An Olympic Peninsula resident since 1983, artist Marilyn Santiago and her work is in the spotlight at the “Artist Story Series” from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, at Imagine it Framed, 625 E. Front St., Port Angeles.

Santiago’s exhibit is “Genealogy: Picturing My Tree — Illustrating my Family Stories,” and she will be raffling her Asian brush painting of “Egret on Yellow Silk.” Proceeds from the 50/50 raffle go to the Clallam County Genealogical Society and her PEO IV Chapter.

Santiago spent 27 years as a surgical nurse at Olympic Medical Center, though since retiring she continues to travel with surgical teams overseas.

Since 1990 Santiago has been an active genealogist. Starting with group sheets, timelines and research in Salt Lake City, she went on to reading 50 years of small town newspapers on microfilm. Using stories, news articles and photos she compiled a few books about family. She has now progressed to telling the stories she knows and pairing them with illustrations from photos and memory in the hopes her great grandchildren will someday enjoy them. Emily Carr’s journals laid the groundwork and inspired her towards this project.

She has studied art for more than 20 years, studying live drawing with Danny Adams and then water colors, silk painting and Asian brush with Melissa Penic, Karen Sistek and Roxanne Grinstad. She has won “Best in Show” at the Clallam County Fair for her photo of Potosi Arches, and two of her photos appeared in the International Travel News magazine.

The Clallam County Historical Society chose one of her photos for their annual raffle of artwork by a local artist. Her art has been featured at Karon’s Frame Center, The Fifth Avenue, The Buzz and both Sequim and Port Angeles libraries.

Marilyn Santiago’s Asian brush painting of “Egret on Yellow Silk.” Submitted art