Beats sitting in the car

Published 11:00 am Wednesday, February 1, 2006

Kingston Art Gallery hoping to attract ferry foot passengers and others looking for something to do in Kingston.

When you hear the word “Kingston” what comes to mind? A ferry terminal connecting North Kitsap to the mainland? A speedtrap for cars hoping to make the ferry? A long, long line of cars waiting alongside the road, hoping to make any ferry that day?

If that’s your image of Kingston, think again. A group of artists — always known for their creative vision — want to see the Little City by the Sea become a destination for foot passengers from the Seattle side. This group is hoping the Kingston Art Gallery will be a cornerstone of that vision.

“We want to make Kingston a destination point,” said artist Patty Halfhill. “We’re hoping to be part of that.”

Art galleries are the staple of any tourist destination. Think of Langley in Snohomish County, or closer to home, Port Townsend. Imagine if Kingston were as user-friendly as that artsy Victorian town.

The Kingston Art Gallery is in a prime location to take advantage of ferry riders looking for something to do within walking distance of the dock, situated as it is on the corner of State Route 104, leading directly to the ferry dock, and Central Avenue.

The gallery is a cooperative effort of more than two dozen regional artists who wanted a place to show their work in the north end of the county.

Printmaker Marilyn Liden Bode said the group searched a long time for the right space before the location became available in the building at Cleo’s Landing. The gallery opened last November.

“On opening night we heard over and over, ‘It’s time for Kingston to have an art gallery,’ and this is it,” Liden Bode said.

The space is light and airy, with a wall of windows and two large skylights to help illuminate the art. An added bonus is a very comfy leather couch in the upstairs area. Lounging is encouraged.

“There isn’t a ‘linger’ place in Kingston, without having to buy a cup of coffee,” Liden Bode said, and the gallery artists wanted to provide that.

The artists also see the gallery being an integral part of the waterfront area, with outdoor events such as music or poetry readings.

“We want to connect with the whole spectrum of art,” Liden Bode said.

Membership in the gallery is gained by being juried in by a panel of artists, ensuring a high quality of work. Work of the craft-sort is usually turned down, although hand crafted jewelry that is in the fine art realm is accepted.

The walls and display cases hold a wide assortment of artistic media, from oils and watercolors to glass work, fiber art and jewelry. And unlike many galleries in the Northwest, the Kingston Art Gallery is not limited to a Northwest theme.

A look around the gallery revealed a nice assortment of work, such as travel photography from Eric Scouten, fused glass pieces by Jim Gregory, fiber art from Lynn Garrett, jewelry by Colleen Taylor, and many more.

Visitors from Seattle will probably be pleasantly surprised by the prices, which seem very reasonable. Perhaps that’s because as a cooperative endeavor the gallery only takes a 10 percent commission, instead of 50-plus as is the norm in commercial venues.

As the gallery gains prominence, it is also attracting more artists wanting to join. Limited space means limited enrollment in the co-op, but that’s not a bad problem to have.

“We have a waiting list,” Halfhill said. “The enthusiasm seems to be growing.”

The gallery features two of its members each month, who are chosen by lottery. They try to have one two-dimensional artist and one three-dimensional artist, but February highlights watercolorist Barbara Creed and jewelry makers Colleen Taylor and Myra Schmidt.

Creed will be at the gallery 7 p.m. Feb. 8 to demonstrate keeping a watercolor journal.

All three artists will be present at the Second Saturday Gallery Night, 6-8 p.m. Feb. 11.

The gallery hosts the Second Saturday event every month and it’s open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day but Tuesday.

It is indeed a pleasant place to linger. wu