The bittersweet part for Sara Purdue is not being able to see the smile on her husband’s face.

Purdue can only imagine her late husband’s reaction to having his art showcased at a prestigious Seattle art gallery.

A collection of Roger Purdue’s colorful, Northwest Coast-style pulled prints will be featured in an exhibit beginning tonight, Feb. 5, at the Stonington Gallery on South Jackston Street.

“Roger Purdue: An Introduction, A Retrospection,” is a tribute to the Coupeville artist of Tsimshian heritage whose works previously had only been shared on Whidbey and Orcas islands.

Family members will attend an opening reception from 6-8 p.m. tonight to represent Purdue, who died from Parkinson’s Disease a year ago.

“He would have popped his buttons,” said Sara Purdue, his wife of 37 years. “He would have been so proud. He also would have been happy because it is like tipping your hat to his mother and great-grandmother and the people in the Tsimshian culture. It’s part of his heritage. He wanted to share that. He loved doing art.”

Purdue, a longtime art teacher in the Oak Harbor School District, specialized in meticulously detailed serigraphs that reflected Northwest Coast native culture. He also turned to woodcarving in the 1990s and created a salmon wheel that is on display in the new “Native People — Native Places” exhibit in the Island County Historical Museum and designed the whale wheel located at the Coupeville Wharf.

In a day of technological production of art prints, Purdue worked with the late Carol Peralta of C.P. Prints in South Whidbey to create highly crafted serigraph prints by hand.

Purdue donated and sold many of his works locally but not to the larger market, said Michael Ferri, a member of the Penn Cove Water Festival’s board of directors.

That’s what makes the Stonington Gallery’s decision to show a collection of Purdue’s prints that much more special, Ferri said.

The family brought 33 of Purdue’s works to the Stonington Gallery for consideration to display.

“I think it’s incredible and exciting,” said Ferri, Purdue’s cousin by marriage. “When you look at the list of artists the Stonington Gallery carries, those are some of the top in their field in Northwest Coast native art. It’s a great honor.”

The show at the Seattle gallery is part of the First Thursday Art Walk. Purdue’s prints will be on display through Feb. 28. The gallery is located at 125 South Jackson St.

Grace Purdue, Roger’s daughter, came up with the idea to bring some of her father’s art to the gallery for consideration so others might be able to see his work.

“He shared his art with the community for fundraising and things like that,” Sara Purdue said. “I think he’d be thinking this is a win-win situation.

“It’s just an incredible honor for Roger. We’re thrilled.”

To view some of Purdue’s prints that will be at the exhibit, go to www.stoningtongallery.com