "On ") in-clue numerals are: Instructions @ <<<

tinyurl.com/coryanagrams <<<

removed letters (1 per word):

anagrammed words:

The meta answer is This one lacked the usual indicators to help you start solving the meta (grid-spanning answers, starred clues, etc.) Anything else pop out at you? Maybe you noticed the awkwardly numeralsin various clues conspicuous, not-spelled-out " 2nd Thought"). In order, the

16A. Ex-NBAer O'Neal who was #33 in Cleveland 20A. Nixon didn't complete his second one after reelection in '72

32A. Continent whose western half benefited from the Marshall Plan, first announced in '47: Abbr.

59A. Channel where 20Q and Press Your Luck have aired: Abbr.

62A. Zora ___ Hurston, author of the '39 novel "Moses, Man of the Mountain"

9D. Protective mode that, say, a 64-bit operating system may need to be started in 28D. Like "10 below," temperature-wise

63D. Simpsons character with a 4-letter first name

68D. One who's 42 months(and not years) old, perhaps

word anagrammed from removed letters:

MOG WAI ESS E CALC ENR ICO SHA Q AROO LOA THE TOF U T E R M S HIRT RE ADHERE BOS ERASE TRADES ACL ROKUS EUR

W H A T REB DISTR O LONER 2 0 2 0 DIEO F SADDE R MIB SLA T DO E PANEL ER E RENAI L SNORE GS N AVONL ADY NEALE G E T S TOOT AKINTO ERGO EMPS V I S I O N DION DESK ENACTS

These in-clue numerals refer to printed numerals in the grid. Example: 16A's clue contains 33. Find the printed 33 in the grid (33's only an across clue, so there's no doubt what its word should be). 33's word is WHAT

In clue order, match all the in-clue numerals(33, 72, 47, 20, 39, 64, 10, 4, 42) with their corresponding words in the completed grid(in yellow above) to form a question: WHAT VISION(-)RELATED TERM OFTEN GETS EQUATED WITH 2020(?) The answer is HINDSIGHT, which is also suggested by the puzzle's title "On 2nd Thought" and satisfies the hint. No winners for February. Thanks for playing & good luck next time!

SOLUTIONS TO LAST EDITION'SANACROSTIC

CHALLENGE ANSWERS: life, "Any day now!", dispensary, Yoda, Guy Smiley, Anton, governor, anniversary. QUOTE: "In a sense I portray myself in a very androgynous way, and I love androgyny."

QUOTE'SAUTHOR: LADY GAGA (spelled out by the answers' first letters)

GTFO: EVENTS WORTH LEAVING YOUR HOUSE FOR

JANuary Mondays: Ye Olde BookShoppe Open Mic

Ye Olde Bookshoppe • Wenatchee • 6:00pm • Free

Badger Mountain Brewing: Wenatchee

Open Mic Night

Thursdays at 5:30 - 9pm

A new year; a new night! Bring your words, your song, your voice, your ears, your heart and soul. Join our weekly open mic, a casual and fun way to express yourself and meet some like-minded folk :)

JANuary Thursdays: RADARSTATION Open Mic

RadarStation • Wenatchee • 7:30pm • Free Music, Comedy, and Poetry. Hosted by LAPH Productions every Thursday on the world famous RayGun stage. Sign up at 7:00, with performances around 7:30.

Every Thursday evening, join Badger Mountain & host Josh Field for Open Mic Night! Sign up at 5:30pm Thursdays and show o your talent! Singing, music, comedy, magiceveryone is welcome to join us!

First Quarter Trivia

JANuary Thursdays: Trivia + Humane Society Night

Every Wednesday, until Mar 25 at 7 - 9pm Come join us & Jess every Wednesday for some of the best trivia in the Valley!

Tap and Putt • Wenatchee • 7:00pm

Trivia Nights At Tap and Putt. $3 to enter and a chance to win the $$$ pot. We also donate $1 of every draft purchase to the Humane Society to show the animals some love and help us help them!

Live Music:

Mar 6 - Rylei Franks - 6pm Mar 20 - Josh Field - 6pm Mar 27 - O & W - Older and Wiser - 6pm

Gallery One: Ellensburg

January Fridays: Bingo Night

Tap and Putt • Wenatchee • 7:00pm Every Friday at 7pm. Get a free board with each draft purchase and chances to win Wild Tickets, Gift Cards, Swag, Growlers and more!

Tickets at gallery-one.org

8 week sculpture topics

Wed Mar 4 & 11 at 1pm.

$170 + $25 material fee

JANuary Saturdays: Mountain Music Series

Mission Ridge Ski & Board Resort • 6:30pm Saturday nights are all about live music up at Mission

Learn several building techniques, including coiling, slab work, and solid building. We will also cover di erent types of surface treatments and nishing techniques for your sculptural creations.

Open Clay Studio

Thursday, Mar 5, 12 & 19 at 5-8pm

These sessions are great for practicing, tackling issues, or getting answers to questions. Some experience is helpful – no formal instruction.

Collage: Paper Dolls (21 and up)

Saturday, Mar 7 at 11am-2pm

$37.50 + $15 material fee

Take cut-and-paste to a new level by question-

Ridge. Whether you ski under the lights or come up just for a rockin’ show, Mission Ridge is the place to be. All the excitement goes down inside the Hampton Lodge and can be enjoyed from either the Chair 5 Pub or the KaWham Café.

ing the magazines. Become aware of sexism in advertising and make truthful, outrageous and unforgettable art from scraps with a girlfriend of the Guerilla Girls.

McGlinn’s Public House: Wenatchee

Jan 4: Art of Beer Flight Night

Mar 4 - The Ski s - 7pm

Mar 6 & 7 - Eddie Manzanares - 7pm

Jan 5 Dynamite Supreme

Artist Talk with Girlfriends of the Guerrilla Girls

Jan 12 Massy Ferguson

Mar 13 & 14 - The Feral Folk - 7pm

Mar 18 - Josh Field - 7pm

Jan 19 Cosmic Serenity

Jan 26 TBD

Saturday, Mar 7 at 3pm Meet Ann Leda Shapiro, Alice Dubiel and other Girlfriends of the Guerrilla girls to hear more about their art practice.

January Music at Icicle Brewing

Mar 20 - Alex Dunn - 7pm

Mar 21 - Devin Sinha - 7pm

Mar 25 - Seth Garrido - 7pm

Wenatchee Valley Brewing Company • 108 Islandview St. We are currently brewing a lot of fun new beers, and this event includes four of our experimental batches served on a flight. The e perimental flights will be at a special price: Normally $8 --> $5 for regular customers --> $4 for our Mug Club Members. perimental flights come with a tasting worksheet, and at least one of our Brewers will be there to explain the brews and how they were produced.

