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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Blazing the ‘North Country Artist Trails’

For the second summer, the Colville Arts Foundation has organized an eclectic mix of studios and galleries on its “North Country Artist Trails.”

The summerlong, free, self-paced tour features more than a dozen artists’ working spaces in northeastern Washington. This year’s 28 locations also include places to have a bite to eat, specialty shops and lodging.

Although participating artists have different hours throughout the season, all the studios are open this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and again Aug. 25 to 27.

Art tourists can see original paintings, drawings, wearable art, recycled art, sculpture, photography, woodworking, jewelry, stained glass and ceramics.

One of the locations is the studio of painter Gary Belcher in Orient, Wash. Belcher has a passion for painting the river valleys, farms and fields near his studio.

“I drive out to a location which captures my attention,” he says, “be it for the way the ambient light is hitting, the mood being evoked, or a dominating color or shape.”

Once on site, Belcher tries to finish his impressionistic paintings in one sitting, plein air style.

“I love smooshing the oil paint around on canvas,” he says.

“Oil painting is challenging because so many artistic elements must be brought together to achieve a satisfying painting including color harmony, composition and brushwork. It always becomes a fascinating puzzle to try and solve.”

While in the Orient area, swing by The People Place Store on Main Street to see River Jones’ hand-painted gourds.

Other stops along the tour include photographer Michele L. Sullivan in Ione; potter Shoshana Israel in Northport; printmaker and photographer Charlene Payton-Holt’s Eagle Ridge Art Studio in Republic; Thelma Thon-Sevey and J. Fred McDarment’s studio in Chewelah; and painter Carol Murphy near Colville

In Kettle Falls are Gloria de los Santos’ Studio Five and Dave Geary’s European Iron and Stone studio.

A brochure including a map, directions and studio hours is available at many area chambers of commerce or online at www.northcountryartisttrails.com.

William Grant Gallery

A new group show by six artists is under way at the William Grant Gallery in North Spokane.

Featured are the works of silk painter Janene Grende, raku potter Lezlie Finet, watercolorist Betti Jemison, egg tempera painter Irene Dahl, textile artist Linda Anderson, and acrylic painter and charcoal artist Craig Skeesick.

Spokane artist Anderson creates visual complexity and sculptural depth in fabric through a layering process. Her techniques often include silk-screening, beading, fiber dyes, embroidery and quilted fabric collage.

Dahl, also of Spokane, paints in the very old medium of egg tempera.

“The painting process for me is like a meditation,” she says in her artist’s statement. “I want to create quiet and pleasing art that inspires the viewers.”

Finet, of Spokane Valley, has been working in clay for more than 17 years and is still entranced by it.

“I find that the clay process that brings a work of art from earth, water, air and fire is a magic that speaks to every part of my life,” she says.

Sandpoint artist Grende paints in a realistic style using either gouache on cotton fiber paper or dye on silk. Observing the dye flow across the fibers, she says, “is mesmerizing, as if watching a campfire’s flames swirl to the breeze.”

Jemison, of Coolin, Idaho, works mostly in watercolor in her studio overlooking Priest Lake.

“An autumn hillside is a symphony of color,” she says in her artist’s statement. “There is a painting waiting to happen everywhere I look.”

Spokane’s Skeesick, an artist for more than 30 years, works in a variety of mediums including clay, jewelry, glass beading, watercolors and woodcarving. For this exhibit he is showing Western-themed works created in charcoals and acrylic.

View the work through Sept. 1 at the gallery, 820 W. Francis Ave. Regular hours are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; extended hours this weekend are Friday until 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Entree Gallery

Oil painter John Werr will demonstrate his art process Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Entree Gallery at Priest Lake, Idaho.

“John is a master at taking the everyday and creating something extraordinary with light and vibrancy,” gallery owner Pam Martin says in an e-mail.

On Tuesday, Native American sculptor David Govedare will open his August show, “In the Mind’s Eye.” Govedare is showing an eclectic collection of metal objects.

Next Thursday, stained-glass artist Cass Stejer will be at the gallery to demonstrate his work between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

The gallery is open daily from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

It is on Reeder Bay Road two miles east of Nordman, near Elkins Resort.

Hokonson exhibition

Suzi Hokonson is showing more than 150 needlework pieces during a five-day show beginning Tuesday at 1315 W. Woodside Ave. in Spokane. Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday; noon to 7 p.m. next Thursday; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 4 and 5.