Artist Nancy Gabriel at her Yakima studio.

Some people are just born to be artists.

Yakima’s Nancy Gabriel, 58, has loved art as long as she can remember. She grew up in Chicago, a city that surrounded her with it.

“It’s incredibly rich with architecture and museums,” she says.

Having lived near the Art Institute of Chicago, Gabriel’s family spent many hours gazing at fine art. She grew up taking traditional art classes, like painting and drawing, until she discovered “functional art” in college. Functional art is when the ideas of aesthetics and function merge. Gabriel then began making clothes, weaving baskets and growing food.

Gabriel lived in Eugene, Ore., for 35 years before moving to Yakima three years ago with her husband, Joe, 58. Joe’s work in the fruit industry brought him to Yakima. When the couple shopped for homes, Nancy had one request: It must have a studio.

“I’ve always had a studio,” says the soft-spoken Gabriel. “I can’t live without doing art.”While working for a wool supplier more than a decade ago, Gabriel learned the art of rugmaking. She has been making her own rugs for 15 years.

“It’s something I could do at home while raising my daughter,” she says.

“If it’s usable, can’t it still be art? … It doesn’t have to be hanging on the wall,” Gabriel proclaims, as she debates the difference between art and craft. “I’m painting, just using wool.”

Gabriel also found rugs to be a good medium for telling a story, often through a series of pieces inspired by nature. Her next series, “The Creek,” is based on the Cowiche Canyon, where she spends many days hiking. “What a beautiful place to reflect,” she says.

“The Creek” follows the “Wandering Plant” and “The Trail” series.

Gabriel receives thick, durable wool from New Zealand in its natural state and then uses commercial dyes to customize the colors. Nancy has a second kitchen dedicated to dying, where she bakes her wool in a turkey roaster. “I’m like a kitchen chemist with the dyes,” she says. “I put a lot of energy into playing with the colors.”

Although she spends many hours working on each piece, Gabriel considers it a labor of love. “When I make a rug, it takes so long I end up having a relationship with it,” she says. Rugs range in size but are usually no larger than 5-feet by 8-feet. “I consider them little color spots,” she says. She also makes seat cushions.

Gabriel can design anybody’s idea — she loves working with colors and trying new things. “They are all different; no one rug is the same,” she says.

And she has only one request: “Put it on the floor and walk on it.

Rugs made by artist Nancy Gabriel at her Yakima studio. Photo by Andy Sawyer.

Balls of yarn, dyed by Artist Nancy Gabriel. Photo by Andy Sawyer.

Patterns for rugs fill baskets in a corner of Nancy Gabriel's studio in Yakima. Photo by Andy Sawyer.

Artist Nancy Gabriel lifts a lid off of a steaming pan of yarn she dyed at her Yakima studio. Photo by Andy Sawyer.

A detailed dye log that artist Nancy Gabriel uses to create colors for the yarns that go into her rugs. Photo by Andy Sawyer.

Dyes used to color the yarn. Photo by Andy Sawyer.

Colorful balls of yarn sit in shelves in artist Nancy Gabriel's studio. Photo by Andy Sawyer.

Artist Nancy Gabriel works on a rug at her Yakima studio. Photo by Andy Sawyer.

LeAnne Ries’ home looks out over Cowiche Canyon to the north. It’s a view which gives her inspiration and often allows her to relax. Photo by Gordon King

“The thing about chairs is they’re always inviting you to sit awhile, to rest, or meditate, or even curl up and sleep. I think I’ve always had something of a love affair with chairs.”— LeAnne Ries

Yakima artist LeAnne Ries has a point.

Just sitting in a room — even an empty room — chairs call to us. The straight-backed dining chair tells us, “Sit, dinner is ready.” The over-stuffed armchair suggests, “Go get your book. I’ll wait for you to get back.” Even the hard wooden pews of a church remind us through their upright backs and hard seats, “Sit, but don’t get too comfortable. Pay attention.”

The paintings of chairs in Ries’ collection, Interior Spaces, which was recently shown at Yakima’s Oak Hollow Gallery, beckon to passers-by in a similar manner. Not to sit, of course, but to lean in, observe the brush strokes, the subtle elements of collage and lighting, and to imagine how settling down in one of those chairs might feel.
Interior Spaces tells the story of Ries’ self-described “love affair” with chairs. The name of each painting gives the viewer a glimpse of her personal side: Dream, Meditation, and Chair of Success to name a few.