5:00-8:00pm

Mar 27 & 28 - Alex Rasmussen - 7pm

Icicle Brewing Company • Leavenworth

Tiny Stitched Houses

Jan 4 Evan Egerer, 6:00pm

Jan 5 Sarah O’dea, 6:00pm

Jan 9•16•23•30 Sergio & Co, 7:00pm

Thursday, Mar 12 at 6-8pm Robin Mayberry, $25 + $5 material fee Savor the Slow Stitch Movement. Assemble and fuse a postcard-sized tiny village, and make it your own through easy hand stitching.

Jan 11 Justin Froese, 6:00pm

Jan 12 Christina May, 6:00pm

Ladies Art Mixer

Jan 17•31 Bluegrass Night, 7:00pm

Jan 18 Cascade Cascade, 6:00pm

Jan 19 Killdeer String Band, 6:00pm

Jan 26 Glass Heart String Choir

Wednesday, Mar 18 at 5pm - Free We invite you to join us for an old fashioned artist networking event. Meet other female identifying artists from our local community and print your own poster to take home!

January Music at McGlinn’s McGlinn’s Public House • Wenatchee • 7:00pm

Caulkins Guitar Duo, Guitar in the Gallery

Sunday, Mar 22 at 2pm

Jan 4•5 Champagne Sunday

Jan 12 Martina Celeste

Jan 18•19 Eddie Manzanares

Jan 26 Nic Allen

Classical Guitar Duets played on historic and modern instruments. We’ll be premiering “Prelude Music” written for us by composer Michael Young as well as music by Yep, Henry, and Würfel.

SIP & SPIN – Crista Ann Ames

Friday, Mar 13 at 6-9pm

$37.50 + $15 material fee per session

Try your hand at making cups on or o the wheel.

Weekend Workshops (all ages)

Sunday, March 15 at 2-4pm – Penguin

$25 + $10 material fee per session

Create something special in clay at our ceramics studio!

Moses Lake Museum and Art Center: Moses Lake

JAN 5: Aaron Crawford

The Vogue: A Liquid Lounge • Chelan

Mar 5 - Negative Painting-Positive Thinking in Watercolor - 12:30pm

Live music with country artist Aaron Crawford. One of the best shows we’ve had. Don’t MISS!

8:00pm-10:00pm • All ages

Mar 5 - Explorations in Watercolor: Shamrocks - 3:30pm

Jan 10: Wayne’s World

Mar 6 - Timothy Connor: Beautiful Wounds Opening Reception - 5pm

Mar 6 - Adult Swim: Painted Rocks - 5pm

Mar 6 - Nick Zentner: Eastern Washington’s Greatest Hits: Geologically - 6pm

Numerica Performing Arts Center • Wenatchee Monthly Movies on the Big Screen for only $3. Part of the 2019 Cold Winter Nights Comedy Series. Rated PG-13 | Running Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

Mar 7 - March Free Family Saturday: Fruit

6:30pm • www.numericapac.org/event/waynes-world/

Loop Rainbow - 12pm

Mar 12 - Explorations in Watercolor:

JAN 10: Brian Regan

Autumn Leaves - 3:30pm

Mar 14 - Cork Trivets - 12pm

Town Toyota Center • Wenatchee

Mar 19 - Explorations in Watercolor: Bunny

Join us for what is sure to be a night of laughter and fun as comedian Brian Regan stops by the Town Toyota

Rabbit - 3:30pm

Mar 26 - Explorations in Watercolor:

Tulips - 3:30pm

Numerica Performing Arts Center: Wenatchee

Tickets at numericapac.showare.com

Black Box Concert: Deep Sea Diver

Saturday, Mar 7 at 7:30pm

Deep Sea Diver, urgently and deliberately move you from rock experimentation to dreamy soundscapes, Kraut-esque drum and bass grooves to angular danci-ness, and full edged orchestration to bare bones simplicity.

Evan Egerer Killdeer String Band

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.

Designer Floors

19 N. Wenatchee Ave • open First Friday 9am-8pm

Terry Valdez features portrait paintings in a show titled Coyote Emerging & The Millennial Series. His portrait subjects are of past students from years as an Art Educator in the Eastmont School District. Each individual by their own unique existence has inspired Terry to attempt to peel back and connect to the complicated layers of this emerging generation.

Robert Graves Gallery

Wenatchee Valley College

Sexton Hall, 9th Avenue entrance

March 6th – April 23rd, 2020

Opening Reception: March 6th, 5 – 7 p.m.

The Immensity of our Essence: New Paintings by Martha Flores. In this exhibit, Ms. Flores uses color and form to express how we fail to see our similarities and see our di erences instead. At times in her paintings she depicts faces with ambiguous visage longing for something or questioning life.

MAC Gallery

WVC Music and Art Center

1300 Fifth Street, Mon-Fri 9-5

February 18—March 20, 2020

First Friday Reception: March 6, 5:00—7:00

Lemolo Cafe & Deli

114 N Wenatchee Ave • Open First Friday 1am-6pm

Sketching On the Fly: Travel Journal Adventures

What We Take: WVC Professor Natalie Dotzauer lls the MAC Gallery with sculptural objects, or fragments of them, which trigger the senses and thoughts of nostalgia. A recipe, a smell, a sound, or a roo ine can act as relics, or talismans of memories, triggering the senses and conjuring the delight of play.

plimentary refreshments

Collapse Contemporary Art Gallery

115 S. Wenatchee Ave. Fri:4-7, Sat:12-5

The exhibition runs March 6th-28th

Opening reception Friday, March 6th 4pm-9pm

Artist and Art Educator Ric Evans will be presenting precisely executed serigraph prints and large format hand-colored block prints.

Pans Grotto

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

Mela

17 N. Wenatchee Ave • Opening Reception 5pm-8pm

Propaganda: Civilizations have been using propaganda for years, from branding to the well-remembered WWII era posters, we’re doing our own take this month, don’t miss it!

Color from Plants 2: karen dawn dean

Wenatchee Valley Museum & Cultural Center

127 South Mission Street

wenatcheevalleymuseum.org

T-Sat: 10-4, First Friday (FREE): 10-8

The Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center is proud to sponsor the 40th Regional High School ArtShow in cooperation with the North Central Educational Service District and the O ce of Superintendent of Public Instruction each year. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our students’ creativity and talent District and Statewide. Student winners from the North Central District travel on to show and compete with students from across the state at the capitol in Olympia.

Mela

17 N. Wenatchee Ave

Hours: m-sat, 6-6 Sun, 8-4

The Nature Conservancy

Opening reception: First Friday 5-8pm

115 Orondo Street • First Friday 5pm-7pm

Perspectives on the Value of Shrub Steppe

Two Rivers Gallery

102 N Columbia, 2riversgallery.com

Wed-Sat:11- 4, Sun:1-4

My travel sketches tend to be completed under time pressure. Maybe the sketch was done while waiting in line or for a meal. As such, the sketches tend to be vibrant and fresh. The quickly drawn inaccurate lines dart and bounce around the page portraying a small moment in time. For me, the traveler, the drawing marks my memory... I still can recall the moment caught... the sun, sky, place and the people I was with.

