First Friday includes cartography art, woven wall hangings
An artist, author and cartographer will be featured in Haines’ March First Friday celebration.
Haines Brewing Company will show the unique work of map-maker Jeffrey Moskowitz.
“The maps feature a three-dimensional elevation dataset called Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar, a product of the U.S. Geological Survey, combined with satellite imagery captured from space called Landsat 8, a product of the NASA and the USGS,” Moskowitz said. “The First Friday event will highlight regions surrounding Haines and the upper Lynn Canal, through different seasons.”
Vanessa Salmon will be showing a small collection of woven wall hangings on First Friday at the Port Chilkoot Distillery. Salmon taught herself tapestry weaving last winter and successfully sold her “Blue Collection” at the Magpie Gallery last summer. This collection explores neutral, geometrical forms with a more minimalist aesthetic. Salmon is excited to be incorporating a wider variety of fibers and textures, as well as smaller pieces for small spaces.
The Magpie Gallery will be open again for First Friday since being closed for the winter season. Nautical rope bowls and photography by Alissa Koverdan will be on display.
The Babbling Book will feature paintings by artist Symaron Naeco Marquardt. Naeco Marquardt recently started selling notecards of prints at the shop of her best paintings, depicting a muskox in the snow, a dragon reading a book, a girl riding an elephant and others. Store owner Darcee Messano said she loves Naeco Marquardt’s work, and is encouraging her to pursue children’s book illustration. Naeco Marquardt said she plans to reveal a special collaboration with her husband, Luke Marquardt, that night. Prints will be available for preorder and some original pieces will be for sale.
Alaska Rod’s will host author of “Sacred Coffee” and “Shy Ghosts Dancing,” blogger and soap-maker Mark Zeiger this First Friday. Skipping Stone Studio will feature artwork by Donna Catotti. The Haines Sheldon Museum will be open and invites First Friday patrons to see changes in the main gallery and the Alaska Positives exhibit still on display.
Alaska Arts Confluence will display “Quilting Art by Haines.” Creative director Carol Tuynman said the gallery will be “awash in color with quilts and pin cushion designs in a display of new work by Haines quilters.”
The display of quilts includes this year’s participants in the Sweet Sixteen Contest and the Lazy 8 Challenge, each a set of design and sewing techniques that must be incorporated in the quilting work in order to qualify for the annual contest.
First Friday will take place at participating businesses Friday, March 2 from 5-7 p.m.
Sebens directs Neil Simon play at Chilkat Center
Haines actors will take the stage under director Tod Sebens this month in Neil Simon’s “rollercoaster” comedy, “Jake’s Women.”
Jake, played by Jonathon Greene, is a novelist who is facing a marital crisis by daydreaming about the women in his life. The character has flashbacks remembering the women, interrupted sometimes by visitations from the actual people.
“Most of the women are imagined and he gives them a voice,” Sebens said. “Jake has them say what he wants them to say and even how he wants them dressed.”
Jake’s women include a therapist played by Kristin Brumfield, his sister played by Angie Pappas, a girlfriend played by Marie Boisvert, an ex-wife played by Tracy Harmon, his current wife played by Brenda Josephson, his daughter at age 21 played by Madilyn Witek and his daughter at age 12 played by Selby Long.
“This play is not dark, it just goes from serious moments to lighthearted, funny moments and works people’s emotions,” Sebens said.
Sebens directed another Neil Simon comedy last winter called “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” and chose to do another because Simon “changes the mood up and down like a roller coaster. There are serious moments, and then others where you bust out laughing,” Sebens said.
Sebens said the cast started rehearsing in mid-January. “There are a lot of lines and a lot of light cues to make these women appear and disappear on stage,” Sebens said.
He said they are using a lighting technique called chameleon scrims for the first time in Haines. The lighting comes from directly above the actors, causing a sort of halo effect.
Haines can the performances Friday and Saturday March 16 and 17 at 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 18 at 2 p.m.
Fiddling sisters to perform swing music
A trio of fiddling sisters, the Quebe Sisters Band, will rock the the Chilkat Center stage in March with Western swing.
The Quebe Sisters, named Hulda, Grace and Sophia, have been described as a “smokin’-hot young adult Americana band.” They grew up in Texas and got their start in music as fiddle players, each winning state and national titles in competition in the early 2000s.
Since then, the band has recorded three studio albums and performed with famous artists like Willie Nelson, Kacey Musgraves, George Strait, Merle Haggard, Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Ray Price, Connie Smith, Marty Stuart, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel, Riders in the Sky and many others.
Matt Whitman, of the Haines Arts Council, discovered the sisters when they played at the Arts Northwest conference in Eugene, Oregon last year. They won the best showcase award out of dozens of performers.
Tom Heywood said when he heard their music, he thought the band worked well together with “super tight” instrumentals and vocals.
“Imagine, if you will, the three cutest girls you’ve ever seen playing fiddles and singing everything from western swing to jazz to bluegrass in virtuoso fashion and you have the Quebe Sisters. Get ready to be amazed,” said Ray Benson of the band Asleep at the Wheel.
Whitman said the sisters are “exceptionally professional and talented,” and he is honored to have musicians of their caliber come to Haines.
“It’s a great opportunity to listen to some talented folks on our little stage,” Whitman said. “The community coming out and supporting (the Haines Arts Council) allows us to keep these shows going.”
He said attendance at shows like these has been dropping in recent years, and he wants to encourage people to come out, get up and dance at the concert.
“Let’s get all those people on the floor,” Whitman said. He said a full auditorium and a lively crowd is more fun for attendees and the performers.
Catch the Quebe Sisters (rhymes with “maybe”) at the Chilkat Center Sunday, March 4 at 7 p.m. $18 general admission, $15 for Haines Arts Council members.
The band will also play in Skagway, Cordova, Anchorage and Juneau, and elsewhere in the Lower 48 throughout the spring.