MIVAL’s annual Holiday Art Show opens this week | Arts briefs

November 3, 2016 3:30 pm
A crowd admires MIVAL artist Sharon Jamieson’s work at the Community and Event Center on Nov. 3. Katie Metzger/staff photo
A crowd admires MIVAL artist Sharon Jamieson’s work at the Community and Event Center on Nov. 3. Katie Metzger/staff photo

Arts news in Mercer Island.

MIVAL’s annual Holiday Art Show opens this week

The Mercer Island Visual Arts League (MIVAL) annual holiday art show opened at the Mercer Gallery at Mercer Island Community and Event Center (MICEC) on Oct. 30. It runs through Friday, Dec. 16.

The event is presented by the Mercer Island Arts Council in conjunction with Mercer Island Parks and Recreation and MIVAL. Featured art includes the painting, sculpture, jewelry, fabric art, cards and other work by MIVAL artists. The show is a wonderful place to shop for quality artwork and holiday gifts.

This year’s juror is artist Virginia Paquette. Join the community for the opening reception and award ceremony, with hors d’oeuvres, refreshments and live music, from 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3.

For more information, visit www.mival.org/events or contact MICEC at 206-275-7609 or miparks@mercergov.org.

MICEC is open to the public seven days a week and is located at 8236 SE 24th St. It’s open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

View synagogue photos at Nov. 13 open house

Island Synagogue: Kehillat Shevet Achim on Mercer Island is hosting a national exhibit, a first for the Pacific Northwest, of magnificently photographed synagogues from around the world.

The Jewish community is invited to “avail itself of the beauty of our heritage” at the exhibit. There will be an open house viewing from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 13. Meet the photographer, Louis Davidson on that day, at 1 p.m., in the Island Synagogue social hall. Davidson will describe the Synagogue360 project, the backstory behind the photos on display and what he has learned along the way. Davidson has photographed over 450 synagogues in over 35 countries.

The “It Started in Sighet” display features 29 large format, full color, dramatic photographs drawn from the extensive collection of Synagogue360. Associated plates hung beside each photograph briefly describe the building and architectural and communal elements.

The Synagogue360 archive includes contemporary and ancient structures, all of which are still in use. The exhibit on display features widely diverse architectural styles from neo-classical to Byzantine, from neo-Gothic to Art Deco and vernacular styles serving fellow Jews on four continents.

Special showings can be arranged for schools, institutions and groups. For more, contact Edward Epstein at eppi41@aol.com.