SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING BORROWED, SOMETHING BLUE…NOT A WEDDING, A SWITCHED AROUND ART SHOW!

Ocean Park, Washington, September 16, 2009 – The summer has been a productive one for local artists.  Experiencing a surprising rise in sales of original work (definitely something new), over the last dozen plus months of art shows and festivals, Peninsula Arts Association members have been hard at work learning new techniques and better ways to hone their talent while creating new works for exhibition. 

This buzz of activity has brought new members to PAA.  Oysterville resident, Wayne Ivy, has decided to enter a few of his master craftsman, mission style furniture works of art in PAA’s upcoming 39^th Annual Fall Art Show.  Following the time honored method of oak fuming (something old); Ivy works his magic with wood according to the strictest rules put in place by famous furniture maker Gustav Stickley.  Other new to PAA art show entrants include Normandie Hand, who is trying her hand at mosaic portraits, Nancy Meyrick in both color and black & white photography, Amanda Frink with charcoal drawing and Michael Campellone, a returning member, brings work featuring his interest in macro-photography.  

 Also adding to the creative renewal benefiting PAA has been the formation of two local, media specific groups.  The Peninsula Clay Artists and the Peninsula Photography Club have not only brought artists together in more tightly focused groupings, but have both produced successful exhibitions over the summer.

“Working in clay, or ceramics, is such a large field that we all bring unique skills and experiences with us,” said Susan Raymond, a PAA and Peninsula Clay Artists member.  “The best part of coming together is that we learn tremendous amounts from one another…some of those special things and secrets other artists use to make things happen.  It’s like borrowing from one another, not just equipment, but ideas.” 

Jean Nitzel, owner of The Picture Attic in Long Beach, and well-respected local photographer and artist said this of the recently formed Peninsula Photography Club.

“There has always been a large group of photographers on the peninsula.  For the first time in some while, they have joined together.  I think this has helped many of them focus on the idea of their photography as an art form.  Peggy Bleckov (a founding member of the club), took it to the next step by organizing an exhibition.”

Rick Houston, a PAA member of several years and avid photographer will be entering his vivid, deep blue and time-lapsed photo, Night Meglar, in the fall show.  The shot differs from what he calls his “click and print” style and moves into the world of altered options.

“I have two photography mentors,” said Houston, a PAA member of several years.  “David Meyers, a photography instructor at Clatsop Community College, taught me the basics of black & white imaging, studio lighting, photo critiquing and film developing.  Jim Unwin, a photography instructor at Grays Harbor College, taught me the digital side of photography.  Jim taught me about the possibilities a photo contains with the use of computer software”

Unwin, also a Peninsula Arts Association member, will be entering three wood sculptures in the show. 

“As the entries have come in,” said PAA President Bonnie Cozby, “it has been surprising to see so many artists stepping out of their expected areas.  We have paper artists entering photography, watercolorists doing acrylic, photographers entering wood sculpture and potters entering drawings.  It’s like a wind has come through and stirred everything around.  I think the show will be fantastic!”

In addition to the art show, there will be an Inspired Creations shopping area at the venue.  This section is filled with additional art and art inspired work from many of the artists exhibited in the show.  Designed for same-day purchases, a portion of all show sales from Inspired Creations (and the Art Show), are deposited into PAA’s Scholarship Fund.

The 39^th Annual Fall Art Show and Sale opens October 9, 2009 and runs through October 12, 2009.  Located at the World Kite Museum, (303 Sid Snyder Road, Long Beach), hours are from 10 to 5 pm daily.  On Saturday evening, October 10, from 6 to 8 pm, there is an Artists’ Reception, which is open to the public.

All monies, from the sale of raffle tickets sold at the show, benefit PAA’s High School Graduate Scholarship Fund.  PAA members have donated the art and art related raffle prizes.  There is no admission fee and parking is plentiful.  More information?  Call 360-665-6041 or visit www.beachartist.org.

