PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles Fine Arts Center will host a free opening reception for “Blooming Artists,” an exhibit of elementary student artwork from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The exhibition showcases the artwork of over 275 students, providing an exploration of the world of insects, pollination, habitat, plants and soil regeneration through the eyes and art of the community’s youngest learners.

“Blooming Artists” will be on display through
June 25. The gallery at
1203 E. Lauridsen Blvd. is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

This exhibit represents the culmination of a year of arts, science and garden integrated learning with pre-K through third grade students within the Port Angeles School District (PASD).

This is the second year of the project, which was made possible by a Creative Start Grant from the Washington State Arts Commission awarded to the Port Angeles School District.

Through this program, art center staff have partnered with teachers, volunteers, PASD Native American Liaisons and WSU extension staff “to provide project-based education that integrates art, science, playful movement, story and SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) while also deepening students’ connection to the natural world,” organizers said.

”Connections to each schools’ garden program allow students to get hands-on learning about plants, soil and composting.”

New this year is the groundwork to increase cultural relevance in school gardens by folding in Since Time Immemorial curriculum concepts into the lesson plans with support from Port Angeles School District Native American Liaison Carmen Watson Charles and the Klallam Language Department, organizers said.

“Port Angeles Fine Arts Center is proud to support the school district in furthering their efforts to provide arts integrated learning in our schools,” said Christine Loewe, executive director of the fine arts center who also volunteers with the school district garden.

The Port Angeles Fine Arts Center plays a crucial role in supporting this initiative by providing expertise in integrating art education curriculum and aligning Washington state science and art learning standards, organizers said.

The Youth Education Director at the Fine Arts Center, Mandy Miller, serves as the primary coordinator, offering integrated lessons at the participating elementary schools.

Thirteen teachers from three schools across the district have participated in the program and 45 classes have been offered throughout the school year generating arts integrated education in the classrooms.

Teaching artists Ariel Zimman, Steve Belz, MarySue French and Sarah Hurt also will have samples of their artwork on display and for sale in the exhibition.

“Whether they are looking at invertebrates from the compost, pulling apart bean seeds to discover a young plant inside or trying to figure out a seed dispersal method, the students in the Creative Start program have shown me that they are ready and excited to learn all about the natural world,” said Mandy Miller, youth education director.

”These students have also taught me that their creativity is infinite when creating works that reflect the science they have learned,” Miller added. “It’s fun to watch them be open to learning a variety of new skills using an array of mediums,”

Lead partners for “Blooming Artists” and the year-long project include: Washington State University Clallam County extension, Port Angeles School District Native American Liason Carmen Watson Charles, and 1st Grade Franklin Elementary Teacher Sarah Schaefermeyer.

Inspired by the creation stories of her ancestral tribes and the role of birds therein, the latest installation in the Murals of La Jolla public art program “Mukikmalim, Su’ulim, Chem-tema-ki’ay (Birds, Stars, Our Lands)” is considered an homage to the artist’s ancestral land and indigenous family history.

The piece was placed on a new site for the Murals of La Jolla program — at 7836 Herschel Ave. in The Village — at the end of May and into the first few days of June.

“We are thrilled to have a prominent new site located right in the heart of the village on Herschel Avenue, facing Silverado Street,” said Murals of La Jolla Executive Director Lynda Forsha. “When new murals are installed and new locations are added to the mix, it creates a more dynamic art-viewing experience for those exploring our community.”

And the latest work comes from “a Native perspective,” according to artist Gail Werner, who descends from three tribes located in San Diego County: Cupeño, Luiseño, and Kumeyaay (La Jolla is on Kumeyaay land). The title of the mural is written in the Cupeño language and translated into English. Three unique birds, a black-throated sparrow, a rock wren and a cactus wren, are prominently featured.

“In our creation stories, the animals and plants are the characters and the ‘people,’” Werner explained. “Our bird songs tell a story about the people, but they are birds, so they are one and the same. We are all related and everything is connected, the animate and the inanimate. In my work, I want to evoke a sense of journey and place.”

Werner said she chose birds that are both featured in tribal stories but also ones found in San Diego County.

