SEQUIM — Hand-carved wood, driftwood and gourd sculptures will be on display Saturday at the 10th annual Pacific Northwest Wood Artisans Show and Sale.
Pacific Northwest Wood Artisans is a nonprofit organization of artists from throughout the North Olympic Peninsula who have joined together to share ideas and to promote woodworking in all its forms.
The show — the nonprofit’s only annual fundraiser event — will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pioneer Park, 387 E. Washington St., in Sequim.
Although the show is free, donations will be accepted.
The show will include a silent auction and demonstrations on woodworking, gourd working and pyrography — which is the technique of decorating wood or leather by burning a design on the surface with a heated metallic point.
Fifteen vendors will offer handcrafted items, including one-of-a-kind Christmas ornaments.
Proceeds from the auction, donations and vendor fees — not including money garnered by private vendor sales — will be used to further “the enjoyment and education of wood artisans on the North Olympic Peninsula,” said Joy Thomson, Pacific Northwest Wood Artisans’ webmaster.
The funding promotes “wood art education and brings instructors in to teach workshops on the Peninsula,” she said.
“Each year, we offer as many [workshops] as we are able to do. Some of them are taught by our own members as well.”
Those who enjoy art in wood — and those who crave to make art in wood — should come to the show, Thomson said.
“They should come, first of all, to meet our members and other vendors,” she said.
Some also may become interested in the hobby themselves, she said.
“If they never thought they could carve wood or work with wood — it is all just a series of steps you put together to make a piece,” she said.
“They can actually see” how to do it themselves.
“They will be able to see from start to finish” how a random piece of wood can become “a piece of art,” she said.
“By seeing these examples, you realize that you can do this.”
Thomson said she herself began the hobby only about a year ago.
“I had never carved anything before I started working with the club.”
This year’s featured artists at the show are Don Taylor and Gordon Day.
Taylor and Day will demonstrate their carving technique and their art will be available for bidding during the silent auction.
Taylor has been carving for eight years, having taken up the hobby after moving with his wife to Sequim.
“Wood carving has proven to be a perfect activity in so many ways,” Taylor said.
“It’s a relaxing, yet challenging, hobby, as well as a really fun time to socialize with other members.
“I had no idea I had any artistic ability at all until giving it time to surface. It is truly satisfying to create what others can enjoy.”
Day — who since 1992 has been carving with chisels, gouges and carving knives — is the current president of Pacific Northwest Wood Artisans.
He specializes in raptor and duck carvings and has won first place and best of division honors in carving competitions throughout the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia.
For more information about the show, call 360-681-7032 or visit www.woodartisans.net.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
