Port Angeles Fine Art Center
Reimagining the Intersection of Art & Environment- Exploring Natural & Repurposed Materials
April 5 - May 26, 2024
A solo exhibit with artist Jyoti Duwadi curated by Barbara Matilsky exploring natural and repurposed materials. Jyoti’s wide-ranging approach to making art calls attention to nature’s beauty and the precarious relationship between humans and the environment. This exhibition spotlights his repurposed sanding belts marked by the trees of Pacific Northwest Forests. Jyoti transforms this industrial material with earth colors and “visual poetry,” calligraphic writing defined by Ayurvedic medicine. The exhibition also features a variety of other media, including beeswax sculptures — made with utilitarian objects —in response to the ecological crisis of disappearing honey bee colonies.
Curated by Barbara Matilsky
On exhibit from April 5th- May 26th, 2024
Open gallery hours 11AM- 5PM
Online Auction
Are you hoping to purchase an original work by Jyoti Duwadi?
Duwadi has generously offered five of his artworks to be auctioned, with all proceeds going towards our Youth Art Education programming. These artworks are a part of the exhibition and will be available for sale only during the auction from May 21st - May 26th.
Auction OPENS: 12:01am, Tuesday, May 21st | CLOSES: 5:00pm, Sunday, May 26th
Additional events
Opening Reception
Friday, April 5th | 5PM-7PM
Join us to meet the artist and curator and see the new exhibition for the first time. Free and open to the public.
Coffee & Conversation with Jyoti Duwadi & Barbara Matilsky
Saturday, April 6th | 10AM-12PM
Enjoy a more intimate and detailed exploration into the evolution of Jyoti's work, the curation process, and where inspiration is found. Venture to Jyoti's installation in Webster's Woods, then enjoy coffee, tea and pastries during a presentation of Jyoti's process using Earth Colors in the courtyard.
Ekphrastic Poetry Reading
Thursday, May 9th | 6PM-7:30PM
The PAFAC and Olympic Peninsula Authors are proud to host an Ekphrastic Poetry Reading based on Jyoti's artwork. Enjoy readings from ten poets who bring new interpretations to the current exhibit with a synergy between visual and verbal art. Free and open to the public. (Contact Olympic Peninsula Authors for information on submitting a poem)
Celebrating Regional Dye Palettes: Exploring Wild Mushrooms and Lichens for Dyes Workshop
Saturday, May 18th | 10AM-3PM
Learn foraging concepts, identification principles, and ethical harvest practices and then produce a range of vibrant dyes from mushrooms and lichens with expert Alissa Allen, owner of Mycopigments. Alissa will detail the process of dyeing with mushrooms and lichens from start to finish, showcasing species that can be found right here in our region!
About the Artist
Born into a family of Nepali poets and writers, Jyoti moved to the U.S. to study political science. After receiving a Ph.D., he began creating art in a wide array of media as well as public art installations addressing social and environmental issues.
Since the 1970's Jyoti Duwadi has created a multifaceted body of work. Jyoti's sculpture, painting, drawing, installation and digital art reflect an openness to chance discoveries. He experiments with an extensive variety of natural materials, including bamboo beeswax and earth gathered from around the world. Simultaneously, the artist transforms ordinary discarded objects - from the humble egg carton to industrial sand belts - into sculptures and paintings. Texture and aroma are often incorporated into his art that can convey humor, playfulness, and a sense of delight.
Jyoti currently lives in Bellingham. Learn more about the artist at http://akash-himal.com/JyotiDuwadi/