IT'S SUMMERTIME!!! LET'S LIVE OUTSIDE IN THE SUNSHINE!

(Updated August 2008)

"I believe that we're here to contribute love to the planet ~ each of us in our own way" ~ Bernie Siegel, M.D.

Mark these events on your calendars:

• KIRKLAND (WASHINGTON) ARTS CENTER MEMBER'S EXHIBIT
• EXHIBIT: Friday, August 15 through Friday September 6
• During regular gallery hours
• OPENING RECEPTION: Thursday, August 14 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
• www.kirklandartscenter.org

• REDMOND (WASHNGTON) SATURDAY MARKET
• Open air market, so dress accordingly
• Saturdays: August 9, 16, 23 & September 20 (good weather pending)
• 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• www.redmondsaturdaymarket.homestead.com

It’s summertime ~ and that spells every kind of fun in the Pacific Northwest. When the sun is shining, we’re all outdoors here. Picnicking, boating, bicycling, golfing, hiking, gardening, barbecuing, and visiting all the summer craft and music festivals hosted by every community for miles in all directions.

KIRKLAND ARTS CENTER MEMBER'S EXHIBIT

In the nearby city of Kirkland, Washington, I'm also displaying my painting "Springtime Comes to Simpson Street" at the annual Kirkland Arts Center Member's Exhibit. The artwork pictures an imaginary neighborhood featuring all of the homes that I've lived in and loved ~ from age four to present and beyond. Click on my Commission page to see and learn more about it.

My painting of the Kirkland Arts Center, housed in the historic old Peter Kirk Building, is further down on this page: "Planting Petunias at the Peter Kirk Building."

REDMOND SATURDAY MARKET

The image above shows me and my handsome helper (I couldn't do this without him!), husband Doug, in our booth at the local Redmond, Washington Saturday Farmers' Market ~ a weekly summer tradition that we look forward to all year long. Check my Retail page for details on this and other events. Find me there on Saturdays, August 9, 16 and 23. Weather permitting, I'll be there September 20 as well. For more information on the market, visit www.redmondsaturdaymarket.homestead.com.

DECORATING FOR SUMMER IN "OLD GLORY" COLORS

In honor of the patriotic holidays of Memorial Day, the 4th of July and Labor Day, our home gets the “red, white and blue” treatment ~ inside and out.

It’s fun to decorate with flags, wind socks, antique toy wagons, banners, stars and big bouquets of white dahlias from my garden (they’re my pride and joy).

As you can see by the photo here, we Wards love the all-American theme this time of year.

Seasonal decorating is a bit of a "happy compulsion" with me. My creative mother, Sally, set a great example (she decorated for all the holidays when I was a little girl growing up in Eastern Washington). I really enjoy carrying on this family tradition ~ and my husband Doug likes it, too!

Click on the image of our dining room here or on Our Home pdf to see more pictures of our home's summer decor.

"PLANTING PETUNIAS AT THE PETER KIRK BUILDING!

This magnificent Victorian brick building in the Romanesque Revival Style, was built in 1889 by entrepreneur, Peter Kirk, on the corner of Market Street and Seventh (then Picadilly). Although the financial upheaval of 1893 impacted Kirk’s grand business plans, he remained active in this Lake Washington community until he retired in the San Juan Islands and died in 1916.

Sadly, the building fell into disrepair in the 1960s after several owners and usages. William Radcliff, a teacher, visionary, and inspiration of the Creative Arts League, rescued the building with the Peter Kirk Syndicate and other civic minded attorneys, physicians, architects and more. Listed on the National Historic
Register in 1973, today it houses the beloved Kirkland Arts Center (see details about ther Member's Exhibit above) where I’ve painted my family members hard at work planting flowers.

For more information on KAC, the Member's Exhibit and how to become a member, visit them at www.kirklandartscenter.org.

You can see more lovely homes, parks and historic landmarks that Eastside communities are famous for by visiting my Puget Sound page.

SCENES CELEBRATING SUMMER!

This August, click on my What's New page to see 12 paintings that are all about this great outdoor season! The collection features settings from all over the Pacific Northwest, including the Washington State communities of Bellevue, Port Townsend, Redmond, The San Juans, Seattle, Snohomish and Spokane plus Oregon's Cannon Beach and scenes from Northern Idaho.

HOW TO NAVIGATE AROUND MY WEB SITE ~

LINKS ~ It's easy! Use the colored square buttons to the left of each page to move from one page to another ~ or click on any bold red words in the text section (i.e. Biography).

