Masami Kusakabe_

Oh, the month of May, the merry month of May, so frolic, so gay, and so green, so green, so green! ~  Thomas Dekker

May brings us so many talented artists!

Join us for a First Thursday celebration on May 2 with music by John Crocker and artist demonstrations by Marisa Mercure

Featured Artists
Gayle Kiser (pastels), George Broderick (paintings), Elmer Bates (woodworking), Masami Kusakabe (jewelry and Japanese paper art)

Scroll down to learn about our May artists!

Gayle Kiser (pastels)

I grew up in eastern Oregon and still think it is one of the most beautiful places in the world. There is a starkness to the beauty, particularly in the Painted Hills. The area where the desert meets the mountains is dear to my heart, and I love the openness of the vistas.

~ Gayle Kiser

George  Broderick – paintings

George characterizes his narrative oil painting style as “hyperbolic reality” because the figures and colors are overstated. The symbolism and color forms surrounding the figures define their environment, consequently giving considerable complexity to the figure’s character. Choice of color and distortion are designed to expose the subject matter in its interpretive sense rather than surface banality.

Broderick finds artistic inspiration for his narrative paintings in his travels, history and the people he has encountered. His trips to Cuba have had a particularly profound impact. Broderick was honored to have been invited and shown his work in a solo exhibition at the prestigious Guayasamin Gallery in Havana Cuba in June 2005.

In addition to showing at Broderick Gallery and Guayasamin Gallery, Broderick has shown in Portland Open Studios, All You Knead Restaurant gallery in the Haight Ashbury in San Francisc0, Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon; Peaceful Arts Gallery in La Grande, Oregon and Id Space in Hawaii.

His works are in private collections in the U.S., UK and Cuba.

Brunhilda

Hyperbolic Woman

Streets Of Old Town

Man-Woman-Child

Shelley

Watching Bird

Enough Parts

Roof Tops

Dianne

Menagerie

Miss Columbia II

The Trial

Masami Kusakabe (jewelry and Japanese paper art)

“I wish to spend as much time as possible surrounded by items of beauty,” Masami Kusakabe

I am a Japanese artist. I loved making beautiful things since I was a student. I started making customized bead jewelry and teaching bead classes when I was in Japan. However, we moved to the US as my husband transferred job.

It was at the turning point in my career because I was inspired by Japanese concepts of beauty, but there are different types of inspirations here. Every day, many things inspire me! And I came to realize how beautiful traditional Japanese paper (Washi) art is when I came to the U.S.

I sometimes feel lonely and miss my hometown Kobe, Japan, but Washi traditional paper gives me happiness and I remember my childhood in Japan.

I love Washi paper and I started making Japanese Frames. I am involved in the Japanese community in Vancouver, Washington and teach bead classes and customize bead Jewelry. Since joining the Broadway Gallery, I also enjoy creating jewelry, cards and Japanese frames in Longview.

Basically my bead works use Swarovski Crystals. Its shininess fuels the spark of my imagination. And now, I feel like using a variety of beautiful beads and other materials.

Masami Kusakabe

“True friends are like diamonds – bright, beautiful, valuable, and always in style.”

Although this is late to be posted, the best is always worth waiting for! Mary Fortner’s jewelry pieces this month are more beautiful than ever.

> More of Mary’s jewelry.

Our artist friends are like tiny, beautiful things, always worth cherishing and precious to hold.

Take care of them just like you do your jewelry, and they will always shine!

We hope nobody minds that we borrowed the name of Cheryl Strayed’s best selling book of advice called Tiny Beautiful Things for the title of this blog post.

There are many tiny beautiful things in life. You just have to know where to find them, and how to love them.

Swarovski Crystal and Gold Rosary (detail)

Multi-strand Lapis Bracelet

Multi-strand Turqouise Bracelet

Nancy Knowles

We welcome a talented group of artists to our gallery this month, featuring Mother Nature’s beautiful and soothing landscapes, the colors and textures in fiber, and creative photographic images that strike a different chord in every viewers mind.

