The Labor Day weekend, harbenger of the end of summer, brings North America’s largest urban arts festival, Bumbershoot to Seattle.

Now in the 41st year,  Bumbershoot is world renowned for showcasing musical talent.  And while there are a myriad of music choices, Bumbershoot by it’s very name is an umbrella of the arts (from the slang: bum•ber•shoot —n. informal An umbrella.)

So be sure not to miss:

The Magic Show at the Center Pavilion everyday from 11am-8pm, a multimedia exhibit that explores illusion, conjuring, levitation, and transformation.

Get your guns up with 2010 Stranger Genius Award winner Marya Sea Kaminski’s Bonnie and the Robberi, a collection of rock covers, original songs, and monologues that explore societal themes of women with firearms, love, and violence and is backed by the musical talents of Landlords Daughter.

Bumber by Number a fully interactive color by number show featuring some of Seattle’s favorite visual art talents and is curated by the beloved Marlow Harris & Jo David.  Pick up a veggie and join in the communal art creation.

Movies at SIFF Cinema and McCaw Hall feature projects: Films4Families, 48 Hour Film Project, Nerds Unite, and Animation for Adults, just to name a few.

Just in case you spend all your Bumbershoot days watching movies, seeing visual art shows, eating and shopping the vendor booths.  You can still catch a fabulous line up of musicians at Bumbershoot After Dark, a collaboration with Decibel, One Reel,  Seattle Center, & Kaos Theory.  This late night (10pm-4am) celebration at Exhibition Hall, features some of the most acclaimed electronic music performers and deejays.  Saturday brings the musical stylings of Craze, Claude Van Stroke, Jokers of the Scene, and The Dowlz. Sunday’s line-up is Z-Trip, Four Tet, and Dam Funk. Bumbershoot After Dark is boasting this collaboration “to be the most adventurous stage configuration that any of the organizations have ever produced throughout their 100+ years of collective experience.”

Be warned if you go to Bumbershoot expecting to get a glimpse of John Oates fabulous mustache, you will be disappointed.  It has only been seen once in the last 25 years: last year’s National Moustache Convention where he was a special guest.  

For a breakdown of all the Bumbershoot events & happenings check the official SCHEDULE. Hall & Oates take the Bumbershoot main stage on Monday.

Cafe Racer Crafts & Curiosities

Saturday, December 18th

kicks off the first of these events,

happening every 3rd Saturday of the month

from 1pm – 6pm

at Cafe Racer

Crafts, Jewelry and Curiosities made by local artists, plus flea market items!!

Crafts & Curiosities FACEBOOK Page here

or email caferacercrafts@gmail.com

…and remember..

Cafe Racer is the official home of the

Official Bad Art museum of Art

Raise a glass of bubbly and a birthday cupcake with NUBE to celebrate their first anniversary as NuBe Green. Meet and greet the artisans behind the local goods and kick off the holiday season with green gifting demos.

Sunday November 21
5 to 7pm at NuBe Green, 921 E. Pine Street

Help out Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center this weekend, by going to University Village and purchasing a “Cure Card” for $25 at Center Court. With the card, you will recieve a 20% discount at most of the merchants. Cards are good for the entire weekend! I will be there volunteering on Friday evening, 5:30-7:30, please come say howdy, and get your card from me! I’ll be in the hawaiian outfit with lots of flowers in my hair~! go here for more details!

http://www.fhcrc.org/about/ne/events/shop/index.html

Last week’s Grand Opening extravaganza at Nube was a roaring success, as apparent from seeing the hordes of supporters, well-wishers and shoppers crowding the corner mercantile in the Oddfellows Building.

Shoppers gazed lovingly at the myriad of earth-friendly merchandise and wondered aloud about this pillow, that piece of furniture, the stylish clothing lines and the beautiful displays of jewelry, housewares and accessories.

NuBe Green guarantees that every item available in the store meets established sustainability and sourcing criteria, and all of NuBe Green’s products are made in the US from materials that are grown and/or sourced in the US. In addition, all items at the store are made without toxic chemicals and materials in order to offer folks choices of green products that are healthier for humans and the planet.

NuBe Green is the brainchild of Ruth True (pictured here with her sister Molly), who also owns Western Bridge with her husband, Bill. Western Bridge is a cool nonprofit space dedicated to contemporary art, designed by Roy McMakin.

Roy also had a hand in designing and decorating the Nube Green space. There were some doors that were found in the basement of the Oddfellows building, where Nube is located, and he hauled them upstairs, where he constructed a series of tracks. He mounted the doors on the tracks, added some lights and, voila, transformed the corner store into an ever changing series of “rooms”. Just by moving the doors around on the tracks, the store staff is able to change the feeling, flow and layout of the shop.

(Roy McMakin and friend Julie Takashiki)

Susie Purves, Greg Bishop and Lorna Jordan

NuBe Green’s offerings include the work of Seattle artists and artisans as part of its mission to support the local community, and there are items in the store that are wonderful one-of-kind utilitarian yet beautiful objects d’art.

