September 2005 NEWSLETTER:  “Arty Things To Do”

 

Editor: Rae Belkin

 

More information on these activities can be found at our website, www.northwindarts.org 

NOTE:  Admission for the Coffee Talks is now $2.00 for NAA members and $5.00 for non-members.

 

Gallery Happenings

 

From August 19 – September 26
  Northwind features the varied works of
Irene Yesley, Mark Allen, and Michael McCollum in a show titled, “Constructions.”

 

This exhibit showcases an unexpected eclectic mix of ideas and mediums whereby three artists create their view of “Constructions”.  These three artists incorporate the construction and assembly of disparate parts in their process of creation, but each does it in a different way to achieve very different results.  Mark Allen’s found-material boxes can represent a window on a bygone world or a box holding a fading memory.  Mike McCollum’s work is influenced by abstract expressionism and reflects the idea of “arriving at” as opposed to “aiming at.”  Irene Yesley creates three-dimensional work using layers of Lucite in combination with paper and canvas.  There will be a reception for the artists from 5:30 – 8:00 P.M. on Saturday, September 3^rd during Port Townsend’s Gallery Walk.  Northwind is open Friday through Monday, noon to 6:00 P.M.

 

September 30, October 1–2:  “Postcards to Port Townsend” Benefit Show & Sale

 

  Artist must remain anonymous until after this postcard sells.

 

 

The sale will take place at Northwind Arts Center on Friday, September 30, Saturday, October 1, and Sunday, October 2.  The postcards will be sold on a first come, first serve basis (no peeking at the artist’s name on the back)- $25 each or 5 for $100.  For this benefit sale, Northwind’s special hours will be as follows: Friday, September 30, 5:00 – 9:00 P.M., for the opening reception, Saturday, noon until 8:00 P.M. (Gallery Walk evening) and Sunday noon until 6:00 P.M.  We hope to see you there for this first-time gala event.

 

“Coffee, Talk, & Dessert” Series

 

The “Coffee, Talk, & Dessert” Series scheduled for this show will already have happened by the time you read this newsletter (a reminder was sent out on August 14^th).  Mike McCollum gave the talk on Friday, August 19th, 7:00 P.M., at the Northwind Arts Center.

 

Jefferson Arts Alliance presents the following workshops:

 

Note- please visit our workshops page or call the Center for more information and registration forms. 

 

·         “Introduction to Polymer II”, Thursday, September 15, 10:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M. with Kate Snow.   Kate’s first workshop was so popular, we have brought her back!  Bright or subtle colors, textures and patterns galore, polymer clay is a fabulous media for creating jewelry, buttons and other embellishments with minimal equipment.  In this class, you will learn how to condition, low-fire, and finish polymer.  You will also explore pattern making with multi-colored canework, mokume gane and metallic clays.  Students will use their patterned sheets of clay to produce decorative pins, beads for making necklaces, or items for use for embellishing other artwork.  Location:  Jefferson County Fairgrounds.  Cost:  $60 (there will be a $6.00 materials fee for those who don’t already have blades, sandpaper, and findings).  Contact:  Lois James at 437-0422 or loisj@cablespeed.com  

·         “Embellishment, Clay, and Assemblage”, October 22 –23, 10:00 A.M.–4:00 P.M. with Janthina Du Savage.   Janthina, accomplished Lenni Lenapi (Delaware Indian) sculptor, will work with each student to create a personal mythical totem by combining found objects and your collected treasures.  To make the most of this workshop please remember to bring the materials you’ve been saving such as beads, felt, raffia, small metal pieces, etc.  Location:  Quimper Grange.  Cost:  $120 for both days.  Contact person is Karen Huguley at karenhuguley@yahoo.com

·         “Sensuous Surfaces”, November 5, 10:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M. with Barbara DePirro.  Barbara will work with each student individually to create a variety of unique sensuous surfaces, using a variety of mixed media techniques.  Students will experiment with paint, grounds, gels, and mediums; learn to manipulate paper; create three different versions of non-solvent based Xerox transfers, plus much more.  All materials are provided, plus free samples of your favorite Golden products.  Location:  Port Townsend Yacht Club.  Cost:  $80.  Contact:  Sandy Rokoff-Lizut at sand@cablespeed.com  

·         “Watercolor with David Turner”, November 7-8, 10:00 A.M.-4:00 P.M.   Learn to look beyond reality and to depend on your own creative senses while you paint variations of a scene.  Location:  Jefferson County Fairground, Art Building.  Cost:  $120.  Contact:  Ginny King at gal4fiber@cablespeed.com

 

 Help! - Art Port Townsend Needs You 

 

Art Port Townsend is looking for a volunteer to Chair the Receiving and Shipping Committee.  This committee is responsible for uncrating the artwork for the juried show and then crating the work for shipping back to the artists.  Please contact Jeanette Best at jbest@cablespeed.com or 437-9579 for more information.  Thank you.

