Blue Whole Gallery to celebrate ‘28 on the Strait’

By Sequim Gazette staff • May 14, 2025 1:30 am

Blue Whole Gallery, 129 W. Washington St., will celebrate its 28th birthday throughout the month of June with a show called “28 on the Strait,” featuring works of art fashioned from the area.

The opening reception will take place from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, June 6 during First Friday Art Walk.

Although art galleries are not known for their longevity, Blue Whole Gallery has been supported by the community and is still going strong, occupying the same location and still with one original member.

Over the last four years, Blue Whole Gallery has given back to the community through month-long fundraisers on behalf of local non-profits as well as providing space for events such as the Olympic Peninsula Authors monthly event, Writers Read.

The gallery’s journey hasn’t always been smooth sailing.

“It took a lot of work by a core group of about 12 people to get the gallery started,” founding member Barb Boerigter stated in a press release. “Then finding artists who were willing to join the gallery and put in the required time to keep things going was also a challenge.”

There have been other challenges over the years, such as COVID-19.

“When I joined the Gallery in 2020 we were down to 17 members,” member Jolene Sanborn said in the press release. “The dues we generated weren’t enough to pay the rent. But we made it through and now we have 28 member artists. Everyone gets along well, truly enjoying working and being together.”

For more information on the gallery, visit bluewholegallery.com.