“Each one speaks to me, with its own invitation,” says the Yakima native.
Ries has also recently published a book, The Calling, which is a collection of poems that she says, “Are my 40s in a nutshell.”

Now 48, Ries has been married for 25 years to husband Gerry; they have two boys, who are 12 and 14. Ries says her life has provided her with ordinary experiences that she has transformed into extraordinary art.

Like many young people, she left the Yakima Valley in her 20s, thinking she’d get a great job and change the world. In 1985, she and Gerry moved near San Francisco, where she earned a degree in English from UC Berkeley in 1991 and began working at a private liberal arts university. She had her boys and began the business of raising a family. Surrounded by creative people, Ries’ own artistic side was nurtured — a side she’s had since she was a kid.

“I played lead guitar in a high school rock band,” she said. “I had this well inside and it needed an outlet. It was music then, then visual arts and poetry.”

In 2001 she earned a master’s degree in transpersonal psychology (a field based on Carl Jung that focuses on human potential) from John F. Kennedy University. During this time she also became interested in transformative art. Finding freedom and reassurance in acrylics, she had her first show of abstract florals in a popular Bay-area coffee shop in 1998.

As much as she loved living by the bay, Ries knew she would return to Yakima some day, which she did in 2004. Return Ticket, a poem in The Calling, describes the pull she felt so strongly for so many years:

I was pulled back to it.
In fact, it had its fingers
on the collar of my shirt
For the entire twenty years I was gone.

Ries’ ability to conjure such a vivid image — one to which many of us can relate — is one of the reasons she is such a compelling artist. Her artwork, which has earned regional honors and awards, adorns many Yakima and California homes and offices. She’s received requests to teach as well.

The Calling is the third and latest in the Labyrinth Chapbook Series, published this year through Allied Arts. The book delves into issues of parenting, friendship and the struggle of losing a parent. Goodbye Julia is about the death of her son’s goldfish, and that moment when a child realizes nothing is perfect. Scooters smacks poignantly of best-friendship, when being called home from playing just meant counting the minutes until you could be together again. Afloat tells of the euphoric feelings of holding hands with that first love for the first time.

Whether through words, music or paint, Ries expresses that well of creativity inside of her. The final poem in The Calling is reassurance, for those who appreciate her work, that there is still more to come.

Ars Poetica
Because the dandelion
will not evolve a brain
and write a poem itself.

No matter how many eons
no matter if universes
rise and fall
until every possible history
has played out
and monkeys
have actually typed
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
because there’s no end to time
that ends and starts again.

Even with the advantage of eternity
still, the wheat fields,
the eyelid-thin peonies
and the cherry blossoms
will not rise up
to realize themselves.
I write for them.

Ries did not know her art show and poetry book would converge in a show together. But both events came to fruition at the same time, resulting in a chapbook cover decorated with couches and chairs in a gallery blooming with the same art. Ries beams, “It has been a creative year.”

Photo by Cal Blethen

We were wowed when we spotted Justine Sinclair-Yoakum’s airbrushed shoes, so we asked the Yakima artist to embellish a pair of run-of-the-mill garden clogs for our Home & Garden edition. Sinclair-Yoakum has been airbrushing for four years, but just recently began turning her talents to footwear. “I paint everything,” she says … even canvas, bikes and cars.

Sinclair-Yoakum hopes her talent will help others too, through her new shoe line, “Wear to Care.” Inspired by her aunt who died of cancer in 2004, Sinclair-Yoakum will donate 20 percent of the proceeds from this line to those battling the disease.

Take a look at her creations at Rolo’s Boutique at 18 N. 2nd Street in Yakima.

Justine Sinclair-Yoakum, JNS Studios,
509-654-8411 • jnsstudiossite.com

Courtesy of the Ellensburg Film Festival

Ellensburg Has a Film Festival of Its Own

by Scott Klepach Jr.

Come Oct. 7, Ellensburg’s streets will be alive with the sound of film buzz. That’s when the city hosts the seventh annual Ellensburg Film Festival.

It might be surprising to some that a small community can leave a substantial mark in the film world, but Ellensburg has done just that, thanks to the creative forces and resources from Central Washington University — which started a film program several years ago — and other local sponsors.

The festival debuted in 2004, and has since bloomed into a premier regional three-day event each year.