ONE DOZEN AWARD WINNING ARTISTS EXHIBIT A SECOND LOOK AT ILWACO HOSPITAL

Ocean Park, Washington, September 27, 2009 – One dozen artists, all ribbon winners in PAA’s April Art Show, are exhibiting work through October, at the Ocean Beach Hospital in Ilwaco, Washington.

“I contacted many of the ribbon winners from the Spring Show to see if they would like to exhibit their winning pieces in a new venue,” said Peninsula Arts Association’s Art Around Town Chair Veronica Frink.  “We got a great response from the artists.”

Ruth Carpenter’s abstracts, Judy Leonard’s acrylic landscapes, Rose Power’s oil, Bernie Elliott’s still-life watercolor and Andrea Traphagen’s watercolor seascapes join with Carol Olson’s pastel portrait, Elizabeth Bonn’s drawing and Vickie Starr Wilburn’s textile creation and black and white photography to make up the majority of the show.  Photographers TK Diebold, Rick Houston and Bonnie Lou Cozby finish the group.  A giclee of Ruth Spani-Phinney’s triple award winning Evening Dig is also on view.

Peninsula Arts Association has sponsored the Art Around Town program for many of its 39 years.  Marilyn Casey oversaw the program for much of that time but after moving to the position of PAA Board Senior Advisor last year, she transferred the duties to Veronica Frink.  Since then, a new venue has been added, the Pacific County offices on Sandridge Road.

CORNICOPIA OF ART DONATED AS RAFFLE PRIZES FOR PAA FALL SHOW

Ocean Park, Washington, September 16, 2009 – An even dozen art donations have been gathered as raffle prizes for Peninsula Arts Association’s 39^th Annual Fall Art Show.  A chance to win an original piece of art or an art inspired work by one of PAA’s members costs only one dollar.  All monies received from the sale of raffle tickets goes directly into PAA’s High School Graduate Scholarship Fund.  Awarded annually, this $1000 scholarship is available to an art minded, graduating senior from either the Ocean Beach or Naselle/Grays River School Districts.

Handcrafted earrings from Chinook’s M & D Designs, a turquoise necklace from Nahcotta’s Judy Leonard, a collectible, signed, 1998 Kite Festival poster from Marie Wagner and a set of original art inspired Christmas cards from Wes Moehnke are joined by Marilyn Casey’s original shore bird painting and Karen Brownlee’s lacelike pottery bowl as prizes.  An original acrylic painting by Ocean Park’s Nancy Beliveau, a beautiful stained glass wall hanging from Elaine Sackville-West, Oysterville’s Joan Taplin tile trivet (featuring one of her kite watercolors), a limited edition print, in the softest of hues by Carol Johnson, a beach wreath by Bonnie Lou Cozby and a fish inspired concrete sculpture by Surfside’s Carol Olson finish off the list.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR PENINSULA ARTS ASSOCIATION 39^TH ANNUAL FALL ART SHOW

Ocean Park, Washington, September 3, 2009 – Peninsula Arts Association invites artists to participate in the upcoming 39^th Annual Fall Art Show, held October 9, 10, 11 and 12, at the World Kite Museum in Long Beach, Washington.

The show is open to all PAA members in good standing.  Information on joining PAA is listed on the website - www.beachartist.org.   Membership is currently $20 a year and runs from January to January.  The deadline to register for the Fall Art Show is September 22, 2009.  Interested artists may call Bonnie Cozby 360-665-6041 to receive registration packets.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DISCOVER LOCAL ART TREASURES AT SUMMER ART FESTIVAL 

Peninsula Arts Association holds 2nd Annual Summer Art Festival this weekend.

Ocean Park, Washington, July 14, 2009 – Whether you are a visitor to the peninsula area or are lucky enough to be living here, mark your calendars to attend the Peninsula Arts Association 2^nd Annual Summer Art Festival.  Held July 24, 25 and 26, at the Edgewater Inn on Sid Snyder Drive West (at the beach end of the southern Long Beach, WA beach approach), the festival will be filled with artistic creations from many of the area’s favorite artists.

