5th Annual Wearable Art Show

We'll be posting photos of Eva's new work in our web shop soon, as well as some truly stunning new jewelry and textile art.

WEB SHOP IS OPEN!

For the better part of this year, we've been working away at our online gallery shop, and - ta-da! - it has just gone live!

VISIT OUR WEB SITE AND SHOP ONLINE!
www.theislandgallery.net/shop/

Concert Postponed - Rescheduled

Our March 27th concert has been rescheduled! The new date is Friday, June 5th at 7:30 p.m., in the gallery. These will be Viola Quintets, featuring Mozart, Quintet in c, K 406; Dvorak, Quintet, Op. 97; and Beethoven, Quintet in C, Op. 29. Performers: Stephen Bryant and Rachael Pearson, violins; Sue Jane Bryant and Sayaka Kokubo, violas; and Rich Eckert, cello.

Chamber Music at the Gallery

This Friday, February 20th, at 7:30 p.m., we kick off The Island Gallery's 3rd Spring Concert Series. Friday's program features Beau Metro Quartet playing Szymanowski: Quartet #2, Op.56; Shostakovich: Quartet #3, Op.73; and Schumann: Quartet #2, Op.42. Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, and can be purchased in advance at the gallery, or at the door the evening of the show.

Beau Metro Quartet is comprised of Stephen Bryant, violin; Tom Dziekonski, violin; Sue Jane Bryant, viola; and Virginia Dziekonski, cello. All four are highly respected artists not only in the Pacific Northwest, but nationally and internationally as well. Their precision performances, combined with the gallery's brilliant acoustics, have delighted audiences the last two seasons, making this series so popular that most past shows have sold out. This spring, seating will be slightly more limited, so if at the last minute you plan to attend, please call ahead!

Bread Pudding Bake-Off: Results

Well, once again it was quite a night at the gallery as hundreds of townsfolk turned out and, spoons at the ready, sampled and voted on the 19 pudding entries. In all categories, the voting was exceptionally tight this year. There were several ties and no losers—every pudding was amazing. An extra vote here or there could easily have changed the outcomes! However, after several recounts and the occasional battle over hanging chads, here are the Official Results!

Best Of Show (Tie):

Melinda Hyra
Chocolate Cherry Bread Pudding

Metro Market Catering
Northwest blueberry & brioche Bread Pudding
with lemon thyme & lemon curd brulée

Gold Amateur

Melinda Hyra
Chocolate Cherry Bread Pudding

Gold Pro

Metro Market Catering
Northwest blueberry & brioche Bread Pudding
with lemon thyme & lemon curd brulee

Silver Amateur (Tie)

Chris Baran-Mickle
West Sound Academy Banana Bread Pudding
with Pecans & Banana Rum Sauce

BI Special Needs Foundation
Donut Inspired Bread Pudding

Silver Pro

Stephanie of Course Catering
Savory Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding

Bronze Winners, Honorable Mention:
Amateur

Ellen Gunderson
French orange delight Bread Pudding: French bread, plump orange raisins,
Saigon cinnamon, fresh orange sauce with Grand Marnier

Joan Sandler
Cranberry & Brown Sugar Bread Pudding

Pro
Salmon Canyon Café
Classic bread & butter pudding

Bronze Runners-Up:

SueJane Bryant • Carol Corbus • Dani Hemmat • Debbie Hollyer

Leinette Noritake • Susan Roth • Marylynne Sirutis • John Sydor
Doc’s Marina Grill • Harbour Pub • Pegasus Coffee House

Our thanks to all the magnificent bakers who put their time, talents and hearts into this event. For more details, including the final amount raised for Helpline House, which is, after all, what this is all about, please stay tuned to our blog.

By the way: Is anyone interested in an official cookbook featuring the Bake-Off's Best Recipes? Let us know - we're considering it.

February Shows: Early Warning

. . . Or should we say Early Warming?

For everyone feeling the effects of the mid-winter chill, here is a month of shows especially for you:

Warm Art
Women Artists of the West
February 6-28, 2009

The work of artists whose creations warm us, one way or another

Above: Jacket by Maggy Pavlou

Textiles and Wearable Art:
Elizabeth Merrill, Port Townsend, Washington
Lynn Mizono, Whidbey Island, Washington
Britt Rynearson, Seattle, Washington
Janice Speck, Port Townsend, Washington
Arlene Wohl, Sausalito, California
Introducing: Maggy Pavlou, Los Alamos, New Mexico

Try on our warm collection of Beyond Threads sweaters, shawls, skirts and jackets

Check out our selection of Valentine's Day jewelry

Woodworking:
Helga Winter, Port Townsend, Washington

Hand-turned wooden bowls

Sculpture:
Alison Keogh, Seattle, Washington

A new installation: Bronze Petals

Painting:
Tracy Dunn, Bainbridge Island, Washington

Kimono Series, continuing.

First Friday, February 6, 6-8 pm:

The 4th Annual Bainbridge Island Pro-Am

Bread Pudding Bakeoff!

Once again, The Island Gallery sponsors this popular benefit for Helpline House.

