Bobi and her band will be on stage this Friiday!

Following up a night of Irish music with Afro-Cuban sounds pretty awesome – here’s more from Jan at the Community Theatre:

“Funkloric” Musical Evening in Friday Harbor!

One of the leading female voices of Afro-Cuban culture brings her “funkloric” rhythms to San Juan Community Theatre on Friday, March 18.

Bobi Céspedes and her five-piece band featuring guitar, bass, drums, percussion, and trumpet/piano, perform on the Whittier stage at 7:30 p.m.

Céspedes is not only an acclaimed folkloric songwriter, dancer and percussionist but she is also an accomplished recording artistic, storyteller, lecturer and cultural arts teacher (she will present a workshop for Friday Harbor 4th – 6th grade students earlier in the day of her concert).

For over 40 years Céspedes has been directly involved in the preservation and teaching of the Afro-Cuban culture and traditions.  She sings in three languages:  English, Spanish and Lucumi, the mother tongue of the descendants of the Yorubas of West Africa in Cuba.  She makes and plays a variety of folkloric percussion instruments, including the Chekere, a beautiful beaded calabash gourd.

Céspedes’ Northwest appearance is partially funded through a grant from the Western States Arts Federation (WESTAF) and the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Business Partner for Bobi Céspedes’ appearance is Kings Market. Concert tickets are $24 for adults, $12 for student reserved, with $5 RUSH at the door.  A  Coho dinner/theatre package is also available–Coho Restaurant will be serving a special Afro-Cuban menu that evening.  The package is only available via the SJCT box office.  The box office is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets are also available on-line at www.sjctheatre.org

From any angle, we have a beautiful home, as I was able to see when I flew over the island last autumn, with Cape San Juan stretching out before us...

Let’s see how this day unfolds…each day we know on the earth offers glimpses of mystery & hope. Keep your eyes wide….

• Keep Japan in your thoughts, prayers & good deeds these days, as they struggle with those reactors, bury their dead, and start to piece things back together on their little island. I know you will, because you’re that way…

It's easy to see the beauty around us...can you see the beauty in the heart of the person you disagree with? That's where the chance for finding common ground will begin.

• Thirty years ago this month, when President Reagan was shot, and about to get operated on, he was awake & aware, and said to the doctor in charge, joking, “I hope you’re a Republican.” The doc, who was a liberal Democrat, said, “Mr. President, today we’re all Republicans.”

That’s a good doc.

I hope there comes a time when all the present hard times with the school district pass, that we remember that we used to disagree, but are able to say in that future time, “Today, we’re all islanders, and we all love our children.” I believe that of us now, and believe it will be the base of our kids’ future. There will come a time when we come together again.

• Through the years on the island, the main business of the island has changed color & hue – for a while it was farming; before that, fishing & incredible canneries that fed the nation; sometimes timber; more fishing, and now the business of welcoming visitors to our beautiful spot, often to renew themselves and to connect with the trees & water & our animal friends here.

Those previous years had ebbs & flows (we who live with tides understand better than most that what goes up eventually comes down, and every day’s low tide will always rise again), and the low ebb of the last couple of years has a chance to rise again this summer. It is my hope that we welcome our visitors, not with the faces & air of desperate business people with strained finances, but with open hearts & open arms & the smiles that go with living in a place that nourishes us each day with such beauty, and the love we have for each other.

Is the sunset more lovely than the sunrise? If you hold the memory of one more closely in your memory & heart, you miss the chance to let the other grow inside you.

Congrats to Sonia (left), Melanie & Madi!

The local Soroptimist Club has the winners for this spring’s awards – here’s more from Barbara Sharp:

Soroptimists of Friday Harbor honored Sonia Nash, Melanie Kaegi, and Madison McPadden as exceptional women at the Soroptimist Club’s Notable Women’s Luncheon held on March 9 at the Mullis Center.  This event was also a celebration of International Women’s Day.

Madi McPadden, a Friday Harbor High School senior, received the Violet Richardson Award, which honors a young woman who is making a difference in her community. This past year, Madi served as manager of the girls’ soccer team; and under her leadership, the team members worked hard to raise awareness about breast cancer and to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.  They wore pink socks and pink ribbons in their hair during games. They sold homemade, pink-decorated baked goods, pink ribbons and pins.  Campers attending their soccer camp for elementary school kids wore t-shirts saying “Kicks for the Cure.”  And by the way, the team finished the league season undefeated!   Madi’s award included $750.

