Winter wonders

“I must be crazy,” says painter Keiko Von Holt. The Spokane artist, known for her colorful, yet subtle watercolors, is showing in three venues during this weekend’s Visual Arts Tour.

She and hundreds of other area artists are sharing their work with the community as part of Spokane’s free winter art extravaganza.

The three-day, self-guided event begins Friday at 5 p.m. People can stop by as many of the three dozen locations as they wish, in whatever order they like.

Von Holt’s sumi-e paintings, an Asian style of watercolor, are hanging in Avenue West Gallery, Auntie’s Bookstore and Peters and Sons Flowers, Gifts and Gallery.

Her “Koi” painting, from her “Expressions of Spring” show at Peters and Sons, captures movement and light reflecting off three iridescent fish.

At Auntie’s, Von Holt is exhibiting in the Spokane Watercolor Society’s annual members’ show.

As many as 100 water-based medium renderings will be on display by dozens of artists including Diane Conkright, Bari Federspiel, Janet Ivie, Fabian Napolsky, Emma Randolph, Carol Schmauder, Vicki West and Dian Zahner.

“Spokane has a rich culture of working, mature artists,” says Dennis Held, owner of Area 58, a gallery and collectibles store on North Monroe Street.

The relatively new venue is spotlighting four Northwest artists for its first Visual Arts Tour.

The group show includes whimsical raku ceramic “Headscapes” by Lee Ayars, paintings by Tom Gribble, oil landscapes by John Thamm and detailed graphite drawings by Marilyn Jackson Runyan.

Another gallery showing an exceptional lineup of veteran artists is Artisans’ Wares on West First Avenue.

On view is “Turning Point,” a collection of fine wood objects created by five master carvers and turners. Numerous forms crafted through time-consuming methods include Charlie Benson’s dyed and textured “Eggplant.”

There are other sculptural works by Dan Chadwick of Spokane, Jim Christiansen and Ed Krumpe of Moscow, Idaho, and Sterling Sanders of Sandpoint.

Next door to these expert woodworkers is Raw Space, the largest community art exhibit, featuring an eclectic mixture of artwork by both emerging and established artists.

Included in Raw Space are the mixed-media pieces of Will Lewis.

“I have enjoyed playing in the spaces between painting and sculpture as I love both,” says the Sandpoint artist.

One piece, “Evocation,” is fused glass on and in a painted wood body.

“The simple body with soft paint forms is a persistent scene against which the particular emotional effect is distinguished,” says Lewis in an e-mail. “The glass is the kernel of the piece exposing the linguistic string of emotional fervor.”

Just a few doors down at the GoodWorks Gallery is the Spokane Jewelers Guild’s 25th anniversary show.

Kris Howell, one of the 35 exhibiting jewelers, is showing her hand-fabricated necklaces, earrings and brooches.

The vast array of objects by guild members range from gold and silver pieces with precious stones to articles made of glass or found objects.

Another jewelry display takes place in the Spokane Art School, 920 N. Howard St.

“Be Mine: Valentine’s Day Jewelry Exhibit” fills a small space off the school’s Huneke Gallery, which houses the main exhibit, “Fables and Facts.”

This show features the works of Portland painter Amanda Blake and Oakland, Calif., sculptor Stan Peterson.

“Both artists perceive the human condition through ironic and fairytale narratives,” says Jillian Foster of Spokane Art School. “It is a really fun show.”