JULY 2022 KAY WEST

FISH INNA OUTTA WATER

THE THEME IS A RESULT OF MY THOUGHTS CONCERNING INCREASED GLOBAL WARMING AFFECTING OUR STREAMS, LAKES AND OCEANS—AND—IMPACT ON FISH AND PEOPLE, ALL PEOPLE.

THE MIXED MEDIA WORK IN THIS GUEST EXHIBIT ISN’T POLITICAL, BUT MORE A CELEBRATION OF FISH IN THE WATER AND IN HUMANS’ STORIES AND ART SINCE THE BEGINNING.

KWEST

MULTI-DISCIPLINE MAKER: Jewelry Design, Fiberart, & Photographic Capture of Effect of Time. Like many artists, I'm interested in chronicling the passage of time. My eye is drawn to the effects of that passage, resulting in close-up photographs of rust and deterioration.
Additionally, working with my hands and tools, I enjoy cutting, heating, bending, texturing metals, rendering different forms of personal adornment. A recent interest has been play with powder coat to add color and drawing to my metal jewelry surface. Hands and tools also come into play with various fibers and threads in creating fiberart brooches, neckpieces and sculpture.

Follow me @element_kwest on Instagram

June 2022 DIANNE KINNEY AND YASUKO MAYHEW

DIANE KINNEY

“ With a passion to bring light where I could

To reflect what is kind

Compassionate and good”

I have worked most of my life as a creative entrepreneur. Gaining retail experience as a young adult and when my children were mostly grown I began to pursue as a business. Following where inspiration has led. I have owned and operated two small retail shops as well as my own hand craft business. The first being a collection of fine art and crafts supporting non profits and fair trade artisans. Creating Making a Difference store in Sandpoint Idaho during the mid 90’s. After that I began to travel doing the art fair show circuit with my own Mountain Song Creations. Wood burning designs on to frames for mirrors built by my partner of salvaged and reclaimed wood. I was also beading jewelry and Swarovski Crystal sun-catchers at the time. Always with a passion to reflect light and good in the world.

In 2015 I opened a small gallery in Sandpoint continuing with Mountain Song.

I had met so many wonderful artist while doing art shows that I called on many of them to create a unique and special gift gallery. Including also my own work. It was there that I began creating my little bird luminaries. I had an idea and a dear friend shared paper scraps to play with. The bird luminaries have grown from this and continued to evolve. Always searching for new ideas and inspiration. They are a joy to create. Hope you enjoy!

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YASUKO MAYHE

Celebrating Lives - From Sea Slugs to Sloths

Ever since I made an instant connection working with clay 16 years ago, I have had so much fun creating different types of beautiful creatures. It does not matter what kind of animal they are: mammals, birds, fish, or amphibians. Whenever fascinating subjects catch my attention, I have a strong urge to portray them. I then set to work on a new art project to try to celebrate a precious life and pray that it would come alive with a soul.

When I was a guest artist here at the Pottery Place Plus last year, my ceramic creatures were very well received and adopted by new owners. I am delighted to be back at my favorite art gallery to exhibit my work again. I like true-to-life images, but occasionally I get whimsical ideas. The subtitle - From Sea Slugs to Sloths explains the unpredictable range of my inspiration. You might think why sea slugs? My son is graduating with a Master’s degree in Marine Biology in June. The subjects of his thesis were sea slugs, which are amazingly colorful and lovable creatures. Why sloths? My coworkers had cute pictures of sloths taken from calendars at their work stations, and I kept looking at them every morning. One day I suddenly realized their innocent smiles were what we needed to get through this dark tunnel with Covid-19. It is hard to resist having a sloth in your house or in your office, isn’t it? So, why not sea slugs? And why not sloths?

I will also bring some raku fired pieces. Besides ceramic clay, I am experimenting with other clay media to capture the natural look for certain creatures. I like to pursue challenges in transforming hard and heavy materials to look light, warm, rough, smooth, or fragile. So, please come see my unique world of nature in ceramics. I hope some of them will speak to you and give you a smile.