“We’ve had major films here, but we still try to maintain that intimate interaction with them,” says Melissa Johnson, a festival board member who handles public relations and marketing.

Some of the more well-known films were the award-winning documentary Wasteland and the animated feature The Secret of Kells. But Johnson said the festival takes pride in featuring more independent films that wouldn’t normally grace local screens.

The festival is not limited to geography or genre. The films come from local talent (including short films from CWU students Jacob Chase and Josh Perrault) and others across the globe and include full-length features, documentaries and short films. The event also includes guest speakers, lectures and music.

“We offer a unique, smaller festival for a chance to be a little more intimate,” says Johnson. “Filmmakers have commented on that. It’s one of their favorite film festivals.”

Films are shown on the CWU campus and other locations in downtown Ellensburg. The festival is sponsored by several Ellensburg institutions, including CWU, the city of Ellensburg, Gallery One Arts Center and Laughing Horse Arts Foundation.

While the festival features its annual event in October, workshops and events are held at other times during the year. In May it began showing a series of short films called “Show Us Your Shorts,” which continues until the festival this fall.

If you go:

Single tickets are $6 each, or $3 with CWU student ID. The “SixTix” deal is $30, which gains admission to any six festival films. A Festival Pass is $50 and includes screening to all films, events and ceremonies as well as a T-shirt.

Ellensburg Film Festival • Oct. 7-9

ellensburgfilmfestival.com

This Year’s Film Lineup

Films showing at Rawspace or CWU’s SURC Theater:

Beatboxing

The Escape (short)

Everyday Sunshine

Giants

A Scent at the Sea (short)

Hitonme (Korean short)

Lords of Nature

Lost Airmen of Buchenwald

Masks (animated short)

Mossgrove/Bed of Moss (experimental)

Pedal Driven

A Perfect Soldier

The Secret Friend (short)

Summer Elegy (short)

To Be Frank (Ellensburg short)
FREE films playing at Inspiration Studios building:

(108 N. Main St., No. 2, Ellensburg)
“Show Us Your Shorts,” Oct. 8 at 5 p.m.
Faculty & Student Showcase, Oct. 8-9
Metropolis – Great Fritz Lang classic
Newwords (submission)
Sixty-in-60 (submission)
__________________________________________

Gala

Oct. 8 • 9 p.m.

Gallery One

408 N. Pearl St., Ellensburg
Sidestreet Reny (live band)
DJ Skiles (DJ)
$3 drinks, dancing

Ryan Clark and Tim Andis display a few of their custom Liberty Bottles. Photo by Jennifer Dagdagan.

By Heather Caro

What can a water bottle hold?

If it’s crafted by Liberty Bottleworks, a new manufacturing company based in Union Gap, a bottle can hold more than just 24 or 32 ounces. It can hold vision, work ethic and art.

But then, these aren’t your average water bottles.

Liberty Bottleworks is the brainchild of Yakima resident Tim Andis, 40, who once worked for a high-end outdoor equipment supply company. While filling retail needs for companies such as REI, Andis often received requests for aluminum water bottles produced domestically, rather than shipped from manufacturing plants in Europe or China. But after an exhaustive search, Andis found that no such product existed.

Understanding the demand for American-made bottles, Andis enlisted the help of longtime business partner Ryan Clark, 35, and with private capital, the pair set out on a novel manufacturing venture: Liberty Bottleworks.

Their goal was lofty: to produce bottles while keeping every part of production in the U.S., and local if possible. Thus all machinery and products had to be American-made. When they found some machinery didn’t exist, they had it custom built. One Liberty machine – the “body maker,” which is used in the first stage of bottle production – has only one twin, and it’s used to fabricate missiles for the U.S. government.

What’s more, the duo committed to using sustainable manufacturing techniques. The “green” company uses 100 percent recycled aluminum to produce its bottles, which retail for $16 and $18. The bottles are BPA-free; Bisphenol A is a controversial chemical used in the manufacture of containers.

Last year, in the midst of the national recession, Liberty began production at a Union Gap warehouse once occupied by Western RV. To much acclaim, Liberty rolled out its first bottle in October and quickly secured big-name retailers such as REI, Whole Foods Market and Amazon and is also available at Yakima’s Sporthaus.

And against economic odds, they continue to grow.

Today, Liberty Bottleworks has more than 50 employees, many of whom were unemployed. Clark believes that a “bootstrap” work ethic reminiscent of glory days in American manufacturing is essential to the country’s economic recovery — and a key to Liberty’s success.