POP-UPS ~ The artwork and each of the paintings featured throughout are linked to a larger pop-up image, so just click right on each painting to see its larger version.

Enjoy your visit!

WELCOME ~ You're here!

WHAT'S NEW ~ Click here to see NEW paintings and other seasonal favorites. This month, I'm featuring a dozen pieces celebrating summer.

CALENDAR ~ My three NEW 2009 calendars are finished and available for purchase! You'll find a short description below of each. To get a sneak preview of the featured images, visit my Calendar page or click on the titles below.

I began creating my calendars 15 years ago in 1994. How time flies! See the overview of these new ones below:

• Wondful White Houses in Washington State ~ Washington State is filled with lovely private residences and landmark buildings. I've "cherry picked" 13 paintings from my Puget Sound and Spokane collections ~ celebrating the communities of Port Townsend, Redmond, Roche Harbor, Snohomish, Spokane and Woodinville ~ all presented with seasonal and holiday themes appropriate to each month. Look for this calendar in early July.
• Celebrating the Eastside (Volume 3) ~ This is my third Eastside edition. It features 13 paintings from my Eastside Collection with artwork from settings in Bellevue, Bridal Trails, Kirkland, Medina, Redmond, Sammamish, Snoqualmie, Woodinville and Yarrow Point.
• The North Side & Downtown Spokane ~ Produced especially for the MAC (Spokane, Washington's Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture), this 8th edition features images of Spokane's world famous carousel, the Monroe Street Bridge, St. Aloysious Catholic Church, the Holy Names Academy building, Bing Crosby's childhood home which is now the Gonzaga University Alumni Hiouse, Bishop White Seminary, Flowerfield at St.George's School, and the old Maxwell-Pettet place, noted as the oldest home on record built in Spokane ~ and more.

COLLECTIONS (350+) ~ Painting is my passion ~ for almost 40 years! I've created 400-plus pieces which are divided into three collections. The collection pages feature images of several paintings which revolve with the seasons ~ plus links to pdfs with thumbnails and stories for ALL of the paintings in that collection.

• Puget Sound, Washington ~ Historic landmarks, homes, wineries, churches and parks ~ with a few boats thrown in for "spice."
• Spokane, Washington ~ More landmarks, the city's carousel, gazebos, parks and beautiful homes.
• More Paintings ~ Fun subjects and settings like forest animals, cats, animals, fire trucks, golf courses, trains, holiday paintings plus a special "Golfing Santa" collection for the die-hard duffers in your life.

Click at the bottom of each collection page for a comprehensive list of titles and short descriptions.

COMMISSION ~ If you're like me, your home is your "castle!" Celebrate it with a pen-&-ink line drawing or an acrylic-on-canvas painting you and your family can cherish. You'll find a step-by-step guide to commissioning artwork ~ and frequently, the paintings are included in one of my calendars.

RETAIL ~ Here you'll find a list of retail gift shops, museums, and other locations, such as the MAC (Northwest Museum of Fine Arts) Gift Shop in Spokane and the Roche Harbor Gift Shop at Hotel de Haro, where you can purchase my cards, prints and gift packets ~ plus their addresses, phone numbers and web sites.

ORDERING ~ If you'd like to order from me directly, this page lists items available for purchase ~ such as prints and cards ~ as well as information on pricing original paintings. You'll find an easy-to-use downloadable form (pdf format) that you can fax or send to me.

BIOGRAPHY ~ This is my "life story" page. Here I share some highlights that have helped me develop as an American Primitive artist ~ from my kindergarten report card all the way up to my 2nd Place Award at the Historical Landmark artwork exhibit at the Old Redmond Schoolhouse Community Center (Redmond, Washington) and the article in the December 2007 "425 Magazine." There are also other pdfs of several articles written about me in the local press.

BRIDAL ~ Weddings are wonderful! Visit this page if you are interested in having me create a custom wedding portrait or one-of-a-kind wedding invitations. Many of the paintings shown on this page were used by my clients as covers for wedding invitations, but I have a sample traditional text invitation featured on this page as well. You'll also find a list of collateral items such as R.S.V.Ps, bridal shower announcements, wedding programs and more that I can produce to match whatever you select.

QUESTIONS? PLEASE CONTACT ME AT ~

TELEPHONE: Tel 425.868.9238

E-MAIL: artist@pattisimpsonward.com

WEBSITE: www.pattisimpsonward.com