As seen in the
August 2011 issue of
American
Collector
The Art Lover’s Guide
to Collecting Fine Art in the
PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Introduction by Kent Whipple
I
n the Pacific Northwest art is not just
for collecting, it is a lifestyle. Creating
and collecting art is as much the daily
routine as drinking coffee, dining on seafood,
kayaking or hiking. Visitors find that art
is integrated almost everywhere you look,
from the walls of people’s homes to the many
gardens and the amazing outdoors.
There are snow-capped Olympic
Mountains and the volcanic peaks of the
Cascade Range. There is the Puget Sound,
Columbia River and countless lakes, ponds
and streams. The cities gleam with awardwinning architecture mingled with classic
Victorian structures that are over 100 years
old. Combine all this with the moderate
temperature and internationally known art
galleries and artists and it makes the Pacific
Northwest a year-round destination. Seattle,
Portland, the Puget Sound, Skagit Valley, and
the Whidbey and San Juan islands immerse
visitors in art and culture.
Seattle is known as one of the nation’s
cultural centers. With numerous eclectic
neighborhoods to visit, the city is home to
more arts-related businesses and organizations
per capita than any other metropolitan city
in the United States. Dotted with unique
galleries in neighborhoods that are easy to find
and walk, such as North Seattle, West Seattle,
Ballard, Fremont, Capitol Hill, Bainbridge
and Mercer Islands, and the University
District, the area pulses with the creative
energies of thousands of artists who call this
their home.
On the first Thursday of each month in
downtown Seattle, Pioneer Square, Seattle
Art Museum, and the Pike Place Market open
for Art Walk from 6 to 8 p.m. with changing
exhibits open to the public. The surrounding
restaurants, bars, and bookstores are open and
the free transportation downtown via Metro
Transit makes it a breeze to explore the area.
A brief drive from Seattle over the 520
Bridge is Kirkland, Washington. Located on
the eastern shores of Lake Washington directly
Pacific Northwest Destination.indd 62
The city of Langley located on Whidbey Island is home to
a diverse mix of galleries, shops, restaurants and more.
across from Seattle, Kirkland’s downtown
galleries feature local and nationally known
artists. The Second Thursday Art Walk every
month is when the city’s galleries feature new
shows and art demonstrations. It is the home
of the Kirkland Art Center and the Kirkland
Performance Center.
The San Juan Islands are located
between British Columbia, Canada and
Washington state, and are just a short ferry
ride or flight from the mainland. They
consist of the Lopez, Orcas, Shaw, and San
Juan islands. There are over 20 galleries on
the islands featuring a range of works from
Northwest Native Tribal traditional work to
contemporary paintings rivaling anything
found in larger cities.
Whidbey Island is located in Puget
Sound, just a short drive north of Seattle
and only a two-hour drive south of
Vancouver, Canada. The island is loaded
with artists and galleries found in Penn
Cove, Coupeville, Freeland and Clinton and
Langley. The galleries on the Island offer
paintings, glass, ceramics, fiber and Native
American work. Langley is the art center of
the island. Located at the south end it offers
spectacular landscapes, coastlines and farms.
Visitors also can experience everything from
the First Saturday gallery walks and a worldclass art school to talking with coffee roasters,
brewers, winemakers and artists alike.
Portland, Oregon, is an easy threehour drive south of Seattle. It hosts three
monthly art walks on both sides of the river.
Numerous galleries present new shows,
while individual artists—along with food
vendors, musicians and other performers—set
up shop on the festive sidewalks. On the
First Thursday of every month, galleries
and shops in Old Town, the Pearl District
and downtown stay open late. Like First
Thursday’s younger and more rambunctious
sibling, Northeast Alberta Street’s art walk
turns the area into a spirited open-air party
on the last Thursday evening of each month.
The Central Eastside Arts District offers
openings at a range of galleries and art spaces
on First Fridays. Founded in late 1892, the
Portland Art Museum is the seventh oldest
museum in the United States and the oldest
in the Pacific Northwest. The museum is
recognized for its permanent collection and
ambitious special exhibitions.
The Pacific Northwest is an art lover’s
paradise with galleries, artists, schools
and more in almost every city, town and
hamlet. Among the galleries in the region
are Mockingbird Gallery, Art on the
Boulevard, White Bird Gallery, Cole
Gallery and Roby King Galleries. Artists
who call the Pacific Northwest home include
Martin Eichinger, Joan Metcalf, Leo E.