First Friday Reception 5-8

MEMBERS SHOW

11th anniversary show: Celebrating over 50 local and regional artists. Music by soft jazz duo Patric Thompson and Glenn Isaacson. Com-

Tumbleweed Shop & Studio

1 North Wenatchee Ave.

Mon-Fri 10-6 , Sat 10-5 First Friday 5-8

Natural dyes have been stuck to my bucket list for almost 50 years. finally stepped out of my normal art making practice, dug into the alchemy and hermetic practice of botanical color extraction. It’s been a year’s-long journey of discovery; coaxing and persuading plants to give up their unique colors. I will share some of the techniques I’ve learned about indigo resist printing and the eco-dyeing process at 6:30 pm. Two workshops mid-month.

My name is Kamryn Davis. I have been so lucky to grow up in the Wenatchee Valley my whole life. I have grown a passion for succulents and cacti and love creating magical arrangements that are bound to make your plant loving hearts happy. Creating a living piece of art is something that gives me massive joy in life.

Kari is a self-taught abstract artist who works with a variety of di erent mediums and styles. Fluid art is her main focus and includes the use of acrylics, epoxy resin, and her choice medium, alcohol inks. Her hope is that when people view her pieces, they are drawn in by the interlacing of chaos, simplicity, emotion, and her passion for the outdoors.

The Nature Conservancy will be hosting a showing of Marc Dilley’s photography and Jan Cook Mack’s pleinair work from the Moses Coulee in Eastern Washington. This showcase honors the rich history of our arid lands and the unique landscape that is the precious home to many species of plants and wildlife. Educational Panel Conversation 6pm-6:45pm.

Ye Olde Bookshoppe

11 Palouse St.

Store Hours: Mon. 11-7; Tue.-Thur., 10-7; Fri.-Sat. 10-8.

Art Walk Hours: 5-8 pm

Scott Bailey, Vicki DeRooy, Natalie Dotzauer, Elena Payne, Yev Rybakov, and Majka Sadel.

Vonda Drees presents her daily journaling practice of connection, intuition and spirit. Other members of Grunewald Guild to bring a variety of work and pro-

Pan’s Grotto

3 N Wenatchee Ave, Suite 2 • Open 10am-8pm

From Orion to the Zodiac is it written in the stars? Humanity has looked up at the sky in awe since the beginning of time and we are still watching the stars in contemplation. Come check out our local artists spin on different constellations the entire month of January.

Local Artist & Author, C.G. Dahlin returns to First Friday with local books, gems, wire wrap necklaces, shirts, and abstract paintings, alongside providing palm and tarot readings.

Lemolo Cafe & Deli

114 N Wenatchee Ave.

Sun & Mon 11-4, Tue-Sat 11-6

Open First Friday until 6

RadarStation

Featured this month on the walls of Lemolo Cafe and Deli is local landscape photographer Brian Mitchell. Transporting the viewer to scenes of nature rarely seen, Brian’s photos will make you feel as if you were there yourself.

Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce

137 North Wenatchee Avenue

First Friday Reception 5-8 pm.

The Wenatchee Chamber Tasting Room welcomes Rachel Courtney, artist and designer of jewelry, blankets, scarves and more. She will teach a free workshop making jamberry earrings! Have fun creating while tasting the great wines from Milbrandt Vineyards! 5-8 pm, $10 tasting fee.

Wells House

1300 5th St. WVC Campus

(509) 888-6240

In conjunction with the Beyond the Frame: Inland Bounty exhibit, the Museum presents Gifts of the Earth. It is a look at some of the resources of Indigenous people of the Wenatchee Valley. Learn about native plants, their

Wenatchee architect and landscape painter, Brad Brisbine, on display in the Pybus Market concourse and in the Pybus Boardroom until March 30. Come visit on First Friday and also enjoy the shops and Friday Night music. Brad has been the Pybus Market Charitable Foundation architect since 2012, and his mural, “Lavender Fields,” is on the Pybus Bistro patio wall.

Go Denim!

115 S. Wenatchee Ave • First Friday FREE Reception 5pm-9pm

Inspirations Ceramic & Art Café

RAD: An Installation Mural

400 9th Street Wenatchee WA 98801

Rad Volume I by Ron Evans is a celebration of the glorious music players from the 70’s and 80’s. Painted acrylics on large canvases in a style that’s more graphic design than traditional composition. The current project is over twenty feet long. Sarah Sims will have more handmade Earth-friendly jewelry and more fun mini-paintings will be added to the Dish of Fate.

Sun & Mon 12 - 6pm, Wed & Thu 11am7pm, Fri & Sat 11am - 8pm

“One Little Word | Pottery Painting” at Hard Hat Winery, $49 to participate. Gather with us at Hard Hat Winery for a glass of wine and our most popular One Little Word class.

Mission St. Commons

218 S. Mission St, Open: M-F 8-6 www.missionstcommons.com

Free Art Tour with Terry Valdez

Ginger Reddington developed a multi-step process using layers of acrylic paints, 3-D outline and clear acrylic nish. The paintings have a depth, movement and jewel-like quality to the color that make them truly unique.

Two Rivers Gallery

First Friday 5-7pm

102 N Columbia • First Friday Reception 5pm-8pm

Featuring the oil paintings of Western artist Dean Rainey. The gallery will have a whole new show of over 50 local and regional artists. Music by pianist Jeannie McPherson. Local wines. Complimentary refreshments.

Join us at the beautifully restored historic Wells House. Tours will be given on the rst and second oors with insider information including history about the House and the original owners, fun facts about its college days, and interesting details uncovered in the renovation. Light refreshments will be served.

Tiny

106 N Columbia St

Wednesday-Monday 11-6

First Friday Hours 12-8

Tiny will be featuring Brooke Ivey for March. Her work is whimsical with vibrant colors and curvy lines.

Pybus Public Market Event Center

3 N Worthen St.

Pybus Market presents the paintings of

Professional artist Terry Valdez leads the first in a series of free guided art tours on Friday, January 4, 5:30pm-7:10pm. His talk will briefly highlight his “Confluence of Communities” funnel series at Columbia Station. Guests will then board Current B to tour the Robert Graves Gallery Members Show. Tours begin and end at Columbia Station. Sign up by phone: 509-664-7624 or email: sdanko@linktransit.com.

