In addition to its art shows, the Sanctuary Art Center recently organized two murals in the University District.
The center is a small, nonprofit art studio and mentoring program that serves homeless youths age 13 to 25. The center encourages youths to be creative and experience the healing and organizational aspect of art.
Artist Jeffrey Pankey contributed to the first mural, which took the place of a graffiti-covered mural.
The new mural, completed last October with a grant from the Glaser Foundation, is on the parking-lot retaining wall at the University Congregational Church, at the corner of 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 45th Street.
It includes pictures of mountains, a ferry, messages painted by youths and more, transcending from the natural world into the cityscape. It took about two weeks to paint.
Youths who come to the center help design the murals. They are sketched out beforehand.
'Covering up' a problem
The newest mural is located on the alley wall behind Christ Episcopal Church, between Brooklyn Avenue Northeast and University Way Northeast, on Northeast 47th Street. With its nightly graffiti and tagging problems, the church was open to having a mural there.
It took about six days to paint.
"I wanted something that was beautiful and relaxing to people," said Leslie Bourgoin, Sanctuary Art Center's executive director for the last five years. Troy Carter will be stepping up as executive director on Sept. 1.
"I think it looks good. It's a big improvement," she said of the most recent mural.
The University District Youth Center keeps up with the maintenance of it.
Djinn Maury and Gary Dumo, who worked on the first mural, were instrumental in the planning and completion of the second, abstract mural, noted Bourgoin.
"Both of the murals have been very well received," she said.
Space is currently sought to do more murals. The Sanctuary Art Center will try to work on another mural in the spring.
"We're trying to have a positive presence and positive image for the youths," Bourgoin said.
Other community activities
The Sanctuary Art Center, 1604 N.E. 50th St., is part of the University District Service Providers alliance group that provides a comprehensive network of services to homeless and street-involved youths, a collaboration between the social-service organizations and the churches.
The center participates in the University District art walk on every other third Friday. The center also will have its own show in the fall and in December. There will also be a benefit in the spring.
For more information about the Sanctuary Art Center, call 522-6256 or visit www.sanctuaryartcenter.org.
Cantaré Vocal Ensemble auditions
Cantaré Vocal Ensemble is hosting auditions for its upcoming season of classic choral chamber repertoire.
"We're looking for everybody, but especially low basses," said artistic director Mark Adrian, a Haller Lake resident.
The chamber chorus currently has about 40 members, many of whom are from North Seattle. Singers will meet individually with Adrian, starting the private audition with some warm-up exercises.
Interested singers must have previous choral singing experience. Singers will be asked to perform two contrasting excerpts from any song of their choice, without accompaniment. Sight-reading is not mandatory, but singers must be able to learn a part quickly.
"A foreign language is always a plus," Adrian added.
Those who do not pass the audition this time around will have an opportunity to audition again in January. To schedule an audition in the next round, call 367-5667 by Sept. 9.
The upcoming season
The ensemble's first concert of the season, Songs of the Season - which takes place Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. - will include a set of Thanksgiving, advent, winter, Hanukkah and Christmas songs, such as Felix Mendels-sohn's "Vom Himmel hoch" ("From Heaven Above") and the comedic "Three Minute Messiah."
On April 21, 2007, the ensemble will perform Petitions and Prayers, its second and final concert of the season, which includes Leonard Bernstein's neo-classic "Chichester Psalms" in Hebrew and Ariel Ra-mirez's "Misa Criolla" ("Creole Mass") with Argentinian rhythms and melodies. Both works are contemporary and opposite in styles.
Abraham Kaplan, Adrian's former instructor from the University of Washington but now retired, prepared "Chichester Psalms" for its debut in New York for Leonard Bernstein.
Adrian will consult with Kaplan for the upcoming concert. "Misa Criolla" will feature guitar, percussion and two tenor soloists.
Rehearsals will take place starting Saturday, Aug. 19, from 9:30 a.m. until noon on Saturdays, at St. Catherine of Siena Church, 8610 Eighth Ave. N.E. Auditions will take place at the same location.
All singers will have the month of December off.
"It's a shorter season and less demanding than other choirs," Adrian said.
New this season, the ensemble's performance home will perform at St. Mark's Cathedral in Capitol Hill. However, the ensemble's offices will remain in North Seattle.
"St. Mark's is much better acoustically," Adrian said. "It will add to the whole experience - good music in just a beautiful atmosphere."
Jessica Davis writes about arts and entertainment for the Herald-Outlook. She can be reached via e-mail at needitor@nwlink.com.
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