Osborne, Randy Van Beek, James S. Moore,
Christa Maylay, Neal Philpott, Amanda
Houston, David Marty, Jennifer Bowman,
Michele Usibelli, and Leon White. Also in
the area are Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio
and Pacific NorthWest Art School. Once
you see the beauty of the Pacific Northwest,
you might just make it your home.
8/15/11 10:12:22 AM
KEY TO ART SPACES
1
Eichinger Sculpture Studio
10
2
Mockingbird Gallery
11
Pacific NorthWest Art School
12
James S. Moore
13
White Bird Gallery
14
251 N. Hemlock Street
P.O. Box 502
Cannon Beach, OR 97110
(503) 436-2681
6
Joan Metcalf
Roby King Gallery
176 Winslow Way E
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 842-2063
8
15
16
Leo E. Osborne
Coupeville
Langley
14
Edmonds
Bainbridge Island
Michele Usibelli
3
4
10 12
Seattle
7
Spokane
13
WASHINGTON
Vancouver
Cannon
Beach
8
5
1
Cornelius
11
18
Portland
Oregon City
OREGON
Salem
Eugene
Bend
2
Jennifer Bowman
Anacortes, WA 98221
(360) 299-3766
17
Christa Malay
341 Shoal Bay Lane
P.O. Box 486
Lopez Island, WA 98261
(360) 468-2159
Art on the Boulevard
Milkwood Studio - Gallery
5166 South Shore Drive
Guemes Island, Anacortes, WA 98221
(360) 293-4685
Whidbey Island Fine Art
Studio
(206) 546-2351
www.micheleusibelli.com
210 W. Evergreen Boulevard, Suite 300
Vancouver, WA 98660
(360) 750-4499
9
Leon White Studio
813 Edgecliff Drive
Langley, WA 98260
(360) 637-4690 or (206) 571-0442
www.joanmetcalf.com
www.lawrencegallery.net
7
Lopez Island
16 Anacortes
David Marty
13701 Burke Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98133
(206) 922-3241
1088 Crockett Farm Road
Coupeville, WA 98239
(360) 678-0403
5
Bellingham 19
Guemes Island 9
17
406 Main Street, Suite 102
Edmonds, WA 98020
(425) 275-8773
15 N.W. Birch Street
Coupeville, WA 98239
(360) 678-3396 or (866) 678-3396
4
Amanda Houston
33503 S.W. Riedweg Road
Cornelius, OR 97113
(503) 310-8099 or (503) 640-1130
869 N.W. Wall Street, Suite 100
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 388-2107
3
Cole Gallery
107 5th Avenue South
Edmonds, WA 98020
(425) 697-2787
2516 S.E. Division Street
Portland, OR 97202
(503) 223-0626
The Art Lover’s Guide to Collecting Fine Art in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Portland, Oregon, hosts three monthly art walks,
has numerous galleries, and is home to the
seventh oldest museum in the United States.
18
Neal Philpott
Oregon City, OR 97045
(503) 407-9263
19
CALIFORNIA
NEVADA
Randy Van Beek Art Studio
5874 Mertz Road
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 398-1431
Winnemucca
Redding
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The Art Lover’s Guide to Collecting Fine Art in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Eichinger Sculpture Studio
2516 S.E. Division Street
Portland, OR 97202
(503) 223-0626
www.eichingersculpture.com
Martin Eichinger has produced
narrative, romantic, lost wax cast bronze
sculptures for over 30 years. His approach
to creating a mythic narrative in his
work has influenced many modern-day
figurative and realist artists. There are
stories that shine through his images,
at times giving way to the sensitive
nature of the artist’s life and personality,
at others revealing his insight into our
contemporary culture. Yet there are
those unparalleled moments when his
sculptures simply give us joy and beauty.
Working in his 6,000-square-foot
studio, Eichinger creates dramatic bronzes
that range in scale from intimate to
monumental. This dynamic visionary has
produced limited-edition sculptures that
engage the minds and hearts of collectors
and resonate within our larger social and
political culture. Grouped into themed
series—Dream, Circus, Exotic Woman,
Goddess, Duet, Passage, Dance, Mythic Man,
Ideoforms, and Meditation—the sculptures
chronicle the eternal human pursuit of
meaning, happiness, and growth.
His most recent series of four
sculptures, Meditation, is inspired from
his four-breath meditation. The sculptures
in the series are: One with the Universe; To
Love is to Be; Three Options are Open; and
Fortify My Spirit. Each holds a significant
meaning. For example, he explains,
“Three Options are Open was a statement
that simply reminded me that life was
filled with wonderful choices. Today
it has morphed almost into a political
admonition. It is a warning not to fall
victim to extremist rhetoric, or in a positive
sense, to find beauty in the middle path.”