Sonia Nash received the Ruby Award, including $750, for her inspirational commitment in helping abused women on the island to escape their abusers and start their lives over again. She has worked hard to connect abused women to needed services, such as counseling, ESL classes, medical help, jobs and housing.  She is often called, sometimes in the middle of the night, to help a woman in trouble. In the words of her nominator, “Sonia is a small woman with a big heart.”

Melanie Kaegi, the recipient of the Women’s Opportunity Award, will use her $5,000 award money to support her goal of to complete her undergraduate degree from Washington State University and then to seek her master’s degree in nursing at Seattle University.  A woman who has faced many obstacles and hardships in her life, Melanie is determined to make a better life for herself and for her children.  She intends to become a psychiatric nurse practitioner, using her educational background and personal experience to help women escape from the patterns of generational poverty.

For more information about the Soroptimists and their many services and activities, visit www.sifri.org.

Sometimes it's a bit wet & grey, and a bit sunny when we walk off the ferry....all at once.

Things have been happening…let’s see what is afoot:

• Spring sports are underway – the FHHS baseball team thumped South Whidbey 10-4 last Saturday, while the softball girls won by forfeit. The soccer Wolverines begin play today at home against the South Whidbey soccer guys, while golf, track & girls’ tennis get underway soon.

Brothers Mike (left) and Kim Sundstrom, along with Uncle Al Sundstrom

• Anna Maria & Dave at the Coho Restaurant are using local flour, and we’re all better for it – here’s the scoop:

In our never-ending quest to search out local foods, we came across a family which has been farming for generations on the island. Kim Sundstrom, who just delivered 100 pounds of his newly milled wheat flour to the restaurant, grew up in the house in which his mother, Ruth Sundstrom, was born.  Her dad is the one who originally bought the house and the property in the early 1900s. Ruth’s sons are now working the 160 acres, Mike raising beef cattle and Kim growing wheat and oats.

Yielding about one ton per acre, Kim produces 30 tons a year, just enough for the local market.  He uses certified organic practices, fortifying the soil with dehydrated chicken manure to bring the quality of the soil up to his standards.  The variety, called Murill Wheat, is a soft, multi-purpose wheat developed by a gentleman in Whatcom county specifically for the Pacific Northwest growing region.  What’s not sold locally is fed to their pigs and sheep.

For milling, Kim takes the grain to Fairhaven Mills in Bellingham, then hauls the flour back to the island.  It seems like a labor of love to us, but Kim’s hope is to rejuvenate the land and create a unique product for a unique market.  You can find his flour at the San Juan Island Food Co-op or, of course, baked into our restaurant’s breads and pastries.  We are happy to be able to offer yet another true taste of the San Juans!”

• Their move is complete – here’s more from Margaret & Peter:

They've moved!

Peter Goddu and Margaret Langlie of GODDULANGLIE, Lawyers-Advisors have relocated their offices to 435–A Argyle Avenue (between San Juan Fitness and San Juan Supplements). The new location has free parking and handicap access at the rear of the building and – to the delight of many clients – only three steps to the front door.

Goddu and Langlie – a husband-wife team and law partners for 29 years – acquired Judge Don Eaton’s practice in April 2010. The firm emphasizes client-focused advice, utilizing their legal expertise combined with common sense in the areas of real estate and land use, commercial and business law, estate planning and probate.

Contact information remains the same: PO Box 460, Friday Harbor, WA 98250; Phone (360) 378-2181; website: www.goddulanglie.com.

• You know the Middle School’s play is not this weekend, but next, right?…“Still Life With Iris” is directed by FHHS alum Bristol Whalen, and opens on March 25th.

This is going to be great – hope you have time to help! I know I’m gonna sign up for a shift – here’s the deal from Lori & Stephanie:

Plan to be a part of the Great Island Clean-Up!!

• When? Saturday, April 9, any time between 10 am and 2 pm
• Where? All San Juan Island roadsides and beaches
• Rain or shine!

Working together, we can really clean up the island!

You’ve probably noticed if you’ve been out walking or biking that there’s a lot of litter along the island’s roadsides and on our beautiful beaches too.  Despite the efforts of many islanders who have adopted specific stretches of roads or beaches and regularly pick up litter there, thoughtless people are still tossing beer and/or soda cans and bottles, cigarette butts, food wrappings, and a variety of other things as they drive, bike or walk by.  And drivers with unsecured loads are contributing to the mess by allowing things to blow out of the back of their pick-up trucks (lots of Styrofoam pellets end up as litter this way).