Beyond the birds, visual references throughout the mural continue to tell the story of local tribes, such as a grinding rock, where women would grind acorns; the patterned symbols dispersed across the sky and around the central bird are inspired by the woven basketry design for which Southern California Indigenous people, including Werner’s great grandmother and basket maker Salvadora Valenzuela, are recognized.

However, the mural also takes a look at the darker side of her ancestral story. As is the part of the story with many Indigenous tribes, Werner’s relatives were forcibly removed from their ancestral village in 1903.

“I wanted [the mural] to be about the land because land is important to us,” she explained. “It is our place of origin, where our ancestors are. This piece, even though I didn’t show a specific mountain range, has a composite of places I have been. The right panel has a ridgeline that has two peaks, and that is specific to … where the Cupeño are. [My] people were evicted from that land and moved by force to Pala. I think about those things and honor that.”

Gail Werner, the artist behind the latest Murals of La Jolla installation, is pictured here in her studio.

(Mark Laurila)

Lauren Lockhart, a member of the Murals of La Jolla Art Advisory Committee and executive director of the La Jolla Historical Society, said the mural “brings an important perspective and unique aesthetic that is influenced by her Cupeño, Luiseño and Kumeyaay identity. The imagery she’s incorporated into the piece celebrates the legacy and stories of the indigenous peoples who have stewarded this land since time immemorial.”

Lockhart added that she appreciates the way Werner “approached this long, horizontal space with panels that invite storytelling. It brings vibrancy to the site, and really invites the viewer into the work.”

Having done only one other mural before, in Long Beach where she resides, Werner said she considers herself a “studio artist and printmaker” more so than a muralist.

“I had a positive experience when I did the mural in Long Beach and to me, this one is similar, but I welcomed the opportunity to create a piece in my studio and use the process [Murals of La Jolla engages in] to enlarge the work and put it on the wall. Programs like this open so many doors for other artists who aren’t just mural artists.”

She added that public art “allows everyone to see it, people that normally wouldn’t seek it out” and that she was “very excited and honored to be a part of the program. It’s such a wonderful opportunity all the way around.”

There currently are 17 murals in place around town, funded solely by private donations. For more information, visit muralsoflajolla.com. ◆

Country music legend Randy Travis was officially inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame during a special ceremony on May 27 as part of the Cajun Country Jam’s Memorial Day Festival in Denham Springs, Louisiana, where Travis arrived on stage to receive his honor in front of the crowd.

Inductees for the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame come from artists and those involved in the music business who have contributed to music in the state of Louisiana and are selected for the LMHOF or Regional Halls in three categories: native artists (born in Louisiana), in-residence artists (live or lived in Louisiana) and contributing artists (contributed significantly to the Louisiana musical business or influence).

With lifetime sales above $25 million, Travis is one of the biggest multi-genre record sellers ever and a recent inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame class of 2016. 

Travis’ honors include seven Grammy Awards, 11 Academy of Country Music statuettes, 10 American Music Awards, two People’s Choice Awards, seven Music City News Awards, eight Dove Awards from the Gospel Music Association, and five Country Music Association honors. 

Since his near-fatal stroke in 2013, with the help of physical therapy and his wife, Mary Davis, Travis continues to improve his motor function, including speaking, walking, and even singing. 

With the assistance of author Ken Abraham, Randy Travis released his critically-acclaimed memoir, Forever and Ever, Amen.

In 2021 CMT named Travis the CMT Artist of a Lifetime, and in 2022, Travis released his award-winning documentary More Life.

With his induction, Travis joins a group of inductees that includes Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Louis Armstrong, and many others.

Here is a quick summary of some of the unique exhibits on display in the northern Adirondacks right now. They would be great for a family “rainy day” outing or a good reason for a road trip when the black flies are too fierce to be outdoors. The descriptions are brief, but there are many hidden gems among these various offerings and they are well worth seeing.

