Three Sisters Of Clallam

How to Draw a Mini

2011-12-04T17:25:00.000-08:00

Because you know you want to (click for larger view):

2012 Christmas Tree Raffle!

2011-12-01T16:54:00.000-08:00

Hot hot hot! That's what Sarah Grafstrom looks like adorned in raffle tickets for this stunning Christmas tree.

The 2012 Christmas Tree Raffle is upon us! Just $1.00 will buy you a chance at the gorgeous Cowboy tree (with a cowboy had and stick horse and even brand-new work gloves!) or the stunning Bird Tree! Just how much shiny can you stand? This will do it.

Where: Three Sisters of Clallam Art Gallery (you know - the GREEN BUILDING at the west end of Clallam Bay).

When: The raffle is at 5:00, December 10, during the Christmas Bazaar.

Tickets can be bought at the gallery, including at the December 3rd Christmas Bazaar.

You know you want one. Besides, the funds will go to the New Hope Food Bank, and they really, REALLY need their front ramp rebuilt before somebody breaks a leg or Glen puts a pallet of canned good through the thing.

Art in Clallam Bay

2011-07-11T19:21:00.000-07:00

You never know where you're going to find art up here in Clallam Bay. This is only a few hundred feet east on Highway 112 from the gallery.

Clallam Bay Dragon Dance -- The Video

2011-03-20T14:53:00.000-07:00

Chinese Year of the Rabbit 2011

2011-02-05T19:06:00.000-08:00

The new Dragon bringing good fortune to the Winter Summer Inn during the Year of the Rabbit Celebrations in Clallam Bay.

The dragon bringing good fortune to the Weel Way Deli.

The Clallam Bay Dragon is back -- With A Partner

2011-02-02T10:51:00.000-08:00

Sue Heiny and Paul Bowlby model the new dragon

Chinese New Year celebrations in Clallam Bay will begin with a dragon dance and parade through downtown Saturday, February the 5th.

The dance, celebrating the arrival of the year of the Rabbit, begins at 3:00 pm at the Weel Way Deli parking lot, and will continue through local businesses, followed by a potluck at the gallery (the green building on the west end of town) at 4:00 pm. Local band Loose Gravel will provide joyful bluegrass music.

A Rabbit year represents happiness, wealth and longevity. Two new dragons will double the fun, especially if enough participants take part; children are very welcome to come help the dragons dance. Noisemakers and costumes encouraged.

The original dragon, "Pollyanna," had been retired after several years of noble service. The dragon bodies are being made by the kids at the Clallam Bay preschool. The new heads were constructed by Forks artist Greg Hubbard. The silver-haired female dragon-head, "Aurora," and her sparkly-horned purple mate, "Ching Chang," represent the yin/yang or male/female principle.

The heads' construction is based on rebar wire and athletic support tape, a strong, simple and waterproof method that was originated locally by Hubbard, using materials easily obtained locally. The method is being used by other members of the community to construct headdresses and masks for the dance.

West End Muses: Protect Local Food Sources - Call Your Senators Now!

2010-09-25T16:27:00.000-07:00

Protect Local Food Sources - Call Your Senators Now!

Three Sisters High On The Sacred Bean!

2010-09-09T15:24:00.000-07:00

Caffeine Mania! The Three Sisters of Clallam Art Gallery now has its own espresso bar. Owners Sue Heiny, Sarah Grafstrom and Diana Goplen welcome everybody to the big green building at the west end of Clallam Bay. Stop by, hang out and top up for that long drive to Lake Ozette or Shi Shi Beach.

Clallam Bay Holidays

2009-12-19T14:24:00.001-08:00

The Three Sisters know how to do Hallowe'en.

And Christmas.

AND the Tree Raffle Party,with Loose Gravel, who almost lose their donation pot to little Piper Bean

True Native Art

2009-07-19T09:38:00.001-07:00

True art by Makah tribal members http://ping.fm/SRtau

I've seen tourists trolling for fake native stuff, just "something that looks Injun," because they think the Neah Bay prices are too high. And -- sadly -- artists actually considering doing it, when they only know as much about the art form as they've seen driving by a totem pole.

