Iffland, Mason at Simon Mace Gallery

During the month of September the Simon Mace Gallery, 236 Taylor St., is featuring sculptor Chuck Iffland’s new body of work titled “The Western Circus and the Whirling Dervish.” Part man, part wood and part metal, Iffland’s work can be described as “primal, feral, grotesque, hip, avant-garde and even a touch whimsical,” said gallery co-owner Christina Mace. 

(Read more about Iffland online at the Leader

tinyurl.com/9u957jq.)

Joining Iffland is two-dimensional artist Meg Mason. The Port Townsend painter and printmaker first caught the attention of Simon Mace Gallery in March, when she participated in the “Spirit of Place” group show at Northwind Arts Center.

“While Mason has created art most of her life, not much has been exhibited publicly, so we are very pleased to be able to introduce her to gallery visitors,” said Mace.

The show “Biomorphic Industrial” runs Aug. 30 through Oct. 1. 

Visit simonmacegallery.com.

What to do with a degree in science

Influenced by their backgrounds in the sciences, artists Paul Larned, Karen Rudd and Scott Schuldt use found and natural materials to create sculptural pieces that invite the viewer to “take a closer look.”

Glimpse this influence in their art from Aug. 31 to Oct. 1 at the Northwind Arts Center exhibition “What To Do With A Degree In Science.”

Holding degrees in art and medicine, Paul Larned creates enigmatic, ironic sculptures that often include images of human body parts.

Karen Rudd, who has a degree in zoology and has worked in an environmental toxicology laboratory, creates life-size tree stumps from corrugated cardboard.

A former aircraft engineer with a fascination for nature, Scott Schuldt creates finely crafted work from embellished handmade canoe paddles to sewn beadwork.

Meet the artists at Gallery Walk on Saturday, Sept. 1, from 5:30-8 p.m.

On Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. the artists are discussing their work at a Coffee Talk at Northwind Arts Center.

Vardi Art makes PT debut 

Violinist and painter Lenore Vardi welcomes the public to her new art gallery and music studio with a show featuring her paintings of flowers. 

Peek into her space, 280 Quincy St. Studio B, before then and steal a glimpse into her heart and history expressed in pieces from the Vardi Art collection of musical paintings – for which she and her husband, the late violist and painter Emanuel Vardi, are internationally known.

For decades, the Vardis lived and performed in New York as Carnegie Hall headliners and studio musicians, appearing on stage with a list of “greats” ranging from Louis Armstrong to Itzhak Perlman.

An injury late in life ended Emanuel’s stage career but not his artistic life. A trained painter, his early work landed him a showing in an Italian museum, and his later work frequently featured musicians. Emanuel passed away last year and Lenore decided to return to Port Townsend where she is accepting new violin and viola students – and resuming her life as a painter and performer.

“Everything has been ‘on hold’ since Manny’s death. The longer we were together, the more we collaborated, so my artistic life was intertwined with his,” Lenore said. “We had a tradition of using our art to connect with our community, and I look forward to continuing that tradition here.”

Lenore played Pomp and Circumstance and Meditation from Thais at the June graduation ceremony for Jefferson Community School, which is located above her new studio.

Vardi Art Studio operates on limited hours. Tours are available by appointment. Call Lenore Vardi at 206- 947-9694 or email

vardiart@vardiart.com. 

Visit lenorevardi.com and vardiart.com.

Artisans on Taylor 

Celebrating three years of gallery ownership, “My Favorite Things,” a group show curated by owner Anna Nasset, will debut at Gallery Walk from 6-8 p.m. This group show includes a collection of Nasset’s favorite artists and their works.

From Seattle, Betsy Barnum presents her drawings and prints, which, along with the addition of paint, create beautiful, fairytale-like illustrations.

Encaustic artist Theresa Stirling of Port Ludlow offers a new series of encaustics. Stirling looks to the beauty around her to create these dreamy, warm pieces.

Jesse Reno of Portland returns with his paintings that combine different mediums and derive from a place of history, dream, and otherworldliness. Gig Harbor artist Christopher Mathie also combines different mediums to create two-dimensional pieces. His landscapes and nudes harken to a place of dark mystery with their large brushstrokes and bold palette.