Eichinger will be participating
at the 20th annual Loveland Sculpture
Invitational from August 12 to 14 in
Loveland, Colorado.
At Eichinger Sculpture Studio collectors can not only see works, but also the patina shop and enlargement area. Call
ahead to schedule a tour.
Eichinger Sculpture Studio, Three Options are Open,
cast in bronze, 50 x 23 x 22", by Martin Eichinger.
Eichinger Sculpture Studio, One with the Universe, cast
in bronze, 44 x 20 x 13", by Martin Eichinger.
“Like most places, Portland’s art market is intimately connected to its
housing market. As Northwest housing values inch back up we are seeing our
sculpture sales following right behind. We think there is significant unmet
appetite for quality art right now and expect this next year to be a continually
improving market.”
—Martin Eichinger, Sculptor
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The Art Lover’s Guide to Collecting Fine Art in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST
“The recent recession has been a challenge for many of us in the business of fine
art, but we are encouraged to be selling to so many collectors who are either
feeling renewed confidence in the market, or perhaps they’re just too stubborn to
give up their art collecting. It is truly a passionate crowd that we deal with!”
— Jim Peterson, Co-owner, Mockingbird Gallery
Mockingbird Gallery features works by 45 established artists representing a
variety of genres and styles.
Mockingbird Gallery
869 N.W. Wall Street, Suite 100
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 388-2107
www.mockingbird-gallery.com
Mockingbird Gallery in Bend, Oregon, has been in business 22
years. Jim Peterson and wife Nathalie have owned the space for
just over four years. Peterson worked for 20 years in Scottsdale,
Arizona, at the May & Danela Galleries before moving to Bend
and purchasing Mockingbird Gallery. As one of the premier
collector galleries in the Pacific Northwest, Mockingbird
Gallery specializes in traditional/representational original
paintings and bronze work by over 45 established artists.
During First Friday, August 5, from 5 to 9 p.m., the gallery
will open Sacred Spaces, a two-person show for Ken Roth and
Dawn Emerson. Both artists will be on hand for the opening
reception for the show, which continues through August 31.
Emerson, who studied pastel portraiture with Harley Brown
and pastel landscape artist Albert Handell, enjoys the immediacy
of pastel as it allows her to capture the movement and energy of
her subjects. “Pastel felt familiar to me the first time I tried it,”
explains Emerson. “It is direct and immediate and it requires
no preparation or drying, which suits my rather impulsive and
impatient nature.”
Roth is a diverse oil painter who is inspired by nature’s
beauty. He paints in the plein air tradition and his subjects
include still life, figures and wildlife. Some of his works are
recognizable Central Oregon monuments while others only hint
at their origins with a swirl of abstract color and light.
Wild & Free, a two-person show for Lindsay Scott and T.D.
Kelsey, will open September 1 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the gallery.
Mockingbird Gallery, Ruby Slippers, pastel, 20 x 20", by Dawn Emerson.
Mockingbird Gallery, Fall Willows, oil, 18 x 18", by Ken Roth.
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The Art Lover’s Guide to Collecting Fine Art in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Pacific NorthWest Art School
15 N.W. Birch Street
Coupeville, WA 98239
(360) 678-3396
(866) 678-3396
[email protected]
www.pacificnorthwestartschool.org
Celebrating its 25th year, the Pacific
NorthWest Art School attracts some of the
finest professional artists in the world who
come to teach their craft, whether it be fiber
arts, mixed media, painting or photography.
Students include not just beginners or hobby
artists, but professional artists. For beginner
or intermediate artists, the chance to work
alongside professionals provides insight that
goes beyond the basic how-to. Students
receive individual attention and mentorship
from the likes of National Geographic
photographer Sam Abell, watercolor painter
Arne Westerman, oil painter Bryce Cameron
Liston and fiber artist Jane Dunnewold.
As the anchor for the arts on Whidbey
Island—the “art island”—the Pacific NorthWest
Art School partners with artists and art groups,
such as Plein Air Washington (PAWa) and the
Whidbey Island Arts Council. Both groups are
headquartered at the art school.
PAWa, a plein air club of more than 70
members from across the state, hosts juried
plein air events and supports the community
through arts education and fundraising.
Visit with members and see them in action
during the Anacortes Art Festival, August
Trained in both watercolor and specialized practice of Chinese watercolor, Lian Zhen demonstrated his technique
while teaching students at the Pacific NorthWest Art School.
