SEQUIM — “To have heart, you need art,” said the organizer of the First Friday Art Walk in Sequim.
“This month’s art walk embraces red as the theme color that represents heartfelt forte, vehement affection, driven leadership, active endeavors and intense jubilation,” Renne Emiko Brock said, adding that today also is “National Wear Red Day” to increase awareness of heart health.
“You will find works of art and folks supporting the option to decorate and dress in all shades of red from blush to burgundy for the evening out on the town,” she said.
First Friday Art Walk Sequim is a free, self-guided tour of local art venues in Sequim from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. the first Friday of every month.
Special events on the walk this month are listed:
• Cedarbrook Lavender Gift Shop, 120 W. Washington St., will celebrate its new location with a ribbon cutting and grand opening at 4:30 p.m.
Refreshments will be served.
The featured artist will be Ted Lund. His turned wood creations are made from salvaged maple, madrone and fruitwood trees from the Sequim area.
Proceeds from the sale of his work will go the Kiwanis Club for projects benefiting children.
• Sequim Civic Center, 152 W. Cedar St., is the venue for the City Arts Advisory Commission’s “Illuminations” exhibit and artists’ reception at the Karen Kuznek-Reese Gallery.
Also at the civic center will be an Open Jam Session from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.. This is not an open mic event but a true jam, meaning that musicians will play the same song as a group. The music will feature folk music and early rock, with many songs played in G, so all levels of musicians can join in.
For more information, contact Assistant City Manager Charisse Deschenes at 360-681-3432 or cdeschenes@sequimwa.gov.
• Olympic Theatre Arts, 414 N. Sequim Ave., will welcome Just in Tyme to the OTA stage.
In 2005, Sandi Lockwood found herself living in Sequim without a keyboard orchestra, so she re-designed herself and skills to create a live band, Just in Tyme.
The group will feature songs from its latest CD.
First Friday at OTA is always free to the public, where the snack and beverage bar will be open.
• Sequim Library, 630 N. Sequim Ave., will host the NOW (North Olympic Watercolorists) and live blues music by The Shaky Barbers.
The music will begin at 6:30 p.m., but attendees can arrive at 6 p.m. to view the artwork and meet featured NOW artists.
Refreshments will be served and limited library services will be available during this free after-hours event.
The new Art in the Library exhibit features NOW paintings through June 1.
Featured artists include D.R. Anderson, Beverly Beighle, Rita Heywood, Janet Flatley, Shirley Rudolf, Roger Huntley, Judy Larimore, John Wilkinson and Lyn Conlan.
The Shaky Barbers will share their unique, original music for the lap steel guitar inspired by Hawaiian ragtime, Klezmer and pre-WWII blues.
• Blue Whole Gallery, 129 W. Washington St. will present the exhibition “Climate Change.”
From a little seabird caught between the needs of man and a changing ocean to plastics, weather patterns, continuous melting at the earth’s end to a tree of hope, the gallery’s artists tell stories of the effects of a changing climate.
The show is curated by Joyce Volmut and Jeannine Chappell.
• Sequim Museum & Arts, 544 N. Sequim Ave., will share its collection of historic pictures during the month of February in the Judith McInnes Tozzer Gallery.
In addition, wood artist Bob Stipe will bring one of his kayaks to display.
Stipe, who was born in the old Sequim General Hospital, is retired from the Army and worked with wood for decades. He purchased patterns for the boats, milled some of his own wood — including maple from a tree that grew near the log cabin where he was raised — and completed two kayaks.
After helping a friend complete another, Bob and daughter Staci are working on her kayak when she visits from Louisiana.
• Design2Scan3D at the Spruce Building, 207 W. Spruce St., will continue its “Platter Matter” series and offer a few curious folks a chance to glaze a platter at the studio. No prior experience is necessary.
Platters have been fired once and are ready for one’s artistic touch (must sign a waiver to participate).
Completed platters will be displayed and may be purchased during the March Art Walk.
• Wind Rose Cellars, 143 W. Washington St., will host visual artist and designer Makayla DeScala.
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, she said her inspiration is the diverse and rugged landscape around her.
Her newest collection of paintings — environmental cloudscapes — will be featured at Wind Rose Cellars through February.
To download and print a map and find special events and links, see www.sequimartwalk.com.
The Art Walk Facebook page is at www.facebook.com/sequimartwalk.
To participate as a venue or artist, contact Brock at 360-460-3023 or renne@uniqueasyou.com.