Sequim Elks inspire Artist

Susan Gansert Shaw finds her inspiration, as do many of the artists on the Peninsula in the beauty and wildlife that surrounds her. “Much  of my recent work  reflects the shapes, light and colors of the landscape and are done on paper using pastel, watercolor and graphite.  The vastness of the sky, the openness of the fields and the horizon line that reaches forever is a never ending source of inspiration.”   

Susan creates, plays and laughs in a variety of mediums and styles.  Her love of color and passion for light are surpassed only by her vitality and good energy.  Her latest pieces including “ Pussy's for Peace” and “ A Roosevelt Decision” encompass attitude and humor - the very nature of the subject.  Some have social undertones. Some are political and some just are. Enjoy!

"A Roosevelt Decision", Mixed Media

“Pussy's for Peace” , Mixed Media

Susan was raised and schooled in upstate New York where she received her BFA from Syracuse University. She later found herself and her art flourishing in the coastal town of Forks where she lived for thirty years before moving to Sequim. “The move from the “west end” to the north peninsula area was not an easy transition for me, but as I breathed into the north coast of the  Olympic Peninsula and our Rock Hollow” I find myself totally home with the  light, the uniqueness of the land shapes and the horizon line that appears everywhere.”

Susan‘s studio is also home to her “White Woman Susu Sticks, specialty cards, “Cat Guru’s Meditation Guide for Children of all Ages” and the famous Cat Guru Meditation apron! 

The artist is now concentrating exclusively on the fulfillment of her personal goals of peace, love and laughter which naturally include artistic endeavors.   Susan’s studio is open year round, “by appointment or luck”! Come see her on the Sequim Arts Studio Tour!

Susan Gansert Shaw in her studio

Tour artist Pam Walker's Art Accepted into Prestigious Show

Sequim Arts Studio Tour Artist Pam Walker has had a piece, titled, "Ancient Doorway", chosen by the annual CVG Show for participation in it's annual juried competition. CVG is one of the largest and most prestigious art competitions in the Northwest. Over 325 artists from 79 Washington cities submitted 896 artworks for consideration. Of these only 127 pieces were selected for inclusion in the show. Alfredo Arreguin, an internationally known painter from Seattle is the juror for this year’s competition. Next, Arreguin will choose the recipients of $7,000 in prizes going to 11 artists in multiple categories. Additional prizes include a purchase award by the Kitsap County Arts Board, a $300 People’s Choice Award and a $1,000 Best of Kitsap Award sponsored by the Cultural Arts Foundation Northwest.

"Ancient Doorway"

Pam Walker is a versatile artist working both in pastel and photography. She has had pieces published in National Georgraphic and is also known for her pigment transfer photographs where the delicate surface of the photo pigment is transferred to various surfaces such as paper or copper.  "Ancient Doorway", is a photographic pigment transfer on Silver leaf covered acrylic, framed in a silver leaf frame. The photo is of a man passing through the "marble door" in the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul Turkey. . 

Pam's entrancing work can be viewed First Hand during this year's studio tour.  Here's a peek at the CVG show entry. 

Catherine Mix, Pastelist Extraordinaire!

Catherine Mix

Catherine is our most recent addition to the Sequim Arts Studio Tour and is also this year's Tour Director. 

As a pastelist, I can truly appreciate Catherine's fine pastels. This artist brings a strong color sense as well as a love of the beautiful Olympic Peninsula which has been a source of inspiration for her lovely landscapes. Caherine paints a wide variety of subjects from landscapes to figures and still life and also works in watercolor. She has an incredible studio located on her property surrounded by beautiful flowers and gardens. Catherine would love to have your visit her in her studio this summer during the tour.

I'll be posting more about Catherine and the other tour artists as we draw closer to the tour dates. Here's a note from the artist.

"Blue Pumpkin"

"This 5" x 7" painting took about 6 hours start to finish and I created it especially for our upcoming Sequim Arts Small Works Show which opens at the Museum and Art Center beginning on December 5th. I hope you get a chance to come to the show!!"

"From 1968-1972 I pursued a degree in fine metals at the University of Washington. For several years I continued forging and forming silver, gold and copper and making fine jewelry with cloisonné enameling on sterling silver.

"In 1995 I began studying watercolor in workshops with Cathe Gill and Judith McNea who also introduced me to pastel painting.

"These days, I paint in both watercolor and pastel. It is my goal to capture a singularly beautiful moment in time, such as dramatic sunlight illuminating the vast vistas of North Olympic Peninsula.  I paint to revel in color and texture,  for the satisfaction of solving a complex problem, for joy of creating an original work of art.

"I hope you enjoy my work; you can read my complete biography and see more of my work at www.catherinemix.com"

Tour Artist Susan Martin Spar

As the blog master, it is my privilege to be the first artist to publish on our Studio Tour blog. My name is Susan Spar and this will be my fourth year on the tour. Locals know me as the "classical" artist who paints "those Dutch type" paintings. While this is partly true, I also love painting landscapes and working in pastels.

I've been working on allegorical pieces of late featuring such figures as "Red Riding Hood" and "Sleeping Beauty". I see this figures as allegories for bigger issues that we confront in our lives. In Red Riding Hood, the question arises, "just where or who is the wolf" and in "Sleeping Beauty", the issue is about the ambivalence surrounding adulthood for adolescents.  

"Red Riding Hood"

For those of you who are interested in the beautiful landscape of the Olympic Peninsula, I have some plein aire paintings to offer. Take a gander. Come and visit me this summer and look for more posts about me on this blog.

"A Sultry Afternoon"