May 2022 LADD BJORNEBY & MIGUEL GONZALES

LADD BJORNEBY

Ladd Bjorneby paints landscape and nature in watercolor,

oil and acrylic and has been painting most of his life.

CHICANO ARTIST: MIGUEL MALTOS GONZALES

BIO~

Miguel began exploring photography in 1979 from his father in a small home built darkroom in the back of the garage. His father photographed the Chicano movement in the late 60s through the seventies. He often collaborated with other Chicano artist in San Antonio, TX and wrote several of his own formulas for color photography. This influenced Miguel to understand exposure, composition, and conventional darkroom techniques. Of which he committed much to memory, and commonly practices today with his old 35mm camera that was built before cameras had light meters. Miguel’s technical proficiency increased through the 1980s. He started to write his own formulas for color photographs. With his own formulas, he hand developed photographs yielding brilliant colors and black and white portions on a single print. This inspired the current bicultural concept Miguel practices today. Miguel learned computer based graphic arts in high school and by 1990 was scanning hand made prints into the computer. Miguel combined the scanned image with digital illustration methods to create the first series of the colorful people on photographs. With the traditional skill of analogous and proficiency in current digital imaging, Miguel continues to explore biculturalism by combining two different mediums representing the mix of two different cultures.

Statement~

Film photography captures the beauty in the land, and preserves the world we all share for generations to come. Each photograph is a finished image derived from a trusty fifty year old 35mm camera. The illustrated people of color are drawn on to the photographs to resemble a memory. Drawing colorful people is symbolic of how people of color are vibrantly expressive as they navigate an ethnocentric world, and at times still struggling to connect their internal mixed colonized family history. Balancing the existence between multiple languages, social practices, and at times a conflicting self identity. As each generation developers there is a language loss, and disconnection from ancestral ties. The Chicano arte of Miguel Maltos Gonzales hopes to reconnect Mexican culture, American upbringing, and honor the indigenous heritage from pre colonization in each composition for future generations to know they will always be connected to their ancestors. Somos de aquí y de allá.

Online Profile: miguelgonzales.com

Email: creative@miguelgonzales.com

APRIL 2022 NAN DRYE

ARTIST’S BIO

I work with plants and plant dyes on natural fibers to make beautiful, useful things. I am fascinated with the colors achieved from many humble weeds we overlook every day and the rather magical processes used to get them to give up their secrets. I have always been a bit obsessed with the passage of time, and this art form fits right in. The time of year and the stage of growth of a plant can affect what color it will give. The process itself cannot be rushed-open the bundle too soon and it is ruined. This work teaches me mindfulness, presence and patience.

"SMALL STORIES: ECO PRINTING AND MIXED MEDIA"

This show is about the things I think about and is made up of projects I have always wanted to make, but haven’t given myself the time and space to do so. We all tell ourselves stories in way or the other. Some of this work is a story I am telling you, some pieces allow you to either finish or write the story yourself.

Mar 2022 LINDA THORSON

MARCH 2022 GUEST ARTIST

LINDA THORSON

CAST CONCRETE SCULPTURE

Linda decided at age five to be an artist, but it took about half a lifetime for that to become a reality. In the meantime, she enjoyed growing up in Lewiston, Idaho- the oldest of four siblings- when her family moved there from San Francisco in the sixties. After graduating from Whitman College in 1982 with a degree in history and art history she set out to experience the world. The next five years were spent traveling and working in Europe, Asia and Africa (with trips home to earn money and re-connect!). Always in love with Seattle, the move here came next, with marriage, a degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Washington, the birth of a wonderful child, and work in landscape design.

            In 2005 Linda revived the art casting business on her own that was started in the early nineties with her former husband. With a long-time love of the decorative arts, she gains inspiration from various periods of art history, places she has traveled, and nature, creating objects to grace the home and garden.

          When she’s not slinging concrete, Linda enjoys gardening, hiking, music, reading, deep-sea fishing, travel, volunteering, and time with friends and family.

Feb 2022 RAVEN FRUSCALZO AND BARI FEDERSPIEL

RAVEN FRUSCALZO - BASKET WEAVING

Raven Fruscalzo has been been making pine needle baskets since she was a child. She fell in love with the medium after visiting an exhibit on basketry at a small art museum.

