ROAM | Art & literary pop-ups

Eastsound,  April 8–12

||| FROM AYN GAILEY for HUB FOR ARTS & LITERATURE ON ORCAS (HALO)  |||

The Orcas Island Library, HALO (Hub for Arts & Literature on Orcas), artists, and our businesses have teamed up to create a weekend of events that will bring inspiration and foot traffic to beloved Eastsound businesses this April. ROAM is a rare opportunity to view curated work by many of the island’s most remarkable artists—many of whom do not show in the Artist Studio Tour. It’s also a chance to meet critically acclaimed authors and poets.

Author and climate journalist Emma Pattee will discuss her book TILT on Saturday, April 11, at 11 a.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Parish Hall. TILT was longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal of Excellence in Fiction, was a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, and was named one of Time’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2025.

At 2 p.m. the same day, the first stop on the ROAM Art Pop-Up Trail is The Water’s Edge at Outlook Inn, featuring a custom seven-foot-by-five-foot piece by Susan Singleton and a projected installation in the chapel in the Outlook Inn garden by Guggenheim Fellow artist and photographer Michael Lundgren, set to original music by local band The RedBarn Improvisors. The final stop by foot is the Orcas Public Library where David Densmore’s paintings will be on display. If you’re traveling by car, Orcas Art Barn showcases a group of awe-inspiring artists working in a diverse range of media.

“We could not have pulled this event together without our artists and the in-kind support of partners like Outlook Inn and the venues helping us showcase curated works. HALO’s contribution is made up of an LTAC grant, a percentage of proceeds from artwork sold at Darvill’s, and proceeds from our annual MUST-HALO art show at Orcas Winery,” says Ayn Gailey, a HALO volunteer. “It has really been beautiful to see how supportive the artists and venues are of one another.” 

What excites Ingrid Mattson, Orcas Library Director, is the incredibly diverse mix of voices and literary work being presented during the week. “We truly believe All Islands Read is the kind of event that brings us closer as a community, and we’re excited to watch it grow year after year. Most events like this would charge admission, but the Orcas Public Library does not charge for events. This year, by teaming up with other nonprofits and seeking in-kind support, we’re able to offer this event for free, and we’re proud of that.”

Sunday, April 12th is a chance to hear the impressive Island Verse Literary Collective from San Juan Island, along with local poets from other islands at the Victoria room at Outlook Inn. Happy hour starts at 4:30 and readings begin at 5pm.

Please join us for one or more of our ROAM Art & Literary Pop-Ups below. All events are free and open to the public. We highly recommend reserving a free ticket for the All Islands Read event, as space may be limited. You can reserve your ticket at the eventbrite page.

Schedule

• Wednesday, 4/8, 6:30 p.m.
  Join Write Doe Bay for a reading and conversation with visiting authors and poets Rebecca Woolf, Danny Sherrard, and Kathleen Alcalá at Darvill’s.
• Thursday & Friday, 4/9–4/10
  Free two-day drawing workshop with esteemed teacher, author, and artist Juliette Aristides. This workshop typically costs $600, and we expect high demand. Space is very limited. To apply, visit www.wearehalo.org/roam.
• Saturday, 4/11, 11 a.m.
  Reserve a spot for the All Islands Read (AIR) conversation with author Emma Pattee, whose novel Tilt was named one of TIME’s 100 Must-Read Books of 2025, at Emmanuel Parish Hall. Free tickets may be reserved on Eventbrite. Books are available at the library or at Darvill’s for 20% off.
• Saturday, 4/11, 2–4 p.m.
  Roam the H.A.L.O. Art Trail and meet the artists. Explore twelve curated art pop-ups across Eastsound, including original, one-of-a-kind commissions.
• Sunday, 4/12, 4:30 p.m.
  Happy Hour and spoken word hosted by the Island Verse Literary Collective of San Juan Island, featuring the winner of the Paris International Poetry Slam and the Austin, Texas Poetry Slam. At Outlook Inn‘s Victoria Room.

Maps for the events will be available on April 5 at the library, the Chamber of Commerce, Darvill’s and participating shops.

All events are free thanks to the Orcas Island Public Library, HALO (Hub for Arts & Literature on Orcas), and in-kind support from Outlook Inn, Darvill’s Bookstore, Orcas Center, Crow Valley Gallery, iolair, Emmanuel Episcopal Parish Hall, and the Orcas Chamber of Commerce. The Art Trail is supported in part by a San Juan County LTAC grant, and the drawing workshop is made possible through proceeds from artists’ work. Special thanks to artists Martha Farish and Susan Singleton, supporting ROAM with proceeds from their paintings.

More info at www.wearehalo.org/roam

Want to help? The organizers would love that. Here’s what we could use help with:

1. Lunch for volunteers or baked goods for the AIR and library stations.

2. Volunteers to assist artists and give artists breaks during their 2-hour shift and to help guide people.

3. Help set up and breakdown the AIR event.

4. We are looking for wood plinths/stands to borrow or be made to display two sculptural works by Ayame Bullock. The Orcas Winery has already generously donated theirs for use for our Aleph Geddis exhibit.

Please reach out to volunteer Ayn Gailey at www.wearehalo.org or email Samuel Gailey at sgailey@orcaslibrary.org.