Are you someone who cherishes the feel of artisanal creations and the stories they tell? Do you find inspiration in spaces that celebrate creativity and character?
This season, Seldens is proud to showcase the incredible talent of Women Painters of Washington as part of our ongoing “Artistry of the Pacific Northwest” series. We honor 16 extraordinary artists through a special installation in our Olympia showroom windows. Each banner highlights a featured artist alongside a sampling of her work—offering a glimpse into the vision and legacy of this storied collective.
Stop by to experience the vibrant history, passion, and artistry of these remarkable women—presented in a way that invites the whole community to enjoy.
NEXT ARTISTRY SHOWING
Olympia Showroom | June 21, 2025 | 1-5pm
JUNE 2025 FEATURED ARTISTS
AMY LEWIS
Amy Lewis is a self-taught artist from Tacoma, WA. Her watercolor and oil paintings are vivid snapshots of ordinary life glamorized. Lewis, inspired by fashion editorials and historical paintings of aristocracy, pairs everyday objects with rich backgrounds. The juxtaposition of the ordinary and the luxurious sparks an appreciation for what we take for granted. She paints to cultivate joy and an appreciation for the beauty around us.
Instagram: @superaimes


BETH BETKER
A Pacific Northwest native, Betker is captivated by human habitat—the delicate blend of accident and intention. Her sculptural work, often combining multiple media, explores this theme. Collected both locally and internationally, her art is featured in galleries, businesses, public spaces, and homes, with collectors ranging from corporations to families and individuals.
Website: betkerart.com
JANCI MANNINGTON
Janci Mannington is inspired by our Northwest gardens and fascinated with nature and the curving, organic shapes that it contains in abundance. She enjoys painting magnified and close-cropped images, puzzling together unusual shapes while paying particular attention to depth and drama. Janci finds it exciting to observe how a painting can make you feel alive in another universe, an intriguingly unfamiliar landscape. She paints two to three thin layers of oil using fine-grade canvas and soft red sable brushes, burnishing the pigments into the canvas. Janci intends for her paintings to be a “gift” that uplifts her clients daily.
Website: jancimannington.com


JANICE TAYLER
Tayler is an abstract landscape painter whose work explores the intersection of the built and natural environment. Drawing inspiration from photographs of ravaged landscapes and decaying industrial sites, she contrasts architectural forms with organic elements like roots, trees, and rocks to reflect environmental disruption and resilience. Her work challenges traditional landscape painting by emphasizing impermanence and instability.
Website: janicetayler.com
JOAN HITCHCOCK
Inspired by color, three-dimensional forms, and, ultimately, the grace of nature, Joan’s art often examines elements commonly seen in everyday life. She enjoys exploring different mediums to discover new techniques while pushing each medium to extremes. Currently, she is exploring creating texture and dimension with modeling paste and acrylic paint. Joan’s artwork is currently on display at ARTrails of SWW open studio tour and Rectangle Gallery, located in Centralia.
Website: joanhitchcock.com


JUDITH HEIM
As an interdisciplinary artist trained as a designer, Judith’s work is informed by the language of line, shape, and dimension. Visual spontaneity and narrative are central to her fine art practice. She works with a variety of materials—water media, torn paper collage, acrylic, and found object assemblage from recycled treasures—often beginning with a random “crazy quilt” of collage papers. As figures emerge from the layered surface, she paints around them to reveal what she calls a “buried collage.” Her creative intention is for the work to appear whimsical at first glance yet evoke deeper thought beyond the surface—acknowledging the quirkiness of life and the metaphors it presents.
Website: judithheim.com
JUDITH PERRY
Judith Perry is a multidisciplinary artist whose work reflects the beauty she discovers in everyday life—whether through music, literature, or long drives down the highway. Her art, expressed on paper or canvas, is inspired by the sensory richness of the world around her and driven by an ever-evolving creative curiosity. Judith works across a range of media, from large-scale oil paintings and watercolors to calligraphy and sketchwork. Each piece—whether a complex, detailed rendering or a serene abstract—emerges from her frame of mind, with color and form serving as the foundation for wonder and exploration.
Website: judithperryart.com