BluSeed Studios, in Saranac Lake, is featuring the work of artist Dave Fadden. Indigenous Reflection is a powerful exhibit of mostly figurative paintings, in a unique contemporary mosaic style, that do reflect upon and address past and present issues impacting Native Americans. The Gallery is open 2-6 pm on  Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and by appointment. Sponsored by the Adirondack Diversity Institute, there will be a closing reception and artist conversation on June 25, from 5 – 7 pm. BluSeedStudios.org, 518-891-3799, admin@bluseedstudios.org

Jewelry by Toos Roozen-Evans

The two co-op galleries in Saranac Lake, the Adirondack Artists Guild and NorthWind Fine Arts are full of new work by their member artists, but each also has a featured artist of the month, with exhibits through the end of June. Galleries are usually open for receptions on the First Fridays of each month. Shawn Halperin, at NorthWind is showing a new collection of carvings, paintings, jewelry and mixed media pieces. The gallery is open daily, 10-4, closed Wed. NorthWindFineArtsGallery.com, 518-354-5041. The Adirondack Artists Guild featured artist is Toos Roozen-Evans, who will be exhibiting a unique collection of heat-patina copper bowls and sterling silver, turquoise, and lapis jewelry. Guild hours are Mon-Sat, 11-5 and Sun 11-3. AdirondackArtistsGuild.com, 518-891-2615.

At the Lake Placid Center for the Arts, there is a very interesting show titled Cache: Works on Paper by Diane Fine and Mario LaPlante. Both are printmakers, but also incorporate drawing, painting, digital imaging and collage techniques. Gallery hours are Tues-Sat, 2-5 pm. The exhibit opened in May, but there is a reception June 2, from 5 -7 pm. The show closes June 17. LakePlacidArts.org, 518-523-2512.

The Windows Gallery in the Tahawus Center, Ausable Forks, is hosting a fantastic display of watercolor paintings by Larry Vanderburgh.  Through Seven Lenses includes 7 collections of paintings grouped by subject matter. There are paintings of landscapes, buildings, railroad locomotives, old ships and even some abstract pieces, all rendered in great detail, many focusing on the little elements and textures that are often overlooked. Hours are limited to Sat, 1-2:30 pm, but visitors are encouraged to call 646-734-0703 and arrange for an appointment, possibly with the artist. TahawusCenter.org

The Downtown Artist Cellar in Malone just had the reception for a new 4-artist exhibit. “A Collective” is showcasing the photography, painting and pastes of regional artists Jeanne Danforth, Diane Leifheit, Noreen Sadue, and Eleanor Sweeney, as well as other DAC member artists. DAC is open Tues-Sat, 1-5 pm and by appointment. DowntownArtistCellar.com, 518-651-5172

This exhibit has not opened yet, but if heading to Malone, a visit is encouraged. The Foothills Art Society is hosting an exhibit of works by Gail Bessette in their North Star Gallery on Pearl St. Gail Bessette is a graduate of St. Lawrence and Clarkson Universities and began her career in the Adirondack region as a landscape painter. She later expanded her creations to more abstract content in various mediums including encaustics and oil mixed with cold was. The exhibit opens June 9  (harpist Martha Gallagher will be performing as well) and the artist will be at the reception on June 30   It continues through July 21. For more information: FoothillsaArtsSociety.com, 518-903-1980.

Heading to the southern end of Franklin County, Tupper Arts will have an opening reception for artist and teacher Wendy Cross on June 1 from 5-6pm.  It sounds like her exhibit will feature land and seascapes primarily in mixed media on wood. Gallery hours are Wed-Sat, 11-5 and Sun 11-4. TupperArts.org, 518-359-5042.

To discover more information about all the wonderful artists, exhibits, classes, and performances in our area, check out the Adirondack Arts and Entertainment online calendar, AdirondackAandE.com and sign up for their email announcements.

Boulder area

15th Street Gallery: Featuring work by Denver artist Tony Ortega; open by appointment only; 1708 15th St., Boulder; 15thstreetgalleryboulder.com

Ana’s Art Gallery: “La Mirada Posible,” answers the question, “What can our future hold?” and it features artist Rolando Estevez; ; noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; 1100 Spruce St., Boulder; anasartgallery.com.

Art Parts: Non-profit creative reuse center with arts and craft supplies; 3080 Valmont St., Boulder; artpartsboulder.org.