Multiple organizations – including the Soroptimists, Lions, Kiwanis, Rotarians, Chamber of Commerce, Friends of the San Juans, and Boy and Girl Scouts – are collaborating to sponsor the Great Island Clean-Up, a day when all able-bodied islanders are encouraged to help pick up the accumulated trash so that residents and visitors alike are treated to a litter-free island when warmer and sunnier weather beckons us all outdoors.

Come to the Market Place any time between April 1-8 to sign up for the section of road or beach that you’d like to clean. If you would prefer to work with a group that has already adopted a particular area, you can sign up for that instead. If you can’t sign up in person, contact Lori Stokes at 378-4643 or loristokes3 (at) gmail.com to reserve the area you wish to clean.

Litter-picker-uppers will need to provide their own supplies, but both Ace Hardware and Browne’s Home Center have offered to help out. Ace is offering a Great Island Clean-Up Special for $14.99, which includes a grabber, a vest, and three garbage bags. And Browne’s will be handing out free disposable gloves, plus giving a 25% discount on biodegradable trash bags.

Picking up litter in small groups is much more fun, and also a great deal safer.  So gather some friends or family members and make a party out of it!  And if you’re not a litter-picker-upper that day but are out and about in your car, please be cautious and keep an eye out so that those who are working can do so in relative safety; many of our roadsides lack shoulders and good sight lines.

For more information about the event, contact Stephanie Prima-Sarantopulos at 378-2783, or Stephanie (at) tuckerhouse.com.

In the light of last week’s tsunami & the disaster in Japan, the County’s Department of Emergency Management director Brenden Cowan offers these thoughts:

Quakes, Tsunamis, and the Islands
A practical take on disaster preparedness

Last week’s earthquake in Japan has grabbed headlines across the world for obvious reasons. The scale of the destruction is hard to fathom and difficult to digest. This is especially true for those of us in the Pacific Northwest, a place with an underlying geology and risk of disaster that is similar to Japan. It’s hard not to wonder if it could happen here.

That concern, coupled with the Japanese quake spawning a tsunami that caused damage in the U.S., makes it a good time to address some common questions I’ve heard over the last couple of days. I’ll try to keep it simple and provide links to more info for those who want to dig deeper. Here are a few critical points we should all be aware of:

• Getting info to the public in a crisis is critical. Each islander is strongly encouraged to go to www.sanjuandem.net/alert to learn more and sign up for our new Islands Emergency Alert System.

• We live in earthquake country and we will experience a major quake someday. Everyone needs to take some basic preparedness steps. Go to www.sanjuandem.net/prepare for info on where to begin, or call us at 370-7612.

There are a couple of situations that could result in a tsunami affecting the islands. In both cases we will feel the earthquake first. If you feel a major quake, head to high ground. It’s never hard to get 30 feet above the water in the islands. There was some confusion about this after the Japan quake – but best science still says that the islands don’t need to worry about a tsunami from a distant earthquake.

Want to learn more? View our much more in-depth Frequently Asked Questions about Quakes & Tsunamis (www.sanjuandem.net/quakefaq) or call or email us to talk things over.

Want to help the survivors in Japan? Here is a page with links to organizations working to assist in the response and recovery.

The main message of course is this: every islander has a responsibility to themselves, their family, and their community to be prepared to be on their own for a week or more. Let us know if you need help.

There was enough of a windstorm last night, wasn’t there…here’s a little song from Donovan as we go outside this morning to pick up branches…

Belted Kingfisher, watching over the water....photo by Jim Maya, last week

Let’s see what’s going on ’round here:

• Tony tells me T:FLO is going to be the backup band for live karaoke at The Rumor Mill tomorrow night (Tuesday, check your calendar) from 7-10pm…be there!

• I thought I understood the  extent of the Japanese earthquake‘s damage…till I saw this incredible aerial piece of before & after shots from the Australian Broadcasting Company. Lots of folks hurting over there….

