This is my mentor and friend, Ann Hopkins. She is affectionately known as “Granny Annie” or even more commonly, “Art with Ann”.
For over 25 years she has taught art in many media to the youth (and their parents) of our community. I met Ann, in 2001, shortly after moving to Camano Island. I was in Stanwood for the afternoon, volunteering to read to ECAP kids. Since I was early, and had my four year old son with me, I walked with him over to the craft store.
When she spied me, she started up a conversation (something she does all the time with strangers…she’s one of those gregarious people who loves everyone!), when she said she was a spinner, I perked up. “WOW! I have always wanted to spin yarn!”
“I’ll teach you.” She said, almost a directive than an offer.
She gave me her card, and I spent a month wondering if she really meant it. Finally, I called her, and she invited Yousif (my son) and I over to her house to give me my first lesson.
She showed me many more of her art projects, jewlery, quilting, watercolors, appliques, stenciling, pen and ink, her poetry… I was in awe…”I’ve always wanted to be creative like you, I just don’t have a creative bone in my body…” I said.
She looked at me over the rims of her glasses, harrumphed, and said “We’ll see about that…” All the time giving me a wry smile…
Well, it appears I do have one or two creative bones in my body. Thanks to Ann, I now know where they are and how to use them.
I will forever be in her debt for opening my world…and to my Seventh Grade Art teacher who told me I’d never be an artist…all I have to say is, “In your face!”
So all of this was helping me…
And of course you know, unless you've been diagnosed with chronic
xenophobia or else you live too far south down the island, the South End
String Band will be playing as the Island House Band. We've graciously
invited the Governor, the legislature, the tribes, the whole state, in fact,
to come down and listen to us play, hoot and holler for the celebratory
kick-off to the latest, greatest park to come down the pike since South End
Park, the 5 acre jewel in the crown of the island's park system. No
offense to Cama or Camano State Park.
So . since we're a bipartisan, non-discriminatory fiddle band,
we're also inviting YOU. We'll be playing music from our new
CD, shamelessly titled CABIN FEVER with the coincidental artwork of the
iconic Cama Beach cabins on the cover. And we're going to be selling that
little marketing masterpiece to every poor soul struck dumb by the awe and
majesty of the park who strolls by the soundstage. We may even change our
name. Cama Beach Park Band. Sounds kinda nice, don't it?
The photos are mine...I'm not the best photographer in the world, but I decided to take some fun photos of the last days
before the park is open to the world 