12X12X12

Published 1:00 pm Wednesday, December 14, 2005

They still don’t know exactly how it happened — it just did.

But somehow, one became two, two grew to six, and then there was 12.

Currently on display in the Bayview Cash Store Front Room is an art show known as XII x XII x XII, a reference to the twelve artists showing artwork during the twelfth month that is all under 12×12 inches in size.

They know. If you read the poster there’s actually 13 artists. Consider it a baker’s dozen.

Participating artist Sandra Whiting is an acrylic painter who creates abstract images with elements of realism. She’s been an artist for 30 years working professionally for the last seven years.

“I’ve wanted to be an artist since I was a child,” Whiting said. “That’s all I’ve wanted to do and it’s hard to imagine being anything else.”

Whiting has found some kindred souls in the 12 other artists participating in the show. For them, this is more than just an art show. This is a continued bond of friendship, learning and encouragement.

“We’re kind of all crazy in some way, but we share that enthusiasm for art, for life and for this community,” Mary V. Tauscher said.

All of the artists are from South Whidbey, all active in the arts community: Susan Bachman, Bridget Fischer, Elizabeth Haughton, Shelley Higman, Mary Ann Mansfield, Joyce May, Sharon Shoemaker, Molly Shoup, Sharon Spencer, Mary V. Tauscher, Sue Taves, Michel Tsouris and Sandra Whiting.

They are an eclectic group in everything from their art, age, personality, techniques, experience and ability. They are artists who have been working professionally for 30-plus years and others who are just now getting started in the professional ranks.

“There’s such as breadth of experience,” Taves said.

They are an informal group, despite the slightly formal “Women in the Arts” name they’ve given themselves.

They’ve all been meeting for a year or so. They gather for support, socializing and networking. They talk about the business of art and help each other learn the ropes.

“It builds support for this lifestyle,” Spencer said. “It’s not always easy living as an artist with the constant need for creation, traveling for shows and not always making a living from it.”

They take field trips to art stores and galleries. They hold workshops that trade techniques and introduce each other to media not of their own.

“I had never known what it was like to be a sculptor,” May said. “I had never thought to try to understand what they do and why they enjoy it, but after hearing Sue (Taves) talk I have a higher appreciation and understanding. We’ve all gained knowledge that’s helping us head in new directions.”

It just happened to be by chance that the group turned out to be all women.

“It wasn’t that we set out to exclude men, we just didn’t realize until we got the final people for the show that we were all women,” Taves said.

Come to any gathering of the Women in the Arts and there’s sure to be cookies being passed, tea being poured, fun talk dribbling about, and maybe even wine and art nearby, if it’s a good night.

“There was only about six of us in the beginning, and then everyone told a friend, who told another friend, and the group grew,” Whiting said.

During an opening reception held Saturday night it was obvious that word of mouth continued to travel about the group. The Front Room was a packed house. A thick swarm of people mingled about.

Shelley Higman came across the group just in time for the show. The show’s 12×12 format was easy for this plein-air and living model painter.

“I often have to travel with my work so it has to be small,” Higman said.

The 12×12 size limitation was picked to partly fit the theme, and more over to guarantee numerous pieces could fit into the Cash Store’s Front Room.

“We all know how many wonderful artists there are here on Whidbey, what is incredible about this show is having so many on display at once,” Whiting said.

Whiting admits the show’s size limitation was frustrating. Her typical canvas is 30×40 inches. However, for this show she delved into the tiny side of creativity and worked on pieces that were 3×5 inches.

“I loved it. I was suddenly working with brushes that only had three hairs on them,” she said. “I really had to concentrate on each individual brush stroke, and I was able to give the pieces such detail.”

Bridget Fischer will display her cast bronze pieces in the show, but as an artist she also works in a variety of media such as paints and printmaking. She’s a part-time Whidbey resident who teaches art at Skyline College in San Bruno, Calif.

Like many of the artists, she can still remember being a small child standing in front of an easel, watching all the paint colors slide down.

Now her media of choice is wax, from which she makes her bronze creations.

“I can do so much with it,” she said. “I can create organic forms and ones with architectural qualities. There’s much versatility in it.”

While some of the work was created before the idea for the show came about, many of the pieces were created specifically for the exhibit. A few of the artists even decided to create whole series.

New works will rotate into the display as pieces are sold.

To culminate the show, the group will hold a closing reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 29.

Spencer wants people to realize the group’s professionalism and dedication. Others point to the show’s unique multitude of works, which offer an exposure to a number of artists at once.

Spencer has spent her last three years on Whidbey after spending much of her life in the Bay Area.

“This community is fabulous,” Spencer said. “I’ve always lived in artists’ complexes so this was the first time I’ve had my own house and worked on my own. There was just great support here to make it possible.”

“We’re all really learning from each other and continuing to push art in general, for ourselves as artists and as part of a community,” Taves said.