10-13 KOI KLASS very small
Dinah Satterwhite, Koi Klass, photography
Here and there, you can find stirrings of new life in the art community on the island. One of two new offerings I will mention is the Danna Tartaglia Fine Art Gallery, which opened its doors July 1. Tartaglia is a painter who is open to various techniques, as directed by her instincts and her inner muse. She loves to paint animals, in particular horses, capturing their spirit. I wrote about her solo show at the Winslow Way Art Center in my First Friday Focus for March 2020.
The gallery will feature her own evolving artwork as well as the work of new and old colleagues. Her gallery currently includes local artists such as photographer Dinah Satterwhite and ceramicist Sue Baldwin, who has run Olympic Pottery for 30 years. Tartaglia also brought in old friends from Southern California, Gail Faulkner and Kristine Taylor. Taylor is an award-winning bronze sculptor who creates animals in interesting poses. Faulkner is a still life painter (watercolors) who seeks a balance and interplay in her compositions with “a lush and precise detail that makes us wonder if it is really watercolor.” Rounding out her start-up stable of artists is Parmentier Pottery, an art couple for 35 years who make functional and nonfunctional ceramics, often with intricately carved surfaces.
Although Tartaglia could still be considered new to the Bainbridge Island community, she’s a member of the Bainbridge Island Studio Tour, serves as their board secretary and hosted the group’s semiannual tour of artists last summer on her website. This year she was included in the group’s exhibition at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art.
The decision to open a gallery came suddenly and naturally to her when she walked into a suddenly available space and the new Tartaglia Fine Art came to life. She had owned Tartaglia Fine Art gallery in Southern California for about seven years. Before that she was involved in a similar way in Jacksonville, Oregon. All are small towns, so this current endeavor is a familiar and comfortable setting.
While Tartaglia is perhaps first and foremost a painter, she says that “even better than being an artist is having a gallery where I can interact with visitors and other artists. I feel very much at home on this island. The magic of my paint brush extends to every aspect of my life, guiding me to find places that nurture me and my art. Such is what happened in finding the perfect gallery space just when I was ready for it.” A particularly interesting feature of this gallery will be Tartaglia often painting live in the gallery. This is something she did previously in her Oregon and California locations. She is very comfortable talking with visitors as they watch her paint while discussing, well, I’m sure she’s open to whatever exchange comes up.
The second new artist offering on the island is the Bainbridge Apothecary and Tea Shop, which is in its soft opening phase. This enterprise offers both culinary and health concoctions as art forms. Erika Thayer and associates offer wonderful handmade morning and afternoon sweets to accompany her unbelievable teas, as well as original formulations and tinctures for your health. All come with deep education and thoughtful presentation. When partaking of either side of the business, slow down and savor the offerings, or at least learn about them. They are refreshing. Private visits are also available. For instance, on the Apothecary side, a visitor/customer may have a personal consultation with Thayer or one of her knowledgeable associates. This type of shopping or consuming option is helpful in the time of COVID-19. Just call them.
The Tea Shop occupies the recently vacated Amelia Wynn Tasting Room and Armstrong Gallery. The Apothecary occupies the old That’s A Some Pizza location. Both of those businesses moved and are doing well, so continue to patronize them too.
ABOUT BILL BARAN-MICKLE: 2020 Island Treasure Awardee . Recently, Bill has enjoyed exhibiting in several international art biennial exhibitions. Of the three in which he has participated, he won Third Place for Sculpture from the European Confederation of Art Critics in the Chianciamo Biennale, at the Chianciano Art Museum in Italy in 2011, and First Place in Applied Arts in the London Biennale of 2013. In 2013 alone, he will have participated in eight exhibitions: from London to a two-person exhibition near home. In addition, Bill was asked to be a representative for CCAC’s exhibition celebrating 100 years of the Metals Department, and a mix of group shows in New York City, Miami, Seattle and Las Vegas. Bill is the designer of the 10 foot Equitorial Bowstring Sundial located at the Richie Observatory in Battle Point Park on Bainbridge Island, WA and completed in 2015.