Nancy Knowles pastel paintings are evocative of the California Impressionists. Joy Winther finds creative joy in all kinds of fiber and yarn, and John S. Crocker’s photographic images are as varied as night and day.

Join us for a First Thursday celebration on April 4 at 5:30 pm to meet the artists and see their works.

Dian McCracken and John Sherman will play music to light up the evening and Suzy Halverson will demonstrate her painting techniques.

View the slideshow

Mary Fortner

Mary Fortner

Mary Fortner

Mary Fortner

Nancy Knowles

Nancy Knowles

Nancy Knowles

Nancy Knowles

Nancy Knowles

Nancy Knowles

Joy Winther

Joy Winther

Joy Winther

John S. Crocker

John S. Crocker

John S. Crocker

John S. Crocker

Here’s a little more about each artist:

Nancy Knowles – Pastels

Nancy was born in Oregon and lived in Iowa before coming to Washington as a preteen. She loved to draw and color from early childhood, and was encouraged by her Mother who was also artistic. She discovered what fun it was to make her own paper dolls and design costumes for them.

As she grew older she practiced and gained experience from more sources, including workshops with established artists such as Jim Lewis, Byron Pickering, Vernon Nye, Dale Gehrman, Charlotte Abernathy, and others over the years. Books were very important also, and she has added many to her collection.

She believes that painting from direct observation is important whenever possible, and Mother Nature never runs out of lesson plans. Many hours are spent observing, photographing, and painting the outdoor world.

Nancy was very involved in music and other creative endeavors for many years and only became more serious about painting as a profession in the last decade.

Her work has won numerous awards, and is shown at the Aurora Gallery in Vancouver, Washington. She currently holds membership in the Columbian Artist’s Association and the Northwest Oil Painters Guild.

Joy Winther – Fiber Art

Joy loves experimenting with color interlacement and textures. “I always have more ideas than time to weave them. I am constantly on the lookout for new yarns, weave structures and jewelry pieces to add to my collection. I tend to leave the yarns out in my studio until they speak to me and I then I know what I need to do with them,” she explains.

She was born in Detroit, Michigan and moved to Los Angeles, California at the age of eight, then moved to Los Altos, California at seventeen and lived in that area for 40 years. She started weaving in 1966, taking a beginning weaving class at the Yarn Depot in San Francisco. As a young mother, she wove as often as she could with a small tabletop loom. Her dream was to purchase a floor loom, which she did in the late ‘60s. After going back to work full-time, she gave up weaving, for being a mother of three and working, finding that she could not just weave in a few stolen moments in the day.

After retiring in 1997, she moved to Gearhart, Oregon and took up weaving again with a passion which has not yet left her. She’s a member of three weaving guilds in the region and the Vice President of the Association of Northwest Weavers guilds.

John S. Crocker – Photography

“It is a pleasure to once again show some of my recent work at The Broadway Gallery.” ~ John S. Crocker

Photography remains my current vehicle for exercising the need to create images that strike a chord in myself and, with any luck, a greater audience. As far as equipment goes, I continue to employ whichever tool is handy when the muse strikes, whether it be my high-mileage Minolta SLRs, a digital point-and-shoot or, as evidenced by some of the pieces here, my cell phone-a Motorola, I think.

In recent years I have found it handy, as well as artistically more involving to personally edit and print the work at home. The prints are produced on an Epson Stylus Photo R2880 printer using Epson paper.

Although certain common thematic threads sometimes emerge, you can see that the subject matter and editing I choose are varied- so much so that one might wonder if the work was all done by the same person. What the pieces have in common, as I see it, is a pursuit of moving and engaging images which employ the “language” of the visual arts- the interplay of colors, values, gesture, rhythms and such. I also tend to avoid too much in the way of explicit narrative content. A bit of mystery which allows the viewer to form his or her own story is fine with me.

Thank you for taking time to view the prints. I hope they move you in such a way as to have made it worth the pause.

Diana Fairbanks captures that beauty, especially her paintings of spectacular water and river locations across Washington State. Bodies of water like the Columbia, Skagit and Duamish River come alive on her canvas.

