Health & Fitness
Kirkland Artist Joanne Shellan Honored at Governor's Mansion Gallery Opening
One Washington State artist is chosen each year for the gallery at the Olympia mansion. This year it's Kirkland's own Joanne Shellan.
KIRKLAND ARTIST was honored on Thursday at a reception at the Governor's Mansion in Olympia. Twelve of Joanne's oil paintings, depicting scenes of Washington State, will be displayed in the mansion gallery for a year. During that time, 15,000 visitors and dignitaries will see her work.
Each year the non-profit Governor's Mansion Foundation (GMF), which raises funds to maintain the furnishings, artwork and historic heirlooms in the mansion, selects a Washington artist to represent the state with a solo show in the mansion's gallery.
In her speech to the 75 attendees, Joanne said she felt "incredibly honored" to be chosen, and happy to have found her calling as an artist. "I'm grateful that I get to spend my waking hours doing what I love best," she said.
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Joanne's painting career began when she took a class at the 14 years ago. She donates 25 percent of her sales to .