Gallery by the Bay

Hundreds attend opening of Plein Air Invitational

gayle — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 23:27:40 +0000

On Thursday, July 17th, more than 200 people attended the opening reception of the Stanwood - Camano Island Plein Air Invitational at the downtown Stanwood Art Walk. The opening marked the culmination of a week of painting by artists from all over Puget Sound. More than 140 works were displayed in five different venues on the block.

Artists had the chance to view each other’s work and meet with collectors, and all had a good time at one of the liveliest evenings this town has seen in a long time.

Below: One artist decided it was time to take control of the camera and shoot the director (grin).

I hope you’ve enjoyed this day-by-day account of the Plein Air Invitational. It was a wonderful experience getting to know the artists and watching them work.

The artwork is all available for sale and will be on display through the end of July. Please contact Gayle at 360.629.4297 for more information.

Day 2 - Plein Air Invitational

Day 3 - Plein Air Invitational

Day 4 - Plein Air Invitational

Day 5 - Plein Air Invitational

Day 6 - Plein Air Invitational

Day 7 - Plein Air Invitational

gayle — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 21:17:25 +0000

The final day of painting became the first day of artists bringing their finished works into the gallery. How fun to see the results of this incredible week!

Below: Camano Island artist Sue Morrison created her own shady spot in Stanwood to paint the geometrical shapes of the Wolfkill feed and seed plant.

Below: Artist Roy Zuniga shared his paintings with us on video:

After the artists met at the gallery to turn in their paintings, the task of hanging the work began ….

Day 6 - Plein Air Invitational

gayle — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:28:23 +0000

Saturday brought plentiful sunshine, and our artists felt the effects of the heat. Donning broad-brimmed hats and gobs of sunscreen, they set off to find the perfect spot for painting.

Painting on Camano Island:

Artist Pat Clayton found some shade under a big umbrella as she painted flowers at John and Paula Ebner’s garden.

One of the challenges in Plein Air painting is working with the natural light conditions. Artist Paula Ensign (below) chose to paint a scene in full sunlight, but she had to point her canvas in the opposite direction to keep it out of the direct and blinding light. Of course this meant her neck got a workout as her eyes switched back and forth between her subject and the canvas.

Below: Artist Joy Olney from Bellingham finished a painting at English Boom.

Painting in Stanwood:

Stanwood artist Judy Kilian found many ideal painting locations just south of town off Marine View drive. Below, the side of the road made a perfect setup for painting the old barn.

And a charming house down the road became the subject of Judy’s next painting:

Unwinding at the end of the day

At the end of the day, the artists got together to enjoy a glass of wine at David Bond’s frame shop “Let’s Frame It”. It was a great chance to unwind and share more stories about the day…

It’s been an incredible week and we have one more day of painting to go. Please tell your friends about the upcoming exhibit where you can view the results of this amazing week:

Thursday, July 17th, 5 pm to 8 pm
at the downtown Stanwood Art Walk

Day 5 - Plein Air Invitational

gayle — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:39:27 +0000

Friday was the fifth day of the Stanwood - Camano Island paint out and several artists joined us for the first time. Richard Bulman came down from Bellingham and Paula Ensign drove up from Redmond. Another spectacular day for touring our island and town!

Camano Island Jack Dorsey (below) went back to English Boom to make the finishing touches on a painting he started earlier this week. Thanks to Cindy Ellinger for these great photos of our artists!

Jack is a long-time island resident and has been very helpful giving advice about wonderful painting locations to artists from out of the area. Richard Bulman (below) decided to paint at Utsalady boat ramp and found a lively summer crowd of boaters and beach combers.

Richard worked in pastel today. “I really like the black paper. It’s adds a nice sparkle,” he commented. Richard has been a working artist since age 14. He is mostly self-taught and does figurative work as well as jewelry in addition to landscapes and plein air.

In Stanwood, artist Thomas Mellado chose an idyllic setting in the valley south of town. He loved the views of the Cascades and showed us which peaks he had climbed.

My camera crew and I got to watch Tom set up his easel. Check it out in this video (taken by my 10-year old son!)

