Thunderbird by Marlien Hennen.

The MAC is celebrating nature's beauty in January and February with the natural-material works of Marlien Hennen, Gordon Day and Victor Judd. Displayed in conjunction with the new Hoh River exhibit, these Featured Artists of the Month works includes wood carvings, basketry, and bone carvings. Please note that the displayed artwork of Marlien Hennen and Victor Judd are also for sale.

Join us for our first artist reception of the new year on Friday, Feb. 5th, from 5-8 p.m. at the MAC Exhibit Center.

Marlien Hennen

Totem pole by Marlien Hennen on display at the MAC Exhibit Center.

Using traditional weaving material indigenous to the Pacific Northwest, Hennen gathers the natural materials she needs for her art from the majestic forestlands of our region as well as from her own backyard, literally.

"Nature is a rich and endless source of ideas, colors, textures, forms and rhythm, all of which participate in the graceful dancing of cedar art," Hennen says. "Creating a new life in cedar bark is a slow dance of contemplation, excitement and joy."

In addition to her weaved cedar bark artwork displayed at the MAC, more of Marlien Hennen's work can be seen at her Sequim art studio, Dancing Cedar Arts.

Gordon Day

Orca by Gordon Day.

Northern Shoveler by Gordon Day.

Having always had an interest in the arts, it wasn't until his retirement and relocation to Sequim 15 years ago that Gordon Day took up wood carving. Since then, having studied with such artists as Floyd Scholz, Jim Sprankle, Dale Lane, Vern Jones and Dennis Drechsler, he has become an expert in duck decoys and has recently branched out into carving raptors, mammals and other birds.

Operating out of a shop at his home, Day accepts commissions, and teaches woodcarving with knives and chisels as well as power carving. He also hosts a carvers group get-together at his home shop every Tuesday from 1-4 p.m.

Victor Judd

Port Townsend artist Victor Judd became intrigued with the Polynesian art form of bone carving during his travels in New Zealand. Upon learning the entire carving process, Judd was determined to continue carving when he returned to the States... now, a decade later, that passion continues.

Koru II bone carving by Victor Judd.

Single Infinity with holes bone carving by Victor Judd.

ML pattern fishhook bone carving by Victor Judd.

Whereas the Maori carvers in New Zealand use whale bone, Judd adapted his material of choice to buffalo bone. In addition to buffalo bone being more readily accessible than whale bone, Judd was struck by the similarity between the total use of the whale by the Maoris and the total use of the buffalo by the American Plains tribes.

Judd notes that bone carvings are seen mostly in the form of necklaces worn as talismans, with each style or design combining symbols to represent a certain wish for protection, good luck, bounty, etc. He says on some pieces, he will inlay paua shell, abalone, mammoth tusk, amber, wood, or whatever seems appropriate at the time.

Those visiting Port Townsend can see more of Victor Judd's work, as well as that of his wife, assemblage artist Mary Lynn Maloney, on display at the Port Townsend Gallery.