One of Liberty's employees prepares bottles at the plant in Union Gap.

“It’s not about swapping jobs, it’s about making jobs,” he says. “Water bottles are a vehicle for us to do that.”

But, innovation aside, what most consumers notice first about a Liberty bottle is the artwork.

The custom bottles are digitally printed with art commissioned by often little-known artists from across the country, and each bottle is stamped with Liberty’s “Made in America” insignia. And through Liberty’s Artist Program, 1 percent of all bottle proceeds go to benefit the nonprofit organization of each artist’s choice.

“It’s not by people from the office who just crank out artwork,” explains Clark. “It’s the most relevant art we can have.”

The result is colorful art as varied as the artists who create it — and from sometimes surprising sources.

In fact, when the Liberty design crew wanted to add a line of popular graffiti-inspired bottles to their collection, they decided to look in their own backyard.

“We wanted to impact kids,” says Clark, whose search for a local graffiti artist eventually led to Stanton Academy, an alternative high school in the Yakima School District. Eugene Holmes, Stanton’s Graphics Design instructor, put Liberty in contact with two talented students – Angel Cornejo, 17, and Bernardo Barragan, 18. Cornejo was often quiet and withdrawn in class and Barragan admits he once was in trouble with the law for choosing a less-than-ideal canvas for his art. But through Stanton’s Graphics Design course, the two found a productive outlet for their art and eventually began to excel.

Angel Cornejo (L) and Bernardo Barragan designed the Graffiti Kids line of LIberty Bottles.

With guidance from Ricky Pond, Liberty’s art director, the students submitted 12 designs for the bottles, of which six were chosen for production.

Barragon hopes to continue his artwork and possibly design a clothing line someday. “When you have a passion for something, you have to keep going at it,” he says with a grin.

Barragon’s and Cornejo’s line, Graffiti Kids, is featured in the 2011/2012 Liberty Bottleworks catalog. A percentage of proceeds from their bottle sales will go toward providing art supplies for Stanton Academy.

Liberty remains modest about the company’s effect on the community.

“We are nothing more than a little pebble — we’re pretty real about that,” says Clark.

But while Liberty Bottleworks may still be a “little pebble,” its inventive business model continues to create big ripples locally and beyond.

What we love about Liberty Bottleworks

If Liberty Bottleworks hasn’t yet made it on your “reasons to love Yakima” radar, be sure to put them front and center. The dynamic local company is creating a national buzz with distinctive bottles and vintage American values. Here are few reasons to make one your own.

•The “Click” Top – The quarter-turn top takes a little getting used to, but once you do there is no going back. It even passed our exclusive “accidently-packed-upside-down-in-a-backpack-without-spilling-a-drop” test with flying colors.

•Not just another pretty face – Liberty bottles sport commissioned artwork by artists across the country – some of them local – through the Artist Program. Featured artists receive a cut from bottle sales and an additional 1percent of proceeds go toward a nonprofit organization of the artist’s choice. Organizations such as Cowiche Canyon Conservancy, National Park Service and The Conservation Alliance are among the organizations that benefit from bottle sales.

•Made in the USA – Union Gap, to be precise. Liberty produces the only aluminum bottles made in the United States – and they’re more than a little proud of that fact. The insignia and company values herald back to the golden years of American manufacturing and a “bootstrap” work ethic.

•Drink responsibly – Made from 100 percent recycled aluminum, these bottles are also recyclable. And bottles that don’t meet production-line standards are either recycled or donated to the relief effort in Haiti.

•Safe Sipping – Liberty bottles are nontoxic and BPA-free. They are also lined with a flexible coating that binds to aluminum to avoid metal leaching and won’t chip or flake off – which means they are also dishwasher safe for easy clean up.

Liberty Bottleworks • Libertybottles.com

Yakima artist Bill Brennan paints in his backyard...

By Melissa S. Labberton

Photos By Gordon King

When people ask Yakima’s Bill Brennen how long it takes him to paint one of his Eastern Washington landscapes, he answers with enthusiasm, “40 years!” His reply might sound like a joke, but this master painter is quite serious. He says it’s taken him 40 years to hone his artistic talent that so perfectly captures the beauty of the Yakima Valley and surrounding area.