Peninsula Arts (PAA) holds two very large art shows every year.  One of the favorite sections of these spring and fall shows has been Inspired Creations, where artists with pieces entered in the art show may sell other art inspired work.  As the art shows have grown, the space available for this important aspect of the event has lessened.  In 2008, it was decided to add a summer event designed specifically to showcase the work of these talented artists. 

“The biggest way the festival differs from the art show’s Inspired Creations is that the artists man their own tables at the summer event,” said Vickie Branch, Chair of this year’s festival.  Branch is the owner of M & D Designs in Chinook, a family business where along with her husband Terry and daughter and son-in-law Marion and Patrick Ogle, classes are held in their fully equipped hot glass studio and bead shop.

“An exciting dimension is added when a customer gets to meet the artist.  There is a lot of curiosity about how art is made.  It also gives the artists a chance to hear what people are looking for and to maybe pick up some custom work too,” said Branch.

A total of nineteen artists will participate in the festival.  All the work is either one-of-a-kind as in the original paintings, pottery pieces, glass creations and jewelry or it is artist inspired as in the prints, handmade art cards, magnets and such.  Prices range from low to high, but visitors will be happily surprised by the affordability of many original works.  Treasures await for all.

PAA ART SHOW TOP TWO HONORS WON BY RUTH SPANI-PHINNEY & FULL LIST OF WINNERS FOR SPRING 2009

Ocean Park, Washington, April 7, 2009 – For the first time in recent Peninsula Arts Association history, one artist has won both the Judge’s Choice ~ Best in Show and People’s Choice honors.  Ruth Spani-Phinney captured both ribbons with her oil painting, Evening Dig, an exacting depiction of a busy beach scene during a dusk clam tide.

“This is so unexpected,” said Spani-Phinney upon learning she had also won People’s Choice when she came to pick up her painting.  After hearing she would be the Featured Artist for the Fall Art Show she said, “I have to get to work!”

Judges for the show were Barbara Sampson and Teri Sund.

Barbara Sampson lives in Westport and is the current president and co-founder of the South Beach Arts Association.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in art and a Master of Education degree in art education.  Recently retiring from teaching high school art, she has also taught college classes and professional workshops. She has been a juror for many Northwest art shows.  Barbara started her art career as a potter and returned to her love of painting about ten years ago.  Her work has been widely exhibited and is in both private and public collections.  She currently teaches watercolor and drawing for Grays Harbor College. 

Teri Sund, Exhibits Director for the RiverSea Gallery of Astoria, Oregon, received her Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts from Western Washington University.  Throughout the last twenty years, she has worked to support artists within both non-profit and for-profit art agencies.  Other positions held include, Gallery Director to the Art Center Gallery of Clatsop Community College, Director to the White Bird Gallery in Cannon Beach, Oregon, and manager to the cooperatively owned Fine Woodworking Gallery in Seattle, Washington.  She has dedicated her career to the promotion of all visual art forms.

Both judges were complimentary about the skills shown in the work brought before them and were surprised at the diversity of work.

“Once again, our members presented art work spanning from intricate and small fantasy glass pieces to hand painted dining tables and the update to our categories really seemed to work,” said PAA President Bonnie Cozby.  “We had humor in Nancy Beliveau’s Dollars & Cents, and Judy Leonard’s The Portal, brought tears to many viewer’s eyes.  We were also very happy with the number of student entries and even happier that we sold more original art works than last fall’s show.”

