“Romare Bearden Abstraction” at the Frye Art Museum, runs June 25–September 18, 2022. The exhibition was a revelation! Romare Bearden has long been famous for his collages with poignant representations of Black life in the South. He began those collages in 1964, at the height of the Civil Rights movement following participation in the Spiral Group. After the 1963 March on Washington, Bearden and his friends began Spiral in his studio in order to discuss the role of representation of the African American experience in art at a time that abstraction dominated mainstream art. As a result, Bearden turned to figurative collage. And he became absolutely identified with those works. But looking at his abstractions from 1952–1962 it is obvious that he was never a fully abstract artist—there are many elusive figural references. At the same time, his collages continue to include his sophisticated understanding of spatial relationships and color. Bearden explored new techniques and experimented with pigments. His sources of inspiration spanned the globe from European old masters to Chinese sumi painting. For example, in River Mist , 1962, he works with oil on unprimed linen, and oil, casein and colored pencil, cut, torn and mounted on board. Lurking in River Mist we see silhouettes that can evoke rising mists, architectural elements, facial profiles, archeological formations, or celestial events. Bearden’s creative sumi technique distinctly contrasts with that of another major artist currently showing his work here: George Tsutakawa. George Tsutakawa: The Language of Nature at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (until October 8) includes drawings, watercolors and sumi works as well as oil paintings, his famous fountains, and even furniture. Tsutakawa also explored both East and West aesthetics, but his work comes back to nature even as it appears abstract. One of his favorite forms was the Obo, the rock that pilgrims in the Himalayas pile up to create a memorial. In his sculpture, you can see that reference, as he creates cedar or teak sculptures with both highly polished and carefully textured surfaces. His watercolors of landscapes, particularly two of Mt. Rainier, one in transparent watercolor, the other like an obo rock itself in black, opaque sumi, demonstrate his close observation of changing light and atmosphere. In one photograph we see him on the beach at low tide sketching the sea with his paper on the sand. Tsutakawa is best known for his bronze fountains of which there are twelve just in Seattle, and seventy-five around the country. The first and best known is “Fountain of Wisdom,” 1957–60, in front of the Seattle Public Library. These elegant metal sculptures subtly incorporate a water flow that interacts and completes their form. The exhibition borrows many works from the Tsutakawa family that have never before been exhibited. The thoughtful installation emphasizes the interplay of two- and three-dimensional work. Make the trip on the ferry, the Bainbridge Museum of Art, walking distance from the ferry, is open every day and it is free. Lawney Reyes 1931–2022 We all know the work of Lawney Reyes in Leschi: His Dream Catcher stands at Yesler and 32nd Street in honor of his famous brother Bernie Whitebear and talented sister Luana Reyes. It seems perfect for us now to consider it also a memorial to the artist himself who died on August 10. His story is extraordinary, from the Sin-Aikst, Colville tribal group, whose land and river were wiped out by the Grand Coulee Dam, he and his sister were sent to one of the infamous Indian boarding schools. In his case, however, it seems to have had positive as well as negative results, as he was introduced to other native cultures and began to create art. He attended the University of Washington, served in the Army and then was hired as a designer for Seafirst Bank at which he was extraordinarily successful. He began to make sculpture at the same time that he pursued his work as a designer. He even became an architect for the Daybreak Star Center in Discovery Park, created as a result of his brother Bernie Whitebear’s nonviolent protest to regain the land from the federal government. Finally in his 70s he also began to write vivid narratives including B Street Notorious Playground of Coulee Dam (2008) and The Last Fish War: Survival on the Rivers (2016). Lawney Reyes definitely caught dreams throughout his life. ~Susan Platt, PhD www.artandpoliticsnow.com

102 Lakeside Ave. 206.328.2233 Hours: Mon–Fri, 11am to 12am; Sat & Sun, 9am to 12am Do you think of BluWater when you want to order a pizza? Probably not, but I’m suggesting that you try it! They only offer 3 types: the Classic Margherita, the Hunter Gatherer and my personal favorite: the Greek. All have a delicious crust which is baked to perfection, the right amount of cheese and dream toppings. The Greek has a pesto base and is topped with feta, mozzarella, capers, artichoke hearts, Roma tomatoes, kalamata olives at $14.75. The Hunter Gatherer should satisfy the carnivores in your family: Italian sausage, crimini mushrooms, mozzarella, roasted garlic, rosemary, pomodoro at $16. And they come in reasonable sizes; they don’t hang around in the fridge forever. Central Pizza is another local place to order pizza; I have become disenchanted with their pizza. The last several had burnt crust, not enough cheese, and the young ones in this house like the BBQ Chicken pizza but on the last few, the chicken seemed to have raced over the pizza leaving a disappointing amount. When Central first opened, the original owners told of their search for a good sourdough crust. That intrigued me; I’m a bread person and am perfectly happy on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf just breaking off chunks of a round loaf and munching it without butter or olive oil! I miss that crust.! And for now, I’ll stick to BluWater to satisfy any pizza urges. ~Diane Snell

