Located off the beaten track of North Main Street leading into downtown Coupeville is a hidden gem drawing visitors from across the country—the Pacific Northwest Art School. Founded in 1986, this small space provides multiple workshops in fiber arts, painting, photography, and mixed media every year. “It’s all about building community, finding some touchstone that brings people together, whether they appreciate art, whether they like to create art, or whether they do both,” said the art school’s Executive Director Lisa Bernhardt, who started as a volunteer nearly two decades ago. “It’s a great way to connect people to start conversations.” 

One such example is the annual Whidbey Plein Air Paint Out event, which began in the mid-2000s. For four days in August, between 60 to 85 registered participants of all skill levels station themselves around Whidbey Island to paint its unique and spectacular scenery. Included are demonstrations by professional painters and special dinners held for the artists. The fifth day culminates in a celebration fundraiser— the Gala Evening and Awards event. 

“Plein air painting is outdoors, in the field, painting in the available light like the Impressionists did,” said Bernhardt. Come rain or shine, the painters—from Whidbey and beyond—produce paintings, which are displayed and available for sale at the gala and are eligible to receive an award from the event’s juror. The gala is also an opportunity for the public to interact with the artists and learn more about their work. The sixth and seventh day of the event are devoted to a weekend art sale. In 2025, a new online gallery option allowed artists additional time to sell their paintings. Though the gala helps raise funds for the school, artists receive a 65 percent commission on sales. 

“I never would have looked at that and thought that it could be a painting, and that it could be so beautiful the way they depicted it.”

Despite being a competition, fellowship reigns. “You’ll have someone say, ‘I want to do a sunset, who wants to go out with me?’” Bernhardt explained. “And you see these friendships, and you see the same artists coming back year after year.” Bernhardt, a longtime Whidbey resident, also appreciates how the artists reveal new aspects of Whidbey, even to her. One year, a striking painting of a little house took her on a drive to discover Possession Point for the first time, and even Coupeville Auto Repair has provided inspiration. “It’s an older building, and it’s got a little porch, and someone painted a nocturne of that. I never would have looked at that and thought that it could be a painting, and that it could be so beautiful the way they depicted it,” said Bernhardt. 

Bernhardt hopes the funds raised can help facilitate more staff, classes, and accessible opportunities. There are a variety of offerings to the community, including lower cost workshops, with provided materials, an art book library, a camera club and book club, a “free little library” with art supplies, plus scholarships. 

The school also has a twice-monthly program at the county jail, providing a creative outlet. Bernhardt said that the program’s teacher tells participants, “When you’re being creative, there is no room in your brain to be anxious.” For Bernhardt, that idea applies to all artists. “I think that’s why so many people say, ‘I need to do art, especially now.’” 

Though Bernhardt does not describe herself as an artist, she says art has enriched her life and helped her look at things in a new way. “It just makes you pause,” she said. “It makes you think differently and see the world differently.” 

To learn more about the Pacific Northwest Art School, visit pacificnorthwestartschool.org.