Cole Gallery

Past Exhibitions

January 5, 2024 - February 11, 2024

Cole Gallery is honored to present the annual Plein Air Washington Artists (PAWA) Winter Exhibition "Plein Air to Studio" featuring 80 beautiful paintings. The PAWA Exhibition encompasses the best of member plein air and studio paintings from the year. The plein air work expresses the raw passion of painting outdoors, in the elements. These fine artists, hailing from all over Washington State, often bring their work back to the studio to paint larger works, keeping their fresh on-site experience at heart. This show's plein air paintings paired with their studio mates, as well as stand-alone studio paintings, provide a fascinating view into the artist's process.



PAWA was established in the year 2000 to organize groups of artists to paint together in the most beautiful areas of Washington and beyond. With now over 350 members, PAWA presents in this juried show the finest collection of traditional landscape paintings from plein air artists in the state.  Awards for this show was juried by nationally recognized, award-winning artist Kimball Geisler, recipient of the Grand Prize for the 2022 Plein Air Salon Annual Competition. Geisler, in love with the great outdoors, follows in the footsteps of his beloved John Muir by devoting his career to the study of nature through painting.  Kimball Geisler has enjoyed consistent sales and positive feedback from collectors and prominent artists. In 2021 he was inducted as a member of Plein Air Painters of America where he has served as vice president. His work has been featured in full articles in prominent art magazines, and it has taken him to incredible locations in many different states and other countries. He has earned awards through various painting competitions and shows, including the Grand Prize for the annual Plein Air Salon for 2022.



We are proud to list the award winning paintings and artists:



BEST OF SHOW

"MINARET VALLEY-SIERRAS" by Ned Mueller

FIRST PLACE

"MADRONA SHADOWS" by Robin Weiss

SECOND PLACE

"RECEDING WINTER-GOLD CREEK CANYON" by Jim Lamb

BEST PLEIN AIR

"CREEKSIDE" by Amanda Houston


November 30, 2023 - January 1, 2024

Unparalleled in her ability to capture snow and water, Pat Clayton's paintings shimmer with the mood of winter in the Northwest. With her characteristic textural palette knife work her pieces have a three-dimensional feel, bringing her beautiful landscapes to life.


November 30, 2023 - January 1, 2024

We are thrilled to introduce Richard Boyer to our lineup at the gallery!  Nationally acclaimed for his luminous cityscapes and interiors, Richard's paintings capture the many moods of the city, from rain-soaked afternoons of Seattle and San Francisco to cozy bars and cafes.


November 30, 2023 - January 1, 2024

Cole Gallery favorites, Michelle Waldlele, Terry Rafferty & Bev Jozwiak of the gallery will delight you with a whimsical offering just in time for holiday cheer. Michelle has been working for months on astonishing felted creations including a hand-built castle and more.  Terry delights us with animated still-life paintings of shiny ceramic characters, bringing wonder and charm to our festive season. Every December Bev creates charming paintings to brighten your home!


November 30, 2023 - January 1, 2024

As December is our busiest month, we wanted to make sure we had plenty of great art for our collectors to see! With new paintings from Jeanne Edwards, Andy Eccleshall and David Marty the gallery will be providing a feast for the eyes!


November 2, 2023 - November 28, 2023

This month we present the work of Cole Gallery favorites along with four artists new to the gallery. Together, these eight greats draw us in to creative visions that speak to our imagination and lead us out of the expected and into the wonderfully surprising. This vibrant show restores the warmth and color of early fall to the drizzly, cool grays of November. Come and enjoy. See the possibilities for bringing some brightness to the places and spaces in your own home!



Artists featured include:  Jeni Lee, C.A. Pierce, Lisa Snow Lady, Kimberly Adams, Brooke Borcherding, Ben Vanderwerff, Sue Darius and Brandi Renya.


October 4, 2023 - October 31, 2023

Always fresh and painterly, Bev Jozwiak’s whimsical watercolors bring joy to the serious side of art. No matter the subject, her storytelling art is always fresh, fun, and filled with life. Her lively creatures, whether birds, beasts, or humans, exude personality. Jozwiak’s skill as a painter has garnered her international acclaim as one of America’s premier watercolorists. Describing her new show, Bev states, "My current show is the experimentation of ways to take familiar subjects in new directions.  The moon is a recent addition to my repertoire.   Color and texture are my obsession and joy. My subjects are simply a way for me to explore them. Every year in this long career brings my work to new levels."