JUDITH SMITH
Judith Smith’s career blends science and art. With degrees in Art History and Medical Art, she began in 1965 as a medical illustrator at McGill University. Over time, she explored printmaking, neon sculpture, pastels, and encaustics. Curiosity guided her evolution, and she now works primarily in mixed media. Her work reflects a lifelong passion for experimentation and the dynamic intersection of creativity and science.
Website: nightwingstudio.com
KAREN O'BRIEN
Karen O’Brien, a former Army Family Physician, turned to art and nature to find resilience during years of military service. Now living in the Pacific Northwest, she draws inspiration from the Puget Sound, working in an Impressionist style with pastel, acrylic, and watercolor. Her art reflects a deep connection to nature and a personal journey of healing, service, and creative exploration rooted in beauty and reflection.
Website: karenobrienart.com


LARAINE WADE
Laraine Wade is a Pacific Northwest-based fiber artist and painter inspired by nature’s serenity and movement. Her work, influenced by impressionist and abstract styles, includes landscapes, florals, portraits, and water scenes. She combines mixed media with gold leaf and foil for luminous effects and hand-quilts her textile art. Drawing from nature, memory, and photography, Laraine creates art that evokes peacefulness, fluidity, and a touch of elegance.
Instagram: @larainewadestudio
LEZLIE JANE
Lezlie Jane creates with acrylic paint, painted papers, and occasionally bits of clothing. She paints non-objectively. By letting go of identifiable images, she can perceive the world fresh. This method creates psychic distance and surprising insights. It is an invitation to discover something new or forgotten. Art is a form of magical communication. Our imagination is sparked, and we find ourselves sharing an ancient visual language. Lezlie invites viewers to enter this journey and conjure their own personal associations with the paintings.
Website: lezliejane.com


MIA SCHULTE
Mia Schulte’s art reflects the myriad influences in her life, drawing inspiration from nature, emotions, and experiences. She contemplates her paintings before starting and works on the floor for a 360-degree view. Using multiple layers of acrylic, ink, pastel, and charcoal, she clarifies her message and feelings. Born in Turkey and raised across Europe and the Middle East, her diverse background profoundly influences her work. Mia transitioned from a corporate career in Washington, D.C., to art teaching and full-time artistry. Living in Olympia, Washington, for 19 years, she incorporates the state's natural beauty into her abstract compositions.
Instagram: @miaschulteart
MOLLY PRESTON
After earning a degree in Interior Design from the University of Oregon, Molly began her career in NYC, working on major architectural projects. She later joined Vermont’s Design-Build movement, taught at Skidmore College, and earned a graduate degree from RISD. In Colorado, she taught photography and ceramics before returning to her true passion—painting—drawing on decades of diverse creative experience across architecture, design, and the arts.
Website: mollypreston.com


ROXANNE EVERETT
Roxanne Everett is a contemporary landscape painter inspired by natural environments across the U.S. and abroad. Her work explores a range of habitats, from everyday scenes to the sublime, revealing each ecosystem’s unique character and extraordinary species. With a background as a National Park backcountry ranger and forest ecologist, she brings deep knowledge of the land to her art. Trained as an architect and experienced as a painter, Roxanne uses various techniques and perspectives to express scientific understanding and emotional connection. Her work highlights the beauty and vulnerability of nature.
Website: art.randomhandful.com
RUBY LINDNER
Ruby Lindner, a first-generation American with German roots, grew up in Colorado and spent years in Europe before settling in Seattle in 1989. The Pacific Northwest’s natural beauty and vibrant arts scene became the perfect backdrop for her creativity. Ruby’s abstract paintings reflect a rich cross-cultural perspective, blending color, rhythm, and humor drawn from her life experiences into an eclectic and expressive visual language.
Website: rubylindner.com


SANDRA KAHLER
Sandra Kahler’s paintings explore place and space—expansive, twisted, or playfully ambiguous—capturing not just landscapes but emotional memory. Raised on Pacific Northwest beaches, she’s deeply connected to the region’s beauty. Years of painting in remote areas and backpacking inform her work, now created from tablet sketches in the studio. With a BFA from the University of Washington, Sandra blends observation, memory, and imagination into dreamlike, evocative scenes.
Website: sandrakahler.com

INTERESTED IN SHOWING AT ARTISTRY OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST?
PREVIOUSLY FEATURED ARTISTS

ARIANA HEINZMAN
Ariana Heinzman is a ceramic artist known for creating sculptures, wall pieces, and functional objects that fuse floral imagery, utilitarian forms, and the human body, reflecting the tension between embracing and controlling nature. She earned her BFA in Ceramics from the Rhode Island School of Design in 2013 and has exhibited at venues like the Vashon Center for the Arts and Pottery Northwest, with work featured in the Seattle University Collection. Heinzman has been highlighted in The Seattle Times, Ceramics Monthly Magazine as an Emerging Artist, and Pottery Making Illustrated. She lives on Vashon Island, WA, and is represented by J. Rinehart Gallery in Seattle.
Instagram: @arianaheinzman