I’m looking forward to two more days of painting … I’ll keep you posted! And remember to save the date for the Opening Reception:

Thursday, July 17th, 5 pm to 8 pm at the Stanwood Art Walk

See you then!

Day 4 - Plein Air Invitational

gayle — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 01:46:12 +0000

Thursday morning brought cooler weather and some clouds to the area. By the afternoon, however, the clouds had cleared and we enjoyed another sunny day!

Many of our artists went searching for farm scenes in Stanwood. Rod and Randolph Jones found a beautiful red barn off Pioneer Highway. Tom Mellado scouted Miller road and found a scenic field with views of the Cascades.

Roy Zuniga sent in a photo he’d taken the previous evening when he was painting at English Boom on Camano Island and ran into fellow artist Mehdi Fallahian.

At the end of the day, local business owner Susanna Mantis hosted a gathering for the artists at her business. The mood was light and the artists had a great time meeting each other, sharing stories, and relaxing.

Meet artist Tom Mellado of Everett in the following video … is that accent real? (grin)

“Z’s All Things Good” was the location for the artist gathering at the end of the day. How nice to enjoy a glass of wine or lavender lemonade and visit with the artists.

Artist Ned Mueller is known (according to his inner circle) for his entertaining and humorous style. During this artist gathering we caught a few of his stories and jokes on camera … enjoy!

The Opening Reception for the Show is only a week away. I’m excited to see the results of this incredible week of painting. More tomorrow ….

Day 3 - Plein Air Invitational

gayle — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 06:34:52 +0000

After the third day of the Stanwood - Camano Island “Plein Air” Invitational, it was clear that people were starting to notice the artists around town. I heard from local business owners who were intrigued to find artists with their easels painting on the sidewalks in Stanwood. And I heard conversations at the restaurant next door of folks telling their friends about artists they met that morning.

Artists on location in Stanwood
Several of our artists opted to stay close to the gallery today and paint the historic buildings of Stanwood. I found Ann Gores and Mehdi Fallahian at the west end painting the old Stanwood Hotel and Tavern.

I had a chance to interview Mehdi … watch this short interview to find out why he chose this building to paint.

Across town on the east end, I spotted Richard Smith painting the Wolfkill feed plant on the other side of the railroad tracks. Plein Air artists learn to be flexible in coping with their surroundings. Find out what obstacles Richard Smith dealt with this morning…

A Gathering of Artists on Camano Island
A group of Camano Island artists gathered to paint at a lovely bluff home on the west side of Camano Island. I arrived to take photos and was delighted to find artists sprinkled throughout the garden. Thanks to Larry Miles who shared these photos of the artists.

And several artists were happy to be interviewed on video. It’s fascinating to hear the artists perpectives on the scenes they paint. Diane Hill has organized the Roaming Artists on Camano Island for several years. Watch this video to see Diane Hill painting.

Artist Juanita Hagberg found a shady spot in a corner to create her masterpiece. You can learn about her selection in this video:

Even though Liz Hamlin brought a chair along, she chose to sit on the ground so she’d stay eye level with the flowers she wanted to capture.

Watch Liz painting in this video:

We’ve had three wonderful days of sunny and warm weather. Stay tuned for more photos and artist interviews as the week continues.

Day 2 - Plein Air Invitational

gayle — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 23:46:39 +0000

Long-time island resident and artist Jack Dorsey was the first to arrive at the gallery this morning. It was great to hear him share his knowledge of the area with other artists. One spot he recommended was Barnum Point on Camano Island. Several artists took his advice and had a wonderful day with interesting scenery and encounters with local islanders and wildlife!

Above, Ned Mueller paints at Triangle Cove off Barnum Road and then meets Priscilla (below), a resident of the area, who showed Ned a photo from the day when they used oxen to create the original Barnum Road.

Artist Ann Gores (below) accompanied Ned to Barnum Point and enjoyed a beautiful setting for painting.

Linda Bean of Bothell and Linda Hogan of Redmond chose to rendezvous at the gallery before heading out to paint. See this video to find out what they had planned.