PAA’s 18^th Annual Spring Art Show ~ Ribbon Winners

Watercolor SEASCAPE / LANDSCAPE

1  Andrea Traphagen, Laundry Day

2  Andrea Traphagen, Wild Run

3  (tie) – Marty Blount, Rushlight Lake Cabin

3  (tie) – Carol Johnson, Old Puget Sound Ferryboat     

Watercolor STILL LIFE / FLORALS 

1  Maxine Brown, Untitled

2  Bernie Elliott, Fall Floor

3  V Starr, Starr Crab    

Acrylic SEASCAPE / LANDSCAPE

1  Judy Leonard, Drinkers of the Wind

2  Marie T. Wagner, Purple Fields of Tulips

3  Judy Leonard, The Varmit    

PORTRAIT – All Media

1  Carol Johnson, Wistful Thinking

2  Carol Olson, The Visitors

3  Maxine Brown, Great Blue Heron

Honorable Mention

Carol Olson, Serenity

Michele Beaulieu, Heavy Gear

ABSTRACT – All Media

1  Ruth Carpenter, Dazzled & Different

2  Ruth Carpenter, Cosmic Fusion

OIL

1  Ruth Spani-Phinney, Evening Dig

Honorable Mention

Rose Power, Berry Farm

MIXED MEDIA

1  Marilyn Casey, Ever Onward

COLLAGE

1  Judy Cox, Ocean Mystique

2  Sharon Strong, Jugs A’Plenty

3  Marie T. Wagner, Salmon

JEWELRY

Honorable Mention

Marcia Rockwell, Crystal Dream Choker

CLAY

1  Susan Raymond, Dancing with the Sun

2  Susan Raymond, Sea Serenade

TEXTILES

1  Judy Cox, Harmony at the Beach

2  V Starr, Flowers Forever

BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY

1  V Starr, O’Baranacle Goose

COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY

1  Theodore K. Diebold, Winter on the Chinook

2  Bonnie Lou Cozby, Aeroplane ~ Fields

3  Rick Houston, Sign Cemetery

Honorable Mention

Rick Houston, Winter at Pete’s Creek

DRAWING

1  Elizabeth Bonn, Fellow Artist

2  Michele Beaulieu, Rabbit World

GLASS

1  Marion Ogle, Fantasy

2  Vickie Branch, Rainbows

PRINTMAKING

1  Marie T. Wagner, Astoria Bridge & Roof Tops

DECORATED ART / ASSEMBLAGE

1  Linda Wilson Fraser, Green Fairy

2  Cynthia Keyes, Sprigs - Willapa Bay

3  Michael Cox, Mugisa

JUDGE’S CHOICE ~ BEST IN SHOW

PEOPLE’S CHOICE

Ruth Spani-Phinney – Evening Dig

GRADE SCHOOL ENTRIES

All Grade School Students Received a Certificate of Merit

William Long

Keifer Gray

Austin Robertson

Alyxander Kelly Brown

Reed Sexton

Felicia Fox

Matthew Steffen

Henry Reed

Levi Pattison

Dylan L. Turner

Aaron Terry

Clark Wilson

Hunter Stockfleth

Eric R. McMillan

Amanda Bell

Grace McPhail

HIGH SCHOOL ENTRIES (ribbons awarded)

1  Jasmin Schaefer, Seahorse, Collage

1  Jessica George, Taste the Rainbow, Color Photography

2  Jasmin Schaefer, Untitled, Drawing

2  Jessica George, Waterfall in Yellowstone National Park, Color Photography

PENINSULA STUDENTS HAVE AN EYE FOR ART

Ocean Park, Washington, March 20, 2009 – Creativity is alive and well in many peninsula classrooms.  Thanks to the work of several teachers and Peninsula Art Association members, the upcoming PAA Spring Art Show will have painting, drawing and collage entries from twelve local students along with pottery works from another dozen.

“We’ve added the new position of Education Liaison to our Board this year”, said PAA Vice President Myrna Kay Thompson.  “Sue Raymond is our school liaison and she’s added a tremendous amount of expertise and energy into our student programs.  As Scholarship Chair, Elizabeth Bonn Zimmerman has expanded our working relationships with the Ocean Beach and Naselle School Districts and Karen Brownlee has been our go-to PAA member/teacher.”