CARYN VAINIO
Caryn Vainio is a mixed media painter and printmaker whose work pulls inspiration from the Pacific Northwest to abstract the landscape. Caryn lives near the foothills of the Cascade mountains, where the evergreen display of nature through each season inspires her work. Her work has been purchased for both private and public collections. Although she has no formal art school training, she has engaged in art of many forms throughout her life and has intertwined it with her long professional career as a designer.
Instagram: @carynvainio_art

CHRYSTALE FILES
Chrystale Files, a contemporary representational oil painter, captures serene moments of stillness and introspection with masterful composition and color harmony, creating works that celebrate simplicity while hinting at narrative mystery. Born in Seattle in 1974, Chrystale's journey through Montana, Hawaii, and Eastern Washington led her back to Seattle, where she earned dual B.A. degrees in Communications and Art from the University of Washington. Now residing in the Tacoma area, Chrystale continues to evolve her artistic vision. She is represented by the Proctor Art Gallery.
Instagram: @chrystalefineart

DAVID GOROSPE
David Gorospe is a Tacoma-based artist with over thirty years of experience in drawing, painting, and design. He holds an Associate's degree in graphic design from the Art Institute of Seattle. Inspired by vintage photography, Gorospe creates nostalgic black-and-white artworks with a bold yet soft-stylized aesthetic, blending old imagery with a modern twist. Using Photoshop and hand-drawing techniques, he transforms vintage photos into stamp-like or block print pieces, printed on earth-toned cardstock. His work evokes sentimental feelings and invites viewers to imagine the untold stories behind the images. David lives in Lakewood, WA with his wife Kelley, a fellow visual artist, and their daughter Drew, a dance major at Cornish College of the Arts.
Website: DG Graphics

HEATHER MCLEAN
Heather Mclean is a Northwest-based abstract artist. She attended the University of Washington, where she received her undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Visual Arts. Heather later moved to Rome, Italy, to continue her studies in both art history and form. She now lives in Gig Harbor, WA, with her husband and two children.
Instagram: @HeatherMclean.Abstracts

JARED MICHAEL
Jared Michael is an artist, builder, and designer based in Tacoma, WA. A self-taught graffiti writer of over 25 years, Jared has a deep passion for the written word, which is confidently reflected in his work. He coined the term “Typograffic Abstraction” to define his distinctive style, which blends typography, graffiti, and abstraction. Jared’s work is a reflection of his journey, one that highlights themes of faith, perseverance, and transformation. Each piece serves as a testament to the grueling nature of triumph and the bittersweet taste of victory.
Instagram: @mrjaredmichael

JENNY HARMON-SCOTT
Jenny Harmon-Scott is a Portland-based artist and designer who began studying oil painting at age ten under Oklahoma artist Maria De La Juen. She pursued a BFA in fine art at the University of Oregon and Oregon State, with a focus on both art and design. Her creative journey included summers spent traveling to New York, LA, and abroad, fueling her artistic growth. Inspired by the Old Masters, she developed a signature style characterized by rich glazes and dramatic light and shadow. Her work spans a wide range of subjects, from portraits to landscapes, and she collaborates with interior designers, selling pieces to corporate and private clients worldwide.
Instagram: @jharmonscott

JODY COULSTON
Jody Coulston draws endless inspiration from the natural world, which she expresses through her art and photography. Growing up, she learned to keenly observe and appreciate nature's intricacies. Now, living in the Northwest, she captures its beauty during hikes, bike rides, and travels, using these scenes as references for her impressionist paintings. Jody employs palette knives and brushes to achieve a transformative effect in her work. With extensive experience and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Colorado State University and an Associate of Arts in Commercial Photography from Colorado Mountain College, she has owned three design/art businesses and collaborates with designers to create unique pieces for their clients.
Instagram: @wanderingartistgallery

JON BRADHAM
Jon Bradham has been drawing and painting since early childhood. However, he has also been going blind since childhood due to a condition called Keratoconus. 20 years ago, his eye doctors had exhausted all known solutions, and his eyesight had become so poor that he was on the verge of giving up his lifelong passion. Luckily, a cutting-edge eye doctor restored his sight through a cornea transplant, and Jon uses this new lease on eyesight every day to improve his craft as an artist. Jon experiences joy when he sees beauty - in a landscape, in a cityscape, in wildlife, in people - and he wants to communicate and share that joy with others.
Instagram: @jon_bradham_artist