Ponderosa pine trees are pillars of the Inland Empire ecosystem and so have always represented Spokane to Raven. Their needles are long, sturdy, and beautiful making them a wonderful medium for basketry. Raven shared than when she's working on these baskets she feels close to the trees and the natural world they represent.

Raven's baskets feature many natural materials that help her depict the pine forests and our relationship to them.

BARI FEDERSPIEL - WATERCOLOR

Bari is a watercolorist who has been painting since 2003. She paints subjects that she loves.

Bari says about her work, “I seem to pick one category at a time to delve into with paint – in the past I’ve painted series of architectural structures, portraits, and landscapes. You may notice a few chickens! I have fun painting, and take it very seriously – learning as I go, trying new subjects and different ways to look at everyday scenes and objects.”

Jan 2022 Jaqueeta Garden Party Fibers

Garden Party Fibers, YARN, handspun by me, Juaquetta, with local Pacific NW grown fibers. I have been selling my handspun yarns since 1993. I also knit, crochet and weave shawls, hats and scarves with my handspun art yarn. Every day I am washing, dyeing fleeces and spinning more yarn, creating new yarn colorways. Textured, bulky, rustic colorful YARN is great for gifts or a treat to yourself!

Thank you for continuously supporting my passion, hand spinning yarn,  which in turn, helps support local Pacific Northwest sheep growers.

Juaquetta

Garden Party Fibers

Dec 2021 Mary Pat Kanaley

Mary Pat Kanaley is a Spokane, Washington based artist.  She works in varied mediums from chalk pastel to acrylics and watercolors, often combining all three together.  Over the years, she has been a commissioned artist, freelance illustrator, art director and art teacher. She is never without a sketchbook or travel paint set and is always on the lookout for inspiration, especially when traveling and exploring new places and cultures.

Nov 2021 Spokane Jewelry Guild

December 2021 Guest Artists:

Spokane Jewelry Guild

1.  Linda Malcom

2.  Michele Bournonville

3.  Bunny Webster

4.  Sarah Peterson

5.  Valerie Fawcett

6.  Sandra Phoenix

7.  Janet Brougher

8.  Holly Swanson

9.  Helga Hirsh

10. Kris Howell

11. Joan Ashworth

Oct 2021 Janie Edwards

October 2021 Guest Artist:

Janie Edwards

September 2021 Gloria Fox & Karen Robinette

Gloria B. Fox

Artist Biography

Born in Texas, I moved to Spokane at the end of first grade. Color and imagery have been life-long interests, which earned art awards and scholarships throughout my youth. As a young adult, I attended EWU for two years and graduated from UW with a BA in General Art, a BFA in Sculpture and a Secondary Teaching Certificate. Since that time, I have offered children’s summer art camps, continue my 30 year involvement providing programs and events for the Museum of Arts and Culture, and lend my efforts to many volunteer organizations. I am a member of River Ridge Association of Fine Arts, signature member of Spokane Watercolor Society and participate in several garden clubs, which keeps me connected and learning. I have exhibited in a number of shows and events in the Spokane area, winning numerous awards as a watercolorist. My goal is to keep growing as an artist and continue my watercolor career in a meaningful and engaged way.

Artist Statement

As an artist I am inspired by many things – patterns, light and shadow, color and the mood of a particular place or subject. I am often influenced by the drama of nature. Artistic expression is my means of responding to the world around me. It’s an attempt to capture the essence of what is attracting my attention and to communicate the emotional and visual aspects to others. Watercolor is a challenging and gratifying medium for this expression.

Contact information: gloriabfox@gmail.com, (509)499-1812, instagram at @gloriabfoxarts

Karen Robinette

ARTIST BIO

Karen is an award-winning graphic designer and watercolor artist. She applies her understanding of design concepts and color relationships, as used in advertising and publishing, to her watercolor paintings. Since 2016, after a long career as a graphic designer, Karen has taken watercolor classes and workshops, and has exhibited her work from Spokane and the surrounding area to the west side of Washington State. Mostly inspired by nature, Karen’s watercolor paintings reflect her interest in remote places in the outdoors, as experienced on hiking and bike trails, as well as national, state and city parks, and botanical gardens.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I spend many hours yearly on hiking and bike trails, photographing and doing studies on-site to later use in my watercolor compositions. As a watercolor artist, I combine color and design to create unique artistic expressions based on my experiences exploring nature.