Crown Point, Columbia River Gorge

She relishes the excuse to look at the world intensely and record the wonders, delighting in the opportunity to mess with colors and textures to recreate the facts of the beautiful things she sees.

“My art is representational and I often integrate my interest in science into images. I also enjoy collecting and painting common objects in tabletop still lifes,” she explained

Backroads of Washington
She’s currently immersed in the “Washington Rivers” Project, something that came out of authoring Backroads of Washington. Her paintings of river scenes in Washington State show evidence that she’s experienced their scenic beauty.

Teaching Art
Diana truly values the process of art-making, which explains her continued interest in teaching art to others.

“It fuels my passion for drawing, as a valuable practice in itself and as a preparation for other arts such as painting and print-making. I am attracted to obscure drawing media because they require the artist to focus, with new skills, on the exploratory process of selecting, arranging, observing, recording, and evaluating a subject.”

Skookumchuck River

Background
Born in Seattle and now practicing art in her Olympia, Washington studio, Diana became interested in visual art and writing at an early age. She specialized in biological sciences and fine arts at Wenatchee Valley College and then received a full-tuition scholarship to study fine arts at Fort Wright College in Spokane.

Outstanding teachers during those years included: Robert Graves, Sr. Paula Mary Turnbull and Benjamin Franklin Moss. She completed a B.A. and B.F.A. in painting, drawing and a wide variety of related media, and also had her first solo shows of paintings and drawings.

During subsequent work with the Medical Communications Department at Virginia Mason Medical Center, Diana received a Kellogg Allied Health Education Fellowship to study medical illustration as part of her graduate program in educational technology, and completed an M.Ed. and an Ed.D.

Teaching Career
During and after her graduate studies, Diana taught drawing, design, illustration and a wide variety of media production courses at public and private colleges including Shoreline Community College, Bellevue Community College, University of Washington, Heritage University, and Western Washington University. Her former students follow fine art and visual communication and teaching careers throughout the Northwest. She is the proprietor of OlyImages Studio, and a recent recipient of an Artist Trust EDGE Program Scholarship.

Diana is currently a full-time artist who fulfills commissions and continues her teaching as Program Director at OlyImages Studio. She works in a variety of media including watercolor, acrylic, encaustic and oil media and uses a variety of printmaking methods. She’s also completely comfortable with art done on computer.

Skagit River

Palouse Falls

Nisqually

Moclips

Klickitat County

Duamish River

Deschutes Brewery

Cispus River

American River

Please join us for First Thursday on March 7 at 5:30 pm with music by Dave Mongeau and artist demonstrations by Mary Fortner

Diana Fairbanks will also show her paintings along with recycled artworks by a variety of artists.

About Heidi Bishop – Quilling

My name is Heidi Bishop. I have been quilling since I found an article in the Woman’s Day magazine in 1989. I am a stay at home mom and home school my 14 year old daughter Allison. My husband Mike and I have been married for over 16 years now.

Most of my work is inspired by the beauty of nature around me. Lace and intricate designs have always caught my eye so must of my work is small in scale. Lately I have let my creativity bloom with other paper projects such as the Mad Hatter’s Hat. Most of the boxes here have been handmade and then embellished.

I have been a member of the English Quilling Guild with an accredited status for many years. My work is on display and for sale at Lovingfoss Hair Design and Hilltop Market, both in Kelso WA. This will be my 6th year in ArTrails Studio Tour of Southwest Washington. I will be at Stillwater Estates in Centralia again this year.
Now and again I enter juried art shows like Art in the Park located at the lake in Longview, and provide charity auctions like Festival of Trees with my work. I also promote quilling by entering local fairs and demonstrations in local shops. I have been teaching quilling in the local area for many years.

I have a public Facebook page where I post a great deal of my work https://www.facebook.com/heidi.bishop.58. You can email me at bishophL62@yahoo.com.

Our February show is elegant, classic and modern.

Mary Kohlschmidt’s jewelry is made from glass, beads, silver and crystals, and CDs and DVDs!

