Kenmore resident Mary McDonald’s hands have been full with pottery since 1960, and this year she’s going the Japanese raku route for the city’s 12th annual art show.
After she placed her three colorful vases — painted with an array of greens, browns, oranges, crimsons and more — on the entry table, McDonald discussed the importance of the free local show, which will run from 2:30-8:30 p.m. Aug. 21-29 at Northlake Lutheran Church (6620 N.E. 185th St., Kenmore).
“We should support our local show, a lot of people from all over come to this show. I know an awful lot of the gals that do the photography that are here — different medias that come here,” she said. “It’s got a reputation for being a good show. It’s small enough that people can get into.”
McDonald sold one of her photos to Roland Lindstrom — president of the nonprofit Arts of Kenmore and show chairman — a few years back. For raku, she hand-molds the clay, fires it at a low temperature, lets it cool outside and then paints her pieces.
The Kenmore Art Show has four categories: painting, drawing and other 2-D work; sculpture; artisan works; and photography. Prizes will amount to $4,000, including a $500 Purchase Award to the city of Kenmore. The city will match that award with an additional $500 Purchase Award.
According to Lindstrom, “We pride ourselves in presenting the show in a very good fashion. Our flats are pretty nice, the way we set them up.”
He added that people have plenty of fine art to peruse at the show, which usually features 300-350 of the 500-550 entries. For Lindstrom, he enjoys looking at landscapes and portraits that are well-done and well-balanced, both color-wise and with negative and positive spaces.
“That’s what makes a piece of art — doing a nice drawing and organizing it properly,” he added.
Free nightly entertainment from 7-8 p.m. will include:
• Aug. 21 — John Osborn and the Docksiders, a barbershop quartet, followed by Barbara Dietrich on the piano.
• Aug. 22 — Margaret Graham, voice teacher, offers an evening of music featuring her voice students.
• Aug. 23-24 — Cherry Van Overstraeten, voice teacher, presents her voice students in an original musical, “24 Ways to Get Lost Gleefully.”
• Aug. 25 — Don Moore, a festival favorite, with popular piano music.
• Aug. 26 — Debra Srebnik and “Trio Dolce” with favorite classics for piano and strings. Laura Srebnik will play her violin to open the program.
• Aug. 27 — A Joyful Noise, a folk-pop group.
• Aug. 28 — Keith Wittmeyer plays piano selections from the classics.
• Aug. 29 — Northlake Songs of Hope, a contemporary musical group.
