LEL’S BLOG

Hello and welcome! Here you'll find news and musings about art, inspiration, and upcoming shows.


Abstract, contemporary art – 4×4 exhibit in Port Townsend thru Aug. 7

The 4×4: Art by Design show looks fab! It’s exciting to see our work shown together. We each have unique approaches in mediums that include monoprint/stitched paper collage, ceramic vessels, digital painting, limited edition prints, and abstract wood sculpture.

4×4: Art by Design

June 9 – August 7, 2022
Northwind Art Jeanette Best Gallery
701 Water Street, Port Townsend
Gallery hours: Thurs. – Mon. noon-5 pm. 
Art at Night, Saturday, July 2, Open until 8 pm.

Join us for a second Artists’ Talk and Meet + Greet: Saturday, July 9 at 1 pm.

Four artists smiling for a selfie in an exhibit of their work
Exhibiting artists: David Owen Hastings, Brian O’Neill, (Me), and Tim Celeski (excellent selfie by David)

The exhibit features works by Tim Celeski (Indianola, WA), David Owen Hastings (Sequim, WA), Leslie Newman (Indianola, WA), and Brian O’Neill (Bellingham, WA)

Contemporary art hanging at an art exhibit in Port Townsend
The gallery is a beautiful space for art! The striking tall vertical pieces are 3D Sketch series 1, 2, and 3, carved walnut, by Tim Celeski.
Artwork in a spacious gallery, ceramic vessels in foreground. Colorful modern prints, and wood sculptures hanging on the walls.
Ceramic vessels by Brian O’Neill are in the foreground. Landing Party, and a set from my Glyph series are visible on the back wall.

4×4: Art by Design – Northwind Art Jeanette Best Gallery, Port Townsend

I’m pleased to be included in a group show at Northwind Art, Jeanette Best Gallery, June 9 – August 7, 2022. Read on for the Northwind Art press release.

4x4 ART BY DESIGN, Tim Celeski, David Owen Hastings, Leslie Newman, Brian O'Neill

Port Townsend, WA – An exhibit featuring four regional artists, 4×4: Art by Design, opens June 9 and will run through August 7 at Northwind Art Jeanette Best Gallery, 701 Water Street, gallery hours are Thursday through Monday, noon-5 pm.
There will be an Artists’ Talk and Meet + Greet: Saturday, June 11 at 1 pm.

“All of these artists share a common career path,” says Kathleen Garrett, Exhibits Director at Northwind Art. “They all started out as graphic designers and continue to use those skills as they have migrated to the world of fine art.”

The exhibit features works by Tim Celeski (Indianola, WA), David Owen Hastings (Sequim, WA), Leslie Newman (Indianola, WA), and Brian O’Neill (Bellingham, WA) and focuses on abstract art in mediums including prints, quilts, ceramic vessels, digital painting, and abstract wood sculpture.

Tim Celeski – abstract wood sculpture
David Owen Hastings, stitched paper collage
Leslie Newman, contemporary abstracts
Brian O’Neill, ceramic vessels

Art in the Woods Studio Tour & upcoming shows

After this long Covid-induced break from in-person art shows, I’m delighted to be participating in three events this season. I hope to see you.

TLDR: 2021 Upcoming shows

  • Art in the Woods (our place is on the tour!)
    Nov. 12-14, 10 am–5 pm
  • Indianola Holiday Art Fair, Nov. 20, 9 am–3 pm
  • Bainbridge Island Winter Studio Tour, Dec. 3-5 
  • Masks required for all events

You’re invited to Fernwoods

Art in the Woods2021 brochure cover

What the heck is Fernwoods? That’s what we call our place in Indianola, Washington where my husband, Tim Celeski, and I live and work. It’s tucked up in the woods, and yes, it has a lot of ferns! 

Tim and I will be showing our art together as part of the North Kitsap peninsula Art in the Woods Studio Tour. It’s a self-guided tour of 18 Artists’ studios, with over 50 participating local artists. 

Art in the Woods Studio Tour, Nov. 12-14

Fri., Sat., Sun., Nov. 12-14, 2021, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (Tour website)

Waiting Dream in 2021 CVG Show

Expressive abstract painting in earth colors and soft aqua and salmon pastels

I’m grateful my digital painting Waiting Dream was accepted into the 2021 CVG Show. The annual CVG Show is one of the largest and most prestigious art competitions in the Northwest. This diverse exhibit features about 130 works by artists across Washington state. Jurors award over $9,000 in prizes. For a complete list of artists, the entire show, and exhibition events, visit www.CVGShow.com. All works are for sale.

The show is up now and will continue through February 26. Collective Visions Gallery is located in downtown Bremerton at 331 Pacific Avenue, just four blocks from the ferry terminal. The Gallery is open Wed. – Sat., 11 am to 4 pm. (Following COVID protocols.)

Waiting Dream
Limited edition archival print
15.5 x 15.5 in image size, edition of 20
20.5 x 20 in. framed $450 (unframed $300)

In good company

Long-time art buddies Mitchell Albala, Sandy Haight, and Obadinah Heavner also have artwork in the show. Along with Indianola friends Sklyar Kaster and Sydni Sterling. Thank you to juror Michael D’Alessandro for making exciting and diverse selections from almost 550 submissions. That’s a daunting task!

For a complete list of accepted artists, the view the entire show, and exhibition events, visit www.CVGShow.com.

Art Fundraiser!

2020 is a year for the history books: global pandemic, Black Lives Matter awakening and a democracy-on-the-line election in the US. It’s a tragic and desperate time for many. I want to do something helpful and hopeful. I’m not an essential worker. I have the luxury to work from home with lots of space and nature around me. I’m humbly grateful for my circumstances. So…

30% to CAMFED and OneGoal

Now and through the end of the year, I will donate 30% of proceeds from my art print sales to organizations that make the world a better place. Funds will be split between CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education in Africa) and OneGoal – Helping close the college divide in the United States. Both organizations transform lives and create long-term progress through education. I learned about these organizations from Nicholas Kristof’s NYTimes “Gifts that Change Lives”article. Every year he produces a holiday guide suggesting “gifts with meaning” and awards his Holiday Impact Prize to organizations that make big impacts for good. They receive matching funding and lots of visibility. Below are excerpts…

CAMFED

Educate a girl. My grand prize winner is Camfed (originally called the Campaign for Female Education), which helps girls in African countries get an education. One of the world’s best bargains is the chance to help a girl go to school in a country like Ghana, Malawi or Zimbabwe: A year in high school costs $150, elementary school about $30.

— Nicholas Kristof

OneGoal

Send a young person to college. Another prize winner is OneGoal, which mentors low-income students in the United States, helping them graduate from high school and succeed in college. OneGoal ensures that Black lives matter: 96 percent of participants are students of color, and it provides a bridge for them to complete high school and get a solid start in college.

— Nicholas Kristof

If you’re considering adding art to your walls, this is a win-win. If not, please consider donating or volunteering for organizations listed at Kristoffimpact.org

Thanks for reading. Be well.

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