Unexpected Beauty

Juried Exhibition of Works by Members of The Puget Sound Group Northwest Artists

Wednesday, July 2 through Friday, August 1

Artists’ Reception, Awards Presentation and the Bothell Art Walk:
5–8pm, Thursday, July 10

The surprise of encountering beauty in unexpected places, times or forms can evoke profound emotions and stir vivid memories. Each person’s perception of beauty is unique, leading to moments when we find others’ interpretations surprisingly different from our own. This recognition of beauty's transformative power can disrupt our assumptions, uplift our moods and even reshape our relationships, bringing both comfort and intrigue.

The Unexpected Beauty exhibition invites artists and audiences to delve into beauty's unconventional manifestations and encourages the celebration of the surprising, overlooked and unconventional in art and life. By challenging traditional aesthetic standards, the exhibition aims to illuminate how beauty can emerge from unexpected sources, materials and experiences, inviting viewers to rethink their definitions of beauty and to embrace its diverse expressions.

The Puget Sound Group Northwest Artists (PSGNWA) is an arts organization that welcomes visual artists and sculptors at all levels of experience and expertise. PSGNWA invites artists who are at least 18 years of age, who reside in the Puget Sound Region, and who practice visual arts, such as painting, drawing, printmaking, and sculpture, to join as members.

Framed wooden art piece featuring a whale with tribal styles painted on the wood, mounted on a beige background.

Weathered Ship in the Moonlight, by Steve Jensen. Oil on Plywood, 31.5x21” $2500

A framed landscape painting depicting a field of purple flowers with three trees in the background and a blue-green sky.

Summer Blues, by Megan Veldee. Soft Pastel, 22 3/4x26 1/2” $1,100

A decorative ceramic sculpture featuring two large, textured, beige volcanic rock-like forms with small white pebbles covering parts, topped with two shiny green globes on slender stems.

Electric Mixer, by Michael Hovey. Oil on panel, 20x14” $1200

A painting of white and pink flowers with green leaves, set against a textured background with gold and pastel shades, framed in black.

On the Verge, by Denise Richards. Encaustic, oil pastel & shellac, 10x10” $200

Colorful still life painting of various fruits including pineapples, apples, tomatoes, lemons, limes, oranges, and grapes arranged on a patterned tablecloth with a vibrant, abstract background.
Wooden art piece with a carved smiling face and a spiral-patterned mustache, against a plain wall.

Adrift, by Steve Jensen. Oil on Plywood, 31x20” $2500

Painting of a small boat on the shore beside a body of water with a forest and mountain in the background.

Anticipation, by Megan Veldee. Soft Pastel, 18 1/2x22 1/2” $850

A ceramic sculpture of a stylized animal, possibly a dog or a horse, with a textured brown body and two rounded dark glossy heads, placed on a wooden table.

Pomorph 2, by Juliette Ripley-Dunkelberger. Ceramic, 11x6x5” $480

A painting of a large seashell hanging above a dark, circular area on a black background, with red glow surrounding the circle and dark shadow inside.

Shell 1, by Michael Hovey. Oil on panel, 12 1/4x12 3/4” $900

Watercolor painting of birds flying over a calm body of water with rocks and a small iceberg.

Blackbird in Winter, by Bezalel Levy. Mixed media with acrylics on rice paper, 21x25 1/2” $1,200

Abstract mixed media artwork with textures and colors resembling a seascape, featuring layered patterns and foam-like details.

Girl on Fire, by Frank Gaffney. Oil on board, 17x14” $600

Watercolor painting of a field with furrows, a distant tree line, a sky with clouds and a flying bird.

Guardian of Fields, by Charlene Hall. Watercolor, 21x17” $425

A colorful landscape painting of snow-capped mountain with a waterfall, green trees, and red flowering bushes in the foreground.

Red Currants Under Rainier, by Gregg Goolsby. Mixed Media Encaustic, 19 1/2x13 3/4” $285

A landscape painting of a lake at sunset with six birds sitting on rocks in the foreground, distant trees, and a pinkish sky with shades of orange and purple.

The Regulars, by Lorraine Goddard. Oil, 10x13” $550

A painting of a bird with gray and blue feathers standing inside a black circular frame on a warm brown background.

Who’s Looking at Whom, by Krister Eide. Oil, 9x9” $325

Framed painting of a pond with green water lilies, surrounded by trees and foliage.

Greenest Green at the Pond, by Pat Clayton. Oil, 13x10 3/4” $495

Mixed media art piece featuring two skeletal fish with piercing eyes, surrounded by leaves, a branch, and a yellow and green cord, all encased within a textured, torn fabric frame.

Watching, by Kathy Bussert Webb. Found objects, upcycled fabric, paper pulp, 18x21” $600

A painting of a farm field with hay bales and a tractor, mountains in the background, and a sign that reads "Marshmallow" in a wooden frame.

Marshmallow Harvest, by Karen Bakke. Soft Pastel, 9 1/4x21 1/4” $550

Abstract painting with pastel colors, depicting a window with light streaming through, casting reflections on the floor.

Wasserglass, by Marcia Spees. Acrylic on Canvas, 36 3/4x24 3/4” $2,400

An art print depicting a coastal landscape with water, shoreline, fields, mountains, and a setting sun or moon.

