Worldwide travels inform Sequim artists’ new exhibit

A pair of artists who share so much in common that they call each other sister, Janet Piccola and Jolene Sanborn share a passion for travel and experiencing the planet.

That theme carries over into the Blue Whole Gallery’s featured exhibit, “What a Wonderful World,” held in August.

Meet the artists and view their work from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2, at gallery, 129 W. Washington St., during the First Friday Art Walk Sequim event.

Photo courtesy of Janet Piccola / Potter Janet Piccola, pictured here “at the wheel,” is one of the featured artists at the Blue Whole Gallery in August, along with Jolene Sanborn.

Photo courtesy of Janet Piccola / Potter Janet Piccola, pictured here “at the wheel,” is one of the featured artists at the Blue Whole Gallery in August, along with Jolene Sanborn.

Piccola, a potter, was invited to take a turn at a leg-and foot-powered pottery wheel, rather than her accustomed electric wheel, during a recent trip to Turkey. She returned with new ideas and designs she is using in one of her favorite methods in pottery Sgraffito — a technique where potters can put a layer of glaze or slip on a piece of pottery, let it dry, then use a pottery carving tool to scratch at it to show the base layer of color.

Sanborn spent several hours this June studying the colors in clouds and sunsets over a lake in Canada while listening to Sandhill Cranes. Those familiar with her work have seen her paintings of the otter, black lab and an old log cabin. These paintings and many more are the result of experiences while fly fishing on a Canadian lake.

Artwork courtesy of Jolene Sanborn
Silence” by Jolene Sanborn, one of the featured artists at the Blue Whole Gallery in August.

Artwork courtesy of Jolene Sanborn Silence” by Jolene Sanborn, one of the featured artists at the Blue Whole Gallery in August.

Blue Whole Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday, and 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sundays.

For more about the gallery, visit bluewholegallery.com or call 360-681-6033.