August 2021 Randy Haa

My background in oil painting and working as a landscape designer was the artist part of me for 30 years.  In about 1998 I took a fused glass class and made a cute bowl.  It was not until 2005 that a friend asked me to go to a Portland art studio to make fused glass Christmas ornaments.  This is when I fell in love with this medium.  

I did my first year of experimentation at the Portland artist's studio and attended a basic fused glass class at Bullseye Glass located in Portlan, OR.  In 2006 I moved to Newport, WA.  It was at this time that I purchased a kiln for my studio.

Usable art is the most fun to create.  It can be a colorful spoon rest, bowls or serving plates.  Creating a glass object for someone's home or business is always very rewarding.  Sometimes when I am experimenting with the glass, I receive the most wonderful surprises.

I take great pleasure in watching people run their fingers over my work as they respond to the energy and vibrant colors.  When they smile I know they have made that wonderful connection with my craft

July 2021 Ruthie Franks & Nan Drye

Nan Drye

I work with plants and plant dyes on natural fibers to make beautiful, useful things. I am fascinated with the colors achieved from many humble weeds we overlook every day and the rather magical processes used to get them to give up their secrets. I have always been a bit obsessed with the passage of time, and this art form fits right in. The time of year and the stage of growth of a plant can affect what color it will give. The process itself can not be rushed-open the bundle too soon and it is ruined. This work teaches me mindfulness, presence and patience.

Ruthie Franks

I started growing gourds 20 years ago to provide a supply for various art projects. I find growing gourds is an art in itself; to create mature, strong, well-formed gourds that can be turned into colorful display pieces. The process includes a long grow season, plenty of hot weather and water.

The drying process takes six to eight months followed by thorough cleaning. Thick-skinned, smooth, unblemished gourds are the desired end product.

I carve designs on the gourd and use various dyes, stains and paint that will bring out the character each gourd reveals by it’s own unique size, shape and texture. Enjoy!

June 2021 Ruthie Franks & Lynne Jacobsen

Ruthie Franks

I started growing gourds 20 years ago to provide a supply for various art projects. I find growing gourds is an art in itself; to create mature, strong, well-formed gourds that can be turned into colorful display pieces. The process includes a long grow season, plenty of hot weather and water.

The drying process takes six to eight months followed by thorough cleaning. Thick-skinned, smooth, unblemished gourds are the desired end product.

I carve designs on the gourd and use various dyes, stains and paint that will bring out the character each gourd reveals by it’s own unique size, shape and texture. Enjoy!

Lynne Jacobsen

I am a native of the Pacific Northwest, my palette and choices of subjects generally reflect the sunny warm light of Spokane and the Palouse or the cooler light and softer shadows of Anderson Island in Puget sound where I have lived over the past 12 years. I have painted my entire life with the goal of capturing moments in time, tiny spots of beauty and focus that capture my heart.

I grew up as a child of the sixties, which means much of my early artistic development focused on the emotional impact of art. As I continued to grow as an artist, I realized I needed to get back to basics working on drawing and classical painting techniques to enable me to tell my story as a “woman of a certain age”.

My retirement from a long career in nursing gave me even more time to work on my art and allowed me to find and develop my own techniques and work on my story telling in painting even more. My art continues to be focused on using classical methods to bring in the serenity and calmness of beautiful everyday objects. My vision is to share the beauty and light you can find in the most mundane subjects. Light is a recurring theme in all my work.

2020 brought me back to Spokane. I am thrilled to be in a larger community and am looking forward to meeting other artists, hearing other stories and continuing to grow in my personal artistic journey.

My new home has a large studio with good light, and I continue to be blessed with my supportive husband Dave and entertained and inspired by our big goofy dog, Finley.