Beach Tide, by Diane Sarr. Stitched paper, 17 1/4x14 1/2” $320

Watercolor painting of a river landscape with trees in the background and old wooden logs in the foreground, signed 'Sowers'.

Shelter, by Suzanne Powers. Watercolor, 11x11” $300

Fruit Salad, by Karen Epperson. Acrylic, 18x24” $450

Painting of a desert landscape featuring two large butte formations, with a colorful sky and desert terrain in warm tones.

Monument Valley Dazzel, by Denise Page. Soft Pastels, 27 1/2x19 1/4” $1,150

Oil painting of a rural scene with a green barn, a white pickup truck, colorful flowers, and trees, signed by the artist.

Beauty and the Beast, by Ned Mueller. Oil, 14 1/2x16 1/2” $1,500

Painting of a classical-style statue of a woman carrying a vase, surrounded by greenery.

Her Garden Remains, by Debbie Kluge. Oil, 14 1/2x17 1/2” $575

Waterfront scene with a small boat docked near a pier, with a clouded sky above and a white fence in the background.

Blue Gem, by Jenny Kinberg. Oil, 16x9 3/4” $400

A painting of a boat on a river with trees in the background and a bird flying in the sky.

Island Time, by Frank Gaffney. Oil on board, 26x22” $880

Watercolor painting of a forest scene at sunrise with tall trees, a small blue house, green grass, and a cloudy sky.

Evening along the Skagit River, by Charlene Hall. Watercolor, 19 1/2x15 1/2” $425

An abstract art piece with pink, red, blue, yellow, and green swirling colors and patterns displayed in a black frame.

Botanical Anatomy 101, by Gregg Goolsby. Encaustic, 19 1/2x13 1/2” $285

A landscape painting of a small harbor with sailboats, houses, and a large orange bridge in the background, under a cloudy sky.

Fog Rising La Conner, by Lorraine Goddard. Oil, 10x13” $550

Painting of a small bird sitting on a branch with green leaves and red berries, surrounded by a green, blurred background.

First Breath of Spring, by Krister Eide. Oil, 9 1/2x9 1/2” $325

Painting of a fall landscape with trees in yellow and orange, a rocky river, and mountains in the background.

Cottonwoods at the River Pond, by Pat Clayton. Oil, 19 3/4x17” $1,100

Contemporary sculpture titled 'My Wilderness' by Kathy Bussert Webb displayed on a green pedestal.

My Wilderness, by Kathy Bussert Webb. Metal (welded), paper pulp, natural pigment, 13x11x9” $650

A landscape painting of a city at dusk with a winding road illuminated by car headlights and taillights, under a cloudy sky.

Colors of the Night, by Karen Bakke. Soft Pastel, 17x13” $550

An abstract watercolor painting of four people walking outdoors near water, with pastel colors and loose brushstrokes.

Chimera, by Marcia Spees. Acrylic on Canvas, 31 1/4x31” $2,400

Framed artwork of a stylized tree with green leaves, a gray trunk, and a background of blue sky with a white sun or moon, set against a simple landscape.

Ocean Winds, by Diane Sarr. Stitched paper, 19 1/2x16 1/2” $350

A framed watercolor painting of a coastal scene featuring rocky cliffs covered with trees, and the ocean with a few birds flying in the sky.

La Push, by Suzanne Powers. Watercolor, 13x17” $500

A landscape painting of a large body of water with rocky hills in the background, framed in black and gold.

Steamboat Rock View, by Bill Fargo. Oils, 18 1/4x10 1/4” $390

Pomorph 1, by Juliette Ripley-Dunkelberger. Ceramic, 17x10x12” $875

Mixed media artwork featuring a printed cartoon illustration of a scene with animals, overlaid with real dried brown leaves attached to the surface. The artwork is framed with a wooden and painted trim.

The Golden Light of Spring Recalls What Winter Made Us Forget, by Scot Briscoe. Oil and cold wax on board, 14x14” $400

Abstract artwork with brown, black, gold, and white colors, featuring organic, bubbly patterns.

Slow Burn, by Denise Richards. Encaustic, oil pastel & shellac, 10x10” $200

A framed painting depicts a pink cactus flower blooming on a green cactus with multiple tall, columnar sections, set against a desert-like background with rocks.

Torch Cactus, by Lynn Fargo. Watercolor/Gouache, 19x23” $400

Painting of a landscape with rolling hills under a cloudy sky.

Sun Showers, by Denise Page. Soft Pastels, 14 1/2x18 1/2” $875

Painting of two women sitting outdoors on grass, one in a teal tank top and the other in a pink tank top with a white skirt, with a person in the background and trees in the distance.

Best Friends, by Ned Mueller. Oil, 18 1/4x15 1/4” $1,600

A framed painting of a floral arrangement featuring pink roses, white daisies, and pink magnolias on a black background with a gold circle outline.

Spring Halo, by Debbie Kluge. Oil, 23x23” $1,200

A colorful abstract painting featuring a prominent word 'LOVE' in large black and aqua letters with a bouquet of yellow and orange flowers at the bottom.

Poppies and Grafitti, by Jenny Kinberg. Oil, 17 1/2x21” $550

A portrait of a woman with red curly hair, wearing a blue and white patterned shirt, painted in an impressionistic style.