Art Source International: Antique maps, prints and vintage posters; 1237 Pearl St., Boulder; artsourceinternational.com.

Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art: “agriCULTURE: Art Inspired by the Land,” a multi-venue exhibit (in partnership with Longmont Museum), features work by 18 artists in collaboration with Boulder County farmers that celebrates the region’s farming heritage, on display June 8-Oct. 1; Mia Mulvay’s “Albedo Effect” outdoor sculpture, up until next summer; 1750 13th St., Boulder; bmoca.org.

Café Aion: Work by Deb Stranger, on display through July 17; Café Aion, 1235 Pennsylvania Ave., Boulder; boulderartassociation.org.

Canyon Theater and Gallery: “Cultivating Resilience,” featuring art and science coming together in an exhibition by Amy Hoagland, Summer King and Jullian Young, up through June 11; “Our Wishes,” Alejandra Abad’s response to COVID-19 in a textile exhibit, up through July 31; Main Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder; boulderlibrary.org/exhibits.

Collective Community Arts Center: “Rocky Mountain Weavers Guild,” a fiber arts exhibit showcasing handwoven wall art, garments, home accessories and other works that use a variety of fiber art techniques. Rocky Mountain Weavers Guild is celebrating its 70th anniversary with the exhibit that will be up through June 25; 201 N. Public Road, Lafayette; lafayetteco.gov.

The Crowd Collective: First Friday art walk for June will begin at 5 p.m. Friday; 4939 N. Broadway #58, Boulder; thecrowdboulder.com.

Dairy Arts Center: “All My Relations,” work by Indigenous artist Kristina Maldonado Bad Hand that’s focused on connection and impact; “Prismatic,” exhibition celebrating the queer community across the Front Range for Pride month, up through July 6; 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; thedairy.org.

East Window: “Frame” a series of literary salons curated by Sarah Elizabeth Schantz and Toni Oswald, through December; “Resilience and Resistance” and “Our Backs Hold Our Stories,” features photographs from Indigenous queer photographer Kali Spitzer, up through June 28; Window exhibit features work by activist artist Sue Coe, up through June 28; 4550 Broadway, Suite C-3B2, Boulder; eastwindow.org.

Eldorado Springs Art Center: Art gallery and sculpture garden in the foothills; 8 Chesebro Way, Eldorado Springs; eldoradospringsartcenter.com.

The Gallery at Bus Stop: “Imagine Love,” exhibit by Koko Bayer, the creative force behind the Rainbow Heart Project and Project Spread Hope, up through July 1; 6 p.m. Friday; 4895 N. Broadway, Boulder; noboartdistrict.org.

HiFi Jones Studio & Gallery: Pop-culture art mashups made from reclaimed vinyl and books by Jonathan Hanst; 209 E. Simpson St., Lafayette; hifijones.com.

Louisville Art Association: National Photography Show and Sale will award over $6,000 in cash and prizes to participating artists, through Sunday; Louisville Center for the Arts, 801 Grant Ave., Louisville; louisvilleartassociation.org.

Messinger Gallery: Art on display by Julie Havel, who expresses her passion and spirit through art; Messinger Gallery at the Boulder JCC, 6007 Oreg Ave., Boulder; boulderjcc.org.

Museum of Boulder: “Beer Here! Brewing the New West” looks at Colorado’s beer history and features a mock saloon for museum happy hours, up through Sept. 3; “The Story of the Boulder Dushanbe Tea House,” follows the evolution of the only authentic Persian tea house in North America, open through June 18; 2205 Broadway, Boulder; museumofboulder.org.

Naropa University Art Galleries: Nalanda Campus, 6287 Arapahoe Ave.: Cube Gallery has local and international artists; Nalanda Gallery hosts guest artists and student exhibitions, Lounge Gallery operated by students. Arapahoe Campus, 2130 Arapahoe Ave.: Lincoln Gallery features local and regional artists. Paramita Campus, 3285 30th St.: Paramita Gallery has works in all media by regional artists; bit.ly/naropaart

NoBo Art Center: “Following in the Footsteps of Posada,” mosaic works by Karen Yuste, celebrating Cinco de Mayo and honoring the humor and whimsy of Jose Posada’s cartoons, up through June 30; 4929 Broadway, #E, Boulder; noboartdistrict.org/nobo-art-center.

