PORT TOWNSEND — The public is invited to a free-wheeling conversation about art and the creative process at noon on Saturday as three Seattle-based painters arrive at Northwind Art’s downtown gallery.
Xin Xin, Neha Panicker and Soo Hong all have artwork in “A Warm Embrace,” the exhibit at Jeanette Best Gallery, 701 Water St. Surrounded by their paintings, the three will discuss their inspirations and techniques and respond to audience questions. Admission to the talk and the gallery is free.
“A Warm Embrace,” on view at Jeanette Best Gallery through April 28, features 35 artworks including Panicker’s “Leap of Faith,” Hong’s “Fresh Nostalgia” and Xin’s painting titled “When Our Story Begins.”
Open from noon to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Mondays, “Embrace” also highlights work by mosaicist Naoko Morisawa and mixed-media artist Jody Joldersma, both Seattle residents.
“If you’ve ever wondered what is behind an abstract painting, come to this artists’ talk,” said Northwind Art spokesperson Diane Urbani.
“Xin, Soo and Neha use different techniques, while they each use art to delve into their musings and dreams.”
Panicker, who has nine artworks in “A Warm Embrace,” noted that the larger paintings are part of her “Portal Fantasy” series. In it, “I imagine the fantasy of the self encountering a mesmerizing portal of sorts … the intrigue of entering it and experiencing some kind of teleportation and transformation,” she said.
Then there are the more compact paintings in the “Aura” series. Panicker said these pieces, in deep blue, orange, purple, yellow, olive green and fuchsia, explore the energy fields emanating from living beings.
Panicker is an architect turned artist originally from India, while Xin is a native of Beijing, China, and Hong was born in South Korea. All live in the Seattle area now.
Both Xin and Panicker will teach classes — for all levels, including beginners — at the nonprofit Northwind Art School at Fort Worden State Park in April.
Xin’s workshops are online: “Introduction to Abstract Art” from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and “Abstract Painting Level 1: Digging Deeper into Your Practice” from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., both on Saturday, April 20. Participants who sign up for both Xin’s classes receive 50 percent off their second one.
Panicker’s class is “Intentional Mark Making: A Dialogue with the Self,” in person at Northwind Art School from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 28. This workshop is for ages 15 to adult.
More information about these offerings is on the Take a Class page at https://northwindart.org.
“These artists offer us fresh ways of looking at the world,” Urbani said. “We can hardly wait to hear from them.”
Painter Xin Xin is one of three artists coming to Port Townsend for a public talk on Saturday.