Ceramic sculptor Deborah Schwartzkopf of Seattle combines functional objects with a sense of playfulness in the angles of her pieces and through her glazes. Schwartzkopf’s technical ability and eye for design combine to create pieces that will bring a smile to the face of the collector.

Elyse Garling, a Port Townsend native who resides in New York, brings her stunning jewelry to the show. Using silver and gold, Garling creates pieces that combine fierceness and femininity.

Artisans on Taylor Gallery is located at 911 Water St.

Visit artisansontaylor.com.

Stephen Yates exhibit at The Cannery

Presented by The Port Townsend School of Maritime Art, Stephen Yates’ solo exhibit “Water, Sticks and Leaves” runs Sept. 1-23 at The Cannery, downtown near Quincy Street Dock.

The public is invited to the opening reception during Gallery Walk with live music by the acclaimed Bertram Levy Trio. The exhibition is open through September, Monday through Friday 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Yates’ work is widely collected and he has shown in 26 solo exhibits and over 130 group exhibits. After graduating from the University of Kansas in 1980 with a Masters in Fine Art, he moved to Port Townsend where he has actively pursued his art career.

Certain themes recur in his imagery, as seen in the work he has selected for The Cannery show. Abstract images of the natural world, especially water and plant forms, are found in most pieces. Gestural brushwork and many small brushstrokes are combined with fluid, uncontrolled passages and bold colors to suggest energy and movement. The scale shifts dramatically from small, one-foot-square pieces to a 5-by-12-foot triptych.

Yates’ work has been collected by various corporations, hotels, hospitals and public institutions, including 16 colleges and schools in Washington state.

Visit stephenyatesarts.com.

Exuberance at Red Raven Gallery

Ushering in “An Exuberance of Exquisite Colour,” Red Raven Gallery, 922 Water St., is showcasing the works of two outstanding Northwest artists, Jacqueline Chisick and Ellie Polk.

A well-known and established artist, Chisick’s newest works highlight her use of vivid and lush reds, oranges and golds to emphasize the natural beauty and dignity of women and admiration for the natural land. Polk’s abstract works explore the sensuousness of organic forms and suggest the ephemeral landscapes of otherworldly environments.

Meet these two extraordinary artists during Gallery Walk and every Wednesday throughout September.

Boat Show at the bishop

With the 36th Wooden Boat Festival approaching, the Bishop Victorian Hotel is planning a show of maritime paintings and other subjects at its gallery, 714 Washington St., Sept.1-2. The art displayed includes the work of signature members of the Puget Sound Group of Northwest Painters (PSGNWP). The exhibit runs through Oct. 31.

Included in the exhibit are world-class maritime paintings, portraits, landscapes, seascapes, and abstract paintings. Since 1928, group members have shown their work locally and nationally. Many are well known teachers of art, with some teaching workshops in foreign countries.

There is also a reception during the Boat Show from 5:30-7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8, as many of the artists plan to attend the boat show to paint images seen there, and to show the art they’ve completed.

Visit bishopvictorian.com.

Blue Raincoat Gallery comes to Water St.

Celebrating its grand opening at Gallery Walk, The Blue Raincoat Gallery offers esoteric art, eclectic collectibles and exotic coffee.

Located in the mezzanine of the James and Hastings Building, 940 Water St., the cozy, 220-square-foot gallery currently displays paintings by Denise Gargano and Enric Aromi along with photographic art by owner Don Manning, and art and jewelry by many Northwest artists.

“We are Port Townsend’s newest, smallest and hardest to find gallery!” said owner Don Manning, tongue in cheek.

Open regularly on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Manning is extending the hours until 8 p.m. for Gallery Walk. Guest artist Barbara Chandler-Young brings her Steampunk jewelry and other unique pieces to showcase.

Also available are numerous “items of nostalgia” and collectibles, and a large selection of high quality coffees from around the world.

