Whidbey Artist Appears at La Conner Museum
Paintings and sculptures by Richard Nash are on display at the Northwest Museum of Art.
The beloved Whidbey artist will soon be exhibiting his work in his own exhibition at La Conner’s Northwest Art Museum.
Retired art teacher Richard Nash’s paintings and sculptures will be on display at the museum from Saturday, Oct. 22 through Feb. 5, 2023. The artist’s first museum survey is entitled “Kyōwa”.
Nash said his exhibit, which occupies most of the museum’s main floor, will feature his work from 1994 to the present. 45 paintings will be on display.
Joanna Sykes, the museum’s former executive director, was the first to suggest that the museum host a survey of Nash’s work. took over, Nash said.
Nash said it was an incredible honor for the museum to approach him about his own exhibit.
“There are so many very good artists in the area, so this is an absolutely fantastic opportunity and a complete surprise,” he said. .”
Nash’s work is non-abstract, dealing with lines, patterns, shapes and textures rather than representations of people and objects.
“You wouldn’t be able to tie it to anything real,” he said of his style.
Nash taught art for 30 years at a secondary school in the Oak Harbor School District. He said that after retiring from his teaching job in 2002, he had more time to devote to expanding the scope of his work.
His art qualifications include a BA in Art Education and an MA in Fine Arts, all from Washington State University, and sabbaticals in Japan and Europe.
Nash’s paintings and sculptures are on display and can be found in local galleries and stores, including the Penn Cove Gallery in Coupeville and the Matsuke Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Park on Camano Island. His sculptures honor four former Oak Harbor educators and three of Oak Harbor’s early settlers at Windjammer Park.
“Segmented Prism #2” is the focal point of Richard Nash’s exhibition at La Conner’s Northwest Art Museum, open to the public October 22nd through February 5th.
