By Vicki Hillhouse In the woodshop of Walla Walla artist Zac Merten, making furniture is a spiritual experience. The proprietor behind Zac Merten Design traces his woodworking roots all the way back to work as a National Park Service employee. On the backcountry trails, surrounded by mountains and solitude, he developed an interest in the … Read More
By Vicki Hillhouse A typewriter. A lawn chair. A squirt gun. Seemingly common, often nostalgic, items are celebrated on the canvases of artist Matthew Pierce. “I think my paintings are an attempt to preserve things that kind of divorce from the digital realm — an attention to things that are temporary,” he says. Pierce came … Read More
By Vicki Hillhouse There was a period when fabric artist Jessica Cook was so captivated by the process of hand-dying textiles that she almost forgot to make anything out of them. “I just kept dying more and more fabric, until finally I said to myself, ‘I need to do something with all of these beautiful … Read More
By Vicki Hillhouse A lot of people don’t consider themselves artists when they visit The Refinery for the first time. Put some clay in their hands, though, and you can witness a shift, says potter, artist and founder Jess Portas. Located at 205 S. Second Ave., The Refinery is a community pottery and art studio … Read More
By Vicki Hillhouse An heirloom-dyed knitwear collection was the farthest thing from Elaine Vandiver’s mind when she and her husband bought farm property at the state line in 2013. But there she was with 10 acres of land that sprouted into a vibrant ocean of green grass. The two llamas that came with the property … Read More
What’s happening during June, July & August: Magnificent sunsets grace the skies throughout the summer, providing a colorful backdrop to the many musical experiences in the Valley. From the nearly month-long Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival (June 1-24) to the weekly performances in wineries, tasting rooms and new Walawàla Plaza off Main Street, to the … Read More
By Vicki Hillhouse There’s a reason the daybreak launches at the Walla Walla Balloon Stampede are rife with good vibes. “My theory is that negative people don’t want to get up that early in the morning,” cracks Shari Gale, crew chief for the Knight-N-Gale hot air balloon team. For more than 40 Stampedes, Shari and … Read More
By Vicki Hillhouse You haven’t experienced the full glory of a morning rise-and-shine until you’ve been in a field at dawn’s early light surrounded by a couple dozen inflating hot air balloons as they prep for takeoff. This is the wakeup call of the Walla Walla Balloon Stampede, which comes to Howard Tietan Park in … Read More
While Walla Walla is a fantastic place to relax and unwind surrounded by our breathtaking scenery, it’s also a great place to get your heart-racing with some outdoor events! Bennington Lake holds two noteworthy events in the spring – the Walla Walla Women’s 6-Hour Race (April 15) and the Onion Man Triathlon (May 20). Women’s … Read More
The Horseshoe Prairie Nordic Ski Area is a great winter destination that provides easy to navigate, inclusive, and beginner-friendly experiences for snowshoers and cross-country skiers alike.