Ye Olde Bookshoppe

11 Palouse St • First Friday Reception: 5pm-8pm

Link Transit to host art tour, free workshop. Transform a thrift store denim jacket or revitalize an old favorite that has been hiding in the back of your closet during a free textile upcycling event. The workshop will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, March 6 in Link Transit’s Columbia Station boardroom, 300 S. Columbia Street. Following the hands-on workshop, hit the town with your new threads and travel by Link Transit bus to a local gallery for a guided art tour.

NCW based crafter Amanda Northwind has been making hand hammered jewelry for her shop, Mystic North, for 5 years. When’s she not dreaming up new ideas, you can find her out in the mountains.

Sewing machines and other supplies are included in the free drop-in event. The textile activity is part of a series of clothing upcycling activities o ered monthly by Link Transit. The free program features a brief informational talk about how to use public transportation. The workshop is free and open to the public. Space is limited. To register, please call Selina Danko at 509-664-7624 or email sdanko@linktransit.com. Free Link Transit service begins at 4 p.m. on all First Fridays on routes 1, 5, 7, 8E, 8W, 11 & 12.

First Friday Free Transit!

Monthly art tours coincide with Link Transit offering free First Friday service after 4:00pm on Routes 1, 5, 7, 8E, 8W, 11 & 12.

vox docs: FILM FESTIVAL at the snowy owl

BY RON EVANS

Originally founded by Rick Wray in 2012, Vox Docs is in its 9th year at the Snowy Owl theatre in Leavenworth.

Friday night is a compilation of local and regionally made short documentaries.

I spoke with the festival’s organizer Amelia Yokel about this event that she recently took the helms to. “The Wenatchee Valley has a rich history of documentary filmmaking, with several production houses that produce documentary films and a number of students learning the craft. We have few opportunities to come together under one roof to share our work. Friday night at Vox Docs is the solution to that problem. What I love about this event is how involved the artists have become. It is a place for students and professionals to come together, mingle, and meet the community. Plus we all get to hang out at the after party.

Saturday is an all day event and we

screen a wide variety of feature-length films. Generally, these films come from all over the world. This year, however, our first two films have ties to Washington State. At noon we’ll see, ¡Fiesta Quincenara! directed by Rodrigo Dorfman (married to Heather Primm, a graduate of Wenatchee High School). Next, at 3pm, The Most Dangerous Year and Wenatchee Pride team up with director Vlada Knowlton who is coming to the event from Bellevue as part of Gender Diversity Week. And to finish the night at 7pm, Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blache a film about a French woman who disappeared from history after pioneering narrative filmmaking in the early 1900s, featuring an introduction by Susan Butruille of Leavenworth.”

When and how did you get involved?

I was invited on as artistic director of the festival in 2018. I spent some time working with Rick to get connected to his vision and he passed the torch to me that year.

Tell us a bit about the selection process.

The mission of Vox Docs is to celebrate culture, encourage discussion, and bring a powerful artistic expression to our community. I’m always keeping that in mind when looking for the lineup. I’m also looking for a variety of topics that will expand on what might otherwise be available to us in our smaller community. Someone said to me once that the intent of art isn’t just to make us feel good, it’s to make us feel something. In addition to finding beautiful and culturally relevant films, I also like to pick films that provoke emotion.

How has the community responded to the festival?

Those that attend have raved about the event and come back year after year. We also have had generous donations and volunteer contributions in addition to local filmmaker support. Every year I’m broadening our subject matter to represent our community, and listening to audience feedback. This year’s partner-

ships include; Seattle Documentary Association, Wenatchee Pride, and latino filmmaker Rodrigo Dorfman.

Talk a bit about your own personal history in filmmaking.

I was 19 years old when I decided to be a filmmaker. There was a novelty in film that I was always attracted to, and a power to communicate that was undeniable to me. I studied digital journalism at CWU and moved to Los Angeles shortly after college, where I stayed for the next decade.

I worked nearly every entry level job on set and in the production o ce. Eventually I graduated to coordinating, producing, and editing. My background is in independent film, music videos, and thrillers. In 2015 I moved back to the valley and now I produce narrative films, film festivals, and documentary filmmaking curriculum for high school students.

What do you feel it takes to make a powerful, quality documentary?

Documentary, more than any other genre, forgives production quality if the story is true and compelling. It is also the great equalizer for new filmmakers, because you can access people with whatever resources you have available. Personally, I think you need to have three things to make your documentary speak to people; heart, a world of its own, and either timeliness or universal appeal. Heart is how relatable your story is. Does it reach people? The world of the story is your unique way of creating visually. Finally, you need a subject that either appeals to our current cultural conversation, or a subject that is universally appealing, outside of time.

As an aside, I’ll also add that I’m a sucker for great audio and sound design. It’s an under recognized art form which makes “the di erence” for most films, without people ever really noticing it.

Aside from getting to share these films with the community, what are some of your favorite elements to this event? Behind the scenes and otherwise.

I absolutely love bringing people together and fostering the craft of filmmaking. That’s why Friday night is so special to me. We’re supporting and

growing the future of documentary filmmaking locally.

This year we’ll have even more filmmakers attending the festival to mingle and answer questions. There’s something special to me about organizing an opportunity to bring artists into the spotlight. I’m really looking forward to watching it unfold and being with our people.

What does the future look like for Vox Docs?

Vox Docs creates an umbrella for local and regional filmmakers to gather under, and for the community to participate in that process. We continue to see an increase in the films being submitted and the more support we have for the festival and the artists, the more artists want to create and support new talent. It’s a cycle of growth.

How can people get involved if they’d like to be a part of this? Reach out to me with any questions. And of course, come meet me at the screenings. Tickets are available on the website or at the door.

icicle.org/vox-docs-film-festival/ ameliajudithyokel@gmail.com c

Public Domain Poetry

Magdalen Walks by Oscar Wilde

The little white clouds are racing over the sky, And the fields are strewn with the gold of the flower of March, The da odil breaks under foot, and the tasselled larch Sways and swings as the thrush goes hurrying by.

A delicate odour is borne on the wings of the morning breeze, The odour of leaves, and of grass, and of newly upturned earth, The birds are singing for joy of the Spring’s glad birth, Hopping from branch to branch on the rocking trees.

And all the woods are alive with the murmur and sound of Spring, And the rose-bud breaks into pink on the climbing briar, And the crocus-bed is a quivering moon of fire Girdled round with the belt of an amethyst ring.

And the plane to the pine-tree is whispering some tale of love Till it rustles with laughter and tosses its mantle of green, And the gloom of the wych-elm’s hollow is lit with the iris sheen Of the burnished rainbow throat and the silver breast of a dove.

See! the lark starts up from his bed in the meadow there, Breaking the gossamer threads and the nets of dew, And flashing adown the river, a flame of blue!

