As a boy, Michael Croman discovered art in the museums and galleries of Boston, places his mother showed him. He went on to surround himself with more art as he made his way to New York City; he then became an art teacher and, in 1980, the executive director of the Washington State Arts Commission in Olympia.
Today Croman, who’s in his early 80s, has just opened a new show, “Nature from the Inside Out,” at Northwind Art’s Jeanette Best Gallery. The big venue beckons at 701 Water St. in downtown Port Townsend is open from noon to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays.
“The visual landscapes he creates are just stunning,” Northwind Exhibits Director Kathleen Garrett said of Croman’s show. “The technique Michael uses brings out an amazing faux texture in his paintings,” which have titles such as “Aperture” and “In the Light of the Shadow.”
Croman’s exhibition will stay on display through March 27; the artist will give a talk on it at 7 p.m. Feb. 23. To sign up for the Zoom presentation, which is free, visit www.northwindart.org and use the Exhibits menu.
With art and music in good supply elsewhere on the North Olympic Peninsula, here’s a sampling of other events.
• The First Friday Art Walk around downtown Sequim encompasses live music, a photographic exhibit and other art forms from 5 until 8 tonight.
Participating artists include retired Clallam County District 3 Fire Chief Steve Vogel, who has returned to his fine arts vocation. Vogel’s new works are on display at the Sequim Museum & Arts, 544 N. Sequim Ave.
Other venues include the Rainshadow Cafe, 152. W. Cedar St., where Dawn and Steve will play music from 6 p.m. till 8 p.m.; the Sequim Civic Center at Second Avenue and Cedar Street, where Marina Shipova’s photographs can be viewed through the window.
At Olympic Theatre Arts, 414 N. Sequim Ave., harpist Clara Frederickson will perform from 5 p.m. till 7 p.m., while Wind Rose Cellars, 143 W. Washington St., will host the musical duo Tin Sandwich, aka Marilyn and Marty Kaler, from 6 p.m. till 8 p.m.
A complete schedule awaits at www.sequimartwalk.com.
• The Metta Room presents the traveling band Sweet N’ Juicy tonight from 9:30 p.m. till 12:30 a.m. The venue at 132 E. Front St. in Port Angeles is for patrons 21 and older.
• Sirens Pub, upstairs at 823 Water St., Port Townsend, tonight hosts the Backwoods Hucksters’ blues-country-folk-rock with a psychedelic twist. The band — Cort Armstrong, Sean Divine, Joey Gish, Paul Stehr-Green and Angie Tabor, will start up at 8 p.m.
• Auditions for “Bingo, the Winning Musical,” are set for Saturday and Sunday at Olympic Theatre Arts, 414 Sequim Ave., Sequim. Actors can find out more about this romantic comedy at www.olympictheatrearts.org, and then audition between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on either day this weekend.
• The Finnriver Cider Garden, 124 Center Road, Chimacum, has live music planned for tonight through Sunday.
From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. this evening, singers and song-leaders Aimée Ringle and Alexa Sunshine Rose will share their music. Then comes jazz, bossa nova, blues and ballads with Cam and friends — including Chuck Easton and George Radebaugh — from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday.
Sunday afternoon brings Seattle’s Norman Baker, who calls his sound “barrel-aged Americana, lumber rock and roots music.” Baker will play from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. At all three of these gigs, the cover charge is $5; Cider Garden patrons must show proof of vaccination.
For details, see www.finnriver.com and use the Visit menu.
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Jefferson County senior reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3509 or durbanidelapaz @peninsuladailynews.com.
