SEQUIM — The Blue Whole Gallery will celebrate its 20th anniversary tonight during the First Friday Art Walk.
The artists’ co-op at 129 W. Washington St. will host a free celebration from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
“Everyone in the community is invited to this free celebration with many surprises,” said Ryoko Toyama of the gallery.
A group show, “20/20 – a Vision of Excellence” — which was curated by Nancy Lawrence, Greg Felando and Bridget Baker — will grace the front windows. The new exhibit will be up throughout the month of June.
The theme for this evening’s Art Walk color is white and the whole visible spectrum, said Renne Emiko Brock, who organizes the monthly art walks in Sequim.
“White represents acceptance, open minds, pure and thoughtful actions, friendly impressions and blank canvases that are receptive to any positive vision,” she said.
The art walk is a free self-guided tour of local art venues in Sequim on the first Friday of every month from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. To find out more and to print a map, see www.sequimart walk.com.
This month’s Art Walk is especially exciting to the artists of the Blue Whole Gallery collective.
The Blue Whole Gallery opened its doors with 26 members June 14, 1997. What started as “an experiment in excellence, a fine art gallery of professional artists pursuing creative originality” has continued and thrived, Toyama said.
The gallery now has 24 artists working with oil, acrylic and watercolor, mixed media, assemblage, photography, fused glass, ceramics, wood sculpture and turning and jewelry.
“As we begin our 20th year, look for new and exciting shows highlighting quality and originality,” Toyama said.
“With thanks to enthusiastic supporters of the community, the Blue Whole Gallery will continue to bloom.”
For more information, see www.bluewholegallery.com.
Not all the art on display tonight during the Sequim First Friday Art Walk will be two-dimensional.
Olympic Theatre Arts, 414 N. Sequim Ave., will feature Sequim Ballet’s advanced class performing original works choreographed by the students.
The dancers will begin at 6 p.m. as part of Sequim’s First Friday Art Walk. There is no cost to attend First Friday performances.
“The students chose the music and created the movements,” Sequim Ballet director Laurel Herrera said. “This choreography concert has been in the works since February.”
The program features four original solos, as well as a pas de deux and a group piece choreographed by Herrera.
The intermediate class also will perform an original work to Pachelbel’s Canon in D, also choreographed by Herrera.
A concessions and beverage bar will be available.
For more information, call the OTA business office at 360-683-7326 or visit the website at www.olympic theatrearts.org.
Other stops on tonight’s Art Walk are:
• Clallam Coworking, 502 S. Still Road, Suite 201, will feature many local artists including Jan Kepley. This is a new venue on the Sequim Art Walk.
• Lamb Farm Kitchen Shoppe, 272 W. Bell St., behind The Oak Table, will present award-winning Sequim quilter Marla Varner.
• Sequim Civic Center, 152 W. Cedar St., will be the venue for “Piecing Together a Changing Planet,” a juried show of 26 art quilts.
The city of Sequim and the city Arts Advisory Commission reception for the exhibition will open at 5 p.m.
The display has been touring the country since December 2014. The show was created by artists in Florida to highlight a few of the many ways that America’s 401 national parks are being impacted by climate change, water pollution, air pollution and other human-caused phenomena.
The artworks were created by members of Studio Art Quilt Associates, a 3,000-member national organization dedicated to promoting art quilts through education, exhibitions, professional development, documentation and publications.
Art quilts focus on layering, “thread painting” and graphic design, as well as stitching and piecing.
The exhibit is sponsored by the city Arts Advisory Commission in partnership with Olympic National Park.
• Sequim Library, 630 N. Sequim Ave., will host Dean Ratzman playing his “Swingin’ with Dean Show” at 6:30 p.m.
An artist reception for the new Art in the Library exhibit featuring Sequim artist Jim Gift is set for 6 p.m., before Ratzman takes the library stage.
The “Swingin’ with Dean Show” features hits of great American artists from the 1940s-70s. Ratzman’s solo show includes piano, trombone, trumpet and singing, with musical genres including swing, jazz, blues, rock and pop.
The newest Art in the Library exhibit featuring Jim Gift’s photography and paintings will be on display through Oct. 2.
Gift is a nature photographer specializing in wildlife and landscape photography.
Limited library services will be available during this special after-hours reception.
The Art in the Library program is made free to the public with support from the Friends of Sequim Library.
For more information, see www.nols.org and select “Events” and “Sequim” or call the library at 360-683-1161.
To participate in the First Friday Art Walk Sequim, email renne@uniqueasyou.com.
Among the many pieces on display as the Blue Whole Gallery celebrates its 20th anniversary is the work of Kate Loveland, top, Carl Baker, Debbie Cain and Joyce Volmut, from left.
“Wings of Fire” is among the art quilts at the Sequim Civic Center.