“We have over 20 gourmet coffees, including single varieties, exclusive blends and Swiss water processed decafs in stock,” Manning said. “We aren’t in the espresso business, we just want to give serious coffee drinkers an option for obtaining high quality, mostly organic and Fair Trade beans.”

Free samples feature a different coffee each day so customers can try before they buy.

Contact Don Manning at 360-710-2893.

Port Townsend Gallery goes to the beach

During the month of September, the Port Townsend Gallery, 715 Water St., features work inspired by the seashores, lakes, and rivers of the Pacific Northwest through the work of Laurie Perrett and Will Kalb.

Perrett’s recent paintings draw on a long family history of visiting the beaches of Oregon and Washington. Based in part on perceptual information and in part on memory, these new works evoke an almost dream-like nostalgia for these places. Shifting to oils from her usual mixed-media art practice has been an exciting challenge for Perrett, an enthusiasm that shows in these paintings.

Kalb’s traditional photographic processes are offset by a quirky and often wry sense of humor in his subject matter. These recent images further explore the places where human beings interact with nature, long a theme in Kalb’s work.

Come meet the artists at a reception during Gallery Walk.

Visit porttownsendgallery.com.

Grover unveils evolution of collage works

September’s show at the Max Grover Gallery contains the second generation of Grover’s collage paintings, which have evolved over the last few years. 

He once again has drawn upon his own imagery and graphic design. Observing the work, one can discover much about Grover’s diverse interests and his passion for collecting ephemera, which he incorporates into the paintings. 

“I still see this work in its infancy, but I am so excited about the direction it has taken,” Grover said. “I am ever on the search for interesting matter to set the tone for a new painting.”

“New Paintings by Max” opens at Gallery Walk and runs through October.  

PT Shorts features ‘The Story Keeper’

As a special guest of the next PT Shorts program, Elaine Grinnell will share Native American stories of the Oral Tradition on Saturday, Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Pope Marine Building. 

Grinnell is a historian, storyteller and cook. In addition, she teaches classes in Native American drum making, basketry and Native American cooking.

“It is my desire to spread the word of the S’Klallam people,” Grinnell said, “Their culture, legends, food, survival, coping devices, dress and social structure within the community and families. Sharing with all peoples is the way of my people.” 

Grinnell shares legends and creation, animal and lots of fish stories. She has shared her stories in Alaska, New York and many other states and around the world. 

“I share the culture, legends and the lessons of the Native Americans,” Grinnell said. “This has not been shared with non-Native Americans in the past, which is sad!”

PT Shorts is a monthly series of literary readings produced by Key City Public Theatre and sponsored by the Port Townsend Arts Commission. Catch PT Shorts during Gallery Walk on the first Saturday of every month.

Tornatzky at Northwest Maritime Center

Luke J. Tornatzky exhibits new oil paintings and classic pastel paintings, mostly of small craft from his personal collection, beginning Sept. 1, at the second-floor gallery at the Northwest Maritime Center. Twelve years ago, Tornatzky was selected as the poster artist for the 24th Wooden Boat Festival.

Daily Bird Pottery demo

Daily Bird Pottery, 1011 Water St., is demonstrating the creation of one of their teapots during Gallery Walk.

Owners Darby and Phoebe Huffman see the teapot as the highest form of their collaboration. With their complementary skills, each brings a critical part to the form and function of the everyday beautiful teapot. Darby throws the shape on the pottery wheel, which is then married together with Phoebe’s sculpture, producing a unique vision of every day.

As with all of their wares, they encourage daily use, while accentuating special times. 

Museum open for Walk

The Jefferson Museum of Art & History is scheduled to be open during Gallery Walk with free admission.

The current exhibit, “Contemporary Expressions of the Northwest: Fine Art from the Robert and Nora Porter Collection,” features work by Tom Wilson, Anne Hirondelle, Kenneth Callahan, Fay Jones, Galen Garwood, Max Grover, Jim Alden, Carolyn Watts, Linda Okazaki, Stephen Yates, Martha Worthley, and Evangeline Nakano. Also on display is “Ansel Adams: A Portrait of Manzanar.”