Mary Huels pottery celebrates her work as a firefighter, and her creativity by creating pottery with tree designs.

Rowan Chinook combines his experiences as a carpenter and theater lighting and special effects designer to create expertly detailed pyrographic art inspired by the craftspeople of  Ecuador and Mexico.

Kim Russ captures moments in time with her cell phone camera, when the blur of life clarifies into a single point of focus.

Each of our February artists is excited to show their work at our gallery, and we are proud to have them here. Please join us to meet them on:

First Thursday – February 7
5:30 – 7:30 pm
Music by Dian McCracken
Artist Demonstrations by Peggy Bodle

More about these talented artists: Click their name to move down the page.

Mary Kohlschmidt (jewelry), Mary Huels (pottery), Rowan Chinook (wood burning), Kim Russ (photography)

Mary Kohlschmidt – Jewelry

It’s been one year since I was accepted as a member of The Broadway Gallery. My specialty is designing and making jewelry and paper art.

I’ve been creating handmade bracelets with Miyuki Delica Glass and Japanese Beads. Along with the bracelets, I have expanded to using Swarovski crystals and Sterling Silver to design handmade necklaces and earrings. These can be found in the main area of the gallery along with my eight-sided oriental boxes and handmade greeting cards.

For this show I’ve strayed from my norm and designed and made jewelry using compact discs and DVD’s. Yes, unusual – but interesting! You’ll see that all my pieces include CD or DVD material somewhere in the design. Most are made using accents of pearls and glass, 100% copper, Sterling Silver and plated copper/pewter.

I’ve designed my jewelry to be classy, elegant and, hopefully, just edgy enough to be new and exciting. I appreciate your coming to my show and hope you will enjoy my newest creations!

Mary Huels – Pottery

An accidental artist – that’s what I consider myself to be.

While working full-time as a forester I wandered into the evening ceramic class at Lower Columbia College. I’d never been considered to be very artistic, but found I liked playing with clay and had a little aptitude. I took pottery classes off and on from Richard Roth and Trudy Woods for many years.

Fed up with my forestry job, I left and became a casual hire wildland firefighter. Spring through fall, I go when and where they send me to work on fires, both on the fire line as a supervisor and safety officer, or in camp as an information officer. It’s a strange lifestyle, but it pays the bills.

The rest of the year I play with clay when the weather is too bad for gardening. Pottery lets me challenge myself to do something different and better, to be literally constructive with my free time. “Go do something constructive,” was the frequent admonition from our parents.

My non-clay art education is limited to what I learned through eighth grade. After many years working with trees and watching them grow, I’ve absorbed an ability to draw trees. Each of my trees is individually drawn, with no two ever growing quite the same. Sometimes I can identify which species I’ve drawn, but many are maples and oaks which cover a lot of growth forms. I hope you enjoy them.

Visit my website at Dancing Tree Pottery 

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Rowan Chinook – Wood Burning

Rowan Chinoock has been making pyrographic (aka wood-burning) art for several years. He studied electronic music at Bard College in Annandale, New York, where he worked as a set carpenter. While at Bard, he scored films and dance performances, played in ensembles, and created installation art that drew upon his work in theater.

After obtaining his BA he moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and broadened his work in theaters to lighting and special effects, and continued to work as a carpenter and house manager. After picking up a decorated gourd at a garage sale, he was drawn to the gourd art of Central America, a subset of which is expertly detailed pyrographic art. Rowan visited Ecuador and Mexico to study and meet the craftspeople of this art form.

In 2009 Rowan began burning wood, and has worked with wood near daily for the past several years. His favorite themes are typography, poetry, sign-making, architecture, and Pacific NW native art.