The kingfisher flies like an arrow, and wounds the air.

what’s ole is new: popular tat shop expands

BY RON EVANS

Ole Soul Tattoo has been cranking out quality ink in the valley for years in its unassuming side-street location in downtown Wenatchee. This month marks the second coming of the popular business with a new space and a broader plan for world domination. Well, at least local domination. For now... And while they haven’t moved far, the new location o ers a wide open feeling with even wider creative possibilities. Owner and renown tattooist Jimi Drake is clear to point out that it’s no longer “just a tattoo studio.”

Not that they are focusing less on the craft that has made the name Ole Soul a revered one. But there will be more happenings in the large and impossibly cool space that up until recently had been KI Fighting Concepts martial arts school. I spoke with Jimi about this move, his background in the world of tattooing and about the philosophy of creating ‘forever art’ on the hu-

man canvas. He starts with a quote:

“The professional senses who has served his time and who hasn’t. Like Alan Ladd and Jack Palance circling each other in Shane, a gun recognizes another gun.”

~ The War of Art, Steven Pressfield.

How did you get into art originally?

In the beginning I had a hard time calling myself an artist, even if tattoo was in front of the word. That term was reserved for the Masters in the Museum, not in a street shop on Casino Road in South Everett. Over time -now 15 years tattooing- and 23 years of getting them, it doesn’t matter anymore. That term, ‘artist’ or ‘fine art’ in my opinion is gone. An illusion interpreted through the lenses of a viewer. And in my view, art is everywhere and unending. It belongs to everyone, and it is my hope that people can awaken their own story through it, in any medium. I just happened

to prefer tattoo.

At what point did you know tattooing was the true artistic road to pursue?

I knew at 8 years old I was destined to be heavily tattooed. Ten years later my mother found a local tattooer and bounty hunter working out of his house just o the Skagit River in Mt. Vernon. A Native American tribal arm band, that didn’t quite make it all the way around the arm, was my first of many more to come. Art class always came easy as a kid. I had an ‘eye’ for it, a ‘talent’ that everyone annoyingly reminds you of. I enjoyed portraits the most. I could look at anything and pencil a replica. Even interior design, I loved it when my mom wanted to redecorate the living room. Being a kid in the 80’s had me enthralled in movie set design. I just always had an artistic knack.

Then, at 27 I took a trip to Manhattan, New

York. I was invited by my friends to work and help out for the Rose Ballroom Tattoo Convention. I was blown away. From my hometown tattoo shop to a world stage of industry legends. My head was spinning and I knew right then I had to tattoo. The plane ride home was a plea to my now mentor Tom of Tattoo Evolution to take me on as an apprentice. I cut my successful pinstriping and custom airbrush business in half to learn from him. My first tattoo was on myself, a Jolly Roger skull. Then it was time to practice on friends. I was a quick study and took to it pretty well. A few months later I was tattooing a drug dealing gangster across the throat, and under the pressure... I soared. I then knew I had the chops to make it.

(Here’s where I try to act tough enough to not be SUPER impressed by that shit)

(Ahem) How’d you go from drug dealer throats and apprenticeships to owning your own studio? I opened Ole Soul in 2012 after moving into the valley a few years before. It was my intention then and even to this day to work hard, develop passion, and treat people in a kind and fair way. The phone always rings and I’m always being productive. Now I average a threea-month waiting list. I’m grateful to work alongside a positive caring and fun crew, Kristina and Migz. They are my second family.

Tell us about your new digs and what you have planned for the space.

Ole Soul now is taking another innovative turn. Studio, like art, has many meanings, forms and celebrations. The space acquired - over 3000 square ft - will do just that. Morning Qi-Gong movement meditation and unique yoga and animal flow classes. Drip co ee and a tea house, and then nightly events like movies, private events, seminars, local gallery showcases, straight edge gatherings, and many more ideas to explore. The next few years will be a humbling ride to connect more with the community, give people a place to be inspired and to feel a genuine energy in others.

Completely in honor of damn fine art for all, at Ole Soul Studio. More than just a tattoo studio. We are Genuine Defined. C

Earth friendly jewelry made with recycled metals and semi-precious stones. Handcrafted in the Paci c Northwest. SarahSims.etsy.com

IG: @Third_Eye_Jewelry

ThirdEyeDesigns.Love

comet tales: reader submitted writings

by Maxwell Reister & Eric Splittgerber

Note from the authors: This poem was created by two friends with a shared passion for Dr. Seuss and the song ‘Shore Leave’ by Tom Waits

Tuesdays at midnight by the Saigon Still

guttersnipes gathered to guzzle their swill

Huddled ‘round barrels of sulphurous heat this clan lived a life of soot and bare feet

Festooned in trappings, threadbare and stained, where wire-brush beards were a fashion sustained

This was a tribe of an itinerant sort who lived beyond reason and were happier for it

Each with a story as long as my arm which they told with great gusto to keep themselves warm

The first one to speak was a plump little man with a bellowing voice and a very dark tan

He had on a robe and a silken top hat and alligator shoes polished with fat

He said to the vagabonds that loitered around Omar Epps is my name, I tell of a warrior renowned

A champion of brawlers, paragon of his kind was Henrik the Scrapper, now- more than half blind

He fought for his honor, and for all of our clan in the Bloodworks Arena, lined with cardboard and sand

A man beyond morals, a beast without shame

his tactics were ruthless and completely insane

With thumbs blunt from use, he’d go for the eyes

he’d leave his foes sightless, a grisly demise

Till one day he fought with Eyeless Eileen

she was blind from birth and had hearing quite keen

When Henrik tried to thumb o her ears

She pirouetted his grasp to the hoots of her peers

She fastened her mouth to his ocular slot

And sucked out his right eye with an audible pop

After giving the orb a chomp and a chew

She spat the remains in his left eye -Pitoo!

Henrik forfeited and Eileen was crowned Chief

And now they are married and never know grief

But not all who fight in the arena are lucky

Most end up dead as a very dead ducky

‘What becomes of the dead?’ you may very well ask

In the business of death, there’s but one for the task

A shadow approached the dim smoldering fire

Adorned in an outfit of eclectic attire

Upon the right foot he wore thirteen socks,

And the boot on his left foot squeaked when he walked

His legs were equipped in a similar fashion

With equal parts style, good taste, and strong passion

A pair of old snow pants and some faded pink shorts

Pin-striped Speedos and a belt made of quartz

He had on a shirt made from manatee leather

a vest of fine mohair, and an old polka dot sweater

Three separate neckties, and each one he bore

Tuesdays at Midnight

beautifully dimpled with a perfect Windsor

An eye patch, a monocle, and three pairs of glasses protected his eyes from hazardous gasses

He was the hobo mortician, and he didn’t shirk gruesome death was common in Mortimer’s work

If a transient passed, and began to decay

It was Mortimer’s duty to erect the display

He’d rest their remains on a sled from the luge and practice the art of post-mortem rouge