Particulars Art Gallery: June’s featured artists are Linda Bice and Laurie Adams. There will be a reception for the monthly artists the second Friday of each month; “UnchARTed Waters,” member’s show up until June 30; “Spring Laugh” art tour, featuring 25 artists participating all around downtown Lafayette. Three artist will be in the classroom at pARTicular’s with some new and unique work, June 3 at 10 a.m.; 401 S. Public Road, Lafayette; particularsart.com.

Phil Lewis Art: From T-shirts to custom snowboards and prints to laser engraving, the visionary artists’ work is on display and for sale; 2034 Pearl St., Unit 102, Boulder; phillewisart.com.

POP! Gallery: Open Studios’ part artist-owned pop-up art and gift gallery features a unique mix of Boulder County artists’ works for sale; on 11th Street and Pearl Street, just south of Fjällräven; popgalleryboulder.com.

R Gallery: “Colorado Creatives Unleashed” explores the creative minds of Colorado artists through their most recent works, displaying impressive artistic diversity with landscapes, abstract works and unique sculptures, up through Sunday; Mark Risius solo exhibit, up through June 10; 2027 Broadway, Boulder; rgallery.art.

Rembrandt Yard: Aboriginal, local and national art; 1301 Spruce St., Boulder; 303-301-2972; rembrandtyard.com.

Sanctuary Art Gallery: “Celebrating Women” exhibit explores women scientists to homemakers, dancers to activists and looks at topics from abuse and inequality to hope and healing, up through Sunday; First United Methodist Church, 1421 Spruce St., Boulder; sanctuaryartgallery.art.

Shark’s Ink: New color lithograph “Field Lines,” by Terry Maker, is inspired by the electromagnetic lines depicted in scientific and mathematical literature; 550 Blue Mountain Road, Lyons; sharksink.com.

SmithKlein Gallery: Works on display from Uruguayan artist Santiago Garcia, who explores realism through his work that includes various paintings of Converse shoes, on display through Friday; 1116 Pearl St., Boulder; smithklein.com.

CU Art Museum: “Onward and Upward: Shark’s Ink,” a print and lithography collection, up through July; “Lasting Impressions,” the museum’s collection of American prints from the 1940s, up through June; 1085 18th St., Boulder; cuartmuseum.colorado.edu.

University of Colorado Museum of Natural History: Various galleries that focus on natural and human history include: Discovery Corner, hands-on activities for kids, BioLounge, with a café and biodiverse exhibits, and the Anthropology Hall, which hosts a collection of ancient stone tools found in a Boulder; CU Boulder Henderson Building, 15th and Broadway, Boulder; colorado.edu/cumuseum.

For tips about opportunities, grant information and art news, visit Boulder County Arts Alliance at bouldercountyarts.org.

Longmont area

Firehouse Art Center: “Augmented Organics,” art from Cheryl Coon, Eleanor Sabin and Alexandra Christen-Muñoz, who explore humanity’s power to shape environments, up through Sunday; 667 Fourth Ave., Longmont; firehouseart.org.

The Great Frame Up: St. Vrain Photography Society members’ show showcases its work, on display through July 7; 430 Main St., Longmont; longmont.thegreatframeup.com.

Osmosis Gallery: “Our Everyday Lives,” features street scenes in Colorado captured by Scott Roebuck; 290 Second Ave., Niwot; osmosisartgallery.com.

Walnut Gallery: Features work from more than 50 artists in a wide range of media; 364 Main St., Longmont; thewalnutgallery.com.

Northern Colorado

Artworks Center for Contemporary Art: “Ternary,” works by Kristina Davies, Jazz Holmes and Jen Starling, up through July 1; “CHROMOPHOBIA,” art by Elizabeth Suriani, up through July 1; 310 N. Railroad Ave., Loveland; artworksloveland.org.

Columbine Gallery: More than 800 National Sculpture Guild pieces adorn a garden with local paintings on display inside; 2683 N. Taft Ave., Loveland; columbinegallery.com.

