“You never think it’s going to happen to you.”

At 62, Gary Nisbet found himself in a situation he never imagined he would land in.

An artist with a prolific past, Nisbet was living day-to-day with health complications and an injury that prevented him from continuing work in a job he held.

One day, he googled, “Artists who died penniless.”

The list was extensive, and included greats like Rembrandt, Vincent van Gogh, Gauguin and Vermeer.

“My spirits were lifted,” he said.

That was in the winter of 2017.

It’s spring now, and Nisbet, now 63, has a new home, and a new career allowing him to return to teaching and curating art shows.

He’s living at the temporary housing venture Bayside Housing in Port Hadlock, and is an artist in residence at Bayside’s partner organization, the Old Alcohol Plant inn.

“It’s my rebirth,” Nisbet said. “It’s my renaissance.”

OAP

As its artist in residence, Nisbet is also guiding the Old Alcohol Plant, known as OAP, through its own artistic renaissance.

OAP reopened last year in March, after being shuttered in 2011, and operates under a name that refers to its history as a manufacturer of ethyl alcohol in the 1900s.

Today, its primary mission is to support Bayside, which provides housing and services to people in need as they improve their quality of life. OAP also aims to create what owner Gary Keister calls a rural community art venue.

“We hope to create an inclusive community art space where art and artists, of various forms, are put into direct contact with the community,” Keister said.

Nisbet first showed his work at the grand opening March 17, 2017 along with fellow local artist and friend Stephen Yates. Since then, the gallery has hosted shows and workshops, including a show with Michael Adams – son of photographer Ansel Adams – whose own father built OAP in 1909.

Now that he is the official artist in residence, Nisbet will help OAP become a recognized art haven.

“With Gary’s experience and connections in the art world, his presence will accelerate the growth towards our objective,” Keister said.

Nisbet cannot say enough about his new home.

“It’s a very healing sort of presence here,” he said. “The karma (here) is really good; I call it good karma cove.”

A TEACHER

Nisbet will act as both show curator, event organizer and workshop teacher.

“Our long range idea is for this to be a destination workshop, with people coming from all over the country,” Nisbet said. “This is a perfect location for it. It’s a quiet park – it’s a beautiful building.”

A workshop Nisbet currently is leading this week and next focuses on what he calls collage painting.

He is guiding students through the process of creating their own visual art using personal collage materials, and learning techniques such as metallic leaf, crackle finishes and painting.

Nisbet, who in the past taught weekly classes at Port Townsend School of the Arts, said he likes the short, intense workshop style OAP offers

He’s also excited to help ammeter artists break through barriers discover their talent.

He recalled one story from a past teaching gig.

A woman, 84, told a story about how, when she was a student and had painted a picture of an apple tree in school, her teacher put a black X over the art, because she hadn’t included any apples on the tree.

“That one moment just completely froze this woman,” Nisbet said. “I hope to break through that.”

CURATOR

One show Nisbet is particularly looking forward to, called “An American Tune,” is set for Oct. 15 through Dec. 31, with an opening reception Nov. 4.

It’s timing, just before the midterm elections, is significant.

The show will feature a series by Nisbet called “The Presidents of The United States of America, a Work in Progress,” which explores how the presidency is being redefined in the country.

“I had started this series in 2016 after a conversation with my son on why I wasn’t getting involved,” he said. “His question just made me think about it.”

Nisbet showed the first 20 or so pieces in the series at Northwind Art Center early last year, and was afterward nominated for an Artist Trust award. “To be nominated was a wonderful thing,” he said.

Nisbet noted in their day, presidential portraits were recognizable icons. “(They were) printed everywhere from handkerchiefs to teaspoons, and posters to postage stamps,” Nisbet said.

“In my presidential portraits ... (I) combine paint and collage techniques to play off the exalted tradition of presidential portraiture in general. Surfaces can be recycled board, fabric, canvas or even cardboard.”

The show will also include “Homestead,” photographs of California Homestead buildings by California photographer Michelle de Lancey Swoish, and “Making art, Making Music,” photographs by Seattle photographer Don Milgate.

RESTORATION

Nisbet contemplates the words he used to describe his new phase in life – “rebirth” and “renaissance.”

While noting he uses them with a dash of humor, he is reminded of his own artistic beginnings.

At 19, Nisbet was apprenticed at an art restoration company, A.T. Heinsbergen Company.

He worked on projects at historical landmark buildings around the state – including at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle and Carnegie Hall in New York – scraping through layers of paint and metallic leaf; working through accumulated history and legacy.

Then, he restored art.

Now, he’s restoring an artist – himself.

“I like the idea that I am working on my own restoration,” Nisbet said.