See past postings for detailed Entry and Tasting information.

Friday, February 20, 2009:

The Island Gallery Spring Concert Series begins Friday, February 20th with chamber music from the Beau Metro Quartet. 7:30pm. Tickets: $20 adults, $10 students/seniors

(Reserve seats early - seating is limited and these concerts usually sell out.)

Bread Pudding Bakeoff Entry Form

Here are several ways to make sure your splendiferous bread pudding is registered for the 4th Annual Bainbridge Island Bread Pudding Bakeoff, Friday, February 6, 2009:

1. Below is a downloadable copy of the Bread Pudding Bakeoff entry form and rules.

To download the form: Right-click on the image, hit Save As, and choose a file to save it on your computer. You can then print it, fill it in, and return the form via regular mail (address is on the form) with your $5.00 registration fee (checks are fine), or drop it off at the gallery no later than February 4th.


2. If you prefer, you can e-mail the required information (see sections 3 and 4) to sr@theislandgallery.net and call 206-780-9500 to register with a credit card.

Could it be any easier?

Yes!

3. Call 206-780-9500 and register over the phone. We'll fill in the form for you.

By the way, we neglected to include the following "rules": Participants should taste/vote early and often, and please encourage your friends to stuff the ballot box!

We will soon be announcing the details of our February show, opening the evening of the Bakeoff. Stay tuned!

Bread Pudding? Huh??

What's this rumor about vast quantities of delicious bread pudding suddenly being prepared in kitchens all over Bainbridge Island and Kitsap County? About local restaurants dusting off their favorite recipes or inventing new ones, about local amateur bakers scrounging through granny's old cookbooks in search of the Perfect Pudding? All for a really, really good cause?

Well, it's true, and that glorious scent beginning to waft over the island means only one thing: one of the year's most popular events is right around the corner. On Friday, February 6, 2009 we sponsor our yearly benefit for Helpline House, also known as. . .

The 4th Annual Bainbridge Island Pro-Am
Bread Pudding Bakeoff!

Here's how it works:

Bakers, Pro and Am: Call or come in for a registration form (there's a small registration fee, $5 per entry, donated to Helpline House). Whip up your finest, most artful, sweet or savory bread pudding (or two, if you like). Bring it/them to the gallery around 5:30 p.m. on Friday, February 6th.

Last year we had 23 puddings, including: Flaming French Bread Pudding with Walnuts; Momma’s Scoop of Heaven Bread Pudding; Pan de Sal and Toasted Coconut; Amaretto Bread Pudding with Almond Sauce; Savory Pudding with Cornbread, Caramelized Onions and Jack Cheese; Piña Colada Bread Pudding; Cherrywood Smoked Bread Pudding with Butter Sautéed Apples & Home-Made Caramel Sauce; Pear Frangelica Pudding with Hazelnuts and a Frangelica Sauce; Seattle Mocha Bread Pudding; Oklahoma Southern Comfort Bread Pudding with Pecans, Shredded Coconut, and Southern Comfort-Soaked Raisins.

Are we drooling yet?

February 1, 2008: A fine array of puddings. . .

Tasters (i.e., everyone): Come to the gallery between 6-8 pm to taste and vote on Bainbridge Island's Best Bread Pudding. Buy tickets, at $1.00 per ticket, each ticket entitling you to one taste of one pudding. Do Not Attempt To Control Yourself! Try as many puddings as you like. Every dollar you spend goes directly to Helpline House, our community food bank and resource center. You can even throw in a donation in addition to ticket purchases - it's for a good cause, folks!

February 1, 2008: Let the tasting begin! The locals dig in.

Voting: After you've sampled as many puddings as possible and if you are still standing, vote for your favorite by dropping your tickets in the lucky pudding's vote jar. You can apportion your votes, too, say by giving five votes to your favorite, three to your second favorite, and two to your third favorite (that's only $10 - a sweet deal!). Around 8:00 we count the votes, and hand out medals in the following categories: Bronze Runners-Up and Honorable Mentions; Silver, Amateur; Silver, Pro; Gold, Amateur; Gold, Pro; and Gold, Best of Show.

Last Year's Grand Prize Winner:

Ron Wade

Best of Show and Best Amateur gold medals

for his

Raisin Cloud Bread Pudding

with Croissants and Caramel Sauce.

The Money: Every penny we raise goes to Helpline House, including registration fees. Last year we raised over $800 for this worthy cause; this year, with your generosity, we'll do even better!

Bakers, check back soon - we'll try to post a downloadable registration form. In the meantime, if you're ready to sign up now, contact us at ssn@theislandgallery.net or sr@theislandgallery.net and we'll e-mail you a form. Please return before Wednesday, February 4, 2009, with all information filled in, and the registration fee. Or, call the gallery at 206-780-9500.

More information about this wonderful event coming soon!

Alison Keogh: Artist's Talk

The Island Gallery is delighted to announce that Seattle artist Alison Keogh will be giving a talk in the gallery on Sunday, January 18, 2009, at 2:00 p.m. Please join us as the artist discusses the techniques and inspirations for her stunning work (see posting below).

Refreshments will be served.