Independence Gallery: Vibrant gallery featuring local artists and rotating exhibits; 233 E. 4th St., Loveland; independencegallery.com.

Lincoln Gallery: Art gallery featuring works from members of the Thompson Valley Art League; 429 Lincoln Ave., Loveland; lincolngallery.com

Lone Tree Antiques and Fine Art Gallery: Features fine art, Native American jewelry and artifacts, Pueblo pottery, beadwork and more; 115 1st St., Eaton; lonetreeantiques.com.

Loveland Museum: “Contained,” explores the environmental impact of water containers, on display through June 25; “Colorado Custom,” looks at custom guitars made by local luthiers Lee Knutson, Chris Monck, Darrell Plampin and Jeff Woolsey, up through Aug. 27; Governor’s Art Show and Sale will celebrate 32 years with new exhibit, up through June 11; “Inspire,” a group exhibition of artists who also teach in Loveland Museum’s education program, each of whom deftly straddles the worlds of creativity and innovation, up through Sept. 10; 503 N. Lincoln Ave., Loveland; lovelandmuseumgallery.org.

Did we miss your exhibit? Please email features@prairiemountainmedia.com with “art listings” in the subject line. 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — We’re two weeks away from Juneteenth, marking 158 years since enslaved Black people were declared free in Galveston, Texas. The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage is holding an art exhibition to further educate the public on the Black experience.

The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage was founded in 1994 in Louisville with a goal of preserving African American sites, community and culture. For the second year, its executive director, Aukram Burton is holding an art exhibition called “Celebrating the Black Experience.”

“The artists are what tell our story,” said Burton. 

Thirty artists are telling the story of the Black experience and diversity of African descendants through visual arts at the Heritage Center, Burton said. Some featured artists include Alexandria Leona Edison, John Roach, Ronald Claxton, Tomisha Lovely-Allen, Norma Drish and many more.

Kentucky Center for African American Heritage executive director Aukram Burton stands among the exhibition’s artwork. (Spectrum News 1/ Diamond Palmer)

“Norma Drish is from St. Croix. Some of these pictures by the beach just the tile work,” said Burton.

Burton has been the executive director at the heritage center since 2013. He believes art like this shows a counter-narrative of Black people.

“We suffer so much image abuse in the media. Part of what we try to do is to educate the general public about the horrors of the slave trade, but to understand that we survived that,” Burton said. “And we’re here today and so, we have to tell our stories and that’s where the counter-narrative comes in.”

Burton knows exactly what image abuse means because the Philadelphia native and Louisville transplant is a filmmaker and former diversity specialist for Jefferson County Public Schools.

The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage is holding its “Celebrating the Black Experience” exhibition April 7 through June 19. (Spectrum News 1/Diamond Palmer)

A sold painting from Ton’nea Green titled “Here’s your flowers anyway” displayed inside the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage. (Spectrum News 1/Diamond Palmer)

Images in the exhibition reflect Black excellence and pride—something he wishes more people were taught.

“People don’t know who they are. The schools don’t teach who we are. The schools focus on the negative part, the most difficult part of our history,” said Burton. 

For next year’s exhibition, Burton wants to feature more artwork and include international artists. Already several paintings have sold. The original works of art range from $100-$15,000.

People can browse the exhibition Monday through Friday during the heritage center’s regular hours of operations until June 19 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Or during their 2023 Juneteenth Weekend Heritage Experience in partnership with the Juneteenth Jubilee Commission.

On Saturday, June 17, the Fannie Lou Hamer Story stage play can be seen at 7 p.m. On the following Sunday, a Father’s Day & Juneteenth Jazz brunch will happen at 2 p.m. Both events are ticketed, for event information people can contact Marjorie Marshall at 502-271-9228 or visit this website.

A native of Altoona, PA, chalk artist Tonia Crawford moved to Loudoun 19 years ago to raise a family. She creates extremely detailed large-scale chalk drawings that can be seen at multiple public spaces in Loudoun including Lost Rhino Brewing Co and The Buffalo Wing Factory as well as on Instagram at @Chalkoholic and her website www.linktr.ee/Chalkoholic.