• Remember we were talking about the San Juan Island Garden Club‘s meeting on the first? Here’s the deal again (to make sure you saw it) and to make sure you RSVP if you’re coming:

The San Juan Island Garden Club will meet on April 5, Tuesday at the Mullis Center from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. Our wonderful speaker will be Richard Anderson, one of the partners of Westcott Bay Cider.  In 1999, he planted and still maintains over 1000 trees in his Westcott Bay Orchard.  Please join us to share Richard’s venture at establishing the orchard and its’ fruition as he describes it reaching maturity. RSVP: Joyce Harrell at 378-6146 or to Dot Vandaveer at 378-8306 no later than April 1.

• The Run Ladies Run 10K is coming up on the 27th…you can sign up at San Juan Fitness now! Here’s the vid of the first of the race last year (see who you know!):

Janice Peterson wants to tell Howard Schonberger "Happy 90th!"

• We’re all pretty proud of Matthew around here – Ruth at Waterworks Gallery tells me Matthew Gray Palmer has recently been awarded multiple public commissions for various zoos and parks nationally. Upcoming installations include:

March, 2011 – Virginia Zoo, Norfolk, VA
September, 2011 – Mammoth Cave National Park, Kentucky
March, 2012 – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs, CO
April, 2012 – Utah’s Hogle Zoo, Salt Lake City, UT

Lee's new book

• You can find out more about islander Lee Brewer’s new book this weekend – here’s more from Laura at Griffin Bay Bookstore:

Local author Lee Brewer will be at Griffin Bay Bookstore on Saturday, March 19 from 2-4pm to sign copies of his book Kick the Tire and Light the Fire. Lee’s book is a memoir about his early aspirations to fly and covers his combat experiences as a B-29 navigator in WWII and as an F-86 jet fighter pilot in the Korean War.  It also tells of his peacetime Air Force years, and about flying, sailing and painting as a retiree in the San Juan Islands.

Please join us for a bit of local flavor and fun with our favorite raconteur.  Griffin Bay Bookstore is located at 155 Spring Street (across the street from King’s Market).  For more information, please visit our website atwww.griffinbaybook.com or call us at 378-5511.

• You may have heard that Jon Shannon is stepping down at Public Works…here’s the press release:

San Juan County Administrator Pete Rose announced Friday that longtime County Public Works Director Jon Shannon has asked to be reassigned from his position as department head to the position of transportation planner within the Public Works Department. Continue Reading

One of my favorite songs…by Death Cab for Cutie, it’s “Soul Meets Body”…here’s the live version:

Just got this note from Travis, the president of the island’s youth soccer association, who says they have a coaching director job open, and also need a few good coaches for the fall season….here’s more:

I know soccer season seems like a long way away, but we have important news. Feel free to forward this to anyone you think might be interested.

1.) We want to establish a paid Coaching Director position for the fall season. See below.

2.) The U18 Boys team is without a coach. Please help us find someone to ensure these young men can play in the fall. The time commitment at this age can be quite manageable.

3.) We could also benefit from additional coaches for U12, U13, and U14 girls. Please write me at Ayers.Travis (at) gmail (dot) com if you think you can help, even in a limited fashion.

Sincerely,
Travis Ayers, President, San Juan Island Soccer

(click here to see the job description) Continue Reading

Bald eagle settling in for dinner & suggesting he doesn't want to share, earlier this week....photo by Jim Maya.

Looking around…

• There are definitely things to do today…the kids at the Presbyterian Church have a Baked Potato Dinner fundraiser to raise money for summer camp at 4:30pm, and the Soroptimist Club is raising money with their annual St. Patrick’s Dinner & Auction.

• Russell Sadler is an old news guy from Oregon, and he passed on this YouTube vid from yesterday (thanks, Russell)…as I was taking to Dave the DEM guy about whether the tsunami would “hit” our island, and our marinas at Roche Harbor & Friday Harbor, as well as shipyards around the shore, he told me that projections were for perhaps eight inches of swell.

Doesn’t sound like much, but here’s what it looked like in southern Oregon, near the California line in Brookings. The descriptor for the video says, “”On March 11, 2011, at 1145 hours, the tsunami from Japan made it to Brookings Harbor, Oregon. In a matter of seconds the docks collapsed, taking the boats with them. Several boats were washed out to sea and others were sunk.”

Listen for the part where a voice says, “We might not want to be on this dock, dude.”

Update 5:04am PST: Dave Halloran issued this press release early this morning:

Keep your eyes on (and your feet out of) the water Friday morning. After the devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan, a Tsunami Advisory was issued in the early morning hours for the coast of Washington including the inland waters.