Many friends of Steve Shulman want to celebrate his record as a person who positively gave himself to the well-being, safety and future of the Leschi community. One way to do so is by creating a memorial in the form of a picnic shelter in Leschi Park, much like the rustic picnic shelters that already exist in Madrona Park and Seward Park. In Seattle, such ideas do not happen overnight. They take public process–meetings and fundraising. Neighbor involvement is necessary from the start–hearing opinions and determining the best path forward is essential. Leschi Park has needs and potential for better serving the community that should be part of the discussion. John Barber, Chair of the Parks and Greenspace Committee, will chair a meeting on September 15 at 7pm in the Solarium at the Central Area Senior Center, 500 30th Avenue South. Please direct questions to John at barber-osa@comcast.net or phone 206.954.4458. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the possibilities of Leschi Park as the location for a memorial for Steve, determine priorities and how to proceed with the next step, and put together a committee to lead the effort to follow through. ~John Barber

On April 5, 2022, Seattle City Council passed Council Bill 120207 requiring all tree service providers to register to conduct business in Seattle. The bill requires property owners to use registered providers and post a notice of major pruning or removal of trees three days before the work is done. A new Director’s Rule to help clarify the provisions of this new legislation and a new Tip to help applicants navigate the registration and public notice process will be published in Septemberember. Why This Matters The City of Seattle is committed to protecting our urban canopy. Trees add value to your property and the surrounding community. Canopy cover is one important measure of the health of the urban forest. Urban trees provide numerous ecological, economic, and social benefits, including wildlife habitat, neighborhood livability, and improved public health outcomes. This registry will be accessible to the public so that owners, residents, and neighbors can be assured a registered company knowledgeable with tree regulations and best practices is completing work in their neighborhood. Tree Service Provider Registry Requirements The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspection (SDCI) will launch a tree service provider registry on August 26, 2022. The registry will be published on the SDCI tree code webpage and will contain a directory of tree service providers eligible to complete tree work beyond routine maintenance on private property in Seattle in accordance with the tree code. Beginning August 26, tree service providers should create an account and register with SDCI on the Seattle Services Portal. This is a digital application; if you need a paper application form or need assistance completing your application, please call us at 206.233.5185 or contact us via our Submit a Request form. To help route your request, indicate that you need help with “Permits, codes, zones, plans,” then select “Land Use” as the type of help you need, and then select “Trees” in the description field. All tree service providers that conduct removal*, major pruning**, or consulting services for trees in Seattle*** must register by November 10, 2022. Tree service providers must commit to following the tree protection regulations found in SMC 25.11, Director’s Rule 16-2008, and ANSI A-300 Pruning Standards (or subsequent standard). Failure to register or receiving two violation notices will prevent tree service providers from being eligible to conduct business in Seattle. Please note that the SDCI tree service provider registry covers work on private property and is different from the SDOT tree service provider registry that regulates work that occurs in the public right-of-way. You must register on each one separately; links to each may be found on the Seattle Services Portal. *Removing any tree over 6 inches in diameter. **Major pruning work for any tree on private property. Major pruning is removing any branch or root 2 inches in diameter or greater, or the removal of more than 15% of the tree canopy. You do not need to be registered to complete other routine pruning and maintenance of trees. ***Conducting tree assessments for an arborist report. Property Owner Requirements Starting November 10, you must hire a registered tree service provider to complete most tree work on your property. You will be able to view the list of registered providers on the SDCI Trees & Codes webpage. Starting November 10, property owners are required to post a public notice of major pruning or removal of trees on the property at least three days before a tree service provider starts the work. To create the public notice, you must complete the form that will be provided on the Seattle Services Portal. Property owners completing routine pruning and tree maintenance on their property are not required to register or post a notice. ~Submitted by Anne Depue