Although PAA requires that all Adult artwork exhibited in shows be for sale, students may opt to not sell their work.  Student artwork is judged within two divisions, Student or High School as well as by categories the art represents.  First, second, third and Honorable Mention ribbons are awarded and all first place winners will be in the running, along with Adult first-place winners, for the Judges Choice - Best in Show.

PENINSULA ARTS ASSOCIATION FALL 2008 ART SHOW RESULTS

Long Beach, Washington, October 14, 2008 -

Judges for Peninsula Arts Association 38^th Annual Fall Art Show, Scott Leahing, Roger Masse and Lori Wallace-Lloyd, all from north coast Oregon towns of Astoria and surrounding Gearhart area, took several hours pondering their decisions.  Leahing, a potter, is of Astoria’s Dots ‘n Doodles and has an extensive art education background.  Masse was the gallery director at Trail’s End Art Association for many years and is an accomplished artist.  Wallace-Lloyd is a classically trained artist and instructor.  Ribbon winners are:

WATERCOLOR - SEASCAPE

1. David Bright – Water World

2. Marilyn Casey – Morning Tide

3. David Bright – Seeing Light     

WATERCOLOR - LANDSCAPE

1. Len Ellis – Autumn Alders

2. Carol Johnson – Tourist No. 3 Loading at Astoria Ferry Landing

3. Marilyn Casey – Plein Air Painting Class  

WATERCOLOR - STILL LIFE/FLORALS

1. Bernie Elliott – Pricky Sticky Cactus

2. Maxine Brown – Just Pears

3. Veronica Frink – Mussels From the Sea 

WATERCOLOR - ABSTRACT

1. Ruth Carpenter – Love That Gold   

PRINTMAKING

1. Jill Merrill – Canopy Western Redcedar  

DECORATED ART

1. Cynthia Keyes – Buckskin Brigade

2. Linda Sue Hanson – Peggy’s Cove

COMPUTER ART

1. Jeff Westphal  - Self Destruction

MIXED MEDIA

1. Carol Johnson – Poker Faces

2. Sharon Strong – Funny Face

3. E. Bonn Zimmerman -  - Mermaid Puzzle

COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY

1. Bob Beezley – One Summer Night

2. Rick Houston – River Ducks

BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY

1. Rick Houston – 101 Barn

CLAY

1. Susan Raymond – December Storm

1. Jan Richardson - Whales

2. Susan Raymond – Bamboo Teapot

3. Brigid Byrne – Pineapple Pot

OIL

1. Brigid Byrne – Sound of the Ocean

ACRYLIC

1. Marie Wagner - Garlic

2. Judy Leonard – Night Watchman

3. Nancy Beliveau – Tahitian Woman

Honorable Mention – Bernie Elliott – Rain on Japanese Maple Leaves

Honorable Mention – Rebecca Herren – Wings in Flight

GLASS

1. Sharon Strong – Filigree Bowl

2. Barbara Lester- Lighthouse Pendant

DRAWING

1. Michele Beaulieu – Not Just Another Pot

2. Michele Beaulieu – Fractured Queen

3. Michele Beaulieu – Zebra Lagoon

METAL

1. Phillip Harwell - Tranquility

2. Phillip Harwell – Still Fishing

3. Phillip Harwell – Blue Moon Echo

TEXTILES

Honorable Mention – Su Cruz – August Moon

HIGH SCHOOL

1. Brandin Bernasek – Creature - Clay

YOUTH

1. Keifer Gray – Beasties - Drawing

2. Vito “Buster” Pelham – Bumble Bee in the Clouds – Mixed Media

3. Brad Bernasek – Catch Me if You Can – Watercolor

4. Vito “Buster” Pelham – Firehouse and a Flag – Acrylic

BEST IN SHOW - JUDGES CHOICE                                           

            Jan Richardson – Whales – Clay                       

PEOPLE'S CHOICE