A 1967 graduate of Eisenhower High School, Brennen admits that grades and activities took a back seat to playing guitar and performing with the band Loving Kind. When he enrolled at Yakima Valley Community College, a friend advised him to register for a “little bit of everything,” in hopes it might help him find a direction.

Brennen found himself in an art class taught by R.K. Smith. “He was the best teacher I ever had,” Brennen said. “He was so upbeat and it was so fun and I was getting A’s.” He discovered he had an affinity for art, and with Smith’s encouragement, he transferred to Central Washington University to immerse himself in all aspects of the discipline, including silk screening, oil painting, design and figure painting.

A scene near Hwy. 12 in the Morton/Packwood area painted by Yakima artist Bill Brennan.

“When I graduated, I didn’t want to teach,” he explained, “I wanted to be a painter.” Fortunately, Brennen had supportive parents who allowed him to live in the basement and do just that. In fact, his father had a lot to do with his first big sale.

“My dad was checking out stuff at Leo Adams’ house. He told Adams that his son was a painter.” Adams agreed to look at Brennen’s work. Adams told the young artist that he could show with him at Gasperetti’s restaurant in Yakima. Brennan sold nine paintings at that show, and his career was off and running.

Brennen would be the first person to attribute this early success to equal parts talent and pure luck. Besides Smith and Adams, he also gives credit to John Gasperetti for encouraging his career. After that first show, Gasperetti took some of Brennen’s paintings to the Foster White Gallery in Seattle, where his artwork was shown for 10 years. He’s also shown his paintings at the Kimzey-Miller Gallery in Seattle, the Hager Collection Art Gallery on Maui, and he continues to hang his work at Gasperetti’s and Kana winery in Yakima.

Brushes and paints sit on an outdoor table.

Brennan evolved from oil to acrylic paints, because he likes the fast drying, water-based medium. “I’m not a patient guy and I like to layer the paint.” Early on, he was a big fan of Norman Rockwell and enjoyed painting figures. Then he discovered Andrew Wyeth and the impressionists. His landscape paintings reflect their influence. “I love the Valley and I want to paint it. Andrew Wyeth painted in two spots all his life,” he explained.

Smith was also an influence.

“He taught me to be loose and move fast. Use the happy accidents and don’t control your brush too much. Painting is weird because sometimes it flows, but sometimes it’s like pulling my hair out,” he said. If he doesn’t think a painting is working, Brennen feels no compunction about letting it go. “It never bothers me to fail at painting.”

“I used to start painting by starting in one corner and it would take days. Now I paint the whole painting and then go over it with a small brush.” Brennen likes to first rough in the sky. Then he adds the general light and dark of the hills and fields. He uses a sable brush for the grass, giving it an amazing detail; however, on closer inspection it appears like an impression.

“I’ve developed a technique to make it look like individual grass or leaves, but not have to paint each one.” Because of this skill, one fan dubbed him the “grass man.”

With more than 1,000 works under his belt, Brennen has an easy confidence about his art. Depending on size, his pieces can sell from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars each.  His work is shown in many corporate collections, too, including that of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Sterling Savings Bank, the Rainier Collection and the Safeco Corp. in Seattle, as well as the MetLife Executive Collection in New York City.

Yakima artist Bill Brennan

He also does commissions. One of his favorites can be seen at the Yakima Armory and was made possible by the Seattle Arts Commission. The three large murals located in the Armory’s entry hall depict the history of the Yakima Militia and is an excellent example of his skill as a figurative artist, like his idols Wyeth and Rockwell.

Brennen, who enjoys playing tennis and working in his garden, also has a talent for music. For years he performed with his band, The Blue Tropics, playing Jimmy Buffett tropical-style music at local events and wineries. Two years ago, he set tropical party music aside and, with fellow band mate W.D. Frank, started a new band called Stimulus Package.

Brennen shows no concern for what the future holds because he knows he just wants to keep painting pictures, playing music and enjoying himself.

Photos by Jennifer Dagdagan

It’s been said that there are two types of people in this world: those who have tattoos and those who are afraid of people with tattoos.

But with body art springing up on everyone from politicians to soccer moms, that distinction has become fuzzy.