“I’m proud and grateful to be showing my art at the Broadway Gallery. I’m displaying a selection of pyrography created in 2012. I have a daily practice of making pyrography, and I collect images and words that stick for me. Often this will be a saying that inspires me or a piece of poetry that captures my attention. By burning those words into wood, I’m performing a meditation on their meaning. Wood-burning is a very slow process and allows my mind to examine the meaning of words and images in a focused and quiet state. By burning these carefully chosen texts and images into wood, I believe I am increasing their power and effect on the world. I hope you enjoy!” ~ Rowan Chinook

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Kim Russ – Photography: Along the Way: Images from an Ordinary Life

A photograph is created in a moment, scarcely a heartbeat, caught and held between vision, imagination, and technology.This mystical and mysterious combination can turn a moment into an eternity. Photography is magic – plain and simple.

As a photographer, I create my art by pushing a button on my cell phone camera when the blur of life clarifies into a single point of focus. The infinite magic and possibilities photography provides have allowed me to truly see, rather than simply identify, the intriguing images found in my ordinary life.

I invite you to explore some of my favorite moments.

Thank you ~ Kim Russ

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Join us for First Thursday on January 3 at 5:30 pm to meet our featured artists, see an artist demonstration by Audrey Hoffman, and enjoy music by John Crocker along with the company of other art lovers. It’s a great way to welcome the New Year.

Scroll down to learn about our January Artists

Jim Misner (sculptures) | Di Morgan (fiber art) | John Henry (Word-A-Tures)

About Jim Misner (sculptures)

Leodauntis

Jim Misner, aka Uncle James, lives on Silver Lake in Cowlitz County. He is married to his sweetheart Stephanie and has three children; Allie, Austin, and Liberty. His day job is serving as your Cowlitz County Commissioner.

Though a fan of most all mediums, the submitted pieces are primarily 3-D sculpted pieces, better known as Farflehoogin’s. They’re a reflection of the artist’s personality and made purely for his own entertainment.

All of the attached pieces have limbs, fins or other parts made from actual animal horns. Here in the Northwest lies an unlimited amount of inspiration literally popping out of the wildlife. Farflehoogin’s are the recognition that species on this planet clearly have the design of a skillful, imaginative, and humorous creator. It’s in that vein that Farflehoogin’s are created.

“As an artist, I like to challenge my skill level in all types of mediums, but that is not why I create these. These are for fun. They’re not to be taken seriously and are purely meant to lead the eye and imagination into a world that is part here and part there. It is my heartfelt hope that you enjoy these pieces as much as I enjoy making them.”

Thank you for your kind consideration of my work and the opportunity to let people have a gander, perhaps a laugh, and who knows; maybe even provide a new home or two to one of these crazy creatures.” ~ Jim Misner

Blue Billed Gotty

Moosetailed Muckleheimer

Specie Tailed Plibflapper

Basseemoe

Barbaloompa Lunker

Pilplaxers

About John Henry (Word-A-Tures)

Turtle

In 1995 I decided to teach myself Spanish. Although I had some success at first, it was still difficult. I thought, “wouldn’t it be great to just look at a word and know what it meant?”

Then I thought, “people learning English might feel the same way!”

That’s when the idea for Word-A-Ture was born. ~ John Henry

A Word-A-Ture is a fun and unique, if not original art form, that uses the word’s letters to not only spell, but also create a picture of the word. Just like all words written in English, Word-A-Tures must read from either left to right or top to bottom.

John Henry is a local resident currently employed at Longview School District. He’s been fortunate to work with his wife Susan, in the theatre department at R.A. Long High School. He has a son, Jeremy.

Besides being seen in local cafes, his art has been displayed at private shows in the Koth Gallery at the Longview Public Library.

John is also active in the local music and theater scene. He’s played in several bands as well as playing solo, and has appeared in numerous plays. He’s a member of the Columbian Artists’ Association.

Airplane

About Di Morgan (fiber art)

“Mixing different fibers into a knitted sweater enables me to ‘make’ textiles. I love to see people wearing art.” ~ Di Morgan.

The Empress’s Red Coat made from 9 different silk & satin fabrics, is heavily quilted & beaded and has a detachable hood.

the Empress’s Red Coat

the Empress’s Red Coat (showing hood)

December has arrived, the most festive month of the year, and the best time to give the gift of local artwork!

