By Gary Douglas Lennon |


One thing I know about community and the good it brings out for the whole is ART. The doing, the looking, the creating, and the feelings involved all encompass the true essence of community spirit and togetherness we all can share.

Having been in the arts since the mid-1980’s I have developed a sense of belonging outside of the usual “family” and “friends”. As we broaden our sense and appreciation of the arts we meet and greet new people with new ideas, and we strategically set ourselves up into a comfortable living room recliner of the mind perspective and enjoy the view of the series-like binge-watching of the creativity around us.

Sometimes, as we think we are so different from everyone else, we come to realize just by a glance at a painting or a photograph how we can relate to, on any given level, the same capabilities of thinking and rearranging our thoughts and processing the necessary information to distribute all our good intentions to others if not the entire universe. As an artist, I get to filter out from the crowd my good intentions and my sparks of good energy to everyone around me. And in Ocean Shores, that is something that comes easily and constructively due to the many venues available as art galleries: Fusions Gallery, The Gallery of Ocean Shores and Timothy Rossow Gallery.

Scott Hawn, president of the North Beach Artists Guild (NBAG), sculptor, and all-around artist leads the way, in my opinion, with the inception of the Studio 6 Clay Studio in the NBAG “square” located on Point Brown Avenue. Encompassing 6 storefronts, NBAG has taken over the area occupied and joined forces with artists of Ocean Shores. Relish the thought of playing with clay as an adult while learning the basic principles of facial form and structure. Delve into your own interpretation of how you see the general structure and benefit from enjoying the company of some of the most renowned artists in western Washington.

When you sign up for Scott’s class you get a big block of clay. He shows you step-by-step the process of using the clay to form facial features on a flat clay surface. You can’t help but get increasingly involved in this adventure. I found it fascinating to watch as the contours of the face emerged and dramatically transformed a flat slab into the facial features of a human form. It’s a real hands-on experience that teaches some great techniques that we all can use to enhance our art learning about shape and form.

Scott’s enthusiasm and encouragement are so welcome. He and the members of NBAG have offered scholarships to any of the many art classes if you can’t afford the fees. It’s their way of giving back to the community and expressing the idea that anyone can dabble in the arts. The experience caused me to think in broader terms about the dimensional aspect of shape and form, helping me in my photography and painting as well as mixed media.

And this is why Art Happens!

Scott Hawn can be reached at The Gallery of Ocean Shores: https://thegalleryofoceanshores.com/main/scott-hawn


Gary Douglas Lennon lives in Aberdeen, WA, but hails from New York (the burbs of Long Island, East Rockaway, a historic bay town on the south coast). He began a passion for photography in 1986, painting in 2013, and writing since 1989. A descendant of Sir Walter Scott, he is currently working on a book of short stories titled “The Shirtless Man” and a Biographical Metaphysical journey from NY to WA. circa 2009.
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