In Yakima, this is due in part to the artistry of local tattoo artists Jim and Jenni Rosal.
 Behind the glowing neon signs and the glossy red Dutch door of their Yakima Avenue storefront, the husband and wife duo has led the Valley’s tattoo industry for nearly 30 years. The studio walls of Jim and Jenni’s Quality Tattoo – jammed with photographs of body art, newspaper clippings, religious icons, magazine articles and original sketches – are an eclectic reminder of the couple’s roots and the tough road they traveled to get where they are today.
 Born and raised in Valejo, Calif., Jim Rosal’s family relocated to rural Sunnyside in 1978 due to increasing crime – including the notorious Zodiac Killer murders. The culture shock of the move proved difficult for Jim, who says he missed his cousins in Valejo and the trees where they built forts in the summer.

“I got into trouble because I just didn’t fit in,” he recalls with a shrug. But on one summer trip back to Valejo, Jim saw something that would change his life forever: a homemade tattoo etched on the neck of an older boy. The tiny mark made a big impression on Jim, who remembers coveting the simple tattoo. After a friend gave him his first homemade tattoo at the age of 13, Jim began practicing his new skill on willing classmates in Sunnyside.

“I didn’t get into (tattooing), it got into me,” says Jim, who, dressed in faded jeans and a black T-shirt, appears younger than his 45 years. 
As the years went by, Jim struggled in school and eventually dropped out before opening his first tattoo shop in Sunnyside in 1983 at the age of 17.
“Back then there wasn’t a shop in every little town,” says Jim, who credits that experience with helping him to learn to “be a better person” as well as fine-tune his self-taught techniques. 
A teenage Jenni came into the picture while visiting her sister who lived in the area. She and Jim met at a local arcade.
“I never left,” grins Jenni, 39, who is originally from Spokane. Jim taught her how to tattoo. In 1990, the pair opened Jim & Jenni’s Quality Tattoo and eventually moved their business to Yakima. They’ve been in their current location since 1998. Twenty years and three kids later, Jim and Jenni are still together against all odds – along with their (still-growing) tattoo business.
 “We had enough passion and enough talent – we just made it work,” says Jim, who concedes the early years were not always easy for the fledgling entrepreneurs.
But with his self-described “versatile” tattoo style of traditional American and Japanese themes – as well as portraits of animals and people – Jim says he has given more tattoos than he could possibly count. And sometimes those tattoos are to multiple generations within the same family. Jim, who first draws or paints designs on skin before making a permanent mark, says the art of tattooing is similar to painting – except for one detail. “I use a stainless steel brush instead of a soft fluffy one.”

Many locals may not know that Jim also manufactures custom tattoo machines – by hand. The palm-sized machines use an electromagnetic circuit to move needle groupings up and down, and they’re fine-tuned to allow for precise control while lining, shading or coloring tattoos. Rosal’s machines are prized industrywide and used by tattoo greats such as Eddie Deutsche and Ed Hardy, who are legendary in the industry.

Thanks to coverage by respected trade publications such as Tattoo Artist, Tattoo Master and Skin Deep, Jim’s machines and body art have earned international kudos. His industry connections have also led him to tattoo masters in Europe and Japan, where he had the opportunity to glean more knowledge of the craft.

The couple says that reasons for getting a tattoo are as varied as those who get them: to celebrate a love, to mourn a death, even to show one’s allegiance to a club or association. But for those who might be on the fence, Jenni has some simple advice:  “Come here,” she says with a laugh. “Do your research. Know what you want and don’t just go about it blindly.”
Patrons can expect to pay $110 per hour for custom body art at Jim & Jenni’s – which includes a consult and original artwork. And though walk-ins are accepted, appointments are strongly recommended – particularly for larger projects.
In fact, the Rosals are so busy they recently opened their doors to a new artist, Bobby Holmes, 26, whom Jim credits with initiating a new surge of creativity throughout the studio.
With 30 years of experience under his belt, Jim has literally been tattooing since before Holmes was born. But listening to their friendly banter, that’s doesn’t seem to matter. Instead, the two take turns discussing upcoming tattoo projects, favorite techniques and how they make their creations.
“We made something from nothing,” says Jim.  “That’s where true artists come from.”

Jim & Jenni’s Quality Tattoos
210 E. Yakima Ave.
509-452-8287

Photos by Stephen Stokesberry

I’m pretty sure I was in primary school when I became aware of my fascination with color. Mrs. Evans was passing out the solid sheets of colored poster paper and the last sheet had a cloudy effect of all the colors blended together. Right then and there I was transported. Fortunately, she was a tenderhearted soul and gave me the sheet, but I wouldn’t fulfill the required craft project and ruin such perfect beauty. Needless to say, I was profiled “day dreamer” on that tiny report card.