The Sheriff’s Office 911 dispatch and Emergency Management monitored the latest reports through out the night and after consultation with NOAA forecasters at the Weather Service in Seattle and the State Emergency Operations Center determined there would be little threat to the San Juans.

The West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center has forecast waves of 8 inches to 10 inches between Port Angeles and Bellingham as a result of a possible Tsunami. Arrival time should be 7:45-8:00 AM – be on the safe side and stay clear of the beaches this morning! Check the latest here and get Tsunami tips here or by phone  370-7612 or 370-0587 on Orcas.

Update: 4:20am PST: Dave Halloran from the Department of Emergency Management for the County says a tsunami advisory is in effect for here, which basically means keep your eyes open…he says the meteorological folks say we could see waves of maybe 6-10 inches, but there is no present cause for alarm or evacuation. He says that sort of rise would be comparable to a winter storm, like we’re used to…if it even makes it this far.

Let’s stay in touch.

Posted: 3:45am PST: The terrible earthquake (and strong aftershocks) that hit northern Japan last night caused a devastating tsunami that struck Japan hard.

The last report I read (at about 3:45am PST) says Hawaii is evacuating low-lying areas as a precaution, and that the earliest the tsunami may reach the US West Coast would be around 8am.

I’m posting this here as a “just in case” – check the national news for more info. I’ll update things here if I hear more….probably not much will happen here in our relatively protected harbor, but let’s pay attention. Let’s stay in touch.

The sky lit up in the afternoon's sun....photo by Traci Walter (thanks, Traci!)

With yesterday’s winds in the afternoon came some beautiful skies & colorful clouds – I hope you saw them painted across the air above the island…here are a couple of photos and a song from ’67 by a very youthful Simon & Garfunkel…happy morning to you!

A little different angle from the other side of the island....photo by John Simon (way to go, John!)

It was pretty cool to see Laura & Phil the other night at the Dust Busters...

There’s a wind advisory for the day (hit the weather button on the masthead for details), so batten down, baby…let’s see what else is up:

Even yogacats like Zumba (I'll doublecheck with Cynthia, but I'm pretty sure that's right.)

• Put it on your calendar – Cynthia at XYZ Movement Arts has a free Zumba class for the equinox on the 21st to celebrate the change in seasons…here’s more.

• Looks like someone is fixing to remodel & move into the old Mystical Mermaid spot on Spring Street – we’ll keep an eye on that.

• The funeral service for Jason Brockman is today in Bellingham…condolences to Darlene & his family.

• It’s this weekend: Daylight Savings Time kicks in on Sunday morning. You know to set your clock an hour ahead, right?

There are a lot of smiles when Christiane Biermann & Darlene Wahl get together - Christiane was on the island this past week with Charlie & Elsa, so they met up with me and Darlene (with Ingrid, who Charlie slipped a few fries) at Vic's....

• Kurt Wenner lives on the island…did you know that? (Thanks, Dan!)

• Amanda Brast got her driver’s license yesterday – way to go, Amanda!

• Richard Rodriguez reports some GPS problems on the water – here’s the deal from his blog. Solar flares?

Irish tunes at the Theatre tomorrow!

• The Irish Music Camp’s concert is tomorrow night…this is one of the don’t miss deals of the year, as the Camp celebrates its tenth year…I know every year I’ve gone it’s always wonderful. Here’s more about the show at the Community Theatre.

• Baseball & softball signups are this weekend (remember the full story?) Kris says here’s the deal:

Set your clocks ahead and mark your calendar. Friday Harbor Baseball & Softball Assocation wants to remind parents and children that baseball & softball tryouts will be held, rain or shine, on Sunday, March 13th at the elementary school fields beginning at 12:30 p.m. Those children wanting to be placed on a softball or baseball team should attend; those signing up for coed rookies or t-ball do not have to attend but are encouraged to turn in their signed paperwork and payment any time during the day.

Full tryout details, board member phone numbers, and registration forms are available at by visiting www.fhball.org. If you want to pre-register a link is also provided at that site.

This bike could be ours....

• This is going to be fun – here’s more from Tracy:

NEWS FLASH: Free Mountain Bike Raffle open to event attendees only, drawing will be at noon. Bicycle (pictured above) courtesy of Travel Light Cycles!

