New art exhibit opens Thursday at Shoreline City Hall

The Shoreline-Lake Forest Park Arts Council and the City of Shoreline present “JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY”, a new exhibit featuring: Karen Dedrickson - sumi painting, Karen Leonard - silk painting, Marcia Douglas – monoprint, Mary J McInnis - oil painting and Virginia Jenkins, clay sculpture.

Karen Dedrickson, "Curiosity" ink, acrylic, collage on Xuan Paper

Karen Dedrickson

For Karen, Sumi is a way that encourages working intuitively. The birds are intuitive expression of what she feels at that moment of painting. When she least expects it, a bird like "Curiosity" shows up, which resonates with a charisma beyond perfection. She describes her process, “It's fascinating to watch what happens on the Xuan Paper --all the different ways I can push and pull, play and bounce my inky black brush on the smooth white surface. Each mark speaks a truth that can't be erased.” Karen exhibits widely in the Puget Sound area.

Karen Leonard, "Lady in Waiting", silk painting

Karen Leonard

Karen starts her silk paintings by drawing freehand directly onto a clean white piece of silk, without a sketch, and without an eraser. Like an author creating a character, she lets the character or image decide what happens to it. This leads to unexpected details. Adding color to the drawing is a separate and equally challenging task. She celebrates those serendipitous moments when the colors have their own ideas about where to go. Karen holds certificates in Graphic Design and has won awards at juried shows on both coasts. She is a silk painter, graphic designer, interior designer, artisan tile setter, quilter, silkscreen printer, and amateur photographer.

Marcia_Douglas, "Wishful Thinking", monoprint etching

Marcia Douglas

For Marcia, printmaking is a journey of discovery. She works intuitively, often starting without a sketch or idea of where it will go. Working with multiple plates, bits of paper ephemera, layers of color and imagery, she also integrates photographic images into her monoprints. Inspirations come from travels (like France and Italy in this show) and experiences, from shapes and colors playing with and against each other, and from the simple pleasure of mark making. A member of Seattle Print Arts, Los Angeles Printmaking Society, NW Collage Society, Marcia exhibits nationally and regionally.

Mary McInnis, "Gold Creek Trail", oil on canvas

Mary J McInnis

The major theme of Mary’s work is the play of light on various subjects, her favorite subject being the forests of the Pacific Northwest. The best way she knows of to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of our surroundings is by walking the nature paths and trails. She offers these paintings for those who are unable (by whatever reason) to vicariously experience these places. Mary holds a BFA in Painting from the UW; she is a Signature Member of the NW Pastel Society, and has exhibited widely in the Northwest.

Virginia Jenkins, Sherbet Boat, clay sculpture

Virginia Jenkins

My ceramic sculpture represents a convergence between existing and imagined realities inspired by the potential of undiscovered life in our oceans. Through the use of iconographies drawn from the natural world found in our coastal environments, and subtle allusions to the human body, I create objects that suggest an esoteric existence. The objects become their own biological entities with their own spirituality and provoke the experience of an independent, symbolic world. Their presence reveals covert process, intrinsic sexuality, and vulnerability.

Shoreline City Hall is located at 17500 Midvale Ave N, Shoreline 98133. For more information contact the Arts Council at 206-417- 4645.