Fast-forward to charming, sunny Yakima with my husband, Stephen, of 25 years and I’m still a day dreamer. The view outside my window is the chicken coop that Stephen is building for our four very fat hens. There, a shocking yellow forsythia branch bends gracefully toward a weathered blue window. The two colors complement one another and I grab Stephen’s camera. He has a knack for finding and fixing all sorts of things and I take full advantage of his many talents. Part cabinetmaker, part artist, part historian and photographer, I thank the fates daily for pairing us. We feed each other’s need for creativity.

Born scavengers, we can be serious junk-yard and salvage hunters. For six years we ran an antique and home décor store in Seattle. We learned together and still cherish that stage of our lives. It was exhausting, exhilarating and the learning curve was steep. We were featured in a national magazine, won awards and made many new friends. I fine-tuned my furniture placement skills, played with color and learned that retail is a tough and exciting business.

A student of color, I never cease to be amazed by its many ranges. How many shades of green are there, anyway? I googled that and the answer is: infinite. Green, blue and yellow are my current favorite “neutrals” along with their parents, cream and ivory. Just don’t be too shocked by the coral and hot pink pillowcases peeking out under a mountain of my neutrals. I am so easily led astray …

My workweek allows me creative diversity as I have the pleasure of managing the Gift Shop at Yakima Valley Memorial Hospital. There I can play with product and color, creating small vignettes, one of my favorite pastimes. When customers ask me what style and colors I use in my home, there is no easy answer. The whole house is a “studio” where I stage collections. I start out creating a minimalist, modern country corner and in creeps layers of fabric, pillows and paintings in a riotous mix of color.

Understated and serene, modern country is one of my favorite styles, and I try to have a couple of areas in the main living spaces where this is achieved. It gives the eye a chance to rest before scanning up to the new accent color adorning the stairway wall. The real beauty of modern country is its simplicity. An old dresser with beautiful lines holds a vase. No catchall for coins, keys or crammed with family photos; the dresser takes center stage and the opposite wall can be festooned with the botanical prints you adore. Certain pieces of furniture need space and breathing room. Why can’t that pine dresser with hand-carved details (hiding in the basement) live upstairs? Just remember that this look is all about keeping it simple and comfortable. Modern and country live together harmoniously with a turquoise dresser found somewhere in Iowa, if memory serves me right!

Color can and will enhance your mood. Find the colors that “transport” you and you will have found what I like to call, your “color core.” It takes time, patience and a quiet place to reflect about what truly makes you happy.

I’m not an expert on design or color; but more like a student. I have the oil pastels but lack the discipline to read the book on blending colors. Darn daydreamer! Darn report cards!

Photo by Jennifer Dagdagan

Style Freak is a new column — devoted to home and fashion that’s beautiful and trendy — that will publish in every other issue of Yakima magazine.

By Heather Caro, Photography by Jennifer Dagdagan

Wardrobe and Styling by Winter Kennedy and Joy Meils, Patina

Hair and Makeup by Buffy Smith and Molly Wamsley, Belu Design Salon

Our models and what they’re wearing:  Nami Oxford * 3-D square vessel pendant, by Lisa Souers Designs

Amenda Dillman * Turquoise lampwork necklace by Arts on the Vine

Yeimy Ball *Chunky Wilma beaded necklace, by Brianna Malina

Brianna Gutierrez * Gypsy pendant earrings, by Brianna Malina and Spoon bracelet by Ruby Vegas Designs

Katie Wilkerson *Hot orange lampwork necklace, by Arts on the Vine

Dagger necklace and emerald wired earrings by Ruby Vegas Designs

Braided chain necklace by Buffy Smith

Birdhouse necklace by Lisa Souers Design

From Left, Necklace by Janine Kingley, Lampwork bead necklace by Arts on the Vine, Pendant by Lisa Souers Designs, Lampwork bracelet by Arts on the Vine

Chunky Industrial Ring by Lisa Souers Design, Spoon bracelet by Ruby Vegas, Gypsy Earring by Brianna Malina

