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  1. Arbutus Folk School re-stokes interest in crafts

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    ArbutusWhere, perhaps, might a person go to learn how to fashion a Scandinavian knife custom tailored to the builder’s own hand? If you answered Scandinavia, you’re correct. If you said Olympia, you’d also be right – after October 19th, that is. That day marks the grand opening of Arbutus Folk School: a new hub of education, community building, and economic vitality for the Pacific Northwest—centralized in downtown Olympia.

    “We’re on verge of losing a lot of stuff,” says founder and president of the board, Stacey Waterman-Hoey. Her vision sprang from a sincere desire to celebrate and preserve folk crafts while building networks of craft-minded persons. Arbutus also aims to bolster the economic viability of local artists and raise the economy around crafts.

    Occupying the former Procession of the Species studio across from City Hall, Arbutus (pronounced ar-BYOO-tus; Latin for Madrona) was initially challenged to find a sufficient location due to a lack of warehouse space in downtown. Arbutus finally opted for the visibility of a 4th avenue storefront to attract potential students.

    Offerings will include blacksmithing, woodworking, and ceramics, with future sights set on knitting, marquetry (a unique wood inlay technique), instrument building, surfboard shaping, boat building, fiber arts, and hand-made toys. Musicians’ jams, seasonal festivals and dances are slated as well. The front room is a gallery space that doubles as a dance floor. A retail store will provide beginning students with high quality class supplies; crafters and instructors will also be able to sell their wares. Eventually, they hope to expand with a kitchen for canning and Oly Meat Collective butchering classes.

    Class prices vary widely depending on the type of class and the duration. The 16-hour Scandinavian knife and sheath workshop that starts October 21st costs $200 and includes materials. Same with the Beehive Building Class in November, but expect to pay $10-15 for upcoming beginning claw hammer banjo group lessons.

    The school’s primary focus is adult classes, but aims to organize summer camps and to bridge intergenerational divides with classes for grandparents and their grandkids. “We want to be open to everyone who’s interested: people from Panorama City, rural, and religion communities,” says Waterman-Hoey. “I want this to be a joyful place that’s all about fun.”

    Arbutus wants to foster a strong connection with tribal communities. The founders see a huge opportunity to expand tribal culture in this context, though at this point they’re still figuring out the best way to do that.

    Arbutus emphasizes the non-competitive, open nature of the school. Anyone who wants to build skills can take classes, and they hope to offer a wide range of classes for different levels, especially as more students progress in their skills. Though Arbutus is strictly a hobby school for personal enrichment and can’t make claims that students will go on to become qualified for a job after class, the school aims to teach skills that create potential growth for those who want supplemental income. The school’s name reflects the spring bark of a Madrona tree peeling back to reveal green layers underneath, similar to a new green economy coming through.

    Arbutus arose from a desire to do something special for downtown, perhaps re-affirm to the world that Olympia’s artists are top-notch. Those involved hope that their efforts will catch the eye of people who want to help elevate these crafts as vital cultural, economic, and social resources.

    “People don’t go to church as much, but people still want community. They want a way to connect outside the office. Why not do it around something like this?” says Waterman-Hoey, who quit her full-time job after being inspired to start the school last year. What she didn’t realize was there was a long-standing tradition of folk schools all over in places such as Appalachia and the Adirondacks, although none in the western part of the US. (Since then, a handful of NW schools have popped up.)

    Instructors come from all around to teach classes that especially highlight the PNW’s unique tree species, skills, and styles of design. Some instructors are Olympia-based, world-class artists who exhibit in the Smithsonian. Paul Jenson, a local surfboard shaper, sells and teaches world-wide, but his expertise is unknown to many in the community.

    Arbutus hopes to create momentum by shouldering some of the burden of logistical requirements of setting up a class, allowing instructors to focus on teaching skills that have sustained cultures and society for many generations.

    In January, Waterman-Hoey put the call out for instructors, starting with woodworkers. She hosted 25 local woodworkers at her house, many who had never met or even heard of each other. This was the first successful step in creating a network of artists.

    Arbutus is a non-profit and has filed for a 501c3 tax classification (any donations made now would be tax deductible once status is approved). Early next year they will expand their board, bringing as many as seven more members experienced in fundraising and leadership.

    Be sure to make it to the family-friendly grand opening on October 19th, from 3-9 p.m., which will feature live music, pottery, and woodcarving demos.