We were sad to learn of the death of Lawney Reyes, brother of Bernie Whitebear and Luana Reyes and the creator of our Dreamcatcher at Yesler and 32nd. Lawney had wanted to speak at one of our community meetings but never recovered his health to the point where he was able to come. Reyes graduated from the UW after studying art there. He was an artist, author and activist. One of his more famous works is Blue Jay at the Daybreak Star Cultural Center. Reyes was a member of the Consolidated tribes of the Colville Reservation and the Sinixt Band. He was born in Bend, Oregon and taken from his family to attend Chemawa Indian School in Salem, OR. ~Compiled from Seattle Times Obituary

Enjoy the 9th Annual Jazz on Jackson Street September 9 and 10, 5-9pm. Free! 12 bands on 7 different stages.

Resuming for the first time since 2019 we are happy to announce the return of the Leschi ArtWalk. This year we feature a wide range of artists, crafts and entertainment. Some old favorites, some new contributors. Let’s start with the new events. At the Leschi Community Council booth have invited a succession of important and fascinating people: Trevor Lalish-Menagh, our vice president from 11–12; Roger Lippman, local historian of “Life and Times in Leschi” from noon–1; Benson Wilder reporter on the Leschi School, from 1-2 and the inimitable poet and writer Georgia McDade from 3-4. Yours truly, Culture Columnist, will be at a booth all day with a display about my two recent books. Also at my booth (I will have two tables!), two artists will display their work: Christina Reed will have information on her crucial installation called “Reckoning,” that ingeniously confronts racism head on. Sarah Banks will have the second table, although she cannot be there in person, her giclee prints are stunning and affordable. Lawrence Pitre will also be a major feature among our visual artists. His chronicle of life in the Central District combines abstract color backgrounds with realistic settings to suggest iconic moments and historical figures. Other artists at the ArtWalk include Teresa Woodward, fused glass artist; jeweler Ben Griffin of 7sElementDesign who creates intricate designs that wind around gemstones; Grace Macias of GG Jewels with jewelry that incorporates elements from nature; Sandra Maclean, whose multifaceted knitting work includes a particular talent for knitted baby clothes; Carl Bloom, of Galley Bay Woodworks with his extraordinary wooden bowls for everything from salad to nuts, Jennifer Bloom who creates amazing portraits of dogs, cats and much more. The Shattered Glass Theater Group that “amplifies underheard voices” will have an information booth. And don’t miss the delicious chocolate candy booth from Lanier’s Fine Candies, as well as the Cotton Candy Machine!! Then we have the Diamond Drill Team at 11am, as well as Vawachi II (Marimba band) at 1:30 and 3pm, and The Rio Thing (Brazilian jazz) at 3pm. For children there will be a magician at noon, face painting, a giant inflatable slide and games. In short, you will definitely have a wonderful time at this ArtWalk. We are sponsored by many of the local Leschi businesses: BluWater Bistro, Leschi Market, Park Postal, Starbucks and 32 Pearls, the practice of dentist Dr. Michael Bilikas. Other sponsors are Seattle Parks, Special Events; and a Neighborhood Matching Fund grant. ~Susan Platt, PhD www.artandpoliticsnow.com

The Leschi News is not published in July and August but life does go on! Seafair Summer Fourth: July 4 @ Gas Works Park. Includes VIP parking, VIP reserved seating, desert, and beverages - both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Alaska Airlines Seafair Torchlight Parade: July 30 @ Westlake Park. Includes valet parking, reserved roadside seating in Westlake Park, food, and non-alcoholic beverages. Steve Shulman Memorial: July 31; 2-5 pm @ Leschi Park. A Celebration of Life to honor Steve. Bring a picnic lunch. Share stories. Listen to music. Dance in the park. Seafair Weekend Festival: August 6-7 @ Genesee Park. Includes 2-day VIP shuttle, reserved waterfront seating, food, and beverages–both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Seafair Patio Party: 11am-5pm at Central Area Senior Center. 206.726.4926 for tickets. Million-dollar view! Food! Music! Face Painting! No Host bar! Raffle! Bicycle weekends: Mt. Baker Beach to Seward Park. No traffic on both Sat and Sun. May 20–23; 27–31 June 10–13; 24–27 July 1–5; 15–18 August 12–15; 19–22 September 2–6; 16–19