Nearest commissioned a Makah silver wrist cuff. I've been hinting for one of these for years, ever since we moved up here. I didn't want one just bought out of the glass counter. Click here to see it.

That cost us a mere $175.00. A bracelet like this -- with overhead costs, including research, travel, transportation, advertising, storage, etc. -- would cost over $350.00 in any Seattle gallery. It could come to $500.00 in a German gallery.

And it's the real thing, from a recognized artist.

Speaking of recognized artists, Frank Smith's totem poles are all over Neah Bay. Their style, while within the tradition, is so individual they're easy to spot. One of them is in the mall at the corner of Highway 112 and Frontier Street, in Clallam Bay. There's another in Port Orchard, on southern docks. And another I'm pretty sure is his on the grounds of an apartment complex in Bremerton.

2009-06-20T10:26:00.001-07:00

Desert Peach musical clips at: http://ping.fm/e2Ucj

2009-05-07T11:26:00.001-07:00

I did 6 x about 1600 panels like this before I ever published. OCD? http://ping.fm/jcuo6

2009-04-25T16:44:00.001-07:00

Vote the Peach up! http://ping.fm/uRmCT

The Nature Of Things

2008-08-06T00:05:00.000-07:00

I will be having the last show/exhibit of the year this weekend. Click on the poster to see the details, location, fun stuff like that :-)

Drop in and say hi!

"Too Busy To Die" Co-Op Conference

2008-06-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

The “Working With Our Dreams” community conference brought together many of the ideas at the Three Sisters of Clallam art gallery and healing center in Clallam Bay, Saturday and Sunday, June 21-22. Pictured: Lora Messinger, publisher of The Sunset Times and oil painter, Ken Dehnert of Olympic Art Works, Jane Hielman of the West End Co-Op, gallery owner Sue Heiny, and Terry Hielman, also of the co-op. The painting is among others by Dehnert that will be featured in the gallery.

“Too busy to die” is how a Sekiu co-op gardener put it.

He'd been failing after his retirement, until instituting the West End Co-op garden project gave him a whole new interest in life.

But it could apply to the whole area, where Westenders are refusing to submit to a narrowing resource base and economic stagnation, and are putting together the beginnings of a new economic diversity.

The “Working With Our Dreams” community conference brought together many of the ideas at the Three Sisters of Clallam art gallery and healing center in Clallam Bay, Saturday and Sunday, June 21-22.

The conference was put on by the co-op, which is part of the local initiatives recognized by the Community Action Teams established after the receipt of a $50,000 economic stimulus grant awarded to the Clallam Bay/Sekiu chamber of commerce.

Hielman said the co-op was originally listed by the CAT as a co-op farm, but “it was still floundering,” and had not yet defined itself.

The co-op has since grown without rigid central supervision. Residents are taking projects into their own hands, digging gardens and researching resources specific to the area. For example, a local honey industry could take advantage of access to the Olympic Peninsula “homesteader” bee strain, that has been proving resistant to the mites and fungus diseases that are causing colony collapses around the world.

The co-op's goal is to organize residents to produce, buy, sell and trade fresh, healthy foods. Such products, organic and shipped in from outside the area, are already featured at the co-op, but will ultimately be based on locally-raised fruits, vegetables, eggs, milk and meats.

“The conference did its work before it started,” said Hielman, referring to the daily interaction at the co-op, where residents come to purchase and suggest a steadily-growing inventory of foods, health products and dry goods. Some of the products a customer can find at the co-op store include dates, feta cheese, epsom salts, black, green and herbal teas, couscous, local eggs, planting soil, and even coconut milk.

Hielman said the conference could become an annual business meeting, replacing monthly co-op meetings, a necessity as the price of gas goes up and it becomes more difficult for far-flung residents to drive into town.

Hielman said, “The core of the conference is to create a fun atmosphere to relax,” while sharing new ideas for gardens, food and small business.

Conference attendees included Lora Messinger, publisher of The Sunset Times and oil painter, Ken Dehnert of Olympic Art Works, Jane Hielman of the West End Co-Op, gallery owner Sue Heiny, and Terry Hielman, also of the co-op, and singer Donna Wilke, from Neah Bay.

