Leader News Staff
news@ptleader.com

The Port Townsend Gallery should soon attract a flock of art lovers: birds are a featured subject of the gallery’s artists in April.

According to the gallery, a diverse range of artists will participate in the exhibition and many have selected favorite pieces that honor birds in their many habitats and poses.

Selected artworks include wood carvings, photographs, watercolors, collages, acrylic paintings, batik prints, woodblock printing, fiber arts, ceramic ware, photo etchings, and crafted metal art.

The gallery will be open for Art Walk from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 1. Light refreshments will be available.

Show organizers note the varied works in the exhibition are unique and authentic; and all the artists featured convey their respect and admiration for their medium and subject matter.

Participating members include Pat Herkal, Maegan Sale Kennedy, and Andrea Slemmons.

Herkal has called Port Townsend home for nearly 20 years. She has shown her work across Puget Sound and is a member of Peninsula Fiber Arts.

Her hand-sewn art is inspired by color, whimsy, and the natural world, and Herkal is fond of creating birds and other animals.

Herkal’s history in fiber art stretches back to the age of 5, when her grandmother taught her how to crochet rugs and embroider. Her beadwork at Port Townsend Gallery includes critters, vessels, jewelry, and wall art.

Kennedy, a mixed-media graphic artist, joined the Port Townsend Gallery in 2022.

As a child, Kennedy always had a pen and camera in hand and grew up surrounded by art, as both of her parents are avid art collectors.

She enjoys drawing intricate details and bright colors, and finds ideas from children’s books, posters, cartoons, and her well-rounded classical and artistic education.

After obtaining a degree in photojournalism, Kennedy became interested in pen-and-ink drawings.

She has a fascination with color and composition, and uses pen and ink, watercolors, charcoal, and colored pencils to create her pieces.

According to the gallery, Kennedy first tries to capture reality, and then gives it her own unique interpretation.

Slemmons is a nature photographer and travels throughout Canada and Alaska in her search for images.

Time and patience are crucial elements. Slemmons rises before sunrise to catch the best light and waits for the perfect moment to capture the personality of the bird she is photographing, instead of simply documenting an image of her subject. 

Her work is printed on glossy aluminum sheets to give her subject matter more vivid color. Andrea’s photographs are in multiple sizes.

The Port Townsend Gallery is at 715 Water St. and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and also by appointment.

For more information, call 360-379-8110 or go to porttownsendgallery.com.