New to the Gallery

Pam Padgett is a poet and artist (with previous experience in accounting and law!). She writes, "to me, painting is a lot like poetry. It begins with an image and a feeling and from there it takes on its own creations . . . it is a mysterious process."
Pam Padgett, Garden Treasures, oil on canvas.

Gretchen Hancock looks for the ordinary scene transformed by light. "I look for views in nature," she writes, "that are simplified and organized by the pattern of light and shadow."

Gretchen works in acrylics, painting on a white gesso ground that allows for transparency. She paints thinly at first, adding texture, then scraping, scrubbing, and re-working. She adds, "I aim for a final effect that looks easy and loose, no matter how much I worked to get there."

A Mid-West native, Gretchen Hancock has lived in Alaska, and, for the last twenty years, in the Pacific Northwest.

Julia Lowther
Congratulations to Julia, who won a $250 award for her piece "Tapered Square Byzantine Necklace" that is part of the Materials: Hard & Soft exhibition (Jan. 26 - May 20, 2008) put together by the Greater Denton Arts Council of Denton, TX. http://www.dentonarts.com
Photo by Daniel Van Rossen

Merilee Moore's Votives Fly High
When Boeing launched its new Dreamliner, it flew in 250 of its nearest and dearest friends to help celebrate the occasion. Looking around for an appropriate gift from the Northwest, Boeing found Merilee Moore and her blown-glass votives (available you know where).
Congratulations to Merilee!

Gregory Kono Studies Kite-making with Japanese Master
Gregory writes: Mikio Toki is one of the finest contemporary kite makers and painters in Japan and has showcased his talent in exhibitions and demonstrations throughout the world. Toki learned about Edo kites from traditional kite maker Katsuhisa Ota and has worked over 30 years to keep the traditional Edo kite form alive.

Toki and I first met in Seattle briefly in the spring of 2003. A few months after we were reunited to teach a workshop along with Canadian kite maker Robert Trepanier at the University of Missouri and Stephens College. The experience was amazing and increased my kite making awareness and skills tremendously.

Thanks to a grant by the Drachen Foundation, I found myself once again reunited with Mikio Toki. This time I spent 5 full days with the master kite maker, learning the art of building traditional Japanese Edo kites and experiencing a glimpse of Japanese culture.