For co-op details, call: 360 963 2189

March 08 is great

2008-03-11T13:26:00.000-07:00

Denise DeVaney wrote this article about us and I thought I would add it to our blog.

Thank you, Denise!

Three Sisters of Clallam Healing Arts Center and Gallery

The Northwest Coast, Washington State: The communities of Clallam Bay and Sekiu, along with the Makah Nation in Neah Bay, make up the Norhtwest Coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washinton State. It's a remote and stunningly beautiful area whose residents are economically challenged by changes in the logging and fishing industries.

Entrepreneurs, Sisters and Partners: As often as not, the first question that pops up when people first meet Susan and Diana, co-owners of Three Sisters of Clallam, is: There are two of you-what's with the name? "The inspiration for our name was the Three Sisters of Sekiu (an ancient rock formation that defined the neighboring community of Sekiu from its earliest years)," They explained. "We have lots of women in our family and whatever woman we're working with-that's our sister."

The Goplen women have built a business space in the small coastal community of Clallam Bay, Washington that is part art gallery, part massage practice and entirely original and personal. Three Sisters of Clallam is a large, airy building with wooden floors, arches and a vintage chandelier in the main gallery. A spectacular room divider is actually a huge slice of root base-polished into gleaming artwork-that provides a link to the community's logging history. Diana's massage business fills one elegant room and small spaces throughout the facility are becoming business ventures by others in this tiny hamlet.

"We wanted a place that was centered on healing, wellness and art." Sue said. "We wanted it to be organic and relaxing-always evolving and changing. We're thinking about adding a caf'e and a spa and maybe a hostel in the future." Diana added, "This business was and is a step of faith."

One thing you notice when you meet Susan and Diana is that they sound exactly alike and tend to talk as much to each other as to you. These two sisters have expanded the bond of family into a business partnership that seems to be thriving. "We've grown a lot through this process." Sue explained, "When you are sisters and become business partners, you bring a lot of baggage with you. We had to change the way we worked together. Diana said, "We learned to talk about our fears as well as our hopes."

Local residents of the Norhtwest Coast work hard together to keep businesses afloat and when the gallery opened its doors the community responded. Time, energy and artifacts were donated and the sisters agree that "People have really helped us with the process and shown us how to evolve."

The gallery complex opened in May of 2007. Almost a year later is there anything the two entrpreneurs would do differently if they could? Sue reflected, "We'd have more of a business plan to help us work together." Diana added, "That and a bigger woodstove!"

5 New Pieces - Beach Inpired

2008-02-06T02:20:00.000-08:00

From local artist Christine Wasankari - Some fun new pieces up online today -- starfish! Enjoy

Store::
http://stores.ebay.com/Heather-Sky-Studio-Gallery

Christmas and Then Some

2007-12-16T12:14:00.001-08:00

So much today! So we'll just do a photo essay:

Here are folks enjoying themselves at the Chrismas Bazaar in the front gallery room. We're going to do this every year. Puppies and rubber boots welcome! The gifts you can buy may be fancy, but the attitudes aren't. We've got pottery Japanese fanciers would kill for -- at out-here prices -- and a selection of soaps that smell so delicious you almost want to eat it. Fancy hats knitted while you watch (order your color). And gourmet snickerdoodles.

Folks were starting to say "Me first!" to be the first one on the table in the fancy new massage room in Diana's healing center (at the end of the brand new peach-colored hallway). But looks like Cleo beat 'em to it. This is the rare and esoteric massage method known as "Elevator butt."

As the evening comes on, those chandeliers really start to showup. And look at our poinsettas!

Sarah Grafstrom draws for the raffle, with kidlet help. DonnaLynn Olson won the Christmas Douglas fir, donate by Home Depot, with ornaments from Cathy Hart. Matt Winter got the massage, and Texan Dean the chocolate basket. Proceeds of the raffle went to Messy Palletes and the New Hope Food Bank.

And finally, the Christmas Ghost appeared.

(Or does Donna's camera just have a really long lag time?)