Using sauce from old pasta, applied in extreme he created a flattering waterproof sheen

Whiskers were trimmed and thoroughly washed using mystical soaps regardless of cost

As payment for labors, the custom was clear, he took one piece of clothing to add to his gear

Then all of the paupers and princes of panhandlin’

parade past the corpse with chalk and a dandel’in

The chalk is for tracing hieroglyphs on the clothes of the slain

Some meaning ‘Safe travels on the ole gravy train’

Some recommended a good place to dine

Like Pete’s Pickled Pigeons and a bar called The Brine

The blooms would be piled at the feet of the mourned and the clan would tell stories to keep their hearts warm

CLASS ACT: PRETTY NICE CREATIONS

BY RON EVANS

Artist/instructor Rachel Courtney moved to Wenatchee from Las Cruces, NM, in September 2018 and immediately became immersed in the local art scene. She has been hosting classes for a variety of arts and crafts around the valley including one of her favorite techniques, alcohol ink paintings. “I had been involved in several art groups exploring a variety of art media which introduced me to alcohol ink. I fell in love with its beauty and wanted to share it with everyone. Alcohol ink is typically an art that requires a bit of investment to get started. Colors come in packs of 3 (for $12!) and a wide variety of colors can be more expensive than many beginners may be willing to spend. My thought was to share the colors I had with some friends and family and show them the fun you can have creating abstract art. Since I began, I’ve taught 192 people from as young as 4 years old.”

How did you get started?

My first class in Wenatchee was in June

2019. I really missed sharing art with others, so I visited with my friend Kmbris Bond who knew someone with some space - Chad Yenney at Collapse Contemporary Art Gallery.

Are there any that have been more popular than others?

Kmbris Bond and I teach basket weaving and it is sold out almost every time. Many people have access to pine needles and want to use that resource. Some go camping or hunting and are interested in ways to pass the time. Alcohol ink is always a win and rock painting fills up more than you would guess.

What is something unexpected that you teach?

Especially with longer classes I stress the need to get up, stretch by standing up straight, and extending the arms. I encourage students to look at other’s work and to look at something far away to reset their eyes. We have to take care of our

bodies.

Where do you teach?

We started at Collapse, then we recently added a second venue - Hard Hat Winery. They approached us because they enjoy hosting this type of thing. We also do home-based classes for private groups.

How do you pick what’s coming next?

Great question. Based on numbers from previous classes and whatever ideas we dream up. Sometimes our host will suggest something (like wine-bottle macrame) and sometimes students make suggestions. Sometimes when we think outside of the box people don’t show up. But sometimes it works. You just never know.

So many artists struggle with organization and things like making a class happen with registration, taking payment, promotion and venue relations. I am happy to offer that service to other artists and would

love to see di erent classes popping up. Email me at pretty.nice.creations@gmail. com or visit prettynicecreations.com/ event to register for classes.

FULL SCHEDULE OF UPCOMING CLASSES

First Friday Jewelry Class

Friday, March 6 from 5 to 8 pm.

Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce

Tasting Room

137 N. Wenatchee Ave., Suite 101

Join Rachel as she displays her variety of art projects as well as o ers instructions on how to create Jamberry Jewelry (earrings and pendants from vinyl nail wraps). First pair is free - any pair after that is $5.

DIY Macrame Bottle Class

Sunday, March 8 from 2 to 4 p.m.

Hard Hat Winery

Create your own macrame bottle with detailed instruction from Kmbris and

INSTRUCTOR RACHEL COURTNEY - JULIE AYNN PHOTOGRAPHY

Rachel. Make a vase or a bottle with a handle. Supplies will be provided for this quasi-macrame class - $35.

Tree of Life Class

Saturday, March 14 from 2 to 4 p.m.

Collapse

Betsy and Rachel will lead you through this introductory class in creating your own wire-sculpted tree of life. The class is $35 and includes supplies. If you would like to bring your own beads, you are welcome to.

Cactus Rock Painting Class

Saturday, March 21 from 2 to 4 p.m.

Collapse

Get creative and make several di erent “succulent” rocks for your garden! We will focus on di erent types of cacti you can paint and you will go home with a

mini pot that will stay green. All materials will be provided. The class is $35 and includes supplies. If you would like to bring your own rocks, you are welcome to.

Pine Needle Basket Weaving

Sunday, March 22 from 2 to 5 p.m.

Hard Hat Winery

Sunday, April 26 from 2 to 5 p.m.

Hard Hat Winery

Use pine needles and waxed linen to weave together baskets using our step by step instructions/demonstration. All materials will be provided. The class is $35 and includes supplies.

Basket Weaving with Kaila Russell

Saturday, March 28 from 2 to 5 p.m.

Collapse

Join guest teacher Kaila Russell, from Carnation, Wa. for this 3 hour class and

make an 8-10 inch round basket using dyed and natural round reeds. No weaving experience needed. Just willing hands. All supplies provided - $45

Alcohol Ink Creations

Saturday, April 11 from 2 to 4 p.m.

Collapse

Learn to create abstract pieces of alcohol ink artwork. This intro class will focus on greeting cards for Mother’s or Father’s Day. The class is $35 and includes supplies.

DIY Wrap Bracelet Class

Saturday, April 25 from 2 to 5 p.m.

Collapse

Learn to make wrap bracelets using leather, buttons, c-lon and beads with instruction from Rachel Courtney. The class is $35 and includes supplies. If you would

like to bring your own beads you are welcome to, but it is not necessary.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Collapse Contemporary Art Gallery is at 115 S. Wenatchee Ave.

Hard Hat Winery Tasting Room is at One 5th Street, Ste. 160

Register at prettynicecreations.com/event C

comet tales: reader submitted writings

featuring jon davies

Weightless it waits in space congregated with grates that weir those with knows so big they grow past pigs in senses of the chaotic fungus. Hunting tru es with no lung gets short breath, functioning as a back drop to the next level stops. Stops? Stops!! Pops, lets plot the next venture like brothers who’ve entered another dimension with clear intentions to never veneer vengeance as better than ending the violence so sentient it’s set here to tend Earth’s garden. Guarding a farmers market crash with top Level overflow stashed in caches. Imaginative bashes matchless in missing nothing. What matters is confronting the run thing and hurting no one with the patience to fucking grow one. Grow a pair, put the weapons down and show a pair, know a where, where the wares grow as the time ticks untarnished with glib little limerick tricks. Yeah I’m a prick, better than standing unmanned and glamouring a screen with insipid dreams o the ansible feed.

Wake up and dream.

That’s all you need.

Universally one story, one word, one knowing, one verb; Love.

Have you ever compared shark vertebrae with diatomaceous earth particles, the disk shape of tiny life amplified from strings of tiny things into an organism that sinks it’s teeth into invisible electrical fields.