Among the Who’s Who in American Art, Arne Westerman uses hands-on demonstrations to teach students the
intricacies of watercolor.
Students learn from professional artists like Lian Zhen
at the Pacific NorthWest Art School.
5 to 7. The Whidbey Island Arts Council
assists Whidbey Island artists and encourages
community awareness and support of the arts.
It organizes Arts in Education, an artist-inresidence program through Whidbey’s public
school system; the Langley Sidewalk Chalk Art
Festival; the Whidbey Art Trail; Whidbey Arts
Festival; and the Whidbey Open Studio Tour.
Through events and shows held
throughout the year, the Pacific NorthWest
Art School showcases the works of these
artists and many others. Visit the school’s
website to learn more about upcoming events,
workshops and other programs.
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The Art Lover’s Guide to Collecting Fine Art in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST
James S. Moore, View from Mount Constitution, oil on canvas, 11 x 14"
James S. Moore
1088 Crockett Farm Road
Coupeville, WA 98239
(360) 678-0403
www.jamesmooreartist.com
Known for his landscapes and maritime
scenes, impressionistic oil painter James
S. Moore finds plenty of inspiration right
outside his studio door on Whidbey Island,
Washington. “I like capturing experiences and
elements of the Pacific Northwest lifestyle
on my canvas,” he says. “I’m drawn to the
farming communities, the open vistas of the
seacoast, and the professional fishing boats.”
The inherent cultural heritage of farming
and commercial fishing heavily influence the
emotional content of his paintings. “These
people respect the land and the sea, they model
a strong work ethic, and they appreciate their
heritage—whether Dutch, Scandinavian, or
Croatian. Their activities and the regional
backdrop present me with a smorgasbord of
painting opportunities—hay bales, work boats,
White Bird Gallery, Slow Creek in Summer, oil on canvas, 18 x 24", by Randall Tipton.
old barns, coastal farms. Plus, we have the
Cascade Mountains,” adds Moore. “I just go
out into this cornucopia and stumble onto some
scene that strikes me as distinctively Northwest.”
Using his signature brushstroke, one
that’s intentional and carefully considered, he
records these slices of life, whether it’s the early
morning light on a commercial fishing boat or
the goofy look young calves give humans.
“These are the kinds of scenes I appreciate
and find symbolic of the land and sea and the
people who work them,” muses Moore.
White Bird Gallery
251 N. Hemlock Street
P.O. Box 502
Cannon Beach, OR 97110
(503) 436-2681
[email protected]
www.whitebirdgallery.com
Founded in 1971, White Bird Gallery was one
of the first to fully integrate fine art and studio
craft, leading the development of Cannon
White Bird Gallery, Blue Chair with Tulips, oil on canvas, 30 x 40", by Ken Grant.
Beach’s thriving art community. Today the
gallery continues to represent many talented
artists working in the Pacific Northwest.
Showcasing the array of innovative styles
being created in the region, works in painting,
sculpture, and mixed media are featured as
well as glass, clay, jewelry, wood, printmaking
and photography.
The combined boutique-style setting
and exhibit space makes for an intimate
art experience in a friendly environment.
Seasonally changing exhibits feature the latest
creations by regional artists and other gallery
favorites from around the country, including
artists Randall Tipton and Ken Grant.
Grant will exhibit new paintings August
20 to September 30 at the gallery. Grant is an
Oregon artist whose paintings capture unique
moments in time whether it is the reality of
hanging light through a window, shadows
cast from lone objects in otherwise empty
rooms, or surreal scenes contrived with wit
and fantasy.
James S. Moore, Heading Out, oil on canvas, 11 x 14"
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Roby King Gallery represents over 30 artists working in a variety of mediums and genres.
COURTESY ROBY KING GALLERY
The Art Lover’s Guide to Collecting Fine Art in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST
COURTESY ROBY KING GALLERY; PHOTO: NICK FELKEY PHOTOGRAPHY
Joan Metcalf, Shadowed Brook, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 48"
Roby King Gallery, Pond, mixed media on paper, 30 x 41", by Diana Arcadipone.
Joan Metcalf
www.joanmetcalf.com
www.lawrencegallery.net
Oregon painter Joan Metcalf has spent
decades creating large-scale landscapes and
garden scenes in her studio surrounded
by vine maple and fir trees. She describes
her work as graphic impressionism.
Metcalf says, “I am influenced by all the
gorgeous scenery in the Northwest, and
am constantly inspired by the foliage,
mountains, rivers, and coast.”