Spread the Joy

2007-11-26T09:22:00.000-08:00

PLEASE let our blogger know about upcoming art projects at the gallery. Places, times, photo ops, it's all welcome (Donna says she can still run the blog IF people let her know about their great projects).

Even if you're just working on a project that will contribute to the arts on the west end, don't be shy!

Call 963 2935 with your information and dates.

Xmas Tree Raffle

2007-11-24T17:58:00.000-08:00

Come down and buy your $1.00 raffle ticket ($5.00 for 6) for the Three Sisters Christmas Tree! A big, beautiful, fresh tree, covered with decorations, as well as gift baskets and presents, will be raffled off at the Lighthouse Massage Open House, Saturday, December 15 (time still pending). Come buy tickets at the big green building at the west end of Clallam Bay, or call 360 963 2854 for information and times. (Proceeds go to the New Hope Food Bank and Messy Pallettes Art Group).

(Left) Sarah Grafstrom decorating the tree. Don't miss the open house on the 15th!

Happy Hoko Carrot

2007-11-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

First of all, Happy Harvest Season -- from our own little Hoko Valley Native, the beloved Hung Carrot, posing proudly in the Wall Of Wood Root in front of the back gallery.

We need a blogger!

2007-10-15T12:55:00.000-07:00

Hi -- Donna Barr just doesn't have a moment to do this blog any more. She's up to HERE with her own career, and has to concentrate on it.

Anybody else want to volunteer?

Veggies Galore

2007-09-21T14:53:00.001-07:00

Slip Point's Scott Alan brought in veggies from his Startup garden in eastern Washington, and distributed them in the area, including at the gallery.

Terry and Jane Hielman are organizing a co-op and buyer's club at the gallery. Four stock members ($150.00) provide a base for buying new products.

Future deliveries will be from an organic produce and food company that allows group orders as low as $40.00. Co-op members do not need to be stock members to buy order food.

(Above) Terry minds the beautiful produce. Check out the lemon cucumbers! Don't be afraid to try new things. It's all good for you and your family.

2007-09-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

Diana is working like a crazed pony, getting the new healing room ready.

She's rubbing gold paint on over the rough-plastered dark-blue walls.

A Tiffany lamp glows in the white ceiling.

Sue says it will be ready in two weeks.

Jane says "Ha!"

Well, it IS a lot of work, and Diana and Sue are both just slammed, especially Diana's Lighthouse Massage.

(left) The electric fire place. Cozy!

Don't Fear The Rain

2007-07-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's raining fit to melt our hair up here.

But that just makes the trees more beautiful! And it's one more reason to come down and feel at home in Clallam Bay's biggest living room.

New feature: Dancercize with Rebecca! 8:00 am, every Thursday. Come get revved up for your day. Get that blood pumping and you won't even feel the rain.

Party Time

2007-07-15T14:20:00.000-07:00

Loose Gravel whooped it up for a happy audience in our gallery/front all at Saturday, July 14th, during the 2007 Clallam Bay-Sekiu Fun Days. Members of the bluegrass band include Barney Munger, banjo and vocals; Scott Jameson, mandolin and vocals; Spider Wright, bass and harmonica and Dick Martin, guitar and vocals.

Jane and Terry got out on the dance floor and showed us how they dance Down Under!

A guy from Tacoma showed up looking for another band of the same name that plays blues.

We need blues, rock, and anybody else who wants to come down and party in the biggest living room in Clallam Bay. Remember the number: 360 963 2854. Our audience are good tippers!

Too Busy for Photos

2007-07-13T15:12:00.001-07:00

Nobody remembered to take photos, Wednesday, July 12 at the first Clallam Bay Farmer's Market. We were having too much fun!

A few vendors showed up to enjoy the big low-lit front hall. With the temperature over 90 degrees outside, everybody who came in to visit reacted like vampires -- "Oh, it's so nice and cool and dark in here!"

For sale were potted flowers, fresh produce, quilts and smoked salmon. Not a lot, but everybody enjoyed themselves.

The party got started when Sarah Grafstrom -- Sue's daughter -- showed up to play her guitar. She started out with a great cover of Man Of Constant Sorrow. Sue Zalokar delighted everyone with covers of Janice Joplin and Bread favorites.

