April 2006 NEWSLETTER: “Arty Things To Do”

Announcements

· New name. same organization! The Jefferson Arts Alliance is changing its name and logo. The new name will be Northwind Arts Alliance (NAA), reflecting its focus on the arts, artists, and the communities of the Northwest. Its new logo, developed by Jan Hoy, will appear as:

Gallery Happenings

New Show: “Metallicity” – works by Margie McDonald

(Photos by Frank Ross Photographic)

From March 31 through May 1, Northwind Arts Center presents the new exhibit, “Metallicity”, a one-woman show by local metal sculpture artist, Margie McDonald. McDonald explains that she is “trained in fiber arts, inspired by nature- I transform the industrial materials of the marine trades into organic forms.” As an experienced yacht rigger, she recycles a variety of metal parts to shape and assemble into her sculptures. One of her techniques involves unraveling braided ropes and wires. Her work is physically demanding and her tools include pliers, shears, hole punchers, wire cutters, and her bare hands. The resulting sculptures are highly individual and expressive.

An opening reception will occur in conjunction with Port Townsend’s monthly gallery walk, on Saturday, April 1, from 5:30 - 8:00 p.m.

“Coffee, Talk, & Dessert” Series

“Metallicity” artist, Margie McDonald, will give a lecture describing her unique process and the inspiration for her work on Friday, April 14th, 7:00 p.m. at Northwind Arts Center. There is a charge of $2.00 for Jefferson Arts Alliance members and $5.00 for non-members.

McDonald grew up in Newfoundland, the oldest girl in a family of seven children. From an early age, she helped out at her father’s sawmill learning to use industrial tools. She earned a degree in fine art, art education and design from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax, Canada. Besides creating metal sculptures, Margie is also accomplished in weaving, spinning, felting, dyeing, knitting, and papermaking. Her work has been exhibited in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Port Angeles, and Port Townsend.

!!! Art Opportunities !!!

Call for Studio Tour artists: The Northwind Arts Alliance and Port Townsend Arts Commission are extending an open call to artists, within reasonable traveling distance of Port Townsend, to be included on the 8th Annual Art Port Townsend Festival’s studio tour. The fee for each participant will be $50 for members of Northwind Arts Alliance (formerly Jefferson Arts Alliance) or $100 for non-members. The fee helps defray the costs associated with the tour such as artist information on the Art Port Townsend website, promotion, and the tour brochure. There is no commission on any sales that may be generated. If you are interested in being part of this 8th annual festival, please respond to Sandy Guinup, Art Port Townsend Studio Tour Chairman, at 379-3025 or sguinup@oylpen.com no later than April 30th. The early response date is necessary for timely development of the brochure.

Call for artists to display: If you are a two or three-dimensional artist looking to show your artwork, Margaret Stermer-Cox and her husband are seeking local and regional artists to show in the new corporate offices of Coldwell Banker in Ocean Shores, WA. Approximately 140 feet of wall space is available for 4 two-dimensional artists and ample floor space for three-dimensional artists. The show areas are in a high traffic environment, are well lighted, and utilize a professional gallery hanging system. Artwork will be shown for 30 to 60 days. The commission schedule is 25% of the sale price. Interested artists may obtain a prospectus by sending an e-mail to coldwell@shoresart.com or contact the curators at (360) 289-0790.

Jefferson Arts Alliance presents the following 2006 workshops:

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

“Creating Collagraphs”, April 22 – 23, 10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. with Sandy Rokoff-Lizut. Sandy will share an approach to collagraphs developed by Scottish printmaker Lennox Dunbar that entails creating painted intaglio plates in a direct, refreshing and exciting way. Using non-toxic paints and products together with quick simple painting and drawing methods, participants will etch into and draw upon the plates. Once completed, plates will be used to pull multiple prints with Akua Kolor non-toxic inks. Printmaking experience is helpful but not necessary. Location: Fort Worden Building 205. Cost: $120. Materials fee: $20. Contact: Sandra Rokoff-Lizut at 379-1511 or sand@cablespeed.com

“Sumi Painting/Mixed Media”, May 22 – 23, 10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. with Reni Moriarty. Reni will demonstrate several different background techniques. You will learn how to mount paper on board, plus some sumi painting techniques. You will need a hake brush, Japanese sumi brushes, scrap handmade paper for collage, and watercolors. Location: Jefferson County Fairgrounds Art Building. Cost: $120 (plus materials) for 2 days. Contact: Jeanette Best at 437-9579 or jbest@cablespeed.com.

