Get to Know: Kathryn Shiohira

Skagit Valley Herald, Mount Vernon, Wash.
·2 min read

Jun. 12—Kathryn Shiohira

Residence: Anacortes

Age: 47

Education: Anacortes High School, University of Southern California, welding school

Occupation: "I'm a driver and food safety specialist at (Puget Sound) Food Hub and market manager for the Skagit Valley Farmers Market (at Christianson's Nursery). I love small businesses because I grew up with it. It's a lot of work, it's consuming, but if everyone had a small business the world would be different."

Thing I love about Skagit County: "After seeing other places in your life, you realize how beautiful Skagit is. I like the cool, crisp air; I like the rain. You can see the seasons here, even if they're short."

First job: "I worked at (Shell) Puget Sound Refinery. My dad was a chemist there and I worked the switchboard."

Best job: "Probably Food Hub, with as many changes as I've seen there. I like driving, I like being in the city without having to live there. I get to come back here."

Farthest ever traveled: "I've been to Japan a few times. I've been to France, to Germany. I played violin and was in a youth symphony so we went to Great Britain. That was fun. I'd love to take an RV trip around the country and see the sights. Not that there's any place as beautiful as Skagit."

Favorite meal to cook: "I got into sourdough (during the pandemic) and that was a disaster of an experience. But I made some pizza dough and that turned out well. I love to make pizza. I like seasonally fresh stuff. My dad was from Okinawa and he'd shop (for fresh ingredients) daily."

Favorite medium to work in as an artist: "Sculpture. At USC I had a sculpture class. I'd thought about studying filming because USC is a big film school but I took a class and didn't like it. There were 200 people in it. (Art classes) were smaller. I took one class with an old stick welder. It's the worst to learn on. You flash-burn yourself constantly and it's really difficult, but I enjoyed it."