Over 40 years ago in Tijuana Mexico, Sergio Gomez’s heart was heavy with concern for the street children of the city – the sons and daughters of drug addicts, prostitutes and those too poor to provide for their own. Gomez began asking the parents of these children for permission to care for their children when they were unable to. Within a short time he founded the City of Refuge Children’s Home, in 1965. This was the beginning of a lifetime of service to the poor of Tijuana and surrounding areas.
Singer Susan Osborn will once again take the Stage on the Green Sunday, July 13 at 6 p.m. as part of the free summer Sunday concert series. Susan will be joined by her old friend and musical companion of the last 30 years, Connecticut tenor guitarist and singer songwriter, Bill Lauf.
Art donations are wanted for the library silent auction, which will benefit the Orcas Library and create exposure for artists. Art donations will also find a new home for your collectibles.
KindlingsFest is a celebration of art and ideas where they intersect with the spiritual. This four-day event provides morning lectures on various topics exploring the author C.S. Lewis and “The Art of Being Fully Human,” with Dr. Jerry Root, leading C. S. Lewis expert and editor of “The Quotable Lewis.” The Fest also has entertainment each evening at the Bag End Cafe with the irrepressible Nigel Goodwin, British actor and arts advocate.
Martin Lund, one of the most popular performers on the Orcas music scene, will be performing at the Brown Bag Concert at Emmanuel Church on July 16 at noon.
The Orcas Grange will host a New York City folksinger-songwriter and friend of Sharon Abreu and Mike Hurwicz to perform songs from the last century of social activism, as well as his own compositions.
Orcas Center will present the perfect mid-summer theatrical treat, the Midnight Mystery Theatre performing whodunit radio plays on Saturday, July 12.
Idgy Vaughn writes and plays twisted Texamericana with all the aplomb and raw magic of an unsocialized farmkid. A single mother, Vaughn waitressed at a truckstop in Buda, Texas, until a customer won the lottery and loaned her just enough to record her full length debut, “Origin Story.” After losing her hometown’s talent show to Christian karaoke singers seven years in a row, Idgy finally became a winner herself at the Kerrville Folk Festival’s prestigious New Folk Competition for Emerging Songwriters. Since then, she’s been winning over critics, cynics, dj’s, program directors, and fellow songwriters one at a time.
A quick look at what’s going on in the San Juan Islands arts community.
On Saturday, July 19, Orcas Center will host two performances with legendary Brazilian jazz percussionist Airto Moreira. Joining Airto and band members Harvey Wainapel (saxophone), Gary Brown (bass), and Kit Walker (keyboard), will be vocalist Diana Booker and her husband, Krishna Booker. Opening the show will be Orcas favorites Martin Lund and Gene Nery.
Overton Berry and Friends will appear in a tribute to Art Foxall on Thursday, July 3, at 2 p.m at the Lopez Center for Community and the Arts.
The Funhouse introduced Orcas Island Music Together this spring and now the youngest islanders have something just for them. Music Together® is an internationally recognized early childhood music education program. It was founded on the premise that all children are musical and can develop their musical potential within a supportive learning environment. A Music Together class inspires children and their parent/guardian with song, dance, instrument, and rhythm play. The whole idea is to bring more music into everyday life experience.
The June 2008 edition of the Slightly OffCenter Local Artist Showcase, curated by Carolyn Cruso, features some of Orcas’ favorites: John Clancy’s Improvissimo, Heather Stansbury and Bryan Benepe, Buckthorn and Rutabaga, and Evan Fraser and Tbird Luv. The showcase will be on Sunday, June 29 on the Orcas Center OffCenter Stage. Tickets are $10 and available at the door of the Off Center Stage, and in advance at the Orcas Center box office.
