Art festival/boat show offer lots to see and do

By all accounts, the combined Art Festival/Wooden Boat Show was a success this weekend.

As for the Wooden Boat Show, organizer Julius Dalzell said numbers were down but enthusiasm expressed by visitors more than made up for it.

According to another organizer, Allan Bennett, there were more boats than last year. Some sat along one dock in the marina, but more were in the parking lot, where enthusiasts could get a better look at each craft.

Tina and Pat Kelley of Portland, and former leaders in the Sea Scout organization, were there in their US Navy motor whale boat built in 1970.

The two reminisced about their visits to the Elochoman Slough Marina with the group so many years ago.

Rosemary Jeffrey, of Columbia City, Ore., restored an old boat nearly 25 years ago. It was on display this weekend at the show. She and Diana Hsieh of Portland, who had many questions about the restoration, bonded over their love of rowing.

All along Main Street on Saturday, inside shops and out, art was for sale, musicians performed, and poetry was read.

Wood carver Jim Bergeron was one of three artists to give a presentation that day. Bergeron had a lot of his work on display in the Cathlamet Community Center, all of it based on Northwest Coastal people's art and tools.

Bergeron is from Swenson, Ore. He teaches wood carving and makes traditional tools from Native American design to create Native American art. He took up the craft 30 years ago when he realized he needed to find a way to stay out of trouble while living in Alaska.

At the Tsuga Gallery auction on Friday, local artist Dan Westlind said the gallery sold 37 pieces in 90 minutes, and made $2,200.