 

October 4, 2023 - October 31, 2023

Aliza's newest show title, "How the Light Gets In," is taken from a line by Leonard Cohen: "So ring the bells that still can sing.  There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”



So often we find ourselves navigating the shadows of uncertainty, doubt, and darkness. In such moments, we must remember the power of light that can dispel the obscurities that surround us. Even the smallest glimmer of light can guide us towards a brighter path. Leonard Cohen shines his insight on this truth, encouraging us to look through the cracks to see the light of hope, creativity, and human connection and to welcome it into our lives.  The presence of cracks in our lives should not be a cause for despair, but rather a source of optimism. Aliza's show celebrates the positive possibilities of letting light break through the narrowest places.  Aliza hopes that this exhibition will inspire you to ring your own bells "that still can sing."  Most of all, she hopes you recognize the light when it hits you.  Hope begins in the dark.


October 4, 2023 - October 31, 2023

We are delighted to have an offering of six beautiful paintings by expressionist Linda Wilder, one of Cole Gallery's most in-demand artists. In Linda's glorious acrylics, nature whispers, rustles, and sometimes shouts in splashes of color and vibrant shapes.


September 1, 2023 - October 1, 2023
Cole Gallery is excited to present the second annual Edmonds & Beyond Plein Air Paint Out!  Covering Edmonds, Kingston, and the Olympic National Park, 37 artists painted a range of subjects from townscpaes and marinas to mountains, rainforest, and ocean beaches between August 17th through the  27th. The result is spectacular with 91 plein air paintings and 26 paintings from our 3-hour Quick Draw event!


Update:  Here is a list of our award winners from Saturday Evening's Reception for the Edmonds & Beyond Plein Air Paint Out.  Photos attached. There were 38 artists participating in this event with 92 paintings selected for display in the gallery.


Best in Show of $1,000 - Irina Milton "100 Years of Solitude" 12" x 16" Oil


2nd Place of $500 - Joyce Hester "Misty Morning Calling" 6" x 12" Oil


3rd Place of $250 - Ron Stocke "Waiting to Launch" 14" x 7.5" Watercolor


People's Choice - $250 Ben Vanderweff "Wildfire" 48x20



Quick Draw 1st Place - $250 - William Liao "Morning Saturday" 20" x 16" Acrylic (You can see this painting on William Liao's page on our website)



Honorable Mention prizes of art supplies were awarded to the follwoing artists: Lorraine Goddard, Janice Kirstein, Robin Weiss, Linda Tilley, Brooke Borcherding, Che Lopez, Ann Willsie & Mark Boyle

We had 25 artists come to Edmonds to participate in our Quick Draw Event described in the prior email.  We selected one painting for the top prize of the Quick Draw Event.  All Quick Draw paintings are now on display in the gallery.



We want to thank our sponsors including:  Loughrin & Co - Certified Public Accountants & Mike McMurray - Raymond James Financial along with Art Spot Artist Supplies, Williamsburg Paints, Ampersand, Golden Paints & Silver Brush Co!


August 3, 2023 - August 30, 2023

Master of contemporary realism, Andy Eccleshall explores the deep waters of the ocean in all their moods--waves rolling onto the shore, in quiet reflection, in peaks of foamy agitation.  He paints the evaporation carried into the mirrored heavens, turning it into Keatsian "huge cloudy symbols of a high romance." Andy credits a dear friend who lives in Victoria, B.C. with the inspiration for the "Aqueous" series. This friend goes into the ocean every morning, throughout the year, no matter the weather. Even in works not directly focused on water, Andy shows the viewer an expanse of sky as wide and atmospheric as the ocean's canopy.



Andy describes his inspiration for the show in these words: "The focus of many of my paintings is atmosphere. As I continue to explore the many moods of the Pacific Northwest, it is a natural extension to turn my attention to water in its many forms. From surging tides and surf to tranquil lakes, the motion of waves and the play of light is a challenge that inspires me. This show is a culmination of months of study of water in various forms. From liquid to vapor. I look forward to continuing this artistic journey."



You're invited to join us for an artist's reception Friday, August 4th, from 6:00-8:00pm.


July 7, 2023 - August 1, 2023

We are thrilled to present a new show, "Joyful Souls," featuring Jenna von Benedikt's whimsical depictions of nature's delightful essence.  Jenna's quicksilver hummingbirds and intriguing animals of the wild juxtapose abstraction and realism. Her unique creations blend skillful traditional representation with abstract layers of pattern, texture, and color. Through this show, Jenna hopes to help people see and therefore "find the connection back to nature,"  her everpresent inspiration.