Join the Bainbridge Public Library for the January 2022 First Friday Art Walk, featuring artists Philene Vaivods and Toni Foss
The Bainbridge Public Library is dedicated to spreading the joy of reading and the discovery of ideas with not just our local community, but with visitors from near and afar. In addition, the library is fortunate to house beautiful local works of art both inside and outside the building. Each month the library celebrates a local artist (or artists) with an exhibit, which opens monthly on the Island’s First Friday Art Walk tour, and includes a reception hosted by the featured artist.
The Bainbridge Public Library is proud to present an exhibit by artists Philene Vaivods and Toni Foss
Philene and Toni will host a “meet and greet” from 5pm-7pm on Friday, January 7th to open their new exhibit, “Playful Mixed Media and Watercolor Art by Two Bainbridge Island Friends” for First Friday Art Walk
As a young girl, Philene loved to dress her dolls and paper dolls as well as redecorating her doll houses and bedroom. Her love of color, design and creative art was further influenced during her college years, where she majored in anthropology, but also took art history and design classes. Her additional interests in science, architecture, fashion, and culture combined with her educational career and early childhood interests have all influenced the art she creates today.
Philene has always painted casually using oils, however when a piece she had painted didn’t turn out the way she’d hoped, she used paper dolls to enhance it and found a new creative love using mixed media. From there she began taking collage workshops on Bainbridge Island and painting lessons from a fellow artist friend.
Today, Philene uses various mediums consisting of paper, fabric, ribbon, notions, acrylic and oil/water paints, pencils, and Sharpie pens, all of which she constructs onto stretched canvas, wood panels and fiberboard.
Her work has been shown and sold at Esther’s Fabrics, BIMA’s Fiber Arts show as well as their 2020 and 2021 art auction and a Columbia City restaurant. As she told me, “It gives me a lot of pleasure to know that I make people happy with my art.”
Toni Foss grew up in South Pasadena in Southern California and after living in Gold Beach, Oregon for a time, she moved to Bainbridge Island about twelve years ago to be with her adopted family, the Hobbs. Her vivid and whimsical imagination and love of color inspired her to paint.
Although she took many art classes throughout her life, it was through workshops on Bainbridge Island where she met fellow artist and friend, Philene. Together they partnered as front desk docents at BIMA. When their mutual friend, Wendy Brown encouraged them to do a show together, she introduced them to Linda Meier at the Bainbridge Public Library. “I hope our art shows you can pick up a paint brush and tell a story,” Toni said.
Philene and Toni’s exhibit is available for viewing and sale at the Bainbridge Public Library throughout the month of January in the meeting room during regular library hours and on the library website, www.bainbridgepubliclibrary.org.
As always, thank you for supporting your Bainbridge Public Library and local artists. If you have interest in exhibiting your work, feel free to contact Linda Meier, art coordinator, at lindameier2000@gmail.com
Masks are required for all visitors.
***Library content and images provided by Linda Meier, Bainbridge Public Library