Favorite place to eat in Loudoun?

There are so many. If I must choose one, I love the sushi at Passion Fin in Goose Creek Village in Ashburn.

Favorite place for a craft beverage. Ocelot, a small craft brewery in Sterling. Amazing people, wonderful atmosphere and great beers named after song lyrics from some of their favorite artists.

Best kept secret in Loudoun? World’s Okayest Trivia – absolutely the most fun and funny trivia I’ve ever experienced. The host is Chris Drummond who started doing it when he was manager at House 6 Brewing Company in Ashburn. Now he hosts it at breweries throughout Loudoun such as Lost Rhino and Bear Chase. It’s wonderfully entertaining. 

What’s a must-see place for an out-of-town visitor? My family loves Leesburg Animal Park south of Leesburg and Franklin Park near Purcellville. We roller skate in the outdoor rink and go to exhibits at the Visual Arts Center. Seeing Bob Ross’s paintings there a few years ago was something I’ll never forget.

Favorite event in Loudoun? Lot Con at Comic Logic Books and Artwork, the comic shop in Ashburn Village. Usually taking place on a Sunday in spring and summer, it’s an amazing event at which local artists, authors and creators show their work. I’m super lucky to be part of it a couple times a year. They are a big group of fun, creative people who make you feel like family.

What’s a fun fact to share about Loudoun? I thought it was neat that the movie Foxcatcher with Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo, and Channing Tatum was filmed at Morven Park. 

What do you like about the art scene in Loudoun? I see more and more art-related events every year. I love festivals in the summer and the craft fairs during the holidays. So many awesome local creatives! 

How did you start doing chalk art? I worked at Brewer’s Alley in Frederick, MD, in the early 2000s. We needed chalk signs for events and they were very well received by everyone who saw them. I knew then that I wanted to do more. 

What is unique about your art and what inspires you to create? From feedback I have gotten, I would say the extreme level of detail I put into my pieces, plus the large-scale size of them. I am always inspired by the excitement of my clients and the reactions of people who see my work. 

What makes Loudoun appealing to artists? It’s a fun, busy place filled with so many clients that have a need for and appreciate all types of art. 

Where should locals go to celebrate the arts in Loudoun? There is art just about everywhere in Loudoun. A lot of businesses in the area have murals and framed work by local artists. Anyone can support local artists, not only by purchasing their work but also by following them on social media and sharing their art with others. 

Visit Loudoun strives to bring tourists to the county, but locals can be tourists, too. In this series, we ask Loudoun residents to tell us about the joys, secrets and delights of their own backyard. Discover something new and share your local adventure with Visit Loudoun using #loveloudoun.

Pride month has arrived and Indie 102.3 will be celebrating the love, togetherness, and resistance of the LGBTQ+ community through the power of music. The many sounds of Pride stem from the 60s all the way to now featuring up and coming artists and icons-we’ll be coloring the airwaves with the diverse sounds of queer artists all month long. Below we have created a list of 10 artists we’ll be spotlighting that you should get to know. Check out the tunes of R&B singers Kali Uchis and Omar Apollo and dance with Romy then embrace queerness with MUNA!

Looking for even more queer music to discover? Check out our Local 303. A monthly program that highlights Colorado musicians. This month we feature a lineup of 12 incredibly talented musicians from our LGBTQ+ community from all across the state.

Get an extra helping of pride with our monthly LGBTQ+ show Serve It! airing every Sunday at 8pm.

Arlo Parks

Softly spoken and the voice of an angel is British rising star Arlo Parks. She won the 2021 Mercury Prize for her debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams, now she returns with a slightly new sound for her sophomore album Soft Machine. Watch her perform some stripped down songs back in 2022 in our Indie Lounge during a Live Session.

Every month, we feature a new take on the CBC Arts logo created by a Canadian artist. Check out our previous logos!

“I believe through art we can keep our culture alive,” says Chelysa “Chief” Owens-Cyr, the artist who created the gem you see before you — a design to mark National Indigenous History Month as well as Pride.

