April 10th-July 5th, 2026 | Entry: Free/By Donation
Field Notes is a visual love letter to the birds of the Pacific Northwest-an exhibition where art, observation, and reverence for the natural world converge. Inspired by the legacy of John James Audubon and rooted deeply in the unique ecology of this region, the show brings together contemporary artists whose work responds to the presence of birds not only as subjects of beauty, but as symbols of change, migration, resilience, and interconnectedness. Featured artists include Ann Reid, Natalie Niblack, Justin Gibbens, and Anne Goetzman.
The impetus for Field Notes came from the donated works of the late Anne Goetzman who maintained a lifelong devotion to birds and art. A meticulous observer and skilled painter, Goetzman’s work bridges science and soul-rendering each feather and wing with both precision and wonder. This ethos of attentiveness and care guides each of our featured artists. From detailed studies to expressive interpretations, each piece in Field Notes represents a moment of attention-of pausing to look, to listen, and to record. Collectively, these works form a tapestry of Pacific Northwest life-ephemeral, wild, and deeply interconnected.
This exhibition honors the practice of looking closely. Field Notes captures fleeting encounters and transforms them into enduring reflection. In celebrating birds, we are also celebrating place, memory, and the quiet act of witnessing the world-one wingbeat at a time.
The Opening Reception of Field Notes is an evening dedicated to the practice of looking closely. Field Notes captures fleeting encounters and transforms them into enduring reflections through art. Join us at 1203 E Lauridsen Blvd. to celebrate the opening of this exhibit and meet exhibiting artists.
Light bites will be provided and drinks will be available for purchase.
Join staff, artists, and community birding experts from Port Angeles Fine Arts Center for an afternoon exploring scientific journaling as a way to enhance your birding experience. Participants will take a private tour of the Esther Webster Gallery to explore the exhibit Field Notes with Gallery Curator, Lindsey Shepherd. Then, they will join PAFAC education staff and our neighborhood birding expert Tom Butler on an interactive walk of Webster’s Woods Sculpture Park where participants will have a chance to observe wildlife, learn about the incredible variety of birds unique to this patch of woods, and practice the principles of scientific journalling modeled after scientist, educator and author John Muir Laws. Register here.
Join us for a unique evening of art, music, essay, and poetry as we present, “From Science to Action through Art: Four Artists Bear Witness to Climate Change.” Natalie Niblack, an artist exhibiting the installation “66 Birds/ 3 Degree” in the Field Notes exhibition will present in partnership with fellow artists Northwest Poet Holly Hughes, Canadian-American composer and performer Sarah Bassingwaighte, and philosopher-essayist Kathleen Dean Moore. Together they will create a transformative evening that helps translate scientific understanding into words, music, and art that make the facts of climate change deeply real, visceral and relatable. You will enjoy birdsong, choral music and poems inspired by birds, both living and extinct, and moving essays accompanied by music bearing witness for all species threatened by climate change.
Celebrate art and nature through a special hands-on pottery experience held at Olympic Coast Creative in collaboration with Port Angeles Fine Arts Center. Inspired by the Field Notes exhibition in the Esther Webster Gallery running from April 10-July 5, this engaging, beginner-friendly workshop invites you to create your own ceramic bird feeder while exploring texture and design techniques.
Guided step-by-step, you’ll craft a functional and beautiful piece, complete with your choice of glaze, perfect for enhancing your outdoor space and welcoming local birdlife. Join us on May 16 or May 17 from 10AM-1PM for this immersive creative experience. All materials are included with the $80 registration, and participants will also enjoy a 10% discount at the Fine Arts Center gift shop during the exhibition. Take home not only a handcrafted piece, but also a memorable creative experience rooted in celebrating the beauty of our region.
Justin Gibbens is an artist who blends wildlife illustration with traditional Chinese fine-line painting to create stylized, unconventional works that highlight the beauty and strangeness of the natural world while offering subtle reflections on human behavior. He earned a BA in painting from Central Washington University and a Scientific Illustration Certificate from the University of Washington, and is a founding member of PUNCH Projects, represented by G. Gibson Projects in Seattle. In addition to his studio practice, he illustrates books, paints public murals, and lives in rural Thorp, Washington, where he explores the landscape and wildlife that inspire his work.
Ann Chadwick Reid is a Washington-based artist living on Samish Island in the Skagit Valley, where her hand-cut paper artwork is inspired by the rural landscape and environmental challenges of the Pacific Northwest. She taught art at Skagit Valley College for over two decades before becoming a full-time artist in 2008, exhibiting across several western states. Her work has earned major recognition, including Artist Trust awards, and is held in multiple public collections throughout Washington.
Natalie Niblack is a visual artist whose multidisciplinary practice spans painting, sculpture, and printmaking, with an MFA from Edinburgh College of Art and decades of continued study. Her work has been widely exhibited in solo and group shows across the U.S. and internationally, and is held in major collections including the National Museum of Women in the Arts and the Museum of Northwest Art. A recipient of numerous awards and residencies, she has also had a long career as an educator and arts leader in the Pacific Northwest.
Anne Goetzman was a meticulous observer and skilled painter. Her work bridges the gap between science and soul. She was also a Port Angeles Fine Arts Center member that shared her work with the organization generously.