The lateral lines of sea creatures sense zingers from living things. What’s ancient and new and buzzing through you? The feelings we get upon entering spaces may be residual memories triggered through smells. Or something else entirely that harbors a survival instinct for us and hates and adores us. The modern models of thought taught so succinctly may miss molehills of ‘Man’s’ abilities that cover the mountain.

Walking with our heads in the clouds and our eyes on the ground may show us what’s known but forgotten and thrives all around. A mole hill is an opportunity to see what friendly rodents have dug up for free. No need for shovels and buckets to collect when nature took the trouble to sprinkle the surface with objects it’s collected and cycled through so often.

Stones, fossils and bones unbound o er hints of what happened once and is still around.

21:23

Group consciousness flauntless in the midst of us. The most mist opportunity, a glimpse of us. Caught the tide rolling wide in a ripped e ort to ditch us. The current pulls, enlist us, remember to forget this instance of whimsy when we get to feeling flimsy. We roll core deep, no score to keep, we explore the keep and keep away gotta give a day to catch it on the replay. What am I saying? Are we ahead of the way, a vanguard of this here lanyard guard? Exploratory force of course with no need to force the course, a four course of horse the source of remorse forced down our generations sports stars in the vice of recovery fast and work hard. Injuries cured with pills spill into pilsner ills, from captain to captivity in the form of scrips that we fill until the sickness wins and we enter the battle of prescripted sins with no intention of slipping the Dr. cuts us o to our own set of pitfalls.

Trust falls with no crowd support, a backward leaning feeling at peace until the ground robs us of the air we breath. It’s not the fall that kills it is the landing, that moment the floor will be ignored no more and expounding our lungs is all we live for. Breath –in – breath – in – breath in the only all consuming thought caught in our whole being. Autonomous nervous system to consciousness and beyond, we know exactly what we need it is our bodies that forgot how to inhale, brain racing to detail which muscles

move first the worst feeling of gut burst, get the thrust first, all alone in this crowd of us first we must thirst for what’s worse the lack of air or the fact that no one else can put it there!

And then it happens, a gasp of traction, a twitch of intercostal mixed with an inverse glottal. A gulp of air, a swallow flits by. Why are the birds lungs double sided and I can’t even cry out, ‘help.’ A fish on land, dry and I don’t even have gills to wet down when I would kill to fill myself with the oxygen, the toxigen that flocks to my pen but not my hopeless, wide eyed body grope for air. -- There! The diaphragm expands and all the clandestined wrestling our chests been stressing rests.

Isn’t breathing the best?

Dance in The Rain

The Spanish Main refrained from interacting with me by inviting an ex to see. The ecstasy vexes me by contesting me with what’s next for me. A problem with no redress you see. A solution that, at first glance, seems a hex to me, beckons me with unparalleled convestibles. The kind of problem that leave people in the state of vegetables reckon we can’t gesture adequately to emphatically disagree.

Here I am chasing sounds in my head, allowing thoughts that I dread to establish bulkheads in my threads. Strands of thought caught in what she said. The bullshit of deflected responsibility onto someone we don’t truly know.

My sleep talking may be more aware than I care to know. c

Taurus (Apr 20 – May 20) - It’s time to let go of those self-deprecating thoughts and cycles. Shame serves no one, no matter how comfortable you are sitting in it. Suck it up and like yourself already, you’re not THAT bad.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20) - Surprise, surprise, gemini has articulate thoughts they’d like to express to anyone willing to listen. Fucking air signs, shut up already.

Cancer (June 21 – July 22) - I know it’s tough for you soft bellied crabs to admit you’re wrong...but you are. Accept it and welcome the idea that you can learn from others if you give them a chance.

Leo (July 23 – Aug 22) - You’re feeling vulnerable this month, exposing that soft, kitty cat belly and letting us give it a little rub. You’re cute when you’re not acting better than us.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TWO BAR PRODUCTIONS

Virgo (Aug 23 – Sep 22) - Sex, sex, sex. Have it, enjoy it, experience it in all its glory. But don’t forget to wear a rubber.

Libra (Sep 23 – Oct 22) - I’d love to say that you’ll finally find the perfect balance this month, but who are we kidding libra, you’re a lopsided mess.

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21) - Sensitive, insecure little scorpio. The bad news is - you feel ashamed most of the time, the good news is - you don’t have to feel it alone. Share your misery with the world!

Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21) - Sag, imagine a life where you’re confident, stable and worthy of love. Oh, you can’t? That checks out. Sorry, I guess you’re gonna need more therapy.

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19) - This month you will be receptive to advice and input from others. AND you will willingly listen to it. I know, it blows my mind too. Run with it, we don’t know when this will happen again for you stubborn Capricorn.

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18) - Wealth is on the horizon for you Aquarian! Just make sure your life choices and financial gain are made with a hefty dose of integrity... or else…

featuring

Pisces (Feb 19 – Mar 20) - Happy Birthday Pisces, you crazy bastard! Let your friends or family treat you; you can be obsessive and overly sensitive some other time. It’s your time to shine!

Send thoughts, prayers or hate to: StarBWord@gmail.com

Aries (Mar 21 – Apr 19) - You can’t hide from your feelings forever. Stop stifling and start speaking that shit. The only way you’ll get the hang of having feelings is by acknowledging that you have them.

HOW BIZARRE: A voyeur from beyond

BY RON EVANS

I’ve always imagined ghosts being peeping Toms. I mean, what the hell else would there be for them to do except watch us? Damned to float about, often stuck in one location and unable to (consistently at least) a ect solid objects or interact with the living. So...they would watch us.

Now, nobody likes the idea of being watched while doing our biz in the “office” as it were or whilst showering and making whoopee. Haha. Whoopee, I says. Well, I shouldn’t say nobody. But exhibitionist kinks aside, if ghosts truly exist then they are violating our privacy every minute of every day. Think about that. You may not want to. The writer of this email I received from a longtime listener of the How Bizarre Podcast (formerly Tales From The Spacepod) certainly didn’t want to either.

For your consideration:

Hey there.

I may have the perfect ghost story for this show. It has it all. Creeps. Sex. Crime. And the paranormal. This is not my story but a dear friend of mine and I have tried to get her on the show to talk about it but she’s not even remotely interested in that. Sadly. So, I will do my best here with the summary version.

My friend...we will call her Mary. Cuz that’s her name. When Mary was 17 she moved to an old farm style house outside of town -I’ll leave the town out - with her mom after her parents split up. It was a pretty rough and withered house but the price was right for a single mom with two teenage daughters to feed.

Mary liked it well enough but her younger sister Grace hated being out of town so far. Grace was 15 around this time and was still

in that rebellious state so there was a lot of grumbling about the move. All of that was quickly put aside when strange things started happening.

