Driftwood art instructor Tuttie Peetz works on a driftwood art piece at her home studio for Olympic Driftwood Sculptors’ next show Saturday and Sunday at the Dungeness River Nature Center. She said she’s put in more than 1,000 hours into shaping the twisted juniper wood from Montana. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Driftwood art instructor Tuttie Peetz works on a driftwood art piece at her home studio for Olympic Driftwood Sculptors’ next show Saturday and Sunday at the Dungeness River Nature Center. She said she’s put in more than 1,000 hours into shaping the twisted juniper wood from Montana. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Artists turn driftwood into sculptures

Seventy pieces to be on display this weekend

SEQUIM — As the world experienced twists and turns in recent years, artists with Olympic Driftwood Sculptors said they found a sense of calm and healing in the directions their art would go.

“For a lot of us, it was almost like therapy during COVID,” club co-founder Tuttie Peetz said.

“You couldn’t go anywhere else, so it helped me forget about what’s going on in the rest of the world.

“It fills a creative spot in my life.”

She and dozens of other driftwood artists have worked on many pieces since their last show in 2019 with about 70 of their favorite works on display for free from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at the Dungeness River Nature Center, 1943 W. Hendrickson Road.

It features driftwood sculpting demonstrations, a driftwood boutique (credit cards accepted), raw wood for sale and a raffle for a driftwood piece several club members have worked on in recent months to support a future high school scholarship for a student going into the arts.

The sculptors’ last show was at the Sequim Middle School during Sequim Lavender Weekend, but they opted to move once foot traffic went down after the Sequim Lavender Festival’s Street Fair was moved from Fir Street to Carrie Blake Community Park, members said.

Club president Kathy Bachman said members wanted to bring the show back because they love working with wood and to be with people again.

“COVID put a hitch in everything,” Peetz said, and Olympic Driftwood Sculptors (ODS) members didn’t meet in person until late 2022.

They’ve also seen a decrease in members for an array of reasons.

“We’re hoping to garner interest and grow membership,” she said.

With the show, Peetz said she hopes there’s an interest in driftwood classes returning in June.

A former credit manager, Peetz has led driftwood sculpting since the club’s foundation in 2008. She learned of driftwood art in Seattle, later took a class in Sequim, became an instructor of the LuRon Method (a style, for example, that does not attach anything non-driftwood to the art), and has since branched out in ODS’ style to diversify what the driftwood can be displayed with, such as glass, rocks and metal work.

Bachman joined at the prompting of a friend who first encouraged her to join the Clallam County Gem & Mineral Association, then ODS, and now many of her sculptures incorporate rocks into her driftwood art.

“When people see the show, they’re amazed,” she said.

“They enjoy it so much they want to get involved … (driftwood) opens up new doors and your imagination.”

Bachman finds there’s room for many types of driftwood interpretations as it appeals to all types of people.

“There’s a lot you can do with driftwood,” she said.

Artists like Bachman and Peetz find making the art peaceful.

“I can really relax and unwind,” Bachman said.

Olympic Driftwood Sculptors meets at 10 a.m. the first Wednesday of each month (next up June 7) at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave.

For more information about Olympic Driftwood Sculptors, visit olympicdriftwoodsculptors.org.

The club’s show is put together by its committee of Bachman, Peetz, Wayne Blackburn, Geri Smith and Jill Steele.

________

Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

Olympic Driftwood Sculptors will move the club’s show from Sequim Middle School, seen here in 2018, to the Dungeness River Nature Center. More than 70 driftwood art pieces will be on display. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

Olympic Driftwood Sculptors will move the club’s show from Sequim Middle School, seen here in 2018, to the Dungeness River Nature Center. More than 70 driftwood art pieces will be on display. (Matthew Nash/Olympic Peninsula News Group)

More in Life

Matthew Nash / Olympic Peninsula News Group
Jennifer Scott of the Hudson Valley region in New York with her niece Calliope Scott of Denver walk the lavender fields of Jardin du Soleil. Scott said she loves lavender. Last week was their first time visiting a lavender farm.
Lavender weekend to bring concerts, food and music

Festivities set across Peninsula from Friday through Sunday

John Goar speaks to a group of visitors before leading them on a moonlit hike up Hurricane Hill for a tour of the constellations. Goar is a volunteer who leads the full moon hikes and dark sky telescope tours that are part of the astronomy program at Hurricane Ridge. (Paula Hunt/Peninsula Daily News)
Hurricane Ridge astronomy program reveals treasures

Volunteer-run tour guides visitors at Hurricane Ridge

Karen Griffiths
Rainshadow Equine Sanctuary Team’s Debi Pavlich-Boaz leads Paliday calmly over a blue tarp as part of his daily training routine. She worked with the Yakima Sheriff’s Department to capture the mini stallion when he was running alongside a freeway, deftly evading capture. Without her help, and an offer to take him home, the sheriff’s department planned on taking the then-untrained pony to a local holding pen to await transport to a slaughter house in Canada. Instead, Paliday is now happily living the rest of days out as a gelding at the sanctuary.
HORSEPLAY: Peninsula animal rescue, shelters need our help

DID YOU KNOW that most of our local horse, dog and cat… Continue reading

A GROWING CONCERN: Get your garden schooled on Nutrients 101

AS WE MOVE through July and our yard and gardens are flourishing,… Continue reading

ISSUES OF FAITH: Truth and honesty important in leadership

THROUGHOUT THE TORAH, we are taught the importance of honesty and justice.… Continue reading

Doug Benecke will be joined by Sallie Harrison for special music at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.
Program set for weekend service

Doug Benecke will present “Play Ball!” at 10:30 a.m.… Continue reading

The Rev Craig Vocelka will present “Listening for the Whisper” at 10:00 am this Sunday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1020 Jefferson Street.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church plans service

The Rev. Craig Vocelka will present “A Thankful, Generous… Continue reading

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith.
Speaker set at Unity in Port Townsend for weekend service

The Rev. Pam Douglas-Smith will present “Divine Feeding of… Continue reading

Suzan Mannisto, co-manager of Pioneer Memorial Park, introduces the “Pathway Accessible to All Project” as Sequim Irrigation Festival Prince Malachi Byrne looks on. (Sequim Prairie Garden Club)
Garden Club launches path at Pioneer Memorial Park

Organization seeking additional grants, fundraising

Map of lots available in Port Angeles from 1890.
BACK WHEN: Port Angeles celebrating 135 years on July 4

HERE IT IS. July 5, and we celebrated the 249th anniversary of… Continue reading

KEITH THORPE/PENINSULA DAILY NEWS
Zane Rensen, 6, of Port Angeles receives patriotic face paint from Port Angeles High School cheerleader Madison Bishop in the children's activity tent at Port Angeles City Pier during Friday's Independence Day celebration.
Independence celebration

Port Angeles celebrated Independence Day with sights and sounds of America on… Continue reading