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Kim Nemeth: The wonders of weaving

By Vicki Hillhouse “There’s only so many ways you can make a scarf.” Fabric artist and weaver Kim Nemeth had made and sold enough of her meticulously crafted neck pieces and other worn items that she wondered what — if anything — to do next with her loom. “I kind of got burned out on making … Read More

Dez’Mon Omega Fair: Navigating life through art

By Vicki Hillhouse Dez’Mon Omega Fair has learned to find harmony in creative mistakes. Immersed in his own world of color and movement when he paints, he finds problems sometimes present themselves in unexpected ways. “Make a mistake and figure out how to navigate that mistake,” he says. “I think it just kind of creates … Read More

Walla Walla Movie Crush: A film festival to swoon over

By Vicki Hillhouse It’s time to roll out the red carpet. Walla Walla’s annual festival of short films comes in for a close-up July 7-9. Walla Walla Movie Crush is a weekend marathon of cinematic shorts. Shown in clusters at Gesa Power House Theatre, the films are meticulously curated into themed blocks. The movies include … Read More

Walla Walla Movie Crush

The Walla Walla Movie Crush showcases the best American short films of the past year. For 2023, the event is being held July 7-9, and it is the perfect excuse for a film-lover’s getaway to Walla Walla, Washington. Walla Walla Movie Crush Weekend Itinerary Walla Walla Movie Crush is a weekend long program broken into … Read More

Zac Merten: Mindfulness in making

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

Matthew Pierce: Finding joy in life’s simplicities

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

Jessica Cook: Capturing the fabric of our Valley

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

Jess Portas: Creativity with a twist

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

Elaine Vandiver: From farmstead to market

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