An Artist Cooperative Gallery
The Blue Whole Gallery has been in the heart of downtown Sequim, Washington for over 25 years and has been recognized as a regional fine art center. The gallery displays work from over 25 local artists with expertise in oil, acrylic, watercolor, photography, digital artistry, ceramics, glass, wood, jewelry and more. Our artists are dedicated to our award-winning gallery where we exhibit and sell our artwork as well as engage with the vibrant arts community in our area. We always have something new and exciting to discover. Our main gallery is re-hung every four weeks to coincide with Sequim’s monthly First Friday Art Walks. Works created by our members are as varied and invigorating as the natural splendor of the Olympic Peninsula. We are also a cooperative gallery and self-organized. Members supply artwork to the gallery as well as work in the gallery on a regular basis completing the duties needed for the day-to-day operations of the gallery as well as special functions and projects. The name of the gallery comes from a term pilots use to describe the “blue hole” in the skies above Sequim, which contrasts with the normally cloudy Pacific Northwest. The hole in the clouds was changed to whole to convey the concept of wholeness in terms of the overall diversity of media and styles represented in our gallery.Current Exhibition- Here Comes Spring
Marilyn Hiestand and John Bertholl – March 2024 The Blue Whole Gallery is very ready for spring. Enough with the cold, snowy, wet weather! Marilyn Hiestand and John Bertholl are rolling out their desire for spring with their March windows “Here Comes Spring!” Marilyn’s mediums range from watercolors to silk painting. Once a resident of Hawaii, Marilyn now enjoys having 4 seasons in her year and she loves spring. “With the hope of spring, I start thinking about flowers, greenery and blue sky.” Her display in March contains all of these, rendered in watercolor, collage and silk painting. Her work is currently on display in the front window of the gallery as well as on her Blue Whole Gallery artist page. You can see more of her work at https://wovenwindfiber.art/ Spring is highly anticipated in Alaska, where John Bertholl spent over 60 years. When he moved to Sequim 10 years ago, he got “hooked” on working with driftwood. “I have experimented with resin and dyes. Combining the two processes, reveals the grain and form of the wood, producing a new and exciting art form.” John’s pieces are currently on display in the front window of the gallery as well as on his Blue Whole Gallery artist page.Student of the Month
Please help us welcome Silver Means, our student artist of the month for March. Silver Means (they/she) is a ceramicist and welder born in Taiwan and raised in Washington. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington in 2020, Silver moved back to Sequim and discovered the joy of working with their hands on local farms. This newfound love of hands-on work led them to enroll in the welding program at Peninsula College, and it was at the college that Silver took their first ceramics class. They are enthralled by the process of making–the highs and lows, collaboration, and creativity. “I am interested in the ability of art to be utilized in everyday rituals. Mundane joys inspire me, like the intimacy and connection one can have with something as simple as a beloved cup. I also love how commonplace objects can bring people together–community is a big part of my reason for being. This collection was made from stoneware clay on a potter’s wheel and soda fired. My next project will be a series of collaborative sculptures made by women welders, to be displayed in Webster’s Woods at the Port Angeles Fine Arts Center.” To view Silver’s art and read more about her artistic journey, follow her on Instagram @silversun.ceramics and visit the Blue Whole Gallery Mon-Sat 10-5pm, Sundays 11-3pm.
Gallery Hours
Monday – Saturday 10am – 5pm
Sundays 11am – 3pm
129 W. Washington St. Sequim, WA 98382
360-681-6033