Please note that these are not all decided; we have some open meetings and appreciate resident input. What would you like to see? Do you want a Master Gardener in April talking about native plants or the worst garden pests? Send your ideas to LeschiNews@comcast.net. Remember that all our public meetings start at 7pm. We will be looking for a place to meet in public. Stay tuned! September 7: Art critic Susan Platt interviews artists participating in the ArtWalk October 5: Candidate forum prior to election November 2: Emergency Preparedness; speaker to be decided December 7: Holiday party January 2023: No meeting unless neighborhood crisis February 1, 2023: Lawrence Pitre displays his art of the Central District March 1, 2023: April 5, 2023: May 3, 2023: June 7. 2023: Update from a legislative representative July/August 2023: no general meetings

“Arreguín: Painter from the New World” runs July 2 to October 2, 2022 Museum of Northwest Art 121 South First Street, PO Box 969 La Conner, WA 98257 360.466.4446 Free admission, Hours: 10am–5pm, everyday The must-see exhibition this summer fits perfectly with a short road trip to a beautiful place. The Museum of Northwest Art is featuring Alfredo Arreguín in a major exhibition curated by our own well-known critic, Matthew Kangas. Arreguín: Painter from the New World opens on July 2 and will be open until October 2, 2022. A retrospective exhibition, it includes 40 works from 1970 to the present and will have a catalog by Kangas, one of our best Northwest critics! I will quote here from part of my essay on him in Setting Our Hearts on Fire : “Alfredo Arreguín’s paintings immerse us in a wonderland of jungle and seascape, populated by animals, fish, insects, and birds. But the jungle and its creatures are more than the sum of their parts, they represent nagual, a guardian creature of the spirit world who can transform and lead us to alternative views of the world. The artist embedded in this wonderland (sometimes almost invisibly), the faces of well-known political activists, writers, poets, friends, and, occasionally, the artist himself. The faces deeply disguised within the vast details of the paintings, point to Arreguín’s belief in the harmony of nature, the balance of life, and the crucial place that we have within it, rather than outside it. His work has never been more timely or important, as we all despair with the election of a president in Brazil intent on destroying the entire rain forest there for economic profit. Nothing less than the lungs of the planet are at stake. Leaping salmon and whales remind us that the survival of the Southern Resident pod of orca is hanging in the balance. As the whales dwindle in response to environmental degradation, and the salmon fail to complete their migration upstream because of dams, Arreguín’s paintings celebrate natural processes and inspire us to protect our Salish Sea. So plunge into one of his paintings and look at it for a long time, and still come back for more. Explore the dazzling overall intricacy, the detailed patterns, the accomplished linear relationships, the subtle command of color that changes in each work. Then, as you visually wander through the paintings, join the butterflies, the birds, and the animals in the depths of the jungle.” The Seattle Art Museum finally decided to acquire one of Arreguín’s works after fifty years! I have another road trip to suggest to the Museum of Anthropology University of British Columbia. My good friend Celia Munoz from Dallas, Texas is included in an exhibition called Xicanx Dreamers + Changemakers . (May 12–January 1, 2023.) The museum describes it as follows “The artists in this exhibition are dreamers and changemakers. They are of Mexican American heritage—self-identified as Xicanx*. The term transcends borders and gender to encompass the Xicanx people’s multi-generational experiences of social difference. “Xicanx artists, working across all mediums, are part of a rich tradition of combining visual art and activism. Some began their work as part of El Movimiento, the Chicano civil rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s that had its roots in the United States. Others define themselves as Indigenous, drawing upon their origins in Aztlan, the ancestral homeland referenced in Mexican códices and oral histories. The next generation is expanding the idea of Xicanx art while continuing to address the personal, social and political issues of our times. “The fight by Xicanx artists for social justice began generations ago and continues to this day. Their art and their activism remain vital in the movement towards social justice for all.” The exhibition might be called the greatest hits of XicanX art. It includes artists who have been working for decades, like Judy Baca of the Great Wall of Los Angeles and Esther Hernandez of the famous Sun Mad Raisins. There is also Rudy Trevino, Delilah Montoya, Celeste De Luna, Celia Munoz, all of whom have done potent works addressing migration in different ways. Finally, Francisco Toledo (1940–2019) showing at the museum quality Davidson Gallery in Pioneer Square rounds out this coverage of exhibitions focusing on Latinx artists. Toledo lived in Oaxaca and drew on Zapotec imagery, as well as mysticism to create eerie images that resist a quick reading. The distortions suggest intense emotional experiences. Have a great summer and be sure to see some art! Notice: On June 9, I will be reading from my newest book Setting Our Hearts on Fire, Essays on Artists from 1982 to the Present: Addressing Inequities and Inspiring a Future . The book includes many of the artists whom I have written about here as well as many others for a total of 80 artists. Retail Therapy, at 905 East Pike near Broadway (5-8pm) to coincide with the Capitol Hill Art Walk. ~Susan Platt, PhD www.artandpoliticsnow.com

