by LISA BRIDGE

For the Sequim Gazette

What’s new at the market is Opening Day for the 2013 Season! We  are fast approaching 20 new vendors! New farms, new food, new youth vendors and new artisans. We also are excited about various new musical ensembles and groups. It is going to be a lively year on Cedar Street.

We are ever so thankful for our proud sponsors. This year we welcome back BrokersGroup, Mountain Propane, Bell and Davis PLLC, Hanna Construction and the Sequim Lavender Growers Association. Please support these generous local businesses who help keep Sequim vital and bright.

Who’s to be found on Cedar Street this year? Victoria Wickell is an extraordinary watercolorist. She started about 19 years ago when she was given a set of watercolors and as she said, “stepped off a building.” Her whole life changed. She had studied art in university and has a bachelor’s degree in studio art but her school did not offer watercolor.

She said she always could draw starting as a child. After she was given the watercolors, she sold the first painting she had done, much to her surprise. She had a dear friend who encouraged her to keep painting and she had her first show at a gallery in Bellingham. Four years later, having built up a body of work, she applied for a big show and got in. “Pretty cool,” she said.

Over time fellow vendors taught her which were the good shows and eventually she bought a printer and prints her own reproductions. This is one hardworking artist. In 2007, she began working with illustrations for children’s literature because someone she met at a show four years earlier had kept her card and then called her to do the illustrations for her book. Currently she works with the author Gene Bradbury, who saw her other book in Port Gamble.

As for her future, she said, “I have always felt you keep teaching yourself.”

The content of her work has changed though. She used to paint beautiful old architecture and now likes painting things people can relate to like birds, trees, things in nature. When I asked if she considers this full-time work, she said, “Oh yes, this is full-time. I will retire when I cannot see any longer.” And she isn’t kidding.

As for the Sequim Open Aire Market, she said, “I enjoy the people that I meet, it is easy-going and flexible, it is a wonderful market.”

Come to see her latest explorations in Native American art. We are fortunate to have such a fine artist in our midst.

The music for opening day will be Naki’i, the Hawaiian duet who bring the youth Hawaiian dancers. This will be their only performance for this season, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in the market square. Don’t miss it!

Check our website www.sequimmarket.com for our calendar of musical and community events.

See you at the market!