A watercolorist, she also has been
painting in acrylics in recent years, layering
transparent paint over opaque white to
create vibrant colors. Besides the individual
scenes in each painting, she is currently
combining scenery from different areas of
Oregon to create her fantasy panoramas on
large canvases.
Regarding Metcalf, Lawrence Gallery
owner Gary Lawrence says, “Lawrence
Gallery is honored to have had the
opportunity to represent Joan Metcalf ’s
colorful paintings for many years. Her work
Joan Metcalf, Oregon Spring, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 60"
always brightens up the gallery. Because her
work is always expanding in its creativity, her
impressive client base is continually growing.”
Metcalf will be featured in an August
show at Lawrence Gallery’s Salishan Spa &
Golf Resort in Gleneden Beach, Oregon.
The gallery’s two locations—Salishan and
Sheridan, Oregon—display Metcalf ’s work.
Roby King Gallery
176 Winslow Way E
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 842-2063
www.robykinggalleries.com
Wes King and Andrea Roby-King, residents
of Bainbridge Island for over 30 years,
officially opened Roby King Gallery
in 1990. The gallery exhibits mainly
representational art by over 30 artists
working in oil, watercolor, mixed media,
acrylic and original printmaking processes.
With a combined 40 years experience as
gallery owners/directors, Roby King Gallery
also provides picture framing and design
services. The staff can assist and guide
visitors through the process of presenting
and preserving their artwork.
From August 5 to 27, the works of
Susan LeVan and Diana Arcadipone
will be on exhibit at the gallery. LeVan’s
work is formally about surface, mark
making, experimenting with mediums, and
spontaneous process. It is personally about
her lifelong obsession with wild animals and
how they teach us to be in the world. Her
intention is to make abstracted portraits
of animals that are unsentimental even as
they are reverent, and to make work that’s
accessible without being conventional.
Arcadipone’s work is informed by folk art
and traditional craft. Her work is narrative,
and often literally includes a written vignette,
memory, or reflection on the image itself. Her
environmentalist consciousness permeates
the work, which often includes iconic
representations of animals.
October 7 to 29, Roby King Gallery
will host its annual Invitational Printmaking
Exhibition.
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The Art Lover’s Guide to Collecting Fine Art in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Art on the Boulevard
210 W. Evergreen Boulevard, Suite 300
Vancouver, WA 98660
(360) 750-4499
www.artontheboulevard.org
In the spring of 2006 Art on the Boulevard opened in
downtown Vancouver, Washington. A project of Friends
of the Arts, Art on the Boulevard is a non-profit gallery
whose mission is to establish a community environment
in which the arts flourish. As one of the largest art galleries
in southwest Washington, Art on the Boulevard represents
the work of over 50 Northwest artists, both emerging and
nationally known, who work in a wide variety of styles
and media. Some of the artists represented are: Mitch
Baird, Elizabeth Ganji, Steve Hill, Eric Jacobsen, Terry
Lee, Elsbeth McLeod, Mike Rangner, Steve Reinmuth,
Steve Terrill, Oleg Ulitskiy, Jennifer Williams, Romona
Youngquist, and Harry Wheeler.
In August the gallery will feature the mixed-media
paintings of Jennifer Williams and in September will host
a two-person show with painter Fay Kahn and sculptor
Elsbeth McLeod.
A look inside Art on the Boulevard, which represents the work of over 50 Northwest artists.
Leo E. Osborne
Milkwood Studio - Gallery
5166 South Shore Drive
Guemes Island
Anacortes, WA 98221
(360) 293-4685
[email protected]
www.leoosborne.com
Living his first 20 years on Cape Cod and educated at
Boston Art Schools, Leo E. Osborne next spent 20
years in Mid-Coast Maine. The next 20 found him in
the Pacific Northwest on the tranquil isle of Guemes
where he and wife Jane enjoy their creative sanctuary of
Milkwood Studio.
“My work is my own human evolution and is in
constant flow,” says Osborne. “My paintings are unique
in that they are done with acrylics and a special oxidation
treatment on composite and 23 karat gold leaf. Each
painting is like a new message and gives word to its own
desires. My dialogue, as I call it, with wood and other
chosen mediums for sculpting dictates the direction of
my thoughts.”
At Milkwood, feel the magic and experience this
unusual and colorful retreat. Walk the lovely garden
path and view the outdoor bronzes. Experience the
15-year project of WALKING PRAYERS and new works
of WOODEN FOLK, seen only at Milkwood. Through
a bamboo grove you will stumble upon the outdoor
sculpting studio, Osborne’s little space by the sea where
driftwood can often find its way into the studio to “play”
with him.
