Sara Raintree’s charcoal portraits were once enjoyed by the thousands upon thousands of tourists and visitors who wander Seattle’s Pike Place Market each year. Now those same skills will be appreciated by the thousands upon thousands of locals who benefit from Whidbey General Hospital each year.
This weekend, Raintree is participating in the eighth annual Spirit of the Northwest Art Show, an art show and fundraiser for the Whidbey General Hospital Foundation.
“My fingers have been wrapped around a crayon, pencil or brush all my life,” Raintree said. “I always knew that I wanted to be an artist. I just had to be patient for the right season of my life to devote full time to my painting.”
Before coming to Whidbey Island, Raintree worked as a technical illustrator for Boeing and used that time to hone her artistic abilities. She was able to study under Sergie Bongart, a master of Russian Impressionistic style and later with Bongart’s master assistant, Ron Lucas.
Raintree said throughout the years she’s been captivated, inspired and challenged by various subjects in nature. She does work in pastels, oils and charcoal and said she’s constantly manipulating light, patterns and textures in her pieces.
“My painting style is to work in a thick vigorous impasto, with a strong emphasis on color, lively brushstrokes and bold gesture,” Raintree said. “It isn’t a particularly relaxing or controlled way of working, but I enjoy the spontaneity. I want the paint to lead the way and do something I have not made it do before.”
Saturday, June 25, Raintree will be joined by six other island artists coming from North to South Whidbey including Gerald Roberts (acrylics and oils), Patty Picco (encaustics), Gary Schallock (watercolors), Mark Lucerno (acrylics on carved wood panel), Gary Berner (handblown glass) and Randy Emmons (watercolors).
The Spirit of the Northwest Art Show is free to the public and will feature fine art displayed exhibition style. A portion of all art sales will be donated to the WGH Foundation by each artist, and, in addition, the proceeds from two silent auctions, held Saturday and Sunday, will be sent directly to the foundation.
According to artist Gerry Roberts, many of the artists will be working during the show and will happily answer questions about their process. Furthermore, Raintree will be doing live charcoal portraits for a $50 donation to the hospital.
“It’d be nice to have so many people come out that we’re overwhelmed,” Roberts said. “We’re hoping to keep art on the forefront of the minds of the people. … The hospital obviously benefits everyone on the island, so anything we can do to help support that is great.”
Whidbey General Hospital Foundation Executive Director Laura Blankenship said she feels blessed to have worked with the artists the past seven years and looks forward to another successful event.
“As a group they have such generous hearts and a genuine concern for the community they live in,” Blankenship said. “The Spirit of the Northwest artists have been demonstrating this with their commitment to support Whidbey General Hospital through their art show sales for eight years. They are wonderful example of a really diverse group of individuals coming together to do good.”
The Spirit of the Northwest Art Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 25, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 26, at the Coupeville Recreation Hall.
“Anyone attending who decides to purchase will take home a creative piece of work they love,” Blankenship said, “and they can feel good that their purchase is supporting their local health care system. Everybody wins.”