KATHERINE FAUBION
Katherine, a lifelong artist, discovered acrylic fluid art painting in 2019 as a therapeutic outlet after her daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer. This creative pursuit brought her peace and purpose during a challenging time. Working in Central Washington, she enjoys experimenting with colors and techniques, embracing the dynamic process. Katherine finds immense joy in sharing her art, bringing vibrant color into others' homes, and inspiring and uplifting them. A fourth-generation Seattleite, she grew up in Richmond Beach and is grateful for the excellent medical care in Seattle that aided her daughter’s full recovery.
Instagram: @Art_by_KFaub

KATHERINE HOGAN
Tacoma-based artist Katherine Hogan thrives on curiosity and experimentation, working with diverse materials like clay, glass, and wire to create pots, baskets, jewelry, and sculptures. A pivotal moment came in 2007 after seeing Ruth Asawa's wire sculptures, inspiring her to scale up her wire and bead creations. Katherine learned Asawa's looping technique, which now defines her work, through a workshop led by Asawa's daughter. Her sculptures explore light, shadow, and organic imperfection, balancing artistic spontaneity with material beauty. Katherine's ever-curious approach invites contemplation, enriching the spaces her creations inhabit.
Instagram: @kathyahogan

KATHRYN ANDERSON
Kathryn Anderson is an artist and printmaker living in Tacoma, Washington. Classically trained at The Art Students League in Manhattan and Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, she draws inspiration from nature, influenced by her gardening, birdwatching, and wild excursions. Captivated by small details, Kathryn designs, hand-carves or etches, and individually prints each limited-edition piece in her Tacoma studio. All prints are titled, signed, and numbered in pencil.
Instagram: @kathy.traxler.anderson

MAGDALENA COONEY
Magdalena Cooney is a Czech-born contemporary artist whose creative journey was shaped by her parents—her father, a theater set designer and puppet maker, and her mother, a graphic designer—and their artistic friends. Inspired by the nature of the Pacific Northwest, Magdalena’s work leans toward evocative, non-objective art, often exploring nature in abstract forms. She enjoys working in series, experimenting with different techniques and color palettes, ranging from vibrant and textured to smooth and neutral. Her pieces frequently evoke mountains and the sea, even in their most abstract forms, offering a sense of home and self. Magdalena lives in Seattle with her husband and two children and is represented by Gray Sky Gallery.
Instagram: @magdalenacooneyart

MARCI CARLSON
Marci Carlson’s journey with art began in childhood, but after a horse riding accident left her with CRPS, a rare neurological disorder, art became her therapy. Encouraged by a friend, she began standing to draw for ten minutes a day, eventually increasing to fifteen minutes, finding that art transported her beyond her pain. Now, fifteen years later and five years into remission, Marci paints whenever she can, finding in art a profound emotional connection and a way to live fully again. She strives to convey deep feelings through her work, creating unique emotional experiences for her audience, making art her way of life.
Instagram: @marci_carlson

MARCUS HARPER
Originally from North Dakota, Marcus Harper has been passionate about art from an early age, inspired by his artist parents and the beauty of church glass windows. Influenced by Dale Chihuly, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Louis Comfort Tiffany, Marcus began working professionally with stained glass in 1988 and later expanded his skills to include glass fusing, slumping, and kiln casting. His studies with masters like Shirley Webster and Jayne Persico have enabled him to create complex glass art blending nature, color, and whimsy. Since moving to Washington in 2006, Marcus resides near Seattle with his husband, daughter, son, and two dogs.
Instagram: @marcusharperglassworks

MARDIE REES
Mardie Rees is a fine artist and figurative sculptor native to the Pacific Northwest. Born into a creative household, her childhood was spent sewing garments, building homes, drawing pictures, and visiting museums. Rees has won many accolades for her emotive sculpture. An Elected Member of the National Sculpture Society, she is a two-time recipient of the Beverly Hoyt Robertson Memorial Award and a multiple award winner in the Portrait Society of America’s International Competition & Exhibition. Currently, Mardie is finishing a larger-than-life sculpture of Saint Anne for Saint Anne Hospital in Burien, Washington. The bronze sculpture will be placed in the hospital’s healing garden in November 2023.
Instagram: @mardierees