Diana went down and jumped in the river. When she told Donna to go jump in the river, too, Donna did it. Nice and cool!

Produce Market on the 4th.

2007-07-05T11:34:00.000-07:00

Jane Hielman takes payment from a slightly confused Isaac Blanton, while his mother Mary Jane laughs, July 4, 2007.

The new produce market, at the Three Sisters of Clallam Gallery, is open from 11-4, summer 7 days a week. On Wednesdays, the gallery farmer's market is open noon to 7 pm; all local producers welcome. Phone for after-hours pickup or other details: 963 2854.

Organic is coming -- new shipments will be placed according to demand.

Donna here: the watermelon we got was sweet and juicy.

And I told them they'd need more watermelons on the fourth! They were all gone by 11:00.

Produce Lovely

2007-07-03T12:41:00.000-07:00

Hi, Donna, here -- (blogmaster for the gallery and produce market).

I was the first customer at the produce market today. Really fresh stuff, and at the best prices in the area.

They only had three watermelons. It's the 4th tomorrow, so I grabbed one. Dan can't eat 'em, but for once I'm going to have enough watermelon to put seeds in my ears -- and share with beach neighbors at Neah Bay Fireworks tomorrow.

They only have two watermelon left, so if you want 'em, GET 'em!

Fresh Produce, and Crafts

2007-07-02T15:42:00.000-07:00

Starting July 4th, the Abundance Fruits and Vegetables market will open at the gallery. 11-6, Wednesday through Sunday.

The produce is being shipped from Seattle, but there will be locally-produced lettuces and greens. We're hoping more people will bring in more produce from the area.

We can't sell eggs or cheese, BUT --

If you want to sell animal products, Wednesdays will be Farmers' Markets, from noon to 7:00. We're looking for local crafts, stuff and food. Vendors will be responsible for their own products, including food. Buyers will have to be aware these are local products, and make their own decisions -- although local eggs and cheese have had a pretty good run as clean, organic and darn tasty.

We're looking for local fresh honey. If you're lucky enough to have those mite-resistant 19th-century Caucasian feral bees that are spreading over the peninsula, this is the market for your sweet product!

Call 360 963 2854 for details.

Big Root

2007-06-13T11:12:00.001-07:00

Donna photographed this massive spruce root at Jerry's rentals.

It's out in the weather. It needs to be cared for and turned into the art it deserves to be.

It will be expensive as raw material, but using it for art will more than pay for it.

(Donna: Can you see what Charles Forlines would do with it?).

Drumming Along

2007-06-12T16:36:00.000-07:00

We've put in a handsome new stove. Oh, it's so nice and warm! This is on one end of the gallery hall. We have the biggest living room in Clallam Bay.

We've had a drumming instructor here for three classes.

Sue is sitting in a rocking chair and pounding out a samba rhythm by the stove.

Bob Fisher's dad did a very German panel of the characters from Goethe's Faust. Bob also has a panel of the Four Horsemen. Sue calls it the "Panel of the Apocalypse."

The First Annual Plant Show on the 10th was a big hit. In 2008, it will be the Wildflower Show.

The back part of the house is becoming a home. Now Sue's got a bedroom she can lock up with the cat. Yes, Cleo is sticking around -- especially since five pounds of cat food were purchased for her. Drew -- Diana's son -- calls her "Tinkerbell."

"Does Cleo have her own chair?" we were asked.

"Cleo has all the chairs!"

There's an awesome double-paned window waiting to go up in the hall.

"It's a process," says Sue.

Sue's been living in a fifth wheel kindly loaned her by Kathleen Haney. Looks like it will be finding a buyer, soon.

Three Sisters Features

2007-06-01T13:53:00.000-07:00

We have so many neat features in the building. Full Photo Stream

One of them is Cleo, the Gallery Cat. She belongs to the neighbor, but she's voted herself an official position as gallery greeter. She shows up about once a month. If you're lucky, you'll get to meet her. If we have a party, you'll meet her for sure!