Juxtapose, an upcoming solo exhibit for Osborne
at Martin Gallery in Charleston, South Carolina, will
take place October 1 to 31 with an artist reception on
October 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. and an artist lecture on
October 15 at 11:30 a.m.
Art on the Boulevard, Marking Time & Pushing 100, pastel, 12 x 16", by Steve Hill.
Leo E. Osborne, Cosmic Bison, wooden original,
28 x 36 x 17"
Leo E. Osborne, On Your Mark,
bronze edition, 11 x 6 x 6"
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The Art Lover’s Guide to Collecting Fine Art in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Cole Gallery
107 5th Avenue South
Edmonds, WA 98020
(425) 697-2787
www.colegallery.net
Cole Gallery, opened by artist Denise Cole
in December 2006, is located in the heart
of downtown Edmonds about 20 minutes
north of downtown Seattle, five blocks from
the Edmonds ferry landing in the center
of town. Although many of the nationally
acclaimed painters and sculptors featured
at Cole Gallery are Northwest artists, the
gallery also represents some of the finest
artists from around the country including
Michael Maczuga, Joshua Flint, and Micki
Dyson Flatmo.
At Cole Gallery visitors have the unique
experience of viewing artwork in a gallery
setting and watching demonstrations by local
and national artists. In addition, students
of all levels are invited to create art of their
own at workshops and classes in the on-site
1,100-square-foot studio. To complete the
setting, they also have a small professional art
supply store.
Upcoming exhibitions include
Maczuga’s show Capturing the Heart from
August 15 to September 14, and Flatmo’s
figurative oil paintings from August 15
to September 14. Mother-and-daughter
duo Susan and Jennifer Diehl are the
September featured artists.
Amanda Houston, Reflections, oil, 36 x 90"
Amanda Houston
33503 S.W. Riedweg Road
Cornelius, OR 97113
(503) 310-8099 or (503) 640-1130
amandahouston.com
Growing up on three continents, Amanda
Houston has been inspired by much of
the world. Formally trained in illustration
and textile design, Houston spent 17 years
designing and merchandising sports apparel
for big global brands. Realizing she was
creating less and managing more, she now
allows time for the artist within to come out.
In 2010, after enduring four prophylactic
surgeries to eradicate the breast cancer gene
known as BRCA2, she pursued her art with a
vengeance, painting for 16 shows that year.
Houston paints impressionist meditative
landscapes, concentrating on rolling pastoral
scenes, cultivated landscapes of berries,
vineyards, orchards and fields, and of our
untouched waterways, from protected
wetlands and streams to ocean waterways
and estuaries. “I try to paint scenes that are
calming and use enough color so they are
David Marty, Summer Dreamin’, oil on canvas, 36 x 36"
uplifting at the same time,” she explains.
Houston’s upcoming shows include the
Sausalito Art Festival in Sausalito, California,
September 3 to 5; a featured artist show at Cole
Gallery in Edmonds, Washington, October
to November; Wild Art Festival in Portland,
Oregon, November 19 and 20, and a show from
December 2, 2011, to January 31, 2012, at
Scott Milo Gallery in Anacortes, Washington.
David Marty
406 Main Street, Suite 102
Edmonds, WA 98020
(425) 275-8773
www.davidmarty.com
David Marty grew up in northern California
but after working at a summer camp in
Washington during college, he knew he
was coming back. For Marty, one of the
main draws of the Pacific Northwest is the
spectacular scenery. “I am awestruck by the
beauty and diversity of the Northwest,” he
Cole Gallery, Quiet Glow, oil, 18 x 24", by Denise Cole.
says. It provides endless inspiration—from
breathtaking mountain vistas to quiet
pastoral settings to spectacular sunsets over
the Puget Sound.
“I am particularly drawn to painting the
landscape,” he explains. “Summer Dreamin’
was painted from the rural countryside
outside of Woodinville, one of my favorite
spots. It was one of those rare sunny late
summer afternoons. I loved the balance
between the cool blues of the sky and water
and the warm golds of the grass. I tried
to portray the sense of peacefulness and
tranquility I was experiencing.”
Marty’s upcoming exhibits include
Clymer Museum of Art in Ellensburg,
Washington, September 2 to October 20;
Miniatures by the Lake show at Coeur d’Alene
Galleries in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, opening
September 24; and Blue Buffalo Artists Show
at Irma Hotel in Cody, Wyoming, September
22 to 24.
