For 28 years Blue Whole Gallery has been in business, occupying the same location and still with one original member.
Art galleries are not known for longevity and yet Blue Whole has managed to stay afloat and stay put. That tenure is largely due to the support of the greater Sequim community.
Over the last four years, Blue Whole has focused on giving back to the community through month-long fundraisers on behalf of local non-profits as well as providing space for events such as the Olympic Peninsula Authors monthly event, Writers Read.
The gallery’s journey hasn’t always been smooth sailing. “It took a lot of work by a core group of about 12 people to get the
gallery started,” says founding member Barb Boerigter. “Then finding artists who were willing to join the gallery and put in the required time to keep things going was also a challenge.” There have been other challenges over the years, such as Covid.
“When I joined the Gallery in 2020 we were down to 17 members. The dues we generated weren’t enough to pay the rent,” states member Jolene Sanborn. “But we made it through and now the membership is up to 28 artists. Everyone gets along well, truly enjoying working and being together.”
The month of June will be a celebration of Blue Whole’s 28th anniversary. The show for the month is named “28 on the Strait” and will display works of art fashioned from our local area. Opening reception will take place during First Friday Art Walk, June 2 from 5-8pm and is open to the public. Stop by to meet the artists and enjoy their work.