Birdhouse necklace by Lisa Souers Design, Leather Cuff by Patina

Chunky industrial ring by Lisa Souers Design, Leather cuff by Patina

Arm cuff by Brianna Malina, Lampwork necklace by Arts on the Vine

On Yeimy:  Chunky Wilma beaded necklace by Brianna Malina

Dagger necklace and emerald wired earrings, Ruby Vegas Designs

On Yeimy:  Chunky Wilma beaded necklace by Brianna Malina, On Nami:  Leather Cuff by Patina

Cuff by Brianna Malina

Wrist Cuff by Brianna Malina

Artist:  Brianna Gutierrez

BRIANNA MALINA

Brianna Gutierrez is a self described “girly girl” who grew up in Toppenish.  She currently lives in Bellevue where she works as a design manager for a clothing company – and makes jewelry in her off time.  “Jewelry is my passion,” says Gutierrez.  “There is something magical about it and the way it can transform the way you look.”

Baubles, beads and objects found come together in the free-spirited Brianna Malina collection which can be found on ETSY  at etsy.com/people/BriannaMalina.

Artist: Ed and Linda Simpson

ARTS ON THE VINE

Ed and Linda Simpson are a husband and wife jewelry design team, married 39 years ago and doing business as “Arts on the Vine.”  The Indian Health Service transferred them from Alaska to the Yakima Valley in 2000.  After retiring in 2005, they chose to stay in the valley for the wonderful climate, wine and easy access to Portland, Spokane and Seattle.

All of their jewelry designs start with colorful lampwork glass beads that Ed creates in his back yard studio.  Each jewelry piece is unique and handcrafted by the couple using mixed metals, beads, and faux bone.  Their style is influenced by the American Indian and Hispanic cultures with a northwest organic flair.

Ed and Linda currently live, love and create their beautiful artisan jewelry in Zillah, WA.  If you are on a road trip, you will find their work in galleries in Boise, ID, Big Fork, MT, Eagle River, AK and Homer, AK.  You can also view their designs online in their ETSY shop at artsonthevine.etsy.com

Jewelry by (from left): Janine Kingsley, Arts on the Vine, Lisa Souers and Arts on the Vine.

BEAD & BODY

Janine Kingsley has had a long time love affair with beading and says she enjoys working with many different styles and techniques.  Kingsley owns Yakima’s  Bead & Body which is located in the Chalet Place Shopping Center and sometimes teaches beadwork classes. You can find her work there or online at beadandbody.com

Bead and Body

5623 Summitview, Suite A, Yakima

(509) 966-2273

Artist:  Lisa Souers

LISA SOUERS DESIGNS

Lisa Souers is a self described “junker” who delights in trinkets found and the beauty of reclaimed objects.  She creates her brand of a bit “off-beat” jewelry in her basement studio of the circa 1914 she shares with her husband “Mr. Souers”.  “The more unique a pendant, necklace, bracelet, ring, found object treasure, bauble  I can create, the better”, says Souers.  You can find her work at lisasouersdesigns.com or read her whimsical posts at lisasouers.typepad.com.

Artist:  Robbie Bustos

RUBY VEGAS DESIGNS
Growing up in Wyoming, Bustos always had an eclectic and creative side and 13-years ago she was able to hone these skills with the end result being “Ruby Vegas Designs”. The local company features wirework and spoon jewelry, all designed by Bustos. Starting out small, Bustos has grown rapidly and her jewelry is available both online at rubyvegasdesigns.com and in 30 stores across the United States, Canada and United Kingdom as well as locally at Oak Hollow Gallery, The Larson Gallery and Allied Arts.  Bustos work has also been featured in goodie bags at the prestigious Golden Globes, the American Music Awards as well at the MTV Music awards.

Brianna Gutierrez wears a dagger necklace and emerald wired earrings by Ruby Vegas Designs.

“My passion for making jewelry, really is more for the connection it creates with others,” says Bustos, who moved to the Yakima Valley in 2010 to be closer to family. “It is so thrilling to meet someone who has the same fun style and outlook as me. There is an almost ‘soul’ bond with every customer I meet”.

Artist:  Winter Kennedy and Joy Meils

PATINA

Winter Kennedy and Joy Meils are sisters and co-owners of the fashionable boutique, Patina, which is located near downtown Yakima.  With their flair for all things fashion Kennedy and Meils not only provided the wardrobe for the Glam-ping photo shoot – they also brought along a few of their fabulous leather cuffs.  These and other beautiful things – both old and new – can be found at Patina or online at patinathings.com.

Patina

17 W Yakima Ave., Yakima

(509) 969-2578