Port Townsend’s First Saturday Art Walk takes place from 5:30 to 8 p.m., April 1. If you get a chance to head out early, stop by Northwind Arts Center between 1 and 4 p.m. to participate in its Instagram-inspired show. Other events taking place on Saturday during Art Walk include a dance show in the Uptown District, and free admission to the Jefferson Museum of Art and History’s spring/summer show (see stories on B1). Key City Public Theatre’s PT Shorts, featuring readings of works by Wendy MacLeod, is at 7:30 p.m. at the playhouse, 419 Washington St.

'THANKS FOR SHARING' 

Northwind Arts Center

701 Water St., 379-1086

northwindarts.org

Nineteen artists from around the world who connected via Instagram are coming together to present “Thanks for Sharing: The Art of Instant, Global Inspiration” at Northwind Arts Center this month. The show, organized by Port Townsend’s Mike Biskup, brings original works by the participating artists together in the same physical space for a group exhibition highlighting the evolving practice of artists forging real-world community online.

“Thanks for Sharing” also notably connects this unique global online arts community to the small, relatively isolated community of Port Townsend, said Biskup.

The community is invited to participate before the show opens by stopping by Northwind between 1 and 4 p.m. on Saturday to create their own art. Basic art supplies are provided so that people can “instantly” create artwork in response to the show. Kids are especially encouraged. The art station is maintained throughout the show. An opening reception with five of the participating artists is at 5:30 p.m., followed by live music by Biskup’s band and an artists’ demonstration from 8:30 to 11 p.m.

NANCY FREDRICK & PHIL CARRICO

Port Townsend Gallery

715 Water St., 379-8110

porttownsendgallery.com

Port Townsend Gallery features works by Nancy Fredrick and Phil Carrico in April.

Fredrick has been painting and drawing landscapes for the past 45 years, and studied art at Cabrillo College and the University of California.

Fredrick is to show a selection of her favorite landscapes, some of which are from the Port Townsend area, while others are from travels along the coast between Big Sur and the Olympic Peninsula. She works in pencil, charcoal, pen and ink, and acrylic and oil. In addition, she also creates monotypes and monoprints using an etching press.

As a printmaker, Carrico relies on his surroundings to give him inspiration for his works. He taught art in Fairbanks, Alaska, for 20 years and once he retired, he returned to the University of Alaska and completed his Master of Fine Arts in printmaking.

Carrico is showing “Moonstruck,” a 13-color original reduction woodcut print, and “My Little Chickadee,” a nine-color original reduction woodcut print.

MARCY GORDON & JIM CONWAY

Gallery 9

1012 Water St., 379-8881

gallery-9.com

Gallery 9, which celebrates 13 years in April, is featuring watercolors by Marcy Gordon and turned wood by Jim Conway. An opening celebration during Art Walk includes cake and wine.

Gordon began her artistic career training and painting in oils, but discovered and fell in love with watercolor after exploring botanical illustration at the University of Washington. She has taught watercolor illustration for more than 25 years, and is currently offering a class at Port Townsend School of Arts.

“There is nothing more satisfying to me than to sit in front of a beautiful flower, studying the form and color, and then painting what I see,” Gordon said. She also is showing paintings from a series that celebrates the history of old barns in the area.

Conway is Gallery 9’s newest member, joining the group in February 2017.

A native of El Paso Valley in Texas, Conway returned to the Northwest after an absence of 40 years. His collection of wood objects includes bowls, platters, goblets, bottle stoppers and pens. “I have always had an appreciation for the inherent beauty of wood, and I choose my raw material to show off that beauty. I let the wood take center stage and show itself off to the beholder,” Conway said.

Gallery 9 is also displaying a stone sculpture called “8 of Hearts,” donated by Arliss Newcomb to benefit the Friends of Jefferson County Library. All proceeds from the sale would benefit the Friends of Jefferson County Library, a nonprofit dedicated to raising money to support the library.

Newcomb was a wood carver for 25 years, showing and selling work in Seattle, Friday Harbor, Los Angeles, San Diego, Baltimore and the Bahamas. In 1989, she received her first piece of stone from a stone sculptor on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, and hasn’t carved a piece of wood since.

‘ENCHANTED APRIL’

Simon Mace Gallery

236 Taylor St., 385-4433

simonmacegallery.com

Simon Mace Gallery presents its penultimate show, titled “Enchanted April,” before the gallery closes at the end of May for financial reasons.

“We have loved sharing our eclectic selection of artists with gallery visitors and the broader community,” said gallery co-owner Christina Mace in a press release. “However, financially speaking, the gallery has not thrived; in fact, we’ve never broken even.”

“2016 seemed poised to be our first break-even year, at least until we got to Nov. 8. Sales since the election have been sparse, and we just don’t feel optimistic about the future of art sales and have reluctantly decided to close.”

Named after the 1991 film of the same name, “Enchanted April” features painter Anne Schreivogl, who painted the image for the 2014 Port Townsend Film Festival poster, and ceramic artist Kim Murton.

The colorful fun of Murton’s ceramics are the perfect 3-D partner for Schreivogl’s paintings, which feature books, knitting ladies, typewriters, cats and silly birds, said Mace, who also expects to have pieces from a series called “Sweater Cats,” inspired by the pink “pussy hats” worn by women and men around the world during the post-inauguration day Women’s March, Jan. 21.

(Compiled by Leader staff writer Katie Kowalski.)