A New Year Ahead, All Shiny and Fresh!

Well folks, somehow it got to be 2018!

We'd like to take a moment to wish everyone a very Happy New Year and all the best in the 12 months to come. May this be the best year ever, for all of us!

"Dressed to Kill" print from watercolour by
Braden Duncan

As always is the case, we greet the New Year with the first Port Townsend Art Walk, this coming Saturday the 6th, starting around 5:30pm and lasting till...? Well, pretty much till the last person goes home!

We don't actually have a featured artist for this particular Art Walk, but our usual selection of the unusual will be available for your viewing pleasure!

As always, we will have Sarah's homemade "Underground Cupcakes" and various other refreshments.

This being the middle of winter, we shall cross our fingers that the weather will behave itself.

Hope to see you then!

Artist Focus: Viola Ware, Photographer

In this edition of Red Dragonfly's "Artist Focus," we turn the spotlight on emerging Olympic Peninsula photographer Viola Ware.

"Dewdrops on Grass" by Viola Ware

Viola's initial inspiration in photography can be traced to her days of living in Seattle and working in the field of corrections, chemical dependency and social services.

During her bus commutes, she became acquainted with a group of working homeless in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood and would collect their photos and stories, eventually becoming known among them as "the camera lady."

She also finds creative inspiration in nature, while seeking solitude and stillness to recharge-- away from the "noise" of daily life. Like many artists, she feels a strong need to have periods of time by herself.

"Virgin Mary of the Back Yard"

"You can set me loose anywhere with a camera, whether it's in a city or a desert, and I would find myself at home," Ware says, "My goal is to find a way to transport my audience to that very moment in which I caught the image. I want them to be with me, peering at a splash of purple on the shell of an olive snail that just popped out of the sand, or talking to a man on the street with miles of smile wrinkles around his eyes and years of hard work on his hands. I never want to simply show people a picture, I want to send them to new places; fascinating places that might live right under their noses."

Viola Ware is happiest when given the freedom to fully visually explore what's in front of her, no matter what the setting. As a result, her audience will discover that her work spans an extensive-- and always expanding-- range of subjects.

Viola came to photography just in 2010 and her work evolves continuously with each new visual challenge she takes on. What uniformly shines through in her work is her fascination with-- and fondness for-- the world around her.

"Seattle One Love" by Viola Ware

Her photos have appeared in Peninsula College's award winning "The Buccaneer" student newspaper; Tidepools Literary Magazine and more recently she was an official photographer at the 2015 Port Townsend Film Festival.

Red Dragonfly is pleased to present a range of new work from Viola Ware, just in time for Port Townsend's August 6th Art Walk-- we hope to see you there, but if Port Townsend is a little too far away for you, please check out our online gallery shop with Viola Ware's work!

Art is Always a Necessity

In these difficult economic times, we often hear people say that they are art lovers, but they can't justify buying art because "art is not a necessity."

"Irish Girl" by Jacqueline Chisick

On the surface, this makes some sense... but when we delve a little deeper, it begs the question of what really constitutes a "necessity?"

We can probably agree that air and water are necessities, as are food and shelter. But we soon get into a gray area: Is the 47th app subscription for for your smartphone at $2.99 a month really a "necessity?" Especially when you just use it three times and then forget you have it? Is the 43rd pair of earrings you'll wear twice a year more of a "necessity" than a piece of art?

Humans have adorned their walls with paintings and their spaces with decorative objects for all of history-- going all the way back to our distant ancestors living in caves.

The magical thing about art is that it offers us lasting moments of joy long after some of our temporary "necessities" are gone. We must remember that it is impossible to put a "price" on the joy we get from having beautiful and meaningful objects of art around us...

Original illustration by Julie Zarate

When I was a small child, I would visit my grandparents' house and while the adults were busy with "adult things," I would be set down with books at puzzles in their living room... where the walls were also covered with dozens of paintings.

As often as not, I would end up spending hours just looking at the places and people portrayed... and letting my imagination go to work. As an adult, some of these paintings now hang on our walls... and remind me not only of my grandparents, but of my childhood. Much as we might like to think otherwise, we generally don't get to associate such memories with "practical" things.

I grew up in a house filled with all kinds of art-- and I feel certain these early impressions led to my adult love of things artistic and creative. I also know that my parents' love of art contributed to a life in which I have often chosen to "go another year without new shoes" in favor of adding a new piece of art to my collection.

But why do perceive art to be a "necessity?"

Because art tends be both calming and mood enhancing. Imagine your home with bare walls... a bit depressing, don't you think? As humans, we constantly look at our immediate surroundings; finding beauty, or points of interest, in our field of view helps us not only calm down, but it stimulates our minds as we reflect, imagine, consider, reminisce or wonder. That's what art does. And that's why I consider art a "necessity."

Thanks for reading!

The Gift of Art

We occasionally have discussions with visitors about whether or not art makes a "good" or "appropriate" gift.

An Alchemy Stone

A surprising number of people seem to feel uncomfortable with the idea of giving art as a gift. "But I don't know if they'd appreciate this," they say, or "We have similar taste and they have a house full of art... but I'm just not sure they'd like this."

Based on the 15 years I spent in the gallery business previously, my experience tells me that art is generally a much better gift than people thing... but the bottom line of giving art as a gift has a definite "it depends" element to it.

The beauty of giving the gift of art is that you are giving something unique that will continue to offer the recipient enjoyment for years and years to come. UNlike a night on the town or even a pair of shoes, art has no "shelf life." It will always be there, as a reminder of a happy moment, and of the giver.