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13701 Burke Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98133
(206) 922-3241
[email protected]
www.leonwhitestudio.artspan.com
Leon White, a painter and sculptor,
uses many mediums to keep the creative
spark going. “Most of my works are
representational, whether a landscape, animal
or plant form,” says White. “I choose a
particular medium for a project to express an
idea to make it strong.”
Tail Chaser, a small bronze sculpture, was
originally crafted in stone. “Once in a while a
stone sculpture may produce well for a limitededition bronze,” explains White. “As this original
white alabaster cat…led to this bronze edition.
A charming stylized cat on its back playing with
its tail. I am often asked how do you know what
to carve or how do you see a cat in a rock? The
shape and color of the stone dictates what will be
carved. The stone tells me what to do.”
Although White enjoys painting
different subject matter, the root of his
subjects are rural landscapes, old barns,
Leon White, Tail Chaser, bronze, ed. of 50 (patina choices), 5 x 7 x 5"
old cars and farm implements that are
weathered, rusted and cast out into a field.
“These images are what I know growing
up in a farming community,” the artist
remarks. “I spent many hours climbing
around in barns, seeking out the nooks and
crannies. Sometimes the spooky darkness
draws the curiosity.”
WHIDBEY ISLAND FINE ART STUDIO
The Art Lover’s Guide to Collecting Fine Art in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Leon White Studio
Leon White, Hide and Seek, watercolor, 28 x 36"
(clockwise) Robert
Liberace, Jeff Legg,
Mary Whyte
A beautiful workshop location on Whidbey Island in Washington State,
Featuring internationally acclaimed artists such as:
Jeff Legg, Jim Lamb, Michele Rushworth, Henry Stinson, John
Budicin, Robert Liberace, Mary Whyte, Gregg Kreutz, Susan Diehl,
Henry Yan, Steven Assael, Stan Miller and many more.
www.whidbeyislandfas.com / [email protected]
206.571.0442 / 360.637.4690 contact Cary Jurriaans
Leon White, Afternoon Shadows, watercolor, 23 x 31"
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The Art Lover’s Guide to Collecting Fine Art in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST
A still life painting of cherry blossoms by Cary Jurriaans, who founded Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio.
Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio
813 Edgecliff Drive
Langley, WA 98260
(360) 637-4690
(206) 571-0442
www.whidbeyislandfas.com
Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio is dedicated
to providing education in high quality
representational art for artists at every level. In a
pleasant and well-equipped environment, they
offer classes and workshops led by nationally
recognized instructors/artists. Whidbey Island
Fine Art Studio offers drawing and painting
from still life, figure, and landscape—studio and
plein air. Founded by classically trained artist
Cary Jurriaans, Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio
(formerly Fall City Fine Art Studio) was started
in 2006 and relocated to Langley in 2009.
Upcoming classes for August include The
Figure in Charcoal by Henry Yan, August
Jennifer Bowman, Knee Deep in Poppies IV, acrylic, 36 x 48"
Michele Usibelli, Penumbra, oil on canvas, 20 x 16"
1 to 5; Painting the Portrait & Figure by
Steven Assael, August 9 to 12; and Robert
Liberace’s class The Dynamic Figure, August
29 to September 2. In September there will
be Still Life Painting & Portrait Demo; and
in October The Best of Watercolor by Mary
Whyte followed by Painting the Alla Prima
Portrait…My Way by Tony Pro.
Michele Usibelli
a small, seaside enclave 12 miles north of
Seattle, at Cole Gallery. Owner Denise Cole
says, “Michele’s work is characterized by
diverse subject matter from cityscapes to
still life to landscapes and figurative, but her
signature technique is her own unique voice.”
Usibelli is affiliated with Oil Painters of
America, Women Artists of the West and
American Impressionist Society (Signature
Member), among other organizations.
(206) 546-2351
www.micheleusibelli.com
Jennifer Bowman
Michele Usibelli’s representational style of art
is greatly influenced by the beauty of the Pacific
Northwest. From her own children playing
on the beach and the majestic towering spruce
of Olympic National Park to the vibrant city
scenes in Seattle, Usibelli finds inspiration in
her surroundings. She paints both in plein air
and in the studio, as well as teaches workshops
around the country.
In September
Usibelli will be part
of This Montana
Place Experience, an
eight-day packhorse
trip into the Bob
Marshall Wilderness
in northern Montana
near Glacier National
Park. Participants will
be taught by masters in
painting, writing, and
photography.