The Bike Paths group is excited to announce the Bicycle Tune Up and Warm Up event scheduled for Saturday March 19 from 10am to noon at the Elementary School play shed.  This free event is open to children and adults new to bicycling as well as seasoned riders.  Bring your bicycle and helmet for a variety of fun stations providing basic maintenance, demonstrations, Q & A, and hands-on bike mechanics.  Both of the local bike shops, Island Bicycles and Travel Light Cycles, have generously donated their time to help get you rolling. Activities include tire repair, brake adjustment, bike and helmet sizing and fit, creative all weather gear, and a children’s tune up station.  There will be a variety of safe cycling educational materials and maps.  A limited supply of helmets will also be available for a suggested donation.

Legends on the island....islander Mike Cohen is a folk legend in his own right, so it was cool to have his brother John (he was with the Lost City Ramblers in New York in the folk revival days) here to play tradiotional music with the Dust Busters. It was an awesome chance to hear some real-deal music with great musicans, right here on our little island.

Get a jump start on the bicycling season!  After the Tune Up, it is our hope that you will enjoy the opportunity to head out for a warm up ride on your own or with friends.  Route suggestions based on skill levels will be provided.

The Bike paths group is part of the SJ Island Trails Committee, both part of Island Rec. Learn more about us at: http://sanjuanislandtrails.org/biking/, or Contact Island Rec at 378-4953 or www.islandrec.org.

• Get your datebook out – Dot has news about next month’s Garden Club meeting:

The San Juan Island Garden Club will meet on April 5, Tuesday at the Mullis Center from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Stellar sea lions last week...photo by Jim Maya.

Our wonderful speaker will be Richard Anderson, one of the partners of Westcott Bay Cider. In 1999, he planted and still maintains over 1000 trees in his Westcott Bay Orchard.

Please join us to share Richard’s venture at establishing the orchard and its fruition as he describes it reaching maturity.

• Over at the Fairgrounds tomorrow, the Mostly Middle School Players from Spring Street International School will present Much Ado About Nothing…the show’s start time has been changed from 6pm to 5pm to make it easier for Orcas & Lopez friends to come….

It'll be Woods going nose to nose with Alex, with Shawn cheering 'em on....don't wanna miss this one, sports fan!

It’s gonna be fun…the FHHS staff vs. the kids. Here’s the deal, from senior Maggie Anderson:

Hey Ian!

On Friday the 11th, the seniors are hosting a staff vs. senior basketball game as a fundraiser for project grad night! I was wondering if you could put this on your site! It’d be awesome!

Here are some details!!

Friday, March 11th at Turnbull gym
BBQ dinner is served in the commons starting at 5:30pm
Hamburger meals ($7) and hot dog meals ($6) cooked by Vanderyachts
Tip off is at 7:00pm (donation entree fee)

Mark Vermeire will kick off the game by singing the National Anthem (he’s also playing of course)
Silent auction will be going on throughout dinner and the game – final bidders announced after 3rd quarter
Prizes include: whale watching tour, kayaking trip, wakeboarding/water skiing lessons, senior work parties and overnight stays in some great island beach houses!

Half time show will include:
A cheerleading performance from some crazy senior boys (yes it is gross…)
A Hoopshoot competition – prizes included!!

See you there! This is going to be a blast!

Christi

Jan is putting on this cool art workshop this weekend – here’s the rest, from Wild at Heart Studios:

Wild at Heart Studios of Friday Harbor is happy to announce renowned artist and author, Christi Friessen will be visiting San Juan Island March 12th and 13th to teach a two-day creative art workshop entitled, “Polymer Clay Extravaganza”.

The workshop will include two projects : “WrapVessels” and “Ocean Commotion”. Aside from having fun, students will explore a variety of polymer clay techniques and projects, with the emphasis on  individual creative expression and learning sculptural mixed media techniques.  Christi’s work has been featured in several publications and her books are best sellers!

The Earthbox Motel and Spa in downtown Friday Harbor offers workshop attendees a reduced room rate in addition to specially priced spa services.  A continental breakfast and lunch are included in the workshop fee.

Wild at Heart Studios offers workshops in a variety of mediums for artists of all levels,  taught by skilled instructors from around the country.  By holding the workshops on beautiful San Juan Island, attendees can look forward to a relaxing retreat in addition to a to a fun and inspirational workshop experience.    Custom workshops are also available for parties of four or more and are popular for bridal showers, birthday parties or weekend get-aways.

For more information visit www.WildAtHeartStudios.com or call (360) 298-2195.