Gallery-9 in Port Townsend will showcase three artists this month: Carolyn Doe and Larry and Linda Gonzales.

Doe is a self-taught silk batik artist and oil painter.

Gallery-9 will present current works from the artist; framed silk batiks with autumn themes and birds. 

Doe began working in batik on silk fabric more than 30 years ago. 

“Batik has become my voice,” she explained. 

Doe creates images of nature on silk fabric using pure beeswax and silk dyes. These are then stretched and framed under glass. 

“When dye touches silk fabric it spreads like crazy. The wax creates a boundary. It is this dance of control/no control that captivates me for hours,” she added. “Through this ethereal quality, I try to convey the essence of a place and of the creatures who dwell there.” 

Her oil paintings display a simplicity and captivating depth. Using palette knives, she creates wide horizons with stately trees, or the quick pose of a small bird on a slender branch.

“I’m not one to say a lot about my art. It comes from a feeling place, something I can’t put to words. I want those who are drawn to my art to experience their own feelings and thoughts around it,” Doe said.

Linda and Larry Gonzales create wood relief carvings of nature found in the marine world of the Olympic Peninsula, from whales, octopus, and sea stars to seascapes and mammals.

Larry grew up in Colorado on a farm and became interested in metal soldering at an early age while welding farm equipment and working with materials like metal, wood, and glass. He discovered and taught himself stain glass and wood marquetry, and later turned his focus to wood sculpting. 

Linda was born and raised in Colorado where she was a kindergarten teacher for 25 years. In that time she learned to make dream catchers out of rhizomes from trees and sinew and inuksuks from rocks. 

Larry Gonzales took up relief carving when the couple moved to Washington, with Linda helped to design pieces and color them.

Their business is called “By the Sea,” and their creative process starts with first carving a flat piece of wood, then painting, staining or otherwise coloring the piece to bring a salty vignette to life.

Gallery-9 is home to the North Olympic Artist Cooperative and is located at 1012 Water St., Port Townsend. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Monday; masks are optional.

The gallery is online at gallery-9.com.