Crow Valley Pottery presented a collection of nearly 50 new pieces by renowned Pacific Northwest painter David Ridgway.

Ridgway, a resident of Orcas for more than ten years before relocating to Bellingham, continues his passion for “all things Orcas.” His new oil paintings illustrate this intense love and intimate relationship with the island, its landmarks and most especially its people.

“Orcas… Familiar Spots” opens at Crow Valley’s historic Cabin Shop on Friday, Aug. 1 with an artist’s reception from 4 to 7 p.m.

As a bonus, the reception also features the classical guitar music of Joe Miller.

The show runs through Labor Day with work hanging in both the Cabin and Main Street shops. Contact the gallery at 376-4260 for additional information.

Ridgway paints much of his work “plein aire,” which means quite literally, in plain air: outdoors and on location. This technique requires skill and experience to master, however, it presents finished works unlike more typical studio pieces. Plein Aire’s qualities are most evident in the light, shadows and dimension that the method provides best.