This month we celebrate with an exhibit of photography by Lijah Hanley, a budding young photographer, pastel artwork by Gayle Kiser, and fiber art by Susy Halverson, both long time gallery members.

You are invited to join us for First Thursday on December 6, 5:30 – 7:30 pm, with music by Stephen Harvey and artist demonstrations by Scott McRae.

About Lijah Hanley (photography)

I’m Lijah Hanley and I am 16 years old; photography is my passion. My work was recognized by National Geographic in 2009 and they gave me the amazing opportunity to travel to Peru and the Amazon Jungle with National Geographic photographers Bruce Dale and Amy Toensing. My eyes were opened to a whole new world of opportunities in the world of photography and it’s been my obsession ever since. I am in constant strife to find those magic moments where light and landscape come together to create visually captivating images. I hope you enjoy my photos from what I hope to be the beginning of a life-long adventure.

Honors & Awards

• 2009 Winner: National Geographic Hands on Photography Competition
• 2012 Winner: Burrard Lucas Landscape Photography Competition
• 2nd Place Winner: National Geographic Photography Contest
• Finalist: Outdoor Photographer Magazine

About My Show

Photography allows me to capture creation at its most dramatic moments and share it with others. I strive to capture the beautiful moments where light and landscape interact in a way that brings even a glimmer of justice to these beautiful scenes. Many teenagers get a high off of extreme sports, but photography is my extreme sport. Whether it is dangling over a waterfall, climbing a mountain, or going to the ends of the earth to capture the image; photography always brings about another adventure. These magical moments peak for just an instant, and many of these images require days in the field in order to capture the moment. It is my honor to be able to share some of these special moments with you.

-Lijah Hanley

About Gayle Kiser (pastels)

After spending the past seven years doing watercolor, I discovered the wonderful world of pastels. They allow me to work quickly, expressing myself in a palette that is reflected in nature. There is always so much more to learn about art, and exploring new mediums is one of my favorite ways of learning. My father set the path for me by constantly investigating new subjects until the day he died. I hope to leave a similar legacy for my children and grandchildren.

~ Gayle Kiser

Carved wooden decoy

It’s that time of year once again, to begin preparations for celebrating the holidays in style!

November’s First Thursday celebration on November 1, together with our Annual Holiday Opening on November 10, are the most festive times of the year for our gallery, and the best time to start thinking about unique and artistic holiday gifts!

Our artists this month are Debra Quammen-Chase (pastels), Byrn and JoAnne Watson (decoys), Alisha Fossett (photography) and Lorena Birk (sculptures). Each presents unique and wonderful work you will not want to miss.

Of note is that Bryn Watson carves Santas and other Christmas figures during the holidays, in addition to his carvings of realistic decoys, shorebirds, and song birds!

First Thursday, November 1, 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Music by Dian McCracken and Mike Therault
Artist Demonstration by Gayle Kiser

30th Annual Holiday Opening, Saturday, November 10, 10 am – 5:30 pm
Music by Stephen Harvey and John Crocker
Featuring ornaments and cards made by gallery members, along with hot cider and cookies

Scroll down to learn more about our November artists:

About Debra Quammen-Chase (pastel)

Artwork by Debra Chase

“Art is a joyful, spiritual and in-the-moment process for me. Nature is a huge inspiration for these interactions. I focus on the language of art whenever I am engaged in the artistic process. Composition, color and mood have been the primary focus of these recent paintings which were done in 2012 in the Columbia River Gorge near Crown Point.

Recent artists who have inspired me are Richard Diebenkorn (American), Giorgio Morandi (Italian), and French Fauvism.”

~ Debra Quammen-Chase

Artwork by Debra Chase

About Byrn and JoAnne Watson (decoys)

Ringneck Decoy

Little did Byrn know in 1974 as he rummaged through a book store in a Honolulu shopping center that his $4.95 sale table purchase, The Art of the Decoy by Adele Earnest would light a fire and passion that would last for more than 30 years.

This little book launched his long journey toward becoming an accomplished carver. His intrigue with wildlife, particularly birds, has become a passion. Since those days in Honolulu, Byrn and his wife JoAnne have become active in several decoy carving organizations and have competed on a regional and national level.

