PORT ANGELES — The work of Lance and Haley Snider of Port Angeles get the spotlight at Harbor Art Gallery thorough June.
Harbor Art Gallery at 114 N. Laurel St. in Port Angeles is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Hours are will be extended until 7 p.m. during the Second Saturday Art Walk on June 11, when visitors can chat with many of the artists.
Lance grew up in Bellingham, split the next 15 years between Northern California and Utah, and moved back to the Pacific Northwest with his wife, Haley, a few years ago.
As a child, his art was heavily influenced by the “Where’s Waldo” and “Incredible Cross Sections” books, and he’d create giant scenes full of tiny characters, according to a press release.
“Although his reading tastes have matured a little, he’s still making art filled with little people, who have taken on a vaguely creepy/mysterious vibe,” the press release said.
His art often includes his favorite animals — particularly pachyderms and cephalopods.
“He’s also very drawn to people, and the stories behind their eyes, which really shines through in his portraits,” the press release said.
Charcoal is his favorite medium, with pen and watercolor a close second. He also has taken up wire sculpting lately.
When not at his easel, he is hiking, biking, kayaking, swimming, camping or just walking a beach. He also enjoys readings, writing code, traveling and has a special salsa recipe.
Haley was born and raised in Utah, but says she is a “Pacific Northwest girl at heart,” and has called Port Angeles home since 2017.
“After a career in real estate, I realized that I needed to make the switch to something more creative, and traded my pantsuits for an artist’s smock,” she said — although, for the record, she has never worn either a pantsuit or an artist’s smock, the release said.
Haley works with everything from driftwood to spray paint. Watercolor is a favorite painting medium.
“My main goal when making art is to create or capture a feeling, whether that’s through color, texture, scale, repetition, or just a unique way of representing an idea,” Haley said.
“I love experimenting with different ways to convey meaning or emotion, but I’m also a big fan of just letting whatever wants to come out, come out.
She enjoys the outdoors as well as reading, writing and playing the guitar.
“I’m at my happiest when I have some sort of creative outlet,” she said.
In addition to the Sniders, Harbor Art Gallery showcases work by local artists Bob Stokes and Cindy Elstrom, Carolyn Guske, Robert Amaral, Kelly Coffey, Garret Delabarre, Terri Ench, Tammy Hall, David Johannessohn, Susan Kantowitz, Ruth Kaspin, Tracy McCallum, Nancy McFaul, Gail McLain, Roger Mosley, Eric Neurath, Randy and Sallie Raddock, Jodi Riverstone, Nathan Shields, Eileen Webb and Kevin Willson.