Usibelli’s work
can be viewed in
her hometown of
Edmonds, Washington,
Anacortes, WA 98221
(360) 299-3766
www.jenniferbowman.com
www.ColeGallery.net
Jennifer Bowman is a third-generation
international artist currently living northwest
of Seattle on the San Juan Islands. She
has won numerous awards and designed
commemorative posters for cultural events and
festivals. Some of her more unusual recognition
includes artwork for the Washington state birth
certificate and providing paintings for an HBO
movie set. Her work is represented in galleries
from Alaska to Florida, including Cole Gallery
in Edmonds, Washington.
Bowman and her husband traveled roundtrip from Seattle to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico,
on their sailboat from 1996 to 1998. During
their travels she was able to spend intensive
time mastering her techniques. She is greatly
influenced by the seasonal color changes that
affect those living in the subdued color palette
known as the Pacific Northwest. It’s the desire
to capture the last drop of color remaining on
the horizon that lead her to paint in such
bold hues.
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341 Shoal Bay Lane
P.O. Box 486
Lopez Island, WA 98261
(360) 468-2159
www.christamalay.com
Christa Malay, an award-winning artist in
both landscapes and portraiture, has over
30 years experience as a professional artist
painting in watercolors and pastels and
printing serigraphs and etchings. Her work
has been featured in several publications
including Northwest newspapers that have
written about her art and her unique “green”
living and working space on Lopez Island.
In 2010 she was chosen to display 10 of
her paintings for a yearlong solo show at the
historical Governor’s Mansion in Olympia,
Washington. Over the years Malay has had
over 100 exhibitions and solo shows in
galleries, but recently opened her studio and
showroom to the public.
“I want to take some time at this
point in my life to reflect on the past and
to include some of the images from my
childhood in my paintings,” she says. “I try
to tell a story in this new series but at the
same time give the viewer a chance to enter
into the painting with their own feelings
and memories.”
For the past 15 years Malay and her
partner have organized the annual Lopez
Island Artists Studio Tour. Many art collectors
time their vacations to coincide with the tour
held Labor Day weekend, not only to buy art
but to increase their knowledge of art.
Christa Malay, Shipmates, pastel, 21 x 16"
Randy Van Beek, Autumn Among the Aspen, oil, 36 x 36"
The Art Lover’s Guide to Collecting Fine Art in the PACIFIC NORTHWEST
Christa Malay
Neal Philpott, Range Land, oil on canvas, 24 x 40"
Neal Philpott
Oregon City, OR 97045
(503) 407-9263
www.nealphilpott.com
Neal Philpott seeks to capture the fleeting
imagery of our natural world in his landscape
paintings. Light play animates this imagined
world creating lines, forms and structure that
give his paintings their charge.
Each painting reflects Philpott’s decadeslong experience of drawing and painting.
Expressive brushstrokes and exacting painted
surfaces define his vision of the vibrant
changes in the Northwest environment. He
achieves the look of his pieces through paint
layering, selective glazing and control of color
temperature. This becomes his invitation to
closer inspection of his work.
Nuanced color and solid composition
is expressed in what Philpott creates. From
shimmering reflections on cold racing waters
of wilderness streams to dappled shadows cast
from the trees, Philpott expertly depicts and
catches the look of the Northwest.
Philpott will show his work in the
Small Works show at Roby King Galleries in
Bainbridge Island, Washington, in December.
Randy Van Beek Art Studio
5874 Mertz Road
Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 398-1431
[email protected]
www.randyvanbeek.com
Randy Van Beek grew up in Whatcom
County—on Puget Sound—where he and his
wife still reside. “It is an artist paradise with
the varying geology from coastal beaches to
rugged mountains and glaciers only 50 miles
apart,” says Van Beek. “The land is rich for
farming, predominately dairy.”
Having been a full-time artist for 31
years, Van Beek loves painting as much as ever
because he continually challenges himself with
new subjects, compositions and color palettes.
“I have been painting on location for
most of my career, which become the studies
along with photos for large studio paintings,”
he explains. “My paintings were realistic in the
early years and have evolved into impressionist
style with a lot more emphasis on textural
brushwork, which I find to be more realistic
than meticulous detail.”
Van Beek’s inspiration for Native
American encampment subjects begins with
reading history. He also collects photos and
historical references of the Plains tribes in
particular, making annual treks to celebrations
and historical campsites for photography. He
will participate in the Anacortes Arts Festival,
August 5 to 7, and the Boise Art Museum’s Art
in the Park, September 9 to 11. Both shows
have been running nearly 50 years.
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