This hallway, that leads back to what will become the treatment rooms, is framed with decorative edging we got from the old Woody's restaurant -- the same place that gave us the rootball. That peach paint? Another serendipitous discovery from Parker Paint's back room. Everything's just coming together.

Three Sisters of Clallam Gallery and Healing Center Opens!

2007-05-30T15:25:00.001-07:00

On May 26, 2007, "Horizon," the totem pole Charles Forlines has been working on for two years, was dedicated at our opening here in Clallam Bay. That's Charles with Quileute Valley School Superintendent Frank Hanson. Full Photo Stream

Gallery owners -- that's us, Sue Heiny and Diana Goplen -- were excited Charles honored us with this incredible artwork.

This place was transformed from the former Bay Hardware and Supply building. It took a lot of work, but we refinished the floors, rebuilt walls, and painted with gallons of paint we got from the back room at Parker Paints in PA (or, as Diana says, "Five gallon, five dollah!") . That's why the building is that bright green.

The building -- now named "Wilma," because that's the way she wants it -- will be the center of the arts and healing scene in the west end community (no brag, just fact), as well as providing hostel space for visiting artists. We have so much community support, and so many neat things have showed up to give this gallery its character.

The "Flintstone" door and window frames, the giant rootball that came from the former Woody's Restaurant, the chandeliers, the paint, the huge amount of just plain work -- it all came from this hard-working, talented, wonderful community, out here on the West End.

We started the day with a Starving Artists Sale. It was so great seeing all those tables representing our local artists' community, with everything from paintings to jewelry to fancy homemade soap.

The seven-foot-tall totem pole is carved from cedar, its post representing a family of dolphins. The eagle's wings show a man and a woman's face, with abalone inlaid eyes. The eagle's claws are carved from Brazilian coca bola wood. Charles said each claw took him an entire day to carve, the wood was so hard.

Superintendent of Lapush Schools Frank Hanson helped Charles raise the totem pole. It was exciting!

The Quilleute drummers sang a song of dedication -- and then a table song for the community potluck. Drummer Russell Woodruff said about Forlines, “This man is a builder, he's a fixer, he's a welder. He can fix anything. He's fixed this community.”

The Quilleute wrapped Forlines in an honor blanket. That means a lot up here.

Then Forlines presented us with one!

The party went on into the late hours, to the rousing rhythms of bluegrass band Loose Gravel. Sara Grafstrom, Sue's daughter, was crazy dancing!

“It ended up being a girls' party,” said Joan Fabian, who was visiting to show her Roshi healing technique. “Everybody was downstairs playing hide-and-seek in the dark.”

First Floor Finish

2007-05-04T15:00:00.003-07:00

The refinished floor at the Three Sisters of Clallam Art and Healing Center, in Clallam Bay, gets its first coat of varnish.

Forlines Feather Art

2007-05-04T14:53:00.000-07:00

Charlie Forlines has created a new kind of carving.

Delicate, light-weight feathers hand-carved from cedar. The incised feather-lines show wonderful hand-control.

Grand Opening

2007-05-02T13:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's happening at last --

The Three Sisters of Clallam Gallery is opening.

10:00, Saturday, May 26, at the old Bay Supply Hardware, Highway 112, Clallam Bay.

It's the big green building on the left as you leave town going west (toward Sekiu).

Charlie Forlines completion of his two-year totem pole project will be unveiled. Starving Artist Sale and Community Potluck and music to follow.

And we will be celebrating Diana's 50th birthday! Come on down after the Sekiu Fly-in and breakfast at the airport in the morning.

Call 963 2854 for more information.

Charlie's Arch

2007-04-28T11:11:00.001-07:00

Charles Forlines, Amazing local carver, with the arch he constructed as an entry to the future treatment rooms.

Our First Pictures

2007-04-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

Here is Susan, in the main room of the Green Building.

The walls have been painted, the floors prepared for sanding, and the Big Root Wall is up.

We're new at this.

2007-04-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

This is our first post. We're not even typing it. We're paying somebody to do it.

Soon to come:

Information about and updating about The Green Building status in Clallam Bay.

Pictures from the beginning of the renovation to wherever we are now.

ART! And how to buy it. Too many amazing West End artists!

Stay tuned.