     

    For class schedules and other info, visit www.arbutusfolkschool.org or check them out on Facebook.

  2. OOPS! Olympia Outdoor Public Spectacle sure to draw a crowd

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    photos by Winter Teems

    photos by Winter Teems

    OOPS! 2013: The Olympia Outdoor Public Spectacle will be a day unlike any other day in September where our citizens are squeezing out the last drops of summer. Saturday the 14th will shake the norm with local bands performing in front of the Capitol Theater and local vendors hawking their wares. The luscious ladies of TUSH will parade confections in a mother-loving Bearded Lady cakewalk of all things, and a group of Guinness Book of World Record judges will stare hawk-like as Big Sam attempts to balance a push mower on his chin for several minutes.

    After four years of being billed as the Olympia Independent Music Festival, this year’s organizers re-named the event OOPS to be inclusive to all things; for example, a lawn mower on a man’s chin. The festival’s slogan is “Legalize Freedom.”

    What American doesn’t love that? Name one person who doesn’t like something that costs zero dollars and lets them go to and fro as they please? Any money that comes in will go directly to Olympia Film Society so they can continue to be awesome (and to repay the organizers for the extra sturdy stage they bought because they are fans of safety). It’s all these things, but mostly it’s a street party.

    OOPS FDB WInter Teems

    photos by Winter Teems

    “We wanted to showcase local bands in a venue that wasn’t a bar or house party so that it would be accessible to all,” says organizer Wylie VanWenger. We’re pretty sure he’s a communist.

    Olympia’s most hilarious people, Lauren O’Neil and Elizabeth Lord, shall reign as Masters of Ceremonies. OOPS’ musical component comprises 7 unique bands that have been handpicked for their ability to be a skillful representation of their genre. The line up is choreographed to achieve maximum flow and entertainment. Behold the hard-hitting musical styling of Teardrop City, Full Moon Radio, The Fabulous Downy Brothers, Fruit Juice, The Hard Way, Horace Pickett, and Tangerine. Watching these bands perform will make you not want to walk away. “It’s the outdoor version of bingeing on Netflix,” says organizer John Manini.

    A beer garden in the alley will keep those 21+ jolly, as well as to help OFS to keep cranking out digitally projected indie films. Vendors such as Bar Francis will be on hand to meet your caffeination needs, Action Chiropractic promises to loosen angry muscles while you sit in a chair, and art lovers can get a custom screen printed t-shirt with a logo of their design, courtesy of Site Impressions. Vendors past have reported a boost in sales—one hand washes the other, oh yes it does. Go Local or go fuck yourself. Ahem.

    OOPS is also a volunteer opportunity—the festival is produced on the skimpiest of budgets. Dolly Parton once said, “It takes a lot of money to look this cheap.” Likewise, a lot of work goes into making the festival look easy. An IndieGoGo site exists so that it’s a breeze for even a child of five to contribute cash money, but warm bodies are also encouraged. Besides having a part in something cool happening downtown, might a cheeseburger sweeten the deal? OOPS wouldn’t let you go hungry, baby.

    “No one complained that it wasn’t fun,” says Manini. ◙

    More at olyoops.wordpress.com.

  3. Queer Rock Camp builds music skills & mentorships

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    queer rock campSix days. Fifty Queer Rock Campers. Twelve bands. One hell of a good time.

    This month, for the third summer in a row, aspiring queer youth rock legends from all over the country (and Canada!) will converge at a local elementary school for a week of band practice and workshops geared toward empowerment and community building. Using rock ‘n’ roll as a conduit for expression, these 12-to-21-year-olds will form groups, chose a band name, write one song, and create a logo that will grace screen-printed t-shirts and patches.

    Camp begins each day at the un-punk rock hour of 9am with a half-hour morning assembly and breakfast.  A two-hour group instruction follows, dividing campers according to each one’s instrument of choice. Experience levels vary from none whatsoever to years of classical piano, but this doesn’t impede on anyone’s ability to learn. A speed-dating style session determines the twelve band formations for the week. Each band is then assigned a band manager and coach—one with musical training, one without—who supervise band practice of both the quiet and loud variety. Quiet practice entails writing lyrics, designing a logo, and working on interpersonal issues that arise between band mates. Loud band practice is the chance for the rockers to make sweet, loud-as-they-wanna-be music. Coaches and band managers help campers troubleshoot equipment and facilitate their own ideas, but never advise where a metal riff or guitar solo should go, keeping the songs 100% camper generated.