“I’m in fine fettle and fired with a desire to paint”

Claude Monet

May 2021 Yasuke Mayhew

Just before facing an empty nest, I started ceramics at Spokane Art School about 15 years
ago. I made an instant connection working with clay. Shortly after the Spokane Art
School closed its doors, I joined The Clay Connection and created a lot of art pieces with
passion for 4 years. As a child, I was totally fascinated with nature, so it came naturally
that I started expressing my love and admiration for any type of beautiful, little creatures
through ceramics. In order to portray animals, birds, and amphibians realistically, I first
researched all the images from different angles, thanks to the Internet. Then, I challenged
myself to transform hard and heavy clay to look light, warm, rough, smooth, or fragile.
During the coloring process, I always painted eyes first and painted layers of glazes with
my hope that each piece would come alive with a soul.

After spending countless weeknights and weekends at the kitchen table as an amateur
ceramic artist, I eventually became burnt out and stayed away from clay for a long time.
My production became limited to a single piece for Art on the Green every year, where I
was lucky to be awarded cash prizes 4 times at the Juried Show.
Five years ago, a strong urge to create returned to me. All of a sudden, the idea of
humanized animals popped into my mind. My dog started playing the violin, and a moose
started playing the guitar. Two years ago, which was the zodiac year of the wild boar, a
face-painted Kabuki boar started to dance.

I eventually attended a raku firing at The Clay Connection. I had previously avoided raku
because I wanted to have as much control as possible over my process. However, I have
since totally accepted and enjoyed the unpredictability of raku firing. On display, there
are several subjects finished in both regular firing and raku firing so that you can see the
differences in color effects. I also enjoyed making replicas of ancient Japanese Jomon
vases and artifacts in different colors and with some original concepts added on. I have
realized that there is no limit to ceramic creation. Whatever I want to create, there are a
hundred ways to express it. I wish to continue to expand my horizons in art.
My last ceramic exhibit was almost 9 years ago, and some pieces on display were created
during those early production years. Hopefully my assortment of old and recent pieces
will show you my artistic growth. I pray that my delicate creatures can make you smile,
gently speak to your soul, and bring back some warm, sentimental memories of your pets.
Please come and enjoy my enchanting ceramic world.
Yasuko Mayhew

April 2021 Sandy Aaronson

Have you ever been mesmerized by a great book or musical score?  I get the same response when I see a ray of light transmitted through a flower petal in my garden or the way it plays along the back of an old cat sleeping in a sunny window.  Color has intrigued me in many ways, since childhood, when I learned to embroider and knit.  I soon moved on to pastels and paints.  I used color collaborations in jewelry, utilizing gemstones and sometimes hand-blown glass.  I observed the works of the great masters and became inspired by some wonderful instructors along the way.

Which brings me to the present  I am still on my journey of the explorations of light and the interplay of delicious colors around us.  I am inspired by the Hubble telescope pictures and the "what happens if I use this color" methodology.  Sometimes I strive for a more subtle, reflective viewpoimnt of everyday places and things.  Other times I go crazy trying to capture a brief interplay of shadows when the sun comes out after a rain.  I am ever challenged to attempt to show you, the viewer, a small corner of that world on canvas or paper.  So let us begin on our humble journey...........and may you find a small glimmer of the joy this searching brings to me.

PS I have been asked about my use of the name Upchurch.  I use it to honor my maternal grandmother who was a homesteader near Orofino, ID. She survived some terrible times and kept a sense of humor.  She was a source of inspiration in so many ways.

March 2021 LR Montgomery

WHO HE IS

LR Montgomery creates original oil, impressionistic landscape paintings of our beloved Northwest.

His paintings bring the ambiance and memories of our outdoor experiences into homes, work spaces, and recreational abodes.  

As an artist with a heart for conservation and sustainability, he paints nature, exposing its intricacies and boldness, lights and shadows, wide-open spaces, and hidden secrets.

Montgomery’s images float through the boundaries of realism and impressionism, reflecting a sensitivity and close interaction with the environment and the Northwest outdoor life style. His recognizable, prolific outpouring of works show a respect for life, nature and the beauty of God's creation.