For Owens-Cyr, who has ties to Indigenous communities on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border (Fort Peck Indian Reservation and Pasqua First Nation Reservation), art is a way to treasure and uplift her culture’s “visual teachings, stories and so much more.” And it’s also her profession. A self-taught artist, she currently works full-time as a freelancer, and she’s been commissioned to create paintings, custom beadwork, professional logos and book illustrations. 

“Art is where my heart and voice is,” she tells CBC Arts. She’d describe much of her work as ledger art, a traditional style she’s been practicing since childhood, and her logo design is an example of the form. Drawn digitally, it incorporates the rainbow flag for Pride.

Owens-Cyr told us more about her practice when we reached out to her via email. Read on.

Name: Chelysa “Chief” Owens-Cyr

Age: 24

Homebase: Wolf Point, Mont. (Fort Peck Indian Reservation) and Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask. (Pasqua First Nation Reservation)

Let’s talk about your design! What are we looking at?

We are looking at a ledger art-style logo. The buffalo represents the interconnectedness that the Native people had with nature — a symbol of strength and unity. The floral in the middle is a Dakota floral in geometric form. This style was used to reference the plants, flowers and traditional medicines that were used by our ancestors. Key elements in Dakota floral designs include stacked leaves and symmetrical shapes. The crosses represent the sacred four directions: north, west, east and west. 

The tipis resemble the homes that my ancestors lived in, and the tipi geometrics on the top and bottom resemble Dakota/Lakota beadwork designs that are still used by many today. Overall, the design pays homage to my Dakota and Lakota roots. We are still here. Mitakuye Oyasin, all my relations. 

What inspired the concept?

The concept is inspired by this beautiful way of life. It’s inspired by nature, traditional teachings, my community, family. Indigenous people deserve more representation in this modern world. 

Am I right to think that a lot of your work is ledger art? What are some of the hallmarks of the style?

Ledger art is a style that is unique to the Plains Indians. It originates from the late 19th and early 20th century. 

Pictorials that were painted on cave walls and animal hides were a form of history. Once traders and explorers came to the Great Plains they gave the natives a new medium to use, ledger books. Therefore, the style ledger art has been passed down for generations as an original art style and a form of history that is significant to my tribes (Minneconjou Lakota, Dakota, Nakoda).

Some of the hallmarks of the style would be the 2D style of the art (horses, animals and people that almost look “stick-like” or cartoonish) as well as the use of vintage ledger paper to create the drawing. 

What drew you to work in that style?

What drew me to work in this style was growing up surrounded by my culture: hearing stories and just immersing myself in this way of life. I have a lot of artists in my family, and some are ledger artists too. I remember being a little girl and going to a local museum and in the museum was a Dakota style winter count buffalo hide with a battle scene. Looking at that style of art — how it was drawn, and the story that went along with it — I just knew I’d be able to carry that style on one day.

As I got older, I also found the artist Paul Goble. His books and illustrations in the ledger art style are still the most inspiring thing to me today. 

What’s new in your world? What are you working on these days?

I am currently working on children’s book illustrations for Lakota Language Consortium and a few other language groups. I’m also working on a mural for a local business as well as a few collaborations with some companies and a few beadwork commissions. I wholeheartedly enjoy what I do. 

What’s the project you’re most proud of?

The project I am the most proud of is my collaboration with Pendleton back in 2021. My blanket is called “Unity” and if you search online I bet there’s still a few available for purchase. The story that goes along with the design is my favourite. I hope to do more collaborations like that in the future.

What’s your favourite place to see art?

My favourite place to see art is any museum on a reservation, to see the different styles of artwork and beadwork, etc. My other favourite place would have to be the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C. It’s a must-visit every time I’m in the city. 

Who’s the last artist you discovered online?

The latest artist I discovered online is Aly McKnight. She is a watercolour artist representing the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Her art is truly beautiful. 

What work of art do you wish you owned?

That’s a hard question — there’s so many pieces and artists to choose from. But I’d have to say a winter count buffalo robe, specifically one from the 1800s. 

Where can we see more from you?

You can see more of my art on my socials: Facebook and Instagram (@chief_leese, @chiefn_designs).

This conversation has been edited and condensed.