Kurt Hellmich has been working in wood for over thirty-five years. He began by turning
driftwood into utilitarian art pieces, and evolved over the years into his broad, popular selection
that includes creative cribbage boards, cutting boards, unique boxes with lids and cunning
drawers, and bird houses that still feature his signature driftwood.

​​Delicate details adorn the boxes and cribbage boards. Hellmich's precision has been refined over the time of his practice of this woodworking artistry, and the Trinidad Art Gallery is happy to boast his efforts in our midst.

John Wesa has long made his mark on the Humboldt County art scene through his landscape-focused serigraphy (screen printing), with his Master of Arts degree at Humboldt State University in 1976. His prints of the area have found their way around the world.
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Wesa says of his work, “I love the interaction of shapes and colors. When things are going right the image achieves a hypnotic vibrancy. It’s fun to see it take its first breaths and begin to live.
The thing I find most exciting about serigraphy is the self-publishing dynamic. I produce multiples, yet they are all originals and individual. When a good one takes off it can acquire a social life of its own. It can pop-up anywhere in the world. It can acquire a kind of currency that represents a shared value and experience.”

Our gallery hosts over 20 local artists every day, but during the two weekends of North Coast Open Studios, you get a chance to see some members working their magic right at the gallery. Check out the (updated!) schedule below, and visit anytime to chat with our members.

​ Vicki Barry: "Upon my discovery of alcohol ink, my creative mind was captured by the impulse to seriously paint with them and to begin showing my work. This is an endlessly inspiring and beautiful medium. My work has been described as happy, bright, vibrant and cheerful!

     "Because of their brilliance, alcohol inks lend themselves well to floral paintings. I find flowers and foliage beautiful in their variety and color. I enjoy the shapes and contrast of shadow when painting these subjects.

​Rick Gustafson is an Impressionist Photographer who lives and works in Eureka, California. A native of California, his colorful abstractions are created by using in-camera blur techniques. These techniques include manual exposure settings as well as perfected movements of the camera while the shutter is open.

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​Lisa Landis: "I grew up in a family of artists, so I have always been conscious of design. The need to express myself creatively has manifested itself in many forms all my life, but until I picked up a pastel stick, I realized that of all the things I've done, the process of painting with pastels is the most gratifying.

   "I am inspired by California's rugged coast and the abundant beauty of Humboldt County, including the mountains, rivers, wetlands and backroads. When I'm painting I'm lost in the landscape and completely drawn in to my attempt to express it."

​​John Wesa: "The thing I find most exciting about serigraphy is the self-publishing dynamic. I produce multiples, yet they are all originals and individual. When a good one takes off it can acquire a social life of its own. It can pop-up anywhere in the world. They can acquire a kind of currency that represents a shared value and experience. If I can produce something that makes everyone richer, that’s exciting!"