J.E. Hannum, Jerry Johnson & Kevin Newcomb
J.E. Hannum, Jerry Johnson & Kevin Newcomb

This February, the Gallery at the Park presents an incredible and unique new 2D and 3D exhibition from artists J.E. Hannum, Jerry Johnson, and Kevin Newcomb!

J.E. Hannum is a contemporary abstract artist. He creates dynamic, cubist-style paintings, meticulously crafted with acrylic, oil, pastel, and charcoal. He uses brushes, palette knives, his hands, and many other tools to apply paint to canvas. 

Hannum uses his art to express the intricate relationship between modern living and the emotions we all feel. His work has been showcased at Evolv Design Collective Gallery in Kennewick and numerous businesses in the Tri-Cities area.

View more of Hannum’s work on his website at hannumfineart.com.

Jerry Johnson is a retired engineer and scientist who has been working in the medium of wood for the past couple of decades. He uses a lathe and various carving tools to create his art.

Johnson has exhibited his work in galleries in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Illinois, and British Columbia. His pieces have also been shown in the 2022 and 2023 issues of “Masters of Contemporary Wood Art,” published by the Wood Symphony Gallery.

Kevin Newcomb has been making art for six years using rock and silver. He utilizes rock with unusual colors and tries not to use the same rock more than once. He carefully selects the rocks for a project before moving on to cutting and shaping.

Hannum, Johnson & Newcomb will be on display at the Gallery at the Park from January 30 – February 24.

The reception will be on Sunday, February 4, from 1 – 3 pm.

Gallery Administrator
Tri-City Quilters' Guild
Tri-City Quilters' Guild

For the first featured show of 2024, the Gallery at the Park welcomes back the Tri-City Quilters’ Guild! The Guild has been regularly featured at the Gallery at the Park for more than 30 years.

The Tri-City Quilters’ Guild was founded in 1982 by a small group of quilters. Since then, its membership has grown to almost 300 quilters. The Guild’s goals include sharing information about quilting history, patterns, techniques, and trends; creating comfort quilts for local agencies; and enjoying other activities related to quilt creation, collection, and appreciation.

Each year, the Guild presents a raffle quilt made by local members. All proceeds from raffle ticket sales go toward fabric and other materials used to create comfort quilts. Comfort quilts are regularly delivered to organizations in need such as the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, My Friend’s Place, and more.

The 2024 raffle quilt, titled “Good Day Sunshine,” was created by the Sew Scattered Stitches, a group made up of Judy Deneen, Michele Boston, Janelle Domarotsky, Tina Foley, Judy Gelhaus, and Katie Harris. The quilting was done by Dana Pearson.

The Gallery exhibition features the raffle quilt alongside quilts based on the theme “Inspired by Tradition.” The theme was chosen by the Tri-City Quilters’ Guild show chair, Renee Grabiec, and co-shair, Jodi Hassell. 

The exhibition also showcases quilts from the Guild’s featured member artist, Mark Palmer. Palmer particularly loves making quilts with machine embroidery, especially machine applique.

Learn more about the Tri-City Quilters’ Guild at tcquilters.org.

Gallery Administrator
Holiday Gift Show 2023
Holiday Gift Show 2023

From November 14th through December 30th, the Gallery at the Park is showcasing its 75th Anniversary Holiday Gift Show! Throughout the holiday season, the Gallery features beautiful holiday decorations, such as trees, wreaths, and ornaments, all handmade by Gallery artists and volunteers.

The Gallery also features art and fine crafts from more than 150 local artists. See photographs from some of the best local photographers; beautiful oil, acrylic, and watercolor paintings; intricate pottery, glass, and wood-turned pieces; stylish scarves, hats, and other wearable fiber art; and the largest selection of handmade, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces in the Tri-Cities.

Christmas Market

On Friday, December 2nd, and Saturday, December 3rd, the Gallery presents its annual Christmas Market. Enjoy a firepit and complimentary hot chocolate at a location perfect for viewing the Christmas Lighted Boat Parade! Then, step inside the Gallery to enjoy live music, shop the Holiday Gift Show, and receive free kids’ craft kits.