    During lunch, campers are treated to performances by established bands. Daily workshops throughout the week educate campers on various aspects of what it means to rock—literally and figuratively. The first day’s workshop, presented by The Stonewall Youth Speakers Bureau, discusses anti-oppression principles.

    “[It] creates a culture for the week with the understanding that everyone is at different places in their understanding of these issues,” says Meg Martin, camp coordinator. Songwriting and Screen Printing workshops give campers practical instruction. During the Drag workshop, campers are presented with a history of drag, famous drag performers and types of drag styles ranging from mainstream to underground. A veritable treasure trove of drag accoutrements provides the campers with a chance to experiment with make-up and costumes. The Queer Rockin’ Relationships workshop encompasses everything from safer sex to friendship and working out conflicts in healthy way besides storming off and breaking guitars on the way out. As if that wasn’t badass wicked awesome enough, after-camp activities include a Karaoke/BBQ and on Thursday rock show at the library, open to the public. The week culminates in a Showcase on July 13th at the Capitol Theater, where campers will perform their newly penned songs in a professional venue.queer rock camp 2

    A two-day training orients volunteers the week before. “It’s cool how much people care about it. They take off work and make it happen because they believe in it,” says Martin. This year the camp will enlist the help of certified counselors, therapists and social workers who will ensure that youth get support with their lives outside of camp. Volunteer host families house out-of-town campers for the week.

    Queer Rock Camp was born out of the Rock and Roll Camp for Girls model, which began in Portland over a decade ago. Though Girls Rock Camp never took place in Olympia (an oddity, given our town’s grrl rock history) the founders of Queer Rock Camp saw the benefit of the Girls Rock Camp movement and also saw an emerging need for inclusively beyond those born female. The organizing collective of about 15 people designed the nation’s only camp for GLBTQQIA youth (that’s gay, lesbian, bi, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, and allies).

    A main goal of camp is to provide mentorship and positive queer role models for youth. By making camp for those 21 and younger, camp becomes a bridge across generations. It “gives a voice to a population that has no voice,” says Molly Fisher, one of the founders of camp.

    An important aspect of Queer Rock Camp is affordability. Tuition for the week is $325, but the organizers do a hefty amount of fundraising to provide full scholarships for those with financial need, especially queer homeless youth, which comprise up to 40% of homeless youth. “For some homeless youth, the food they get at camp might be the only meals they get all day,” says Meg Martin. Gear is often borrowed, although the organizers want to buy their own. This year, the Indiegogo campaign raised over $5,000, some of which will go toward the amps, cables, guitars, keyboard, and drums that make QRC possible. ◙

     

    Come see these sparkly kids give what they got at this year’s showcase at the Capitol Theater, Saturday, July 13th. Doors at 6:30, show at 7pm. $10-$25. 21 and under get in free!

  4. New Moon Cafe “goes co-op” as the Black Moon Collective

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    black moon collectiveEarlier this month, the secret that a handful of Olympia residents were waiting to divulge was finally let loose to the world: The New Moon Café is becoming Olympia’s only co-operatively run restaurant. As an alternative business model, collective members will make all decisions through consensus—any action will have to be approved by each member. “Transitioning from a hierarchical work-place to a horizontal collective has empowered student-workers, changed their relationship with work, and for those of us in this collective, has affected our career paths and futures,” says member Simon Gorboty. “Our mission is not just to create jobs in Olympia. What we want is to create work that makes people know that they are valuable and important.”

    The structural changeover is set to begin in August. The 14 new owners plan to keep much of the menu and hours in place initially. Plans for changes such as local/seasonal produce sourcing and new menu offerings will occur slowly and with community feedback. The collective plans for the New Moon to become a community space that will be open for events featuring speakers, music, and meetings. Eventually they will open evenings, as the café currently closes at 2 PM. One of the first, and more drastic, changes will be to equalize wages, with tips shared equally among all employees.