Giving a piece of art also says something about you, the giver: You took the time to pick out something unique for the recipient, rather than just pick "One Mass-Produced Whatever" that can be had at every corner store. Art is a statement of "I do care."

From a painting by Jacqueline Chisick

Art can be the perfect gift for close friends, loved ones and relatives you know well.

The "it depends" factor enters the picture when when we consider gifts for people we don't know as well. Even then, art can still be an excellent and unique gift, but we must be more mindful of our choices, and make sure we're not forcing something unusual or unconventional on someone who wouldn't welcome it.

On the whole, though, the gift of art is both appropriate and good. My wife and I have often given each other art for anniversaries and special occasions, and we have often given art to others-- and the response has almost always been very positive.

WHO is Red Dragonfly? Peter...

Peter was born in Denmark at a very early age and soon came to realize that he had probably been left behind by a long gone race of non-humans.

Sarah Nash & Peter Messerschmidt, Red Dragonfly Proprietors

As a toddler, he became fascinated with the patterns of the natural world and started to draw them in the dirt and the margins of his school homework.

He grew up in a house filled with art and perhaps the most useful thing he learned from his parents was an appreciation for beautiful hand made things.

School was a bit of a struggle, because he spent a lot of time "doodling in the margins" rather than paying attention to what was going on in class. His favorite toy was a Spirograph... but even the Spirograph wasn't around, he would draw the same patterns it created.

He never perceived himself as "artistic," but did spend endless hours in nature, usually carrying a camera... closely studying natural patterns in flowers and rocks.

In spite of himself, he managed to survive high school and five years of college

Between 1985 and 1999, he was owner/operator of high end fine crafts, art and gift gallery in Austin, Texas, where he learned the "business side" of art and fine crafts. A few years after exiting the art business, he migrated across the country to Port Townsend, Washington which he has called "home" ever since.

A selection of Peter's "Alchemy Stones"

All the while, he was still drawing intricate nature-inspired patterns in the margins... until one day, perhaps around 2010, wife Sarah persuaded him to draw such a pattern on a rock. After a series of experiments, "Alchemy Stones" were born.

These days, he can be found at The Red Dragonfly on most days, and Alchemy Stones have become part of the permanent exhibit at the gallery. You might even catch him painting on rocks, at the back of the gallery.

Sarah and Peter were not planning to have an art gallery, but when the opportunity arose to continue the tradition started by Red Raven and build Port Townsend's "alternative art space," they were happy to dive back into the art world.

When you're in town, come by and meet us at the red Dragonfly!

Red Dragonfly Grand (re) Opening!

Today marked the official Grand (re) Opening of The Red Dragonfly!

A peek through Red Dragonfly's front door

Scheduled to coincide with Port Townsend's monthly "First Saturdays" Art Walk, we formally opened our doors to the world under new ownership, with our new name. Of course, we owe a debt of gratitude to former Red Raven Gallery proprietor Laurie McClave for her help in ensuring a smooth transition, as well as to our beautiful artists who have been extremely supportive as we begin to chart a new course.

Above all, we want to thank the many people who came by to say hello, and share in our champagne and cupcakes! In the course of the evening, we probably had 100-120 visitors... far beyond our expectations-- and we're very grateful for the positive responses to the "new" Red Dragonfly!

It was a lovely evening, but our work here is just beginning. Now comes the challenge of continuing to offer an interesting and unique rotation of contemporary art for our visitors.

We're already looking towards the next Port Townsend Art Walk on Saturday, August 6th... where we will be welcoming back local clay sculptor and ceramic artist Sarah Fitch in a sort of "Homecoming:" Sarah was one of the original founders of Red Raven Gallery when it first opened, back in 2011.

Art and... cupcakes!

Meanwhile, Peter has been working diligently to build Red Dragonfly's online gallery store. Our eventual ambition is to have 80-90% of the gallery available as a web shop, allowing folks-- especially out-of-town-- to visit us in person and then look us up and shop online the the comfort of their living rooms.

For the moment, though, we're enjoying the opportunity to meet old Red Raven clients and new faces alike!

Alternative Art

At the Red Dragonfly we're striving to build a niche as Port Townsend's premier "Alternative Art Space." We are an art gallery, but we are also much more than simply an art gallery.

But let's talk about art, for a moment.

What exactly is "alternative" art? What makes something "alternative?"

"A Flying Machine;" watercolour by Braden Duncan

Like most things artistic, the answer is pretty subjective. One good answer might be that it's art that "takes risks." At Red Dragonfly, you're not likely to find bucolic landscapes with grazing cows. Unless, of course, the cows are wearing unusual hats.

"Alternative" sometimes scares people because there's a suggestion that it by definition means weird... weird in the creepy sort of way that leaves you scratching your head when you see the art and you stand there considering what horrible nightmares and psychoses the artist might be wrestling with.

At Red Dragonfly, we don't believe that "alternative" necessarily means "sick and twisted." Take, for example, Braden Duncan's watercolour of her black kitten. Clearly, she knows and understands cats-- but instead of leaving it as "just a cat" or giving it more prosaic angel wings, she has added steampunk style wings.

That, to us, is one example of "alternative" art.

Alternative art can be many things. An unusual take on a popular subject (like kittens!); an unusual subject matter; any subject matter interpreted through an unusual lens of perception-- the possibilities are many and varied.

Of course, the best way to decide is to stop by Red Dragonfly yourself and make the determination-- we have plenty to look at!