Going away from traditional driftwood sculptures, artists with the Olympic Driftwood Sculptors host their fourth annual show this Lavender Weekend. 

More than 80 artists bring upward of 165 sculptures to the Sequim Prairie Grange, 290 MacLeay Road, on July 20-22. The show runs 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

“We’re very excited, especially compared to what we’ve done in the past,” said Tuttie Peetz, instructor and vice-president for the group.

The club’s first three shows were held Lavender Weekend in Carlsborg, but the group outgrew the venue because they have 85 members-plus compared to 13 in September 2008 when the group began. 

“A big part of (the growth) is we realized we needed to throw out the old book,” Peetz said. 

Olympic Driftwood Sculptors members somewhat follow the ideology of the LuRon method, in which artists don’t use electric tools or attach anything non-driftwood to the art, but they use materials like metal in the art.

“Our biggest change (since starting) is people have expanded their creativity and incorporated other mediums with the woods,” Peetz said.

The free show features an aviary display of bird sculptures and “regatta” for sailing exhibits, too. 

The club will raffle tickets for its group project “Treasure of the Dungeness,” a piece five people worked on. They also are selling smaller driftwood pins and pendants.

Proceeds help with the club’s college scholarship to a graduating senior studying art and with various expenses. The club will sell handcrafted driftwood jewelry and unfinished driftwood. Photos of work are welcome. 

Olympic Driftwood Sculptors meets 10 a.m.-1 p.m. the first Wednesday of each month at the Sequim Prairie Grange (Aug. 5 is the next meeting). 

For more information, contact 681-2535 or info@olympicdriftwoodsculptors.org or visit www.olympicdriftwoodsculptors.org.