What’s Happening!

Bright and Beautiful – Terri Biondolino and New Members (Jeff Considine, Laura Moore, Nancy Peet, Randy Tierney, Shayna Robnett) – October 2024

Meet the Artists – Sequim Art Walk – Friday, October 4th from 5-8pm

Writers Read – Wednesday, October 9th from 2-3pm

Olympic Peninsula Authors “Inspired by Art” Book Launch Party – Wednesday, October 30th from 3-6pm

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 art 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- Bright and Beautiful

Terri Biondolino and New Members (Jeff Considine, Laura Moore, Nancy Peet, Randy Tierney, Shayna Robnett) – October 2024 What does an environmental specialist, a CPA, a dentist, a mother, an animal shelter cofounder, and a product development specialist all have in common? They all recently joined Blue Whole Gallery as artists. Their art is as diverse as their former and, in one case, current careers. They all share a passion for beauty, color, and of course art. Nancy Peet, Shayna Robnett, and Randy Tierney are all painters. Nancy is a watercolorist focusing on bright florals. Shayna’s art reflects her love of the Peninsula in landscape oils. Randy’s work is based in the Sumi painting style and tradition. Terri Biondolino’s expertise is centered on a challenging form of porcelain, specifically colored clay known as Nerikomi. Jeff Considine designs and creates unique wooden boxes. Laura Moore uses everything she sees in nature to design and create her jewelry. Blue Whole Gallery is pleased to present its Bright and Beautiful work during the month of October. Artist selected pieces will be on display in the front windows of Blue Whole Gallery throughout the month. The artists will be available to meet and talk with during the opening reception on Friday, October 4th, from 5-8 pm.

October Student of the Month – Tristan Loftus

I am a senior at Sequim High School. I have been an artist for about three years. I started creating art when I arrived in Sequim, WA after I moved from Oregon. I did not have the chance to create any art when I was attending school in Oregon, so getting to express myself as an artist has been a great experience for me. I am a student with learning disabilities. Even with these challenges, I apply well to the artistic process and love expressing myself as an artist. I am inspired by my mood and my feelings. I work best with hands-on projects at school, and I turn to art to help with processing my emotions. I also try to help myself regulate my feelings and try not to overthink projects.  Therefore, I try to create without thinking. Whenever something pops into my head, I just make it. I try not to plan out how a design will look; I just create it.  I was enrolled in an advanced Ceramics class last year and made a series of ceramic masks that represent the challenges of having a disability with a focus on mental health awareness. Emotions that I process while making these masks include loneliness, depression, anger, and confusion.  The series is very powerful. The masks represent a part of me when I create them. Building the masks help to regulate my negative thoughts. During the process, it feels like my darkest emotions get sucked out of me and into the art. Each mask represents something about me, my life, or something I am trying to process about the world around me.

“Calamity”

The mask on display, “Calamity” is about my depression and anger at the world. The colors I chose represent different aspects and emotions. Red represents the environment around “the mask”/me. The black represents the “bad things” in the world. White represents emptiness in the world. After I create these masks, I feel happy, accomplished, and like I have made another part of myself that I did not know was there. Art helps me feel better, confident, and like I am good at something. I have been able to sell several of these masks I have created, and it brings me joy that others enjoy my art. It makes me feel satisfied to see them go to a good home.

Gallery Hours

Monday – Saturday 10am – 5pm

Sundays 11am – 3pm

129 W. Washington St. Sequim, WA 98382

360-681-6033

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