MARGARET MACLEAN
Margaret MacLean, a ceramic artist based in Bellevue, WA, creates porcelain sculptures inspired by nature’s organic forms. Her process starts with raw clay, allowing each piece to evolve organically into unique glazed ceramic art that merges floral, botanical, and coastal elements. Margaret’s work reflects her meditative approach to repetition and pattern, influenced by her love of nature and sea life from her upbringing in British Columbia. She earned her BFA in Visual Arts, Ceramics from Emily Carr University of Art and Design, and her work is showcased in galleries in Seattle and Cannon Beach, Oregon.
Instagram: @margaret_maclean_art

MATT LACROSS
Matt LaCross is a Seattle-based artist renowned for his ability to capture profound depth beneath seemingly simple imagery. His work invites viewers to pause and immerse themselves in the intricate creation process, revealing layers of complexity beyond first impressions. Each piece reflects a rich and multifaceted journey—an exploration shaped by a life filled with diversity, resilience, joy, and pain. From travels across the globe to near-death experiences, Matt’s art draws from a well of profound personal moments and a relentless passion for creation.
Instagram: @mattlacross

MICHAEL DIAMOND
Residing in Kamilche, Washington, Michael is deeply involved in kiln cast glass, stone, and metal work, inspired by erosion, growth, and geological formations. Influenced by his upbringing exploring Puget Sound's forests and beaches, his art mirrors the beauty of natural processes, especially water and ice shapes. With a background in Fine Arts from the University of Puget Sound and media arts from The Evergreen State College, he brings diverse skills, including sculpture, bronze casting, photography, and media production. Fascinated by the dual nature of glass—its resilience and fragility—Michael aims to instill joy and curiosity in viewers, using precise techniques to harness its complex properties.
Instagram: @soundartglass

NATHAN MCNAIR
Nathan, raised in sunny Southern California, studied Graphic Design and Painting at Pacific Northwest College of Art while working as a picture framer to support his early art education. His work has been exhibited in Southern California, Atlanta, Birmingham, Portland, Taos, and Milan, Italy. Nathan's paintings often explore themes of spiritual awakening and enlightenment, using blooming flowers as a metaphor for personal growth and evolution. He likens the human experience to a seed enduring hardships before it can bloom, emphasizing that pain and struggle are essential for growth, while suffering arises from resisting that growth. His work is a tribute to the collective human journey through challenges.
Instagram: @nathanmcnairstudios

RENE WESTBROOK
Rene Westbrook, a professional painter, photographer, and multimedia artist for 50 years, is an award-winning artist with work exhibited on both coasts. Her diverse portfolio showcases her eclectic techniques and creative innovations. A Massachusetts College of Art (BFA) graduate, Rene's artistic journey has been marked by determination and resilience. Despite challenges, she remains dedicated to her craft, continually evolving and exploring new ideas. Her acquired skills and persuasive brushstrokes drive her ongoing creative inquiry and discovery.
Instagram: @spiritspirit

SHON FROSTAD
Shon Frostad is a mixed media artist with a lifelong history of painting and creating. Shon studied Art and Environmental Science, earning a BS degree from Evergreen State College. With a love for the Puget Sound, the ocean, and the marine world, his panels reflect the ever-changing color tones and light intensities of the Pacific Northwest. Shon lives in Tacoma, WA, with his wife and daughter and their dog and cat. He spends his free time enjoying the outdoors year-round, which fuels the inspiration for his work.
Instagram: @shonfrostad

SUZANA BULATOVIC
Suzana, originally from Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, holds a Fine Arts degree from Sarajevo University. Her works have been featured in exhibitions and publications, and she currently resides in Olympia, WA, where she continues to experiment with various mediums like acrylic, oil, pastel, and charcoal. Her art reflects her inner thoughts and emotions, aiming to evoke both visual appeal and deeper meaning while maintaining a sense of playfulness and spontaneity.
Instagram: @suzanastudio

TALIA MAZZARA
Talia’s creative journey began as a poet and songwriter in Los Angeles, where music became her emotional outlet and expressive language. Life’s transitions eventually distanced her from the studio, stifling her creativity. Seeking a new artistic outlet, Talia turned to acrylics, texture, and mixed media, using modeling paste and resin to build layered, evocative works. The melodies she once expressed through music now manifest as visual symphonies on canvas. Each piece becomes a meditation, inviting viewers to explore uncharted emotional territories. Talia’s art transforms life’s chaos into beauty, offering a reflection of her inner world and a gateway to deeper thought and feeling.
Instagram: @ex35artbytalia