This April, Gallery at the Park is showcasing Handwork 2026: Shaped in the Northwest, an impressive new exhibition from Northwest Designer Craftartists.

Northwest Designer Craftartists was founded in 1954 by a group of artists who wished to foster high standards of design and craftsmanship in the Northwest. Today, members include artists in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska who work in a wide variety of mediums, expressing their diverse roots through design and fine crafting.

This exhibition is part of a contribution to Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, a nationwide initiative presented by Craft in America, the Peabody Award-winning documentary series. Its purpose is to honor the value of handmade items — both in history and today — and to celebrate the depth and diversity of the crafts that define America.

The jurors for the Northwest Designer Craftartists exhibition are Vicki Piper Gerton and Ron Gerton. Vicki blends scientific observation with artistic intuition, creating work where color, texture, and pattern emerge through experimentation. Ron, a self-taught metalsmith and retired mechanical engineer, transforms natural objects such as leaves, insects, and wood into enduring sculptures, often combining them with wood turnings.

Exhibiting artists include:

Nanz Aalund, Karen Abel, Kadey Ambrose, Rob Beishline, Lanny Bergner, Danielle Bodine, Barb Burwell, Virginia Causey, Gina Fruen, Anthony Gaudino, Ron Gerton, Vicki Piper Gerton, Tom Gormally, Jill Green, Joan Hammond, Lois Harbaugh, Joyce Hayes, Katherine Holzknecht, Steve Jensen, Ann Johnston, Claire B Jones, Cara Jung, Bella Kim, Patti King, Margo Klass, Annetta Kraayeveld, Mary Lane, Katherine Lewis, Jan Lipetz, Nancy Loorem Adams, Rick Mahaffey, Barbara Mattews, Ree Nancarrow, Gabriela Nirino, Elin Noble, April Ottey, Katia Paroczi, Jane Pellicciotto, Candace Pratt, Seiko Purdue, Ellen Ramsy, Anne Randall, Kait Rhoads, Laura Schmidt, Sally Sellers, Julie Sevilla Drake, Denise Snyder, Rebecca Stansbury, Susan Cohen Thompson, Cynthia Toops, Mary Tyler, Barbara J. Walker, Mark Wedekind, and Gale Lurie.

Location: Gallery at the Park, 89 Lee Boulevard, Richland

Exhibition Dates: March 31, 2026 - May 1, 2026

Reception Date: Sunday, April 12, 1 - 3pm

Learn more about Northwest Designer Craftartists online at nwdesignercraftartists.org.

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