“On The Boardwalk” Building Might Become Artists’ Studio

As you may remember, about a year ago local artists Bob Stokes and Paul Labrie wanted to rent the On The Boardwalk site for a studio. The city turned them down, but now they’re reconsidering.

The former On The Boardwalk Restaurant (across the street from the ferry terminal) has been empty for several years.

Bob Stokes and Paul Labrie want to create a metal-sculpture and glass-blowing studio in the building. It seems like a much better use for the building. And tourists getting off the ferry presumably would rather see an art studio than a boarded-up restaurant.

Heritage Weekend, Second Friday Art Walk and Farmers Market

Busy weekend coming up for Port Angeles. Heritage Weekend will be this Saturday and Sunday.

And don’t forget the Second Friday, organized by Bob Stokes for the second Friday of each month. Galleries participating in Second Friday include: Studio Bob, Waterfront Gallery, Anderson Gallery, Zenzizi, itty bitty BUZZ, Art Front (on the first floor below Studio Bob), Jack Gunter Art & Design Ideas Gallery and the Long Gallery (both at Landing Mall). Second Friday is really taking off; it's putting Port Angeles on the map as an artists’ community.

This Saturday will be the unveiling of Bob Stokes’ Avenue of the People — the newest installment of Port Angeles’ outdoor art collection. It will be nine sculptures along the west side of Laurel Street, downtown.

And last but not least, the Port Angeles Farmers Market will be back downtown this Saturday. And if I’ve understood correctly, they won’t just be in that parking lot next to The Toggery. They’ll be — better sit down for this — ON Laurel Street where they used to be. Ah, the memories.

UPDATE: Yes Laurel Street WILL be closed off for the Farmers Market tomorrow (Saturday). The street will be closed from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. There will be live music at the Farmers Market. The market will close at 3 p.m. They usually close at 2 p.m. but the PDN article says 3. After the market closes, there will be "entertainment related to the 6 p.m. Avenue of the People ceremony." That's as specific as the PDN article gets.

Check it out.

A New Artists’ Studio on Railroad Avenue?

That boarded-up On The Boardwalk restaurant across the street from the ferry terminal — between Dairy Queen and Necessities and Temptations — might finally be getting put to use.

Bob Stokes and glass-blower Paul LaBrie are hoping to lease the building from the city. If the city approves the lease, the building will have a glass-blowing studio, metal-working studio and some retail space.

I didn’t even know the city owned that building. It’s uncertain whether the city will approve the lease, but Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Russ Veenema is in favor of it, so maybe that’ll give it some momentum.

Port Angeles is becoming known as a city that supports the arts. And we need to keep moving further in that direction.