 

Join Us for the Postcard Sale to Benefit Northwind

 

Thank you for supporting the Northwind Arts Center in Port Townsend, Washington by creating an original piece of art for the first annual “Postcards to Port Townsend” benefit event Friday, September 30 through Sunday, October 2, 2005. The event is a sale of 4”X6” postcard-sized art created by international artists, emerging artists, unknown artists, students, and people like you!  All works will be priced at $25.00 or 5 for $100.00.  It is a hunt to discover your favorite artist. The Northwind Arts Center is dedicated to promoting the arts in Washington State by presenting artistic programs, juried and invitational exhibitions, and providing a venue for workshops, lectures and special seminars.   All the proceeds benefit the Northwind Art Center. Your gift of art will help us continue to present unique arts programming to the community.

Guidelines:

·         Use any medium- watercolor, oil, encaustic, graphite, ink, crayon, collage, pastels, photography, print, etching.

·         The postcards must be 4” X 6” in size and on archival paper.

·         You may submit up to 5 works of art.

·         Sign your art on the back of the piece.  By signing on the back all participants remain anonymous until the sale is completed. This allows buyers to purchase postcards based on their personal attraction to your work.

·         Enclose your art in a mailing envelope with appropriate postage or bring it into Northwind Arts Center.

Deadline: All art must be received on or before SEPTEMBER 15, 2005.

If mailing, please send to:  Northwind Art Center, attention: Postcards, 2409 Jefferson Street, Port Townsend, WA. 98368 USA

 

Northwind Arts Center Volunteer Spotlight 

 

Northwind could not operate without its volunteers.  This month our spotlight shines on Sheila Smith.  This is Sheila’s story in her own words:  After 50-odd years in Southern California, I left in 1993 to find paradise.  It was sort of a “Travels with Charley” sort of trip- complete with motorhome and a pup named Rags.  After 18 months of exploring the continental US and Canada, we stumbled on Port Townsend and fell in love at first sight.

 

After relocating permanently in 1995, I returned to Social Work, a profession abandoned in 1970.  Being a lover of art, I gravitated toward the visual arts community and was a member of the original Art Port Townsend organizing committee.  This led to a 3-year sojourn on the Port Townsend Arts Commission.  In the meantime, I retired and devoted a great deal of time to my home, where, like the Winchester lady of San Jose, I appear unable to finish remodeling.  The Arts Alliance organized about the time I decided to indulge an old desire- to make art myself.  I sit the gallery [Northwind Arts Center], take classes and workshops, and generally have a great time making a glorious mess.  I still think Port Townsend is paradise and I still haven’t finished the house!

 

Many of Northwind’s volunteers are not artists.  If you are interested in the donation of a few hours to the arts, and would like to join the Northwind volunteer team, please call Karen at (360) 379-2620. 

 

Calling All Writers:  Write-In & Reading 

 

Port Townsend and Jefferson County writers are invited to Northwind Arts Center on October 11^th and 19^th.  These evenings will be part of Art Port Townsend and its month-long calendar of activities.   This opportunity to celebrate and interact with the visual arts in the company of other members of our writing community is sponsored by Jefferson Arts Alliance.

The first event is a Write-in, October 11^th from 7 – 9:00 P.M.  Surrounded by the annual Art Port Townsend exhibit, you will be invited to either respond to an individual work or the show as a whole.

The second event is a public reading to be held October 29^th at 7:00 P.M.  Anyone wishing to share what they have written at the Write-in, will be invited to read.

Since space is limited, please sign up for the October 11^th Write-in by September 8^th.  Those who attend the Write-in and wish to read on the 29^th will be asked to send copies of the work(s) they will read.  The deadline for receiving those works is October 24^th.  Sign-ups and questions may be referred to Barbara Bowen (bbowen@olympus.net or 385-7903) or Don Roberts (donroberts@olympus.net or 379-1546).

 

Poetry News

 

The next reading at Northwind is on September 8th, and features Pat Austin and Laura Beausoleil.  It starts at 7:00 P.M., and there will be an open mike reading after the featured readers. Call Northwind at 379-1086 for more details and to register for the poetry (and/or visual arts) e-mail newsletters.

 

Pat Austin’s main vehicle of expression and image-making for the past 30 years has been painting and printmaking- which she taught at the University of Alaska while maintaining a full career of exhibiting, writing on the arts, undertaking public art commissions, and engaging in all manner of cultural activities.  Writing poetry was a private need that led to her completing in 1976 a Masters Degree in Fine Arts in creative writing.  In this millennium, Pat has reversed her emphasis by making poetry the central focus of creative expression and by shifting visual art to a less public pleasure.  Pat lives in Port Townsend as a widow since 1997, and as a citizen of the universe, always.

 

Laura Beausoleil is a poet and writer of both fiction and non-fiction.  Laura has four books published: Autograph (poems, 1975), A Chance of Moving (short stories, 1979), In the Absence of a Surface (poems, 1985), and The Land Above the Trees (poems, 1999).  In 1981, she received a NEA Fellowship in Fiction.  In May of 2005, she was named Poet Laureate of South Sound.

 

Please mark these future reading dates on your calendar –

10 13   Quentin Wald – Sy Kahn

11 10   Donald Kentop– Denise Calvetti Michaels

12 08   Book Party and Open Reading