Williams painting, Cascadia Music, poetry – Methow Valley News

Williams painting at the Winthrop Gallery

As part of its annual holiday exhibit, the Winthrop Gallery is exhibiting and offering for sale an original pastel by the late artist Betsy Williams, who has exhibited her work in the space now occupied by the gallery.

Williams opened Beckmann / Williams Fine Arts at the Winthrop Gallery in 1998, according to a gallery press release. She showed off her oil paintings and had a studio in the back where the current gift shop is located. She invited local artists to show their work in exchange for work at the gallery.

In July 2001, while camping near Cougar Lake, Williams died suddenly of a brain hemorrhage. The artists of the gallery decided to continue its business as a cooperative gallery, and the current Winthrop Gallery has been established and has been operating continuously for 20 years.

The gallery shows Williams’ painting, “Jake”, originally purchased by Carol and John Lester, the owners of the property where Beckmann / Williams Fine Arts was located at 237 Riverside Ave. Jake was a workhorse that was part of Claude Miller’s team. . The painting is in pastel or in pencil conté.

For more information, visit www.winthropgallery.com.

Cascadia Music is planning a virtual vacation concert

Instrumental and vocal ensembles polish their festive music performances for Cascadia Music’s annual holiday concert.

To ensure the safety of musicians and the community, Cascadia has decided to present a virtual concert again this year. The video will be released on December 20 and links will be available on the Cascadia website at www.cascadiamusic.org. The concert will also be broadcast on KTRT, 97.5 FM, “the Root”.

Details on music selections and radio broadcast will be available in early December.

OVOC Christmas concert on December 11

The Okanogan Valley Orchestra and Chorus (OVOC) offers its annual Christmas concert live at the Omak Performing Arts Center on December 11 at 2 p.m. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m.

The orchestra, led by Matt Brown, will perform “A Christmas Festival” and “Sleigh Ride” by Leroy Anderson, and “An Outdoor Overture” by Aaron Copland.

Paschal Sherman’s students will sing “The Okanogan Song”. Students at Waterfall Immersion School will sing “The Little Drummer Boy” in their native Salish language.

“Because It’s Christmas,” arranged by Ed Lojeski, and “Bells of Joy,” arranged by Larry Clark and Rae Moses, will be sung by the OVOC choir. A Gaelic folk song, “Einini”, and “Hine Ma Tov”, a Hebrew folk song, will also be sung by the OVOC choir. The choir is conducted by Derek Pulsifer.

The cost at the door is $ 12 for adults and $ 10 for seniors. Young people aged 15 and under attend for free. COVID protocols will be put in place. The concert will also be broadcast live. For more information, call (509) 846-4773.

The Omak Twilight Parade will follow at 4:30 p.m. in downtown Omak.

Poetry reading at Confluence

Join local poet an artist Greg Wright for an interactive reading of his works included in his exhibition “Methow: Image & Word,” currently on display in the Confluence Gallery Community Gallery in Twisp, Friday, December 3 at 7 pm. vaccination and masks compulsory for entry to the free event. For more information, visit www.confluencegallery.org.

The auditions of “Fantastic Mr. Fox”

The Merc Playhouse will be holding auditions in December to complete the cast for Tom Zbyszewski Children’s Theater production of “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” which is now scheduled to open in March 2022. About half a dozen roles are available.

“Fantastic Mr. Fox” was set to open in March 2020 when coronavirus protocols shut down live performances at Merc. Some actors chosen for the production will return for the 2022 show; other parts remain to be completed. Roald Dahl’s classic play follows the adventures of Mr. Fox as he tries to outsmart three dumb farmers, with the help of a group of woodland creatures.

Auditions will take place December 13 and 14 at 4 p.m. at the theater and are open to children ages 8 and up. No previous experience is necessary.

Visit www.mercplayhouse.org for information on how to register for auditions.