The first night of sleep in the drafty old house was a little uncomfortable as they hadn’t really fixed everything up or cleaned up the bath tub etc. But the next night Mary took it upon herself to clean that bath tub so she could soak the draftiness away that night.

Later while she was in the tub, her candle blew out. The fact that there was no real breeze that night made it a strange occurrence. Mary reached for the towel in the semi-dark when she saw an old man in overalls watching her near the bathroom door. She screamed and fell back into the tub.

The man laughed at her and vanished right

in front of her. Mary freaked and ran to get her mom. They all looked through the entire house and found nothing. Chalking it up to exhaustion or stress from the divorce, they all tried to get some sleep.

Over the next few days everyone had seen this man at one point or another. And every time, it was when they were naked.

They all assumed immediately that it was a ghost. They knew what they were seeing wasn’t made of solid matter and it didn’t behave in a “walking across the room” manner. He floated. And occasionally seemed to be masturbating.

They knew the old man who built the house in the 1950s was a farmer. Little more. So they looked up any info they could find on the place and discovered that the man they were seeing was clearly the ghost of the old farmer. A well known sexual predator in the

town. In fact he’s so well known that I won’t say his name because it would give the location of the house away.

So Farmer John as we will call him apparently had sexual relations with his niece who was 15 at the time and that was his first encounter with trouble in town. It was the 50s though and he didn’t get into much trouble for that. Later, he did get arrested for trespassing and peeping into a neighbors’ bedroom window while they were having sex.

In fact. Farmer John had been spotted looking into windows all over this side of town for years. He was a well-known creep.

Eventually Farmer John died of natural causes and the house went to a few di erent owners but none of them stayed long and it remained dormant for years. Until Mary’s family moved in. Here’s the funny

part to me though. They stayed there. In fact Mary’s mom is still there to this day...12 years later. Mary is married now and living in the city but she visits her mom often and she still occasionally sees ol’ Farmer John dropping in for a visit. Usually in the bathroom.

I couldn’t imagine how you could put up with the ghost of a dead old creepy peeping tom pedophile farmer watching you every time you are naked or having intimate relations. Yes, Mary’s mom re-married and they are quite aware that there were three people in the room the night they consummated that marriage. They just don’t really seem to be freaked out anymore and haven’t for years.

I asked Mary about it and she said it’s made her realize that we are always being watched by ghosts. Some we can see, some we can’t. What are you gonna do about it?

Girlfriends of the

Move to another house? Who’s to say there isn’t someone worse there? Who’s to say invisible people aren’t surrounding us everywhere every minute?

This whole thing put the family on a quest to learn more about ghosts. There are lots of theories about why some ghosts can be seen and most can’t. But one that stuck with me was it’ all down to the boldness of the ghost. That makes sense to me in the case of Farmer John. He clearly felt bold enough to flash people, peek into their windows and groom young girls for his own interests. He didn’t really hide that in life, why should he hide it in death? And where is he anyway? Hell? Sounds more like heaven to a piece of shit like Farmer John.

Agreed. Also...yikes. The thought of being watched by ghosts isn’t one that’s always on the top of my head but again, it always made sense to

me.

I love how this family was like “it’s our house now, bitch” and just kept living their lives knowing full well there was a sexual predator in the room with them. Albeit, a seemingly ine ectual one these days. How would you handle that? Would you move? Hold an exorcism? Get the Ouija board out? Never get naked again ever?

It’s an interesting thought isn’t it? Who is in the room with you right now? What kind of life did they live? How did they die? Why are they watching you poop?

But more interestingly...

What have they seen you do? C

Guerrilla Girls

Deborah Faye Lawrence & Rachel Siegel, Agent Yu meets a Guerrilla Girl at the Art Museum VIP Reception, video still

Presented by Gallery One & CoCA Seattle

THE DOC IS IN: allergy season coming achoo!

Q: I dread spring because my allergies get so bad. What can I do about my spring allergies?

Dr. Allegra says...

Reduce histamine rich foods like alcohol, shellfish, and highly processed foods.

Histamines are part of your natural immune response. Sometimes your body gets a little over-reactive to allergens such as dust, pollen, dander, which leads to your typical allergy symptoms- itchy eyes, runny nose, and sneezing. By reducing the amount of histamines you put into your body, you can lighten the intensity of potential allergic reactions.

high all day then turn down to a lower setting at night while you sleep. This will reduce the allergen load in the room you likely spend the most time and you’ll get better sleep too!

balance, and fuel your immune system. Remember, every healthy layer counts!

ABOUT DR. ALLEGRA HART

Dr. Allegra Hart is a licensed naturopathic physician, speaker, author of Nourishing Space Within: Essentials of Self-Care, founder of Naturae Naturopathic Clinic and Dr. Allegra’s Apothecary, and works with patients worldwide.

ALLEGRA HART

Naturopathic

Physician

A: You are not alone being an allergy su erer. More than 50 million Americans su er from allergies each year and this number is increasing.

Let’s explore di erent ways to reduce your allergic reactions:

Cut out excess sugar. Sugar fuels inflammation and therefore increases the intensity of seasonal allergies. Reducing your sugar intake can help boost your immune system. A strong immune system will keep you healthier on all levels.

Add in support with some extra Vitamin C.

Vitamin C helps to stabilize your mast cells, which are the cells that release histamines. This helps to calm an overreactive immune system and tell the mast cells that it is safe to relax. You can add in Vitamin C rich foods like papaya, bell peppers, and broccoli (these foods have more C than orange juice!).

Clean up your air.

Bringing in an air cleaner can help reduce dust, dander, and pollen in your home. I recommend you put an air cleaner in your bedroom and turn it on

Flush out the allergens. Consider using a neti pot every evening to flush any dust, dander, or pollen out of your nasal passages. Make sure to use filtered water with non-iodized salt and add a pinch of high quality probiotic, like my Essential Probiotic, to the mixture to help your immune system stay strong on all fronts.

Also, add probiotic-rich foods such as sauerkraut, Jun (kombucha made from honey, not sugar), or beet kvass to support a healthy microbiome.

Cover up. Wear a face mask when you work outside to reduce inhaling large amounts of pollen and dust. This is especially important if you are mowing the lawn or digging in your garden.

Each of these layers will help support,

Dr. Allegra specializes in helping women rebuild their health from the inside out by cultivating natural self-care. If we as individuals create healing foundations on our own- the ripple e ect will inevitably inspire others to do the same, and together we can be the change we wish to see in the world. Check out Dr. Allegra’s healthy living online course for your next level of support at naturaeclinic.com/ wellness-programs

If you have a question for Dr. Allegra, email us at info@naturaeclinic.com with the subject “The Doctor Is In Question”. C

by ron evans