Sequim’s Carrie Rodlend hosts Earth Day Open Studio April 20

Earth Day Open Studio

featuring Carrie Rodlend

10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, April 20

562 Holgerson Road, Sequim

monalisa@olypen.com

One-of-a-kind art centered around the Earth, cards, light refreshments and more.

For 30-plus years, artist Carrie Rodlend, 66, has gleaned from the sights and sounds across the Olympic Peninsula for inspiration.

So, it seems like a natural fit that she’d host her annual open studio exhibit on Saturday, April 20, just prior to Earth Day in Dungeness. Her Earth Day Open Studio runs from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at 562 Holgerson Road and features seascapes and landscapes from the Dungeness Spit to Jamestown Beach to scenes from the West End.

“Conceivably, these are the best paintings I’ve done,” she said.

“It surprised me. I think they’re well done. It’s just lucky. Art is lucky.”

Humbleness aside, Rodlend, a native of England, said she’s a “nature nut” and enjoys mushroom hunting and hiking.

Since her show last year centered on ravens, Rodlend said she’s been fixated on water and waves drawing from inspired moments she captured with her camera or from her memory.

“Really, most of my work is related to the Earth with all my landscapes, seascapes, ravens, clouds and local scenes,” Rodlend said.

Some of her paintings may look familiar to local visitors of Lake Crescent, Voice of America Park and many other local landmarks.

“I’ve done water forever,” she said. “I’ve studied it for 30 years inside and outside. It’s just what I love.”

‘Carrie Art’

Saturday’s show also marks her 10th year of opening her studio to the public.

In that span, Rodlend said her work has improved significantly.

“It’s become more cohesive over the years,” she said. “Now, there’s a common theme that runs through all of them.”

But becoming a stronger artist is not something she just wants for herself, but for her students, she says.

“I have to (improve) as a teacher,” Rodlend said.

Over the years, she’s become less focused on the end result for students, too.

“I want to let kids see the potential in their work,” Rodlend said. “It’s all about choice. There’s a misconception that you have to be good at art to do it.”

Rodlend has been a fixture in local schools since 1982 when she started her “Carrie Art” program for students in Sequim and eventually many more schools to promote and teach art for thousands of peninsula children.

She continues to do the program on Wednesdays at Helen Haller Elementary with funding support from the school’s PTO. Each class in grades kindergarten-fifth see her three times a school year working in different mediums, learning perspectives and understanding many other elements of art. However, Rodlend recently made the decision to stop “Carrie Art” and focus on private lessons from her studio.

“It’s been wonderful,” she said of teaching in schools.

“For a while, I was almost doing it every day going from Poulsbo to Port Angeles to home school programs and then private lessons at night.”

Rodlend will continue to create art with her students in her studio, working with them on the step-by-step process. As tradition for her shows, she sells discounted pieces she’s worked side-by-side with a student on covering master artists like Vincent Van Gogh or Claude Monet.

For the Earth Day show, Rodlend offers new 6-inch-by-6-inch works of fruit, other paintings from previous shows, greeting cards, prints and more.

She’ll offer light refreshments and a fire pit to relax near, too. For more information, call 360-681-0104 or email monalisa@olypen.com. Parking is available near the studio.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.

After a session teaching kindergartners how to paint a landscape with sheep, Carrie Rodlend takes a moment for a photo with Stephanie Grotzke-Nash’s class. Since 1982, Rodlend has taught her “Carrie Art” program in local schools like Helen Haller Elementary but plans to retire from teaching in public schools at the end of this school year. She’ll continue private lessons and opening up her studio for shows like her Earth Day Open Studio on April 20. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

Helen Haller Elementary kindergartners in Stephanie Grotzke-Nash’s class listen in for advice from Carrie Rodlend about how best to paint a sheep. When she’s not teaching art in classrooms, Rodlend works with children and adults in Dungeness making art. Her latest show on April 20 at 562 Holgerson Road focuses on land- and seascapes. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

At one point, Carrie Rodlend was traveling as far as Poulsbo to teach her “Carrie Art” program. This year, she works Wednesdays teaching art lessons at Helen Haller Elementary for all grades with funding support from the school’s PTO. Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash

The Dungeness Spit is one of many seascapes that Carrie Rodlend profiles at her Earth Day Open Studio on April 20 at her studio 562 Holgerson Road. Image by Carrie Rodlend