    The new owners are part of the Black Moon Collective, who intend to expand collective networks in Olympia beyond breakfast. Finding a lack of support in their own mission, the Black Moon Collective want to become a resource for other types of co-ops, such as medical co-ops. “We weren’t sure how we wanted to go about things at first, but we all shared a love of breakfast,” says member Erica Leshon. Starting the collective’s first project with a functioning restaurant that already had a loyal customer base was just the opportunity they were seeking.

    Each member will have a committee position, from ordering to dispute resolution to hiring. Weekly consensus-style collective and committee meetings will ensure that all involved will have an equal say in the decision-making process of running one of Olympia’s best-loved breakfast spots.

    Many of the Black Moon Collective members began their co-op education while as Evergreen students working at the collectively run Flaming Eggplant organic restaurant, which operates with some funding from the college. There the students learned how to work in a collective setting and their sense of work changed from something dreadful to something that imparted a greater sense of responsibility and fun. The Flaming Eggplant only employs students; after graduation those who would eventually form the Black Moon Collective were convinced that co-op was the only way to go.

    Many of those who would go on to become the Black Moon Collective lived together and shared the common dream of having the most slammin’ breakfast restaurant. And when one of those housemates, who also worked at the New Moon Café, mentioned it to her boss, the planets aligned and soon negotiations to transition the restaurant began. The collective offered the New Moon’s current employees an opportunity to buy in; five of them signed on.

    “Many of us have food service backgrounds, and traditional ownership isn’t possible for most of us. With a co-op, it’s a chance for workers to have more control,” says Leshon. “We want to be local in a real way, by actually supporting the farms that surround us. We plan to have something for everyone—so that someone on the Paleo diet could eat here with someone who is vegan; and while their eating they can feel good about supporting a worker-owned cooperative focused on social justice and community empowerment.”

    Recently the Black Moon Collective began an IndieGoGo fundraising campaign, with the goal of raising fifty thousand dollars in the next few months to cover initial operating costs. In the early stages of fund seeking, the collective members came up against age discrimination—the mean age of members is 25, with the youngest being 21. They also encountered a general wariness of co-ops from banks, which generally don’t recognize co-ops, and therefore, don’t offer them loans. “We were told not to even bother going to banks,” says Leshon. In addition to a loan from the current owner, The Black Moon has also gotten some developmental support from the NW Co-op Development Center and the Olympia Food Co-op.

    One recent fundraising event occurred on the night of the Evergreen graduation. The collective hosted a fine dining dinner for graduates and their families at the New Moon. The menu featured an organic green salad with strawberries, caramelized walnuts, wild mushroom manacotti, braised beef in a wine and citrus reduction sauce, and honey rose cheesecake for dessert.

    Keep an eye out for events such as a dance party and more culinary-centric fundraisers in the coming months and check out the indiegogo site where you can donate any amount to the cause. Two hundred bucks gets you unlimited coffee for six months, and for $5 grand you can have a menu item named after you! ◙

     

    More info at www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-new-moon-cooperative-cafe

  5. Enjoy a three-minute romance at Oly Blues Dancing

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    blues dancingEach Thursday night during the OlyBlues partner dance on the third floor of the Eagles Hall (downtown at 4th Avenue and Plum Street), the good people of Olympia have a chance to engage in a three-minute romance.

    People’s willingness to connect and fall in love for those moments will determine how well their dance with go, regardless of ability or talent. Speed dating this is not—the pick-up factor here is far less than at Jake’s—but those who have been to the blues partner dance night are familiar with this experience. Within the contained span of a Jimi Hendrix blues song, or even Portishead, a pair of dancers have the opportunity to give their all to the dance and to their partner.

    There’s something wonderful about pairing up with strangers—that thrill of asking someone to dance or accepting a request. It’s all the best parts of middle school gym class with none of the hassle.

    The weekly event has grown over the last three years, primarily through word of mouth.

    “Blues is easy, you can do whatever you want,” says David Accurso, one of the instructors. “People love it, that’s what makes it work. It catches on fast because it can be good really simple. You can have a really good time on the first night. There’s no set step or pattern. If you can walk up three flights of stairs to get to the room, then you’re fit enough to do it. If you like the music, that’s even better.”

    A free twenty-minute lesson at 9 PM orients dancers to the basics. (There are also series classes that run for four weeks at a time.) David and his partner Christine show proper hand positioning and give pointers on how close one should stand. Separate directions are given for leads and follows, who learn that the dance is more of a conversation between the two than directions coming from the lead.