STATEMENT

I applaud those with the foresight and determination to conserve our natural areas for enjoyment, environmental stewardship, and education. Our rugged yet fragile natural areas, (like art) are a gift from the past, a gift for today, and a gift for the future. Through art, I strive to conserve and grow the great gift of our natural areas, and share it with others.”

COLLECTIONS ~ INFLUENCE ~ AWARDS

LR Montgomery’s work is found in the collections of corporations, private individuals, environmental groups, museums, and educational institutions throughout the USA, Europe, Russia, China, Mexico, Canada, Africa and Japan.  

Collecting entities include Kaiser Permanente, Spokane Eye Clinic, Pacific Lutheran University, Washington State University, City of Spokane, Dishman Hills Conservancy, The NW Museum Of Arts & Culture (The MAC), Layola Marymount University, Shriners Children’s Hospital, and Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. 

Montgomery has produced signed limited edition etchings or print images for organizations such as The NW Museum of Arts & Culture (The MAC), St Georges School, The Friends of Manito, WSU Intercollegiate School of Nursing, and Dishman Hills Conservancy.

Awards include Los Angeles Printmaking Society National Exhibition Purchase, The Artist's Magazine National Art Competition Finalist, Artistry In Wood Featured Artist, and Valley Art Center First Place. 

Montgomery has been featured in Spokane Coeur d’Alene Living Magazine, The Spokesman Review, Columbia Basin Herald, Silver Valley Voice, Signals, and on KSPS Public Television. 

LR Montgomery is the Artist In Residence for Dishman Hills Conservancy. DishmanHills.org

His influences include Renoir, Monet, Van Gogh, Sorolla and Chevreul.

PERSONAL 

LR Montgomery lives in Spokane WA with his wife Carole. His studio and gallery are located near Manito Park. He can be reached at LRMontgomery@LRMontgomery.com

PS

LR Montgomery is a bit of a rascal and a great story teller. Click here to receive his occasional e-newsletter where you can read his insights, learn about upcoming shows, and be among the first to see his new paintings.

Feburary 2021 Sally Lancaster & Genevieve

Sally Lancaster

Bio

Sally Lancaster was born in Spokane and attended Washington State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art. She taught jewelry making and papermaking while living in California, displayed in galleries, and participated in group shows.

Sally’s work is focused on mixed media, a culmination of all of the types of materials she has worked with – acrylic painting, fabric, papermaking, printmaking, and jewelry making.

Artist Statement

The mixed media pieces I create focus on working with form, texture and space. By layering and using different materials, I strive to create that feeling of balance and harmony as in nature – the smooth and the textured, the bold and the soft working together.

I don’t always work from a preconceived notion. I let the ideas flow as I begin to work the materials I choose – experimenting with acrylics, colored pencils, papers, fabric and thread until a work emerges. My pieces are created out of the sheer joy of creation itself.

Genevieve Arnold

Genevieve studies nature and artists for her inspiration. Her work usually contains animal imagery. She lives with three beautiful dogs and two cats, an endless source of inspiration and humor. She often looks at the work of Eduardo Kac, Eva Hesse, Mark Dion, Cia Guo-Change, Faith Ringgold and Adrian Piper for inspiration. 

She loves living in Spokane with its beautiful parks and close proximity to nature. Her favorite things, other than making art, are walking her dogs, chatting with neighbors and enjoying a cup of hot coffee with friends and family.

January 2021 Juaquetta Holcomb

Juaquetta Holcomb hand spins rustic art yarn from fleeces grown on sheep and alpaca, right here in this area.  Each day finds her washing, dyeing and spinning fibers into yarn. She then knits, crochets and weaves hats and shawls with these yarns.  Juaquetta lives east of Spokane and sells her work at the Kootenai County Farmers market and local art festivals. This is her 12th year as the January guest artist at Pottery Place Plus.

December 2020 Joe Simonsen

Joe Simonsen 

I started woodworking as a young boy helping my father with some of the projects he was doing. I went on to working in a cabinet shop building cabinets and counter tops. Although I have worked in several different fields and held different positions throughout my work history, woodworking has always been my passion. Since my retirement over a year ago I started having a lot more fun doing what I love to do. Give me a block of wood and I’ll make something out of it.