Several years ago (pre-Covid), I wrote about my visit to a local tiny house village. Given the negative feelings that I hear today, I thought maybe it was time to repeat this experience. No one considers these tiny houses a “permanent” solution, but the tiny houses are quick to put up (unlike multi-story buildings) and they are much safer than camping in a tent or under a tarp. The doors lock on the tiny houses, protecting your few possessions. Each house is heated and has lights. There is access to showers and a kitchen area. And there is a consistent staff to help prepare for the next step: permanent housing. The average stay in village is about three months according to the Low Income Housing Institute. A neighbor and I decided to visit a nearby village, and I called ahead to ShareWheel to see what was convenient. I was told that we should just show up and anyone there could give us a tour. We found a gatekeeper when we arrived and when we explained our purpose, we were welcomed in and introduced to two young women who agreed to show us around. These two had been roommates who lost their apartment when loss of a job reduced their income. They had not been able to stay at a shelter as they had adopted a kitten they found crying near a dumpster. Tiny House Villages tend to be small; the one we visited had less than 20 little houses. We met the man in charge of supervising the building of the houses and he was there to make some minor repairs. He is retired and donates his time to this project; he visits each village on a regular basis to take care of problems. I was impressed with his commitment. Each house was painted but not garishly. Some had window boxes; others had potted plants by their door. Each resident had their own key; a locked house is certainly a step above a tent. The residents I met were positive and grateful to be there except for one teenager who didn’t want her school friends to know she was living there. She would walk a few blocks away to catch the bus to school. (I did not meet her; this was hearsay from residents and her mother who was delighted to announce the two of them had managed to get an apt. and would be moving within the week.) Our guides explained that the village had a weekly meeting on Monday nights to handle any issues; one of the Share Wheel folks would be there (the same person who was assigned to their village.) The rules had been developed by the residents; there was a curfew as they take turns volunteering to be the “gatekeeper” and no one wanted to be up all night. They take turns in doing the volunteer jobs, one being keeping the litter picked up OUTSIDE the village in the surrounding neighborhood. (At another neighborhood meeting, I heard permanent residents expressing gratitude for this task.) There is a system to sign up for the shower and the responsibility of cleaning up after oneself for the next person. (Better managed than my daughter’s dorm bathrooms at Reed College.) Anyone can cook; some folks cook their own meals and others cook together. Mealtimes vary as more than a third of the residents were working. There was a separate small building for donations; we had brought some warm hats and gloves which were taken to this building and our donation of food was taken to the village kitchen which was neatly organized and the picnic tables clean. We saw no litter anywhere in the village. The reason I support the Tiny House villages is that it’s much quicker than building permanent houses and there is help from Share Wheel in securing an apartment. The average stay is about 3 months. It can be a 3 year wait for a building to be built and occupied. That’s a long time to spend in a tent with the annoying sweeps that have increased under our current mayor. I spoke mostly to women and as a woman, I would much rather be in a tiny house with a locked door than in a tent. I think the small size is what make the village more successful. The large buildings with no resident manager tend to have more problems with no place to get them resolved. I was still working and visiting Home Health patients in large city owned buildings when they decided to do away with resident managers to save money. The complaints were many and for the older population, there were safety concerns. When someone fell at night, it would be up to their neighbor to hear the thump and call 911 instead of notifying the resident manager. Very bad move for the city. As a social worker in a large city back east, I saw the same scenario. The smaller buildings on a grassy lot where the buildings were arranged with some space around them, had fewer problems than the multi-story buildings surrounded by concrete. One of the more successful projects had 3 story buildings situated in a U-shape around a large grassy area. Residents would wave at each other and when I visited, some would call out greetings from their windows. I think both the residents and I felt safer in this setting than in a multi-story building with a smelly elevator and long dim hallways. ~Diane Snell

Please join the community in celebrating the life of Steve Shulman. Sunday: July 31st, 2pm-5pm Location: Leschi Park Questions/Contact: info@leschimarket.com