Byrn carves realistic decoys, shorebirds, song birds, as well as interpretive birds. He also carves Santas and other Christmas figures during the Holidays. Byrn’s carvings took a distinct turn for the better when  JoAnne began painting his carvings in 1977. She continues to be his partner in carving, birding, and travel.

Since Byrn graduated from Oregon State University and went to work in California, he longed to get back to the Pacific Northwest. In August 2004, the Watson’s relocated to Centralia, Washington from North San Diego County. Soon after moving to their new home, they became involved in ARTrails of Southwest Washington and were immediately embraced by the art community.

Byrn and JoAnne are very happy here and feel blessed to live in such a beautiful place with such good friends.

The Watsons can be reached at 194 Summerside Drive, Centralia, Washington, 360.736.1082, email jobyrn@comcast.net

Gold by Marisa Mercure

Fall is here, and soon the days will be shorter.

We welcome October with a colorful show filled with delicate watercolors and illustrations, whimsical ceramics and sculptures, and oil painted tiles.

Join us for a First Thursday celebration on  October 4 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm with music by Steve Harvey and an artist demonstration by Susy Halverson.

“Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.”

- Elizabeth Lawrence

Our featured artists this month:

Toni Lawrence (ceramics)

Toni Lawrence

I am often asked where my inspiration comes from. The answer is from the world around me. My cat comes to greet me in the early morning as I am just waking. Hence  the butter dish with the girl laying on her side and the cat dancing on her hip.

I love to sculpt so when making a dragon, since no one knows what a dragon really looks like, I have a free hand. But if I am sculpting a pig, my hands will try to follow the line of the real animal. I go to Nature to be refreshed.

I have also been asked how long it takes me to make a cup, for instance, and I usually say thirty years. When Herve Villachaize and I first took lessons from Carol Glenn, my cups looked nothing like they do today. I no longer work on a wheel as it broke down years ago, and that happy accident made me hand-build and I loved the feel of it, so I never went back.

I would like, in my next life, if there is such an occurrence, to go to art school, as I have never had formal training.

My message to anyone reading this statement is to enjoy the moment as it is the Goddess’ gift (without being religious at all).

~ Toni Lawrence

A native Angeleno, artist Toni Lawrence’s childhood years were spent in Rome, Italy, which, she says, provided the single-most important influence on her work.

“The myths and fairy-tales that were read to me in Italian,” recalls Lawrence, “are the basis for the recurring themes in my ceramics and watercolors today.”

Ms. Lawrence maintains her residence and art studio in Pe Ell, Washington. Visit her website Ceramics by Toni.

Susan Miller (watercolors)

Susan Miller

Susan Miller, a Northwest artist, loved to draw as a young girl. She continued her studies and currently creates sketching, sculpting and watercolor originals. Susan’s versatile talents can be seen in her unforgettable characters created for children’s books.

Her whimsical illustrations take the reader on a journey into another world full of innocence, fun and a bit of mischieviousness. Enjoy! ~ Susan Miller

Jennifer and Todd Cullings (watercolor)

Jennifer and Todd share a passion for nature and Mount St. Helens, where Todd has spent over 25 years educating, entertaining, and inspiring the volcano’s many visitors. The couple shares a love for watercolor painting with fine details and textures. They achieve this balance in their art using layers of watercolor paint, along with watercolor pencils.

Mount St. Helens, along with its incredible landscapes, wildlife, and vast natural wonders, are all a continuous source of inspiration for the two.

See more of their work at Red Zone Graphics

Marisa Mercure (painted tile)
“The tiles done mostly in oils and some in acrylics have, in most cases, preserved their characteristics and flaws including their color, while still giving a clear representation of a subject which absolutely makes them one of a kind. They are paintings and they should be treated as such.” ~Marisa Mercure

Gold

Silver Lining

Only Dahlias

The Columns

The Lookout

Sand and Sky

Country Road

Wine and Peaks

The Mountain

Tall Grass