Once again, Homer's art scene kept art enthusiasts more than sated with a smorgasbord of offerings for everyone from the casual observer to those more inclined toward hands-on experiences.
Visual arts
In 2004, galleries filled time and again with local, state and national works from fiber art to classic oils. Toby Tyler produced a show for the Pratt Museum and Ptarmigan Arts that documented a lifetime of sketching and painting from childhood doodles to pieces finished only weeks before. Erik Behnke, a local artist with Down syndrome, was honored to have two pieces of work selected for the 2004 International VSA Festival in Washington, D.C. in June.
The Pratt Museum continued to expand its art collection with help from the Rasmuson Foundation. The museum opened its new permanent exhibit, "Kachemak Bay, an Exploration of People and Place" in May after years developing and fine-tuning the collection of films, artifacts and art.
Art is created and displayed at area schools through the Artist in the Schools program sponsored by the Bunnell Street Gallery. Lynn Marie Naden is among the artists to work with area students at various schools, creating mosaics for display in and outside of schools.
In September, the museum along with the Homer Council on the Arts produced "Tamamta Katurlluta: A Gathering of Native Tradition," featuring a variety of events including music by Pamyua, a Native Alaskan band that is gaining national and worldwide status.
Written words
In the literary world, Nancy Lord's book "Beluga Days: Tracking a White Whale's Truths" posed difficult questions, tried to find answers and shared Lord's results about the belugas of Cook Inlet.
Halibut Cove's Marian Beck combined the culinary arts with her visual art to produce a cookbook of her restaurant the Saltry's "secret" recipes.
The Kachemak Bay Writers' Conference drew another crowd to Homer including fiction and nonfiction writer Maxine Hong Kingston, who was the keynote speaker.
In December, Mary Haakenson Perry wrote "Onward Crispy Shoulders," a personal look at the life of her brother, who had Down syndrome but lived an eventful life as a well-known member of the Anchor Point community.
Theater and film
The Homer High School jived on stage with "West Side Story" this year and participants commented on the relevance that the 1950s production has today.
Students at Flex High School worked with fast-speaking New York City performance artists to produce a rap-influenced mix of poetry, music, politics and theater.
Pier One Theatre started off the year with David Webster's "Electric Rolaid Antacid Test" and continued with comedy, magic, drama and readings by Homer area writers who later produced a book of their works titled "Invisible Ink."
In October, two Anchorage performers brought "Having Our Say," a play about the country's black history, to area students and theatergoers.
In November, the first reading of Homer playwright Shirley Timmreck's look at the life of Vincent van Gogh, "My Good Brother," was performed at Bunnell Street Gallery.
The MountainFilm of Telluride Festival returned this year with two shows, and the Homer Theatre hosted a documentary film fest of its own featuring films about surfing, singing and eating too much fast food.
Music
Trombone player Howard Hedges shared with the community his love of music through a series of Homer Council on the Arts Second Sunday seminars. Hedges, who played with the likes of Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich and Lionel Hampton before a stroke in 1993, said he wanted the opportunity to inspire others as he had been musically inspired through his life.
Homer High students were later treated to some lessons with recording and performing jazz artist Clay Jenkins, a longtime friend of Hedges.
Classical musicians with the Riverrun Chamber Players spent time playing for and working with the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra in April, and later that month, the orchestra delivered the dramatic musical work "Carmina Burana" by Carl Orff.
Homer indulged its love of all things international with music from China, Tibet, Australia and Africa while local musical legend Hobo Jim travels to Afghanistan to rally morale among American troops.
Closer to home, the local bluegrass band Three-Legged Mule recorded its first album this year and fans of this prolific bar band lined up to buy copies before they were on the stands. Leftover Salmon and Tim Easton were among the national acts to grace Homer's stage this year, while Alaska-grown bluegrass band Bearfoot Bluegrass returned to town for performances and music camps. Ukulele musician James Hornaday, who later in the year became Homer's mayor, produced a 16-track CD to benefit the Homer Library.
Dance
Jazzline dancers presented Homer with the many facets of the female personality - from sexy to strong to soft - in a show in late January choreographed by Jocelyn Shiro-Westphal.
The 100-plus dancers, actors and behind-the-scenes workers again wowed crowds with the Nutcracker Ballet, a community-driven dance production that has become a mainstay of the Homer holidays.