In the afternoon, our fearless photographer Cindy Ellinger ventured back to Barnum Point to look for artists … and she found success! In addition to three Camano Island artists, Cindy found eagles and four deer to photograph.

Artist Melanie Serroels (above) views the visitors in the sky.

Candi Martin Baker (below) chooses a shady area to set up her easel.

The wildlife came and watched, but kept their comments to themselves.

Artist Dianna Shyne (below) at work on a painting.

It was another great day at the Stanwood - Camano Island “Plein Air” Invitational! Check back for more photos and stories throughout the week!

Day 1 - Plein Air Invitational

gayle — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 14:11:22 +0000

It was a glorious first day for the Stanwood - Camano Island “paint out”. Sunny and warm and not a cloud in the sky. Just before 9 am, the artists started arriving at the gallery where I had fresh coffee and muffins waiting. We took a quick look at the maps and then the artists headed out for a day of painting. Some went in groups while others chose to find a perfect spot on their own.

At English Boom on Camano Island

A group of seven artists decided on English Boom park on the north end of Camano Island. This group and has painted together before. Our photographer Cindy Ellinger enjoyed meeting these artists and listening to their stories.

Richard Smith from Bonney Lake (above) was one of the group of seven. Other artists at this site included Mehdi Fallahian from Snohomish, Dianna Shyne (below) from Camano Island, Randolph and Roderick Jones, Ann Gores of Bellevue, and Ned Mueller of Renton.

Ned Mueller (below) is a nationally-known artist who specializes in plein air landscapes and figurative and portrait paintings. I heard many great comments about Ned from the other artists throughout the day. Rod Jones (below) shared that he is a third year student of Ned’s. Others mentioned how entertaining and generous Ned is with his teaching and demonstrations.

Above - Ann Gores poses next to her painting in the grassy area at English Boom.
Below - Mehdi Fallahian stays cool in the shade at English Boom.

At the Mark Clark Bridge

Artist Linda Bean took the road on the north side of the Mark Clark bridge. Without a chair, she improvises when it comes time for a rest.

“It is an interesting perspective that people have of Plein Air style. Some might think what a great way to paint, outside on a wonderful day, flowing hats. But, what they don’t know of is the sudden gust of wind that can send a canvas over the cliff, or when we’ve just completed a painting and then reach for the camera and a gust of wind knocks everything to the ground. Oh well, start over.” - Linda Bean

At Indian Beach

A group of local Stanwood and Camano Island artists including Diane Hill, Liz Hamlin, Jeanine Borree, Sue Uhrich, Judy Kilian, Juanita Hagberg, and Emilia Kallock, chose a nice spot at Indian Beach to spend their afternoon painting.

At the End of the Day

A few of the artists stopped by the gallery at the end of the day. It was great to hear their stories and enthusiasm! Watch this quick interview with Blanche Niznik and Lynnett Fink!

The magic of artists creating their work is energizing and motivating. I can’t wait to see what happens tomorrow. Stay tuned for the next update …

ps - Be sure to save the date for the Opening Reception next week (July 17th, 5 pm to 8 pm)

Announcing the Stanwood-Camano Island Plein Air Invitational

gayle — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:15:45 +0000

Join us Thursday, July 17th, 5 pm to 8 pm, for the opening reception of our first-ever “Plein Air” Invitational.

The exhibit will be held during the Third Thursday Artwalk in Stanwood and will be spread throughout the five participating venues:

Gallery by the Bay
Snow Goose Bookstore
Stanwood Grill
Let’s Frame It
Rustic Impressions

Click here for more information and a list of participating artists.

Car show and Jewelry Demonstration on Sunday

gayle — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:46:27 +0000

Join us for the Biggest Little Car Show in the Northwest on Sunday, June 29th, from 9 am to 3 pm. Antique cars and hot rods will be lined up in front of the gallery and throughout downtown Stanwood for the 6th annual Twin City Idlers event. This annual event draws thousands of visitors and is a very fun car show.

At the gallery, we’ll be serving coffee and pastries and presenting a lampworking demonstration by glass artist and jeweler Patti Pontikis. Stop by to find out how Patti makes her gorgeous and unique “galaxy” pendants.