On Friday evening, the Early Birds and the Worm will perform in the Gallery, while Saturday’s music will be presented by the Swallow Tail Band. On both nights, youth will be encouraged to make complimentary handcrafted ornaments using materials and supplies provided by the Gallery.

Stop by the Gallery to enjoy the fun and see the beautiful lights!

Gallery Administrator
Water, Paper, Scissors + Beads Behind Bars
Water, Paper, Scissors + Beads Behind Bars

This October, the Gallery at the Park presents an exciting new 2D and 3D exhibition, featuring beautiful watercolor paintings by artist Maja Shaw and creative beaded jewelry made through our Beads Behind Bars program.

Lucy Dole, a jewelry artist, started Allied Arts Association’s Beads Behind Bars youth outreach program in 2008. Every Sunday afternoon, she teaches beading classes to eligible youth incarcerated in the Benton-Franklin Juvenile Detention Center.

Over the last 15 years, Beads Behind Bars has become a fixture in the Detention Center. The program receives enthusiastic support and encouragement from the Detention Staff for providing youth with the opportunity to express their artistic talents. Staff members say the youth try to keep up their good behavior so they will be eligible to attend classes.

Through participating in Beads Behind Bars, youth are given the opportunity to experience a greater sense of their own value and worth. They can express their creativity and see the end result of their good choices in designing jewelry pieces, hopefully leading them to value themselves more and continue to make good choices in the future.

The youth are able to keep their work for when they are released or to give to visitors. However, they have chosen to share the pieces in this exhibition as a thank you for the efforts to provide the class each week. There is a number on each piece to protect their identities while also allowing family and friends to identify their work.

Beads Behind Bars has flourished thanks to support from organizations such as Women Helping Women Fund Tri-Cities, 3 Rivers Community Foundation, Kiwanis, and Rotary Club of Pasco-Kennewick.

The 2D section of October’s exhibition comes from an experienced watercolor artist, Maja Shaw. Shaw received a BFA from the University of Washington and spent many years working in graphic design and teaching art classes before focusing on watercolor painting. She is a founding member of the Mid-Columbia Watercolor Society.

Shaw’s recent works include cut paper collages made up of paintings she has repurposed into new images. Unlike many collage artists, Shaw is precise with her colors and shapes. Her organizational style reflects her graphic design background, while the watercolor adds unpredictable elements.

Most of Shaw’s work consists of recognizable subjects and places. She looks for interesting perspectives and focuses more on a feeling than on minute details. Some of her compositions lend themselves to metaphors, but Shaw’s main goal is for the viewer to enjoy the beauty of colors and shapes based on the world around us.

See more of Maja Shaw’s work on her website at www.majashaw.com.

This exhibition will be on display at the Gallery from October 3rd through 28th. The artist reception will take place on Friday, October 6th, from 6 to 8pm.

Gallery Administrator
Ropework: Processing Beauty
Ropework: Processing Beauty

This September, the Gallery at the Park presents “Ropework: Processing Beauty,” a unique exhibition from Philip E. Harding, a visual artist with over four decades of experience. While Harding’s past works have included stunning 2D prints in a variety of media, including ink, acrylics, and oil pastels, his newest project focuses on fiber arts and rope work.

Harding creates his ropes by combining fibers such as yarns, ribbons, and fabric strips. Spinning ropes allows him to utilize his love of color, texture, and pattern. When he first began the project, he found that the ropes he created were surprising, beautiful, and unique. Over time, he discovered how to form different patterns and textural effects.

Harding first began spinning ropes as a way to process trauma. In 2017, his brother moved into his art studio. He lived there for a little over two years before being diagnosed with early onset dementia and moving into a group home in 2020, followed by an assisted living facility, before passing away in 2022.

After his brother moved out of his art studio, Harding wanted to create something more physical, tangible, and grounding than the drawings and paintings he had previously made. He describes the rope work as “meditative and comforting.”

Harding states, “In contrast to much of my art in the past that has a rather cerebral or intellectual quality, the ropes had a warm natural aesthetic quality that felt comfortable and easily accessible.”

Philip E. Harding’s “Ropework: Processing Beauty” will be on display at the Gallery at the Park from August 29 through September 30. See more of Harding’s work at hardingfineart.com.

The artist reception will be on Sunday, September 10, from 1 to 3 pm.

Gallery Administrator