    Once the lesson ends, the lights go down, swampy syrupy music comes on, and people partner up. Arms lift, twirling happens. Someone gets dipped. Bodies spin, shuffle, and glide across the floor. There’s a peculiar mix of formality and informality at the same time.

    The steps provide a blueprint, but it’s quickly apparent that the main objective is fun. People smile and chatter on the side. Evergreen students and a slightly older crowd mix fluidly. By ten o’clock it picks up. The winter air is fresh. Some real hip kids buzz and circle with ample silliness.

    The close embrace of partner dancing is not for everyone. Good boundaries are sometime useful. David and Christine try to call people out on potential harms when someone’s aggressive, which is rare.

    “One of the benefits of partnering is that you know immediately how you’re doing. New dancers get instant feedback, learning happens fast,” says David (who is also co-owner of Last Word Books). By the end of that first song people’s troubles are far behind, which is fitting since the Blues is rooted in overcoming struggle.

    “Blues dancing is very American,” says David. It has its origins in an unfortunate history, where slaves were forced to dance on slave ships for exercise. However, within these unjust conditions, oppression and liberation mixed. Singing and dancing to songs that spoke to their joys and struggles became the primary way these people were able to preserve their culture.

    Enter the 18th Amendment. Many years later, Juke Joints were where blues dancing developed in its most recent incarnation. Jukin’ became an important institution to African Americans. Juke Joints were often unregulated speakeasies during prohibition times. They were a secular place for African Americans to meet. Often these Juke Joints were an occasion for a rent party in someone’s tin sided house—a need made by racial and economic factors in some of the worst housing conditions of the century, where African Americans paid more for less. Other Juke Joints were legitimate and extremely popular. In Harlem, the Savoy Ballroom was instrumental in fostering civil rights. In the 1920s and ‘30s, it became the first integrated establishment to allow white people and people of color to dance together at a time when this was a radical concept.

    For those that have a fuzzy understanding of blues dancing, jazz and swing came out of blues, which tends to have slower movements. WWII changed how people danced; swing evolved, along with variations such as jump swing, lindy hop, and west coast swing. These dances were constantly evolving, with influences from different cities cross-pollinating each other. The watusi, stroll, eagle, and camel walk would be a totally different dance three cities later, changing almost as fast as one could get the steps down.

    In the ‘80s, there was a swing dance revival. “The blues resurgence happened when Lindy hoppers got tired, so they slowed music down,” says David. Blues dancing generally attracts an older crowd than the swing night at the Eagle’s Hall, partially because some of the movements are older and it’s later in the evening. (Swing night is on Tuesdays at 7 PM, and David and Christine also instruct.) However, a group of Olympia high school students picked it up and have passed it down over the years. All ages are welcome at OlyBlues.

    Every major city has blues dancing, and for a town it’s size, Olympia’s scene rivals that of larger cities, though Accurso points out that the dancers here might not be as good. “You can only get as good as the people around you,” he says. In the last two decades, blues exchanges have sprouted up all over the country due to the fact that dancers are excited to mingle with those from other places. Housing is often pre-arranged with others in the scene, making the exchanges an affordable way to travel.

    Blues dancing in its current incarnation is completely different than what began long ago in the Juke Joints of Chicago and Cleveland. Like many music trends that began within African American communities, the blues dancing scene is now predominantly white. The instructors work to instill cultural appreciation in their students rather than cultural appropriation.

    David points out some of the ways that blues dancing is working to overcome troubles in modern day Olympia and carrying on the tradition of social change: the scene is very queer friendly. It’s not unusual to see men dancing with other men, even if they aren’t queer. OlyBlues has drawn members of the church community, and David is happy to see changes happen for some who may come in with fixed ideas about gender. A guy who, at first, made homophobic comments may be dancing with someone of his own sex six months later.

    Similarly, the blues has a way of challenging notions about body types, since one need not be rail thin or especially fit to be a successful blues dancer. Who is the best dancer on the floor? The one having the most fun!

    OlyBlues Dance is $5. For a half-hour of volunteering at the door, entry is free. The hosts try to make it so no one is turned away for lack of funds. OlyBlues Dance goes from 9-12 PM, which is greatly appreciated by those who like to do things past 7 PM in Olympia that aren’t bar-centric. ◙

     

    For more information, check out the OlyBlues Dance on Facebook.