“Encaustic Mixed Media”, June 19 – 20, 10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. with Joan Stuart Ross. Participants will create an original palette of encaustic colors, prepare and prime wood panels and other surfaces, paint, collage, engrave, use oil stick techniques, try methods of adhering an encaustic on paper to wood panel, and explore various finishing techniques. Location: Jefferson County Fairgrounds Art Building. Cost: $180 (includes most materials). Contact: Lois James at 437-0422 or loisj@cablespeed.com

“Collage D’Art”, July 10 – 11, 10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. with Lori Gordon. This unique creative process, developed by Lori Gordon, incorporates several artistic methods. Students will learn this process that involves pour painting, monotype printmaking, the use of polymer clay, and the selection of handmade papers. The collages d’art are created from this combination of processes. Location: Jefferson County Fairgrounds Art Building. Cost: $120, plus a materials fee of $40. Contact: Pat Stromberg at 385-0863 or quiltpat@cablespeed.com.

“Faux Stone and Bone” (Advanced Polymer Clay), July 25th, 10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. with Kate Snow. Create jade, ivory, and bone beads, small sculptures or embellishments with polymer clay. In the class you will have fun learning to mix, antique, carve and finish jade and bone look-alike pieces for jewelry, buttons and embellishments. Location: Jefferson County Fairgrounds Art Building. Cost: $60, plus materials. Contact: Sandy Lizut at (360) 379-1511 or sand@cablespeed.com.

“Polymer Fiber and Art Doll Class”, September 11 – 12, 10:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. with Donna Snow. Create a small ball-jointed doll using polymer clay, fiber, and miscellany. You will learn how to make a simple head using a ping pong ball. The first day will be spent constructing all body parts. The second day will be spent making the body-proper, assembling, and time allowing, costuming the doll. Optional third half day studio time available for solo work and free advice included in class price (11 A.M. – 2 P.M.) Location: Donna’s Port Ludlow Studio. Cost: $120, plus materials fee of $25. Contact: Lois James at 437-0422 or loisj@cablespeed.com.

Please watch for dates and complete information on a Chinese watercolor painting workshop with Yu Ming Zhu and a pastel workshop by Sally McCabe.

Volunteering is like a sundae for your soul – it tastes good and makes you smile

The Northwind Arts Alliance absolutely could not operate without its volunteers. Many of our volunteers are not artists. If you are interested in the donation of a few hours to the arts, or you would like to join the Northwind volunteer team and perhaps do data entry or help host our Coffee Talks or art lectures, please call our volunteer coordinator, Karen Putterman, at (360) 379-2620.

Poetry News

The poetry of Joan Swift and Carolyne Wright will be featured at Northwind’s April 13, 2006 reading. The reading will start at 7:00 P.M. at Northwind Arts Center. Go to our poetry pages for samples of both artists' work.

Joan Swift is the author of four books of poetry: This Element (Alan Swallow, 1965); Parts of Speech (Confluence Press, 1978); The Dark Path of Our Names (Dragon Gate, 1985); and The Tiger Iris (Boa Editions Ltd., 1999). She has been awarded three National Endowments for the Arts Creative Writing fellowships, as well as a Washington State Artists grant, an award from the Ingram Merrill Foundation, and a Pushcart Prize. She holds an M.A. in English-Creative Writing from University of Washington where she studied in Theodore Roethke’s last class. Her work has appeared in more than fifty periodicals and anthologies. She lives with her husband in Edmonds, Washington.

Carolyne Wright has published four books and four chapbooks of poetry, three volumes translated from Spanish and Bengalim and a collection of essays. Her new collection is A Change of Maps (Lost Horse Press, 2006), finalist for the Idaho Prize and the Alice Fay di Castagnola Award of the Poetry Society of America. Her previous book Seasons of Mangoes and Brainfire, which won the Blue Lynx Prize and an American Book Award, has just appeared in a second edition. Wright recently returned to Seattle, where she is on the faculties of the Whidbey Writers’ Workshop MFA Program and Seattle’s Richard Hugo House. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) and as Translation Editor of Artful Dodge.

Want to really be in the know? You can find all of the “arty” happenings for Port Angeles, Sequim, and Port Townsend at http://www.olympicartscalendar.org/. Check it out and then bookmark it! Here are a few tidbits:

· Scholarship Auction: The Port Ludlow Artists League will be sponsoring a silent auction to raise money to benefit a Chimacum High School student. Nearly 40 artists have donated items from paintings to tuition to local art classes. Viewing and silent bidding begins at Noon, Friday April 14th and completes at 2 P.M., Saturday, April 15th. Location: Port Ludlow Bay Club, 120 Spinaker Place. Contact: Ginny Ford (360) 437-2298 or bobgin@olypen.com.

· 12th Annual Student Art Show sponsored by Sequim Arts: Open to all students, grades 6 – 12 in public, private or home schools of Clallam County. The show runs April 6 – 28, with an opening reception on April 15th, 11 A.M. – 1 P.M. Location: Museum and Arts Center, 175 West Cedar Street, Sequim. Contact: Viva Jones at (360) 681-0101 or vivajones@olypen.com.