Born and raised in the Seattle area, John De Koekkoek sold his first artwork to several of his high school teachers. De Koekkoek inherited his artistic abilities from his parents. His mother worked as an illustrator for McDougal’s. His father worked as a Boeing engineer, but was also an accomplished oil painter. “I enjoy the planning, the process, the accidents, the contemplation, and when necessary, the tedium of art,” explained De Koekkoek. “I like Michelangelo’s, ‘Perfection is made of trifles, and perfection is no trifle’, but I try to know when a work is done.”

De Koekkoek earned his BA degree at the University of Washington, an M.A.R. from Westminster Theological and an M. Div. from Calvin Theological. He studied art history in college, and had a variety of art classes at Seattle Central, North Seattle Community Colleges, and Seattle Pacific University. As a student, De Koekkoek spent a great deal of time at the Chicago Art Museum, and at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. He also enjoyed visiting the Charlie Russell Museum in Great Falls. He feels privileged that he was able to view a Van Gogh self-portrait, the alabaster bust of Queen Nefertiti and the gold and bejeweled sarcophagus of King Tut.

The show runs through October 1 at the City of Mountlake Terrace Library, Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Gain confidence, problem-solving speed, and improve your communication skills, all while having a blast making a 100% improvised comedy show with your friends. Saturday July 9, 2011, 1pm.

Born in Ellensburg, Washington, Jones received his BA in Education at Central Washington University in 1964 and his MFA in painting at the University of Washington in 1972. He taught art classes in the Edmonds School District from 1964 through 1967, at the Factory of Visual Art in Seattle, and the Bellevue Art Museum School in the 1970s.

Over the years, Jones has had one-man and group shows at the Linda Hodges Gallery in Seattle, the Confluence Gallery in Twisp, and the Simon Edwards Gallery in Yakima. He has participated in the Arts of the Terrace for many years.

Jones’ work is included in many corporate collections, including Microsoft, Paul Allen’s Vulcan Corporation, Safeco Insurance, the University of Washington Hospital, Central Washington University, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Washington State Arts Commission Art-in-Public-Places Collection, as well as many personal collections across the United States. Jones has been a Mountlake Terrace resident for over 30 years, where he works out of his studio.

The show runs through July 31 at the City of Mountlake Terrace Library, Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sign up for summer reading and join the fun as the nationally famous Tales & Trails Storytelling group takes us on a world storytelling safari featuring lively audience participation tales from near, far and farther!

Special guest appearance by “The Off the Bookshelf and into the World Band.”

Monday, June 27 @ 7:00 PM
Mountlake Terrace Library, 23300 58th Ave. W. Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043.

For more information about this free event please call 425-776-8722 or visit our website: www.sno-isle.org.

The Mountlake Terrace Library is located at 23300 58th Ave. W next to old City Hall.

Questions? Contact Dawn at 360-651-7069 or teens@sno-isle.org.