2020 Artists & Musicians
Thanks to all the artists and musicians who were at our 2020 event – you all made it unique and amazing! Click on the + to read more about the artist.
Bill Grader, woodworking
Since his first tree fort, Bill has loved working with wood. He is especially drawn to driftwood and enjoy touching it with its sinuous curves and implied history. Every piece is different, with its own story. How did it come to be lying on that particular stretch of beach? What was its journey, from tree to river to ocean?
He combines different types of wood with natural stones. He centers the natural elements with re-purposed rusty metal bits, which tell of human endeavor meant to conquer time and nature. Ironically the metal always returns a natural state.
By transforming the old and discarded into something new and useful, he creates an object with a new story, a new history.
Sharon Grader, encaustics
Art and creativity have always been an important part of Sharon Grader’s life. Growing up in Eugene, Oregon with access to the University of Oregon’s museums and galleries helped establish art as a cornerstone for her creativity.
Relocating to Seattle opened a whole new world view. Art and cultural were available everywhere—leading to a career in graphic design. As a professional graphic designer for more than 30 years, she discovered the language of design and how to see as an artist. All of the elements of composition such as shape, line, and color are carried forward into her art.
Since leaving the corporate world, she has unlocked the joy of creating for herself and coloring outside the lines. In 2013 she discovered encaustic painting and fell in love immediately—there was no courtship, just a primal connection to the magical ephemeral quality of molten beeswax.
Exploration and experimentation are major elements of her artistic journey of discovery. She often works with found objects, dyed silk, rusted paper, encaustic monoprinting, watercolor, oil, and pastels. She is fascinated with the creative process and the constant wonder that surprises her everyday.
Janis Graves, pastels and oils
Janis Graves was born in 1951 and grew up in Bellevue, Washington. Since childhood her world has been one of color and texture brought on by the beauty of land and sea. The high school years offered an array of art related classes and a devoted group of teachers that strived to create interest. They offered such classes as “Illustration” and “Commercial Art” as well as the standard “Drawing and Painting.” After two decades of growth with her family, Janis has been free to devote to her art. She has worked in both acrylic and oil, but has found nothing more immediate and vibrant as pastels. She has had the opportunity to take classes and workshops from an array of fine artists. She has taken several classes at the The Gage in Seattle (formerly the Seattle Academy of Fine Arts) and oil and/or pastel workshops from admirable artists such as Ned Meuller, Dorothy Lampl, Jennifer Deihl, Bill Hosner, Susan Ogilvie, Jill Soukup and Kitty Wallis, just to name a few. She is a member of the Oil Painters of America, Women Painters of Washington, American Women Artist and a signature member of the Northwest Pastel Society.
David Marty, oils
David has been living in and finding inspiration from the Pacific Northwest for the last 30 years. A Palo Alto native, his passion for art has taken him from the bay area, to Southern California, around the world, and ultimately Washington State.
Landscapes of the western United States are often the subject of David’s paintings. However several tours throughout Europe, and in particular Italy, have inspired him to regularly paint scenes from European country and city life as well. His work is a combination of plein air and studio paintings. He loves to get outdoors and painting on location whenever he can.
David grew up drawing and painting, and excelled in art classes. After high school he moved to southern California and majored in art at Biola University. After graduating he went on to study further at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Initially David’s professional career took him in the direction of graphic design and illustration. After working for a publisher, he opened a successful graphic design studio. David is now painting full time..
The time spent working on his craft; experimenting with color, loosening and tightening his pieces, playing with texture, absorbing the influence of other artists, attending workshops, and ultimately just painting year after year has helped him become a preeminent oil painter on the west coast.
David has studied with Scott Christensen, Matt Smith, John Budacin, George Strickland, Michael Workman and Calvin Liang. David has been featured in American Art Collector and Western Art Collector magazines and an “Artist to Watch” in Southwest Art Magazine. His work has been used on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Celebrity Apprentice. His work has also been juried into Oil Painters of America, American Impressionist Society, C.M. Russell Art Auction, Salon International and Arts for the Parks Top 100 exhibits. He is represented in galleries in Coeur d’Alene, ID; Edmonds, WA; Jackson Hole, WY; Whitefish, MT; and Santa Fe, NM. David’s work is published by Grand Image, Seattle, WA.
David and his wife reside in Edmonds, Washington, have five children, and two grandchildren.
Kathleen Moore, oils
Kathleen Moore is a visual artist who paints with oil colors or soft pastel to capture moments of awe, from vast, stormy skyscapes to the intimate amazement by a single flower. “The natural world,” Moore explains, “has an overwhelming power to make you stop and and reconsider your position and role on the planet. I paint to record a sensation of interconnectedness and fragility of life. This is why the arts are so important, they serve as reminders that we are at once greater, and lesser, than we believe.”
Challenging belief, or what we believe we see, is a recurring theme in the classes and workshops Moore teaches. “I’m like a fitness coach,” Moore chuckles, “I get students moving with exercises to build their skills in drawing and painting, then we do the “yoga” part where students learn to stretch how and what they perceive.”riginally from Texas, Moore has lived in the Seattle area since 1990. She received her BA in art from West Texas A&M University then continued her study of painting at Bruchion School in Los Angeles, CA and Gage Academy of Art in Seattle, WA.
Kathleen Moore is a teaching artist at Gage Academy of Art in Seattle where she teaches beginning drawing and landscape painting. Moore delights in encouraging people to draw in outreach projects at Gage, such as Pop-up Drawing Jams and Drink & Draw events.
Mike O’Day, ceramics
Mike O’Day, a humorous illustrator, stumbled upon a clay studio in 2004 and immediately decided to transform his 2D sketches into 3D sculptures. After gradually discovering how to prevent his sculptures from cracking or exploding in the kiln, his career as a sculptor began. Presently, his garden art, murals and assorted quirky creatures are seen throughout the Seattle area and in galleries from Edmonds to Seattle. He also teaches and regularly receives local grants for student group projects. He is a member of Sculptors Workshop, NCECA and a regular member of the Edmonds Art Studio Tour.
Joshua Blatman
For singer/songwriter Joshua, creating music is an expression of life, and the best music brings it alive. His music is all acoustic guitar and voice. His songwriting influences span Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, and many other classic greats like Mozart and Led Zeppelin.
The Ampere Collective
The Ampere Collective is a spunky quintet that plays fusion, soul and jazz.
Funk -n- Groove
A 10 piece group that plays a great mix of funk, rock and pop. There are four singers accompanied by a rythym and horn section.