Location: 912 EAST PINE STREET, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, 98122
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-7pm
Sunday 11am – 5pm
Website: Nube Green

Stuck with another ugly sweater, useless gadget, or awful CD this year? We know. Santa sucks! Get yourself the gifts you really want this weekend at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery’s storewide sale. At least 20% off on every item in stock! Two days only – Saturday and Sunday, December 26 & 27. Hundreds of titles by your favorite artists and a big batch of brand new books. 2009 was a banner year for Fantagraphics Books. Don’t miss this chance to catch up on the graphics action.

For all you procrastinating shoppers, Fantagraphics Bookstore is open this week 11:30 to 8:00 PM and on Christmas Eve until 5:00 PM. Avoid the mall nuts and parking hassles. Perfect presents for everyone on your list. – many priced under $20.

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street (at Airport way S.) just minutes south of downtown Seattle. Phone 206.658.0110. See you all soon.

This Sunday offers some fine one-day shopping opportunities for those on your lists with tastes toward the “alternative.” Club Motor (SoDo) hosts the gothy “Mourning Market” from noon to 6pm, and the Transcendent Church of Bass (Interbay) hosts the “Bizarre Bazaar” from 3pm to 7pm. Both are free to attend and feature a good selection of local alternative artists and craft people.

“It all began at Crypticon ’09… A group of us sinister crafters had crossed paths before but had not yet been contained in one room. So at the end of three days filled with horror and zombie filled goodness, we said goodbye until next time. But when will that be I wonder? Portland’s community had many events for us to sell our wares. But we all call Seattle our home, so why is it all business and no fun?! Miss Ginger called on the ladies to attend Dark Tea where we plotted and schemed… Mourning Market was born!”

“The Bizarre Bazaar is a community-supporting Alternative Market and Visionary Art Opening, featuring a variety of distinctive products created by local artists. We are turning the Transcendent Church of Bass into a market and filling it with art, crafts, clothing, and other epic loot. The Elixir bar will be open during the event, and downtempo DJ’s will add to the vibe. Please mark your calendars – it is free to attend, and everyone is welcome. It is a great opportunity for us to gather, connect, and support our artists by buying their creations so that they can continue to create art that is even more amazing.”

Web Sites & Directions:
Mourning Market – Club Motor, 1950 1st Avenue South, Seattle, WA?
The Bizarre Bazaar – Transcendent Church of Bass, 920 Elliott Ave W., Seattle, WA 98119

The first 50 people in line each day will receive a swag bag filled with awesome stuff from our EtsyRAIN members.

July 29, 2009 – SEATTLE, WA. Since relocating to Seattle from Southern California 20 years ago, Fantagraphics Books has remained committed to nurturing and promoting the diverse practitioners of alternative comics in the Northwest. The country’s most successful purveyor of challenging comics routinely employs local cartoonists and publishes the work of regional artists which has contributed to Seattle’s international reputation as the unrivaled center of alternative comics. To celebrate this association, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery presents “Comics Savants: A Survey of Seattle Alternative Cartoonists” opening Saturday, August 8.

This exhibition will feature over a dozen emerging and established artists, including many of the most accomplished cartoonists in the alternative movement. Among them: Peter Bagge, who coined the term “alternative comics” in 1990 and as the highly-regarded creator of the phenomenal HATE comic book series attracted dozens of young cartoonists to the city during the 90s decade; Seattle native Charles Burns, whose teen years are fictionalized in his amazing graphic novel BLACK HOLE, soon to be a motion picture directed by David Fincher; Visionary artist Jim Woodring, one of only a handful of cartoonists to be embraced by the fine art world, having been awarded the United States Artist Fellowship in 2007 and a 2009 Art Trust Washington State Artists Fellowship, who will exhibit work from his forthcoming graphic novel WEATHERCRAFT; Ellen Forney, whose collaboration with local author Sherman Alexie won the prestigious 2008 National Book Award; David Lasky who will exhibit pages from his collaboration with Seattle writer Chris Estey “The Last Testament” from HOTWIRE #2; Second wave Seattle alternative cartoonist Megan Kelso; emerging artist Eroyn Franklin, who will exhibit hand cut pages from her Xeric award winning graphic novel ANOTHER GLORIOUS DAY AT THE NOTHING FACTORY; current and former Fantagraphics Books staffers Jim Blanchard, Roberta Gregory, Patrick Moriarity; Ted Jouflas; Jason T. Miles and Eric Reynolds.

In addition to the display of original artworks, an eclectic array of comics and graphic novels by exhibiting artists will be available. Many featured artists will attend the opening reception of Saturday, August 8 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale St. (at Airport Way S.) only minutes south of downtown. This event coincides with the colorful Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack featuring exciting visual and performing arts presentations in close proximity throughout the historic artists’ enclave.

Shop, sip and stroll on Capitol Hill this Tuesday.

The merchants of 12th Avenue would like to welcome you again this year to a night of revelry up and down our block between Pike and Madison, on Tuesday December 9th starting at 5 pm.

Free nibbles! Special holiday cocktails! Carolers! Art and jewelry shows! Chestnuts roasting!

And if you’ve been a very good girl or boy this year, you can get your picture taken on Santa’s knee.