Putting a face to Renton ART

Gretchen Mertes

Renton is artistic - make no mistake. Our burg has a talented population, and last night at the IKEA Performing Arts Center, I saw a few of the faces that comprise that collage of local talent we should be supporting.

Gretchen Mertes is a pastor at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church and very involved in the Luther's Table that will be coming soon in the ground floor of the VA building under construction across from Renton High School. Seems so fitting to have this place where you can get food and find something to nourish the soul on the former site of a Lutheran Church. Lending her hand to organizing the talent on stage last night at the Open House, Gretchen also has a great voice and mean hand at the guitar. She rocks.

Watercolor painter, Helga Jacques contact 425.226.4383

Helga Jacques, Renton resident and water color painter, was on the stage painting and selling artwork while dancers were flinging about and music was being made.

Watercolor painting by Louis Anderson contact 206.772.2317

The paintings of Louis Anderson made me stop more than once to ponder (and covet). Local resident since 1952, Louis remembers having an artist studio on Wells Ave back in the 60's that he rented for $50 a month and religiously visited to paint in every evening after work. Louis wonders why the empty store fronts in Renton don't have artist galleries in place until a permanent tenant is found. Yeah - why not, Renton!?

Spotlight Dance Center represent! Renton is lucky to have a place right in our downtown where the desire to explore movement and dance is encouraged and flourishes.

Show Brazil! founder and performer, Eduardo Mendonca, played the guitar and sang, reminding us that Renton is an incredible cornucopia of languages and sounds. He has played for world leaders and in other countries, and he lives right here in our little town. Who knew.

Wanna get involved or ask some questions? For more information, call 425.430.6589 or email Arts@RentonWA.gov.

Master the Art Plan

Want to help steer the Renton art ship? Be entertained and become involved with the future of arts and culture in our town. Drawing for tickets of future events and lots of inter-community dialogue and networking.

Hosted by Renton Arts & Culture Master Plan Steering Committee

Tonight, 5 - 8pm

IKEA Preforming Arts Center 400 S 2nd St Renton, WA 98057

Renton Film Frenzy Curvee Awards Gala Tonite!

The Film Frenzy films will be screened tonight at the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center - and it is FREE! - come and join the fun. The top ten films will be screened from 7 til 9pm tonight and the Curvee Awards will be given - $1,700 in cash prizes featuring a special performance by the EriAm Sisters.

This is the culmination of seventeen filmmakers 50 hour odyssey to write, edit and produce a 4 minute film masterpiece featuring some necessary bits about Renton for the Second Annual Renton Fim Frenzy Competition.

If you can't make it to this evening's screening, the following two evenings will give you ample time and place to partake in this local bit of creativity. You can even meet the genius behind the effort, as the filmmakers themselves will be on hand to discuss their works.

Downtown Renton FilmWalk October 28-29 7:00 - 8:30 pm
WEDNESDAY Locations
Whistle Stop Ale House
809 S. 4th St.

Armondo's
310 Wells Ave. S.

Blossom Asian Bistro
305 Burnett Ave.S.

THURSDAY Locations

Liberty Cafe
926 S. 3rd St.

Renton History Museum
235 Mill Ave. S.

DC's Bar & Grill
907 S. 3rd St.


Remember = Admission is FREE. Can't beat that price!

Old fashioned - but effective

Dressed to the nines in his evening performance finest, yesterday at the corner of South Third and Main, this member of a barbershop quartet that sang last night at the Renton IKEA Performing Arts Center was trying to attract an audience - the old fashioned way. Armed with a handwritten sign and a pair of very shiny black shoes to match his suit and tie, this young man smiled and waved at oncoming traffic in the hopes of getting a few more butts in the seats for the evening performance. (I didn't see the group listed on the website - so all the more reason to be inventive and find your audience).

He left the corner just as The Picaroon was arriving - though he did say that he would be back. I only wish I could have asked for a tune or two to go with the sign - that would have stopped a little traffic.