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Whidbey Xtra! WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2015 | Vol. 1, No. 23 | WWW.WHIDBEYNEWSTIMES.COM | FREE
Whidbey Allied Artists hold Coupeville art, gift show By KATE DANIEL
kdaniel@whidbeynewsgroup.com
Over 25 Whidbey artists will share their original artwork during Whidbey Allied Artists’ upcoming art and gift show. The show will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Oct. 9-10 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 11, at the Coupeville Rec Hall. It is one of approximately five shows the non-profit arts organization hosts each year, including the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival. According to member Charlotte Gray, the show provides an opportunity for artists to receive feedback on their work, as well as an opportunity for community members to meet the artists and purchase pieces directly from their creators. Gray crafts glass mosaics, as well as altered art — a form of creative expression in which the artist transforms ordinary objects into artistic pieces. “It’s just fun. You make something and wonder what people will think, so when you have that connection with the public it is
Photo by Kate Daniel/Whidbey News-Times
Norma Roberts, a member of Whidbey Allied Artists, creates intricate paper art. She will be one of several artists showing her work at the upcoming Whidbey Allied Artists Art and Gift Show. exciting,” said Gray. “You work basically in isolation, when you think about it, so to get a response is positive reinforcement.”
Whidbey Allied Artists began in 1958, when a group of artists of diverse backgrounds began meeting monthly at one anoth-
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er’s homes to paint as a group. Martha Bund, a Disney artist, was one of the early members. Dues at the time were $1 per year
to cover the cost of tea and snacks. Since then, the group has evolved and now consists of 35-40 members on aver-
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age, who pay $50 per year to cover such costs as the insurance at art show venues. Gray noted that the artists keep 100 percent of the profits from the sale of their artwork, thus making the art slightly less expensive for buyers than if purchased in a shop. She added that the collaborative group is very supportive of one another, providing education as well as encouragement for its members. New members are accepted each year based upon a juried review of three pieces of the prospective member’s artwork. Membership selections are made in January. Current members who will be showing their works at this weekend’s show include photographers, watercolor painters, woodworkers, jewelry-makers, paper artists and glass artists, according to Gray. Admission to the Whidbey Allied Artists Art and Gift Show is free. Donations of non-perishable food will be accepted to be given to Gifts from the Heart.