Artists who have some form of disability will display their artistic talents at Blue Horse Gallery, 301 W. Holly St. The exhibit opens during the monthly Downtown Art Walk, from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 4, with entertainment, refreshments and an opportunity to meet some of the artists.

The exhibit will conclude at the end of the month with an auction to raise money to support local artists who are overcoming their limitations through art. Some of the artists' works will be for sale to the public during the month between the events. The artists' works will primarily be paintings.

The purpose of the event is to provide a public forum for the artists to show their works and to bring positive attention to the community of artists.

Proceeds from the event will support The Art Without Boundaries Association, a nonprofit organization that serves disabled artists. For information on the national organization, see artwithoutboundaries.org, or call Jayne Baron, a Bellingham therapist, at 360-223-6163, for more on the local chapter. She is coordinating artists participating in the show.

The event name, "Stumbling Blocks 2 Stepping Stones: Overcoming Limitations through Art," illustrates the volunteer group's purpose, says Pettis Perry, one of the organizers, "to provide hope for all of us who have obstacles to overcome as we live our lives on a daily basis. We can choose to allow our difficulties to thwart our happiness or we can choose to continue to find ways to create a meaningful life for ourselves,"

Christine Nelson is one of the local artists showcasing her work for the first time. Baron says that when asked about her work, Nelson commented, "I draw and paint about life and experiences. I have been drawing since I was about 2 years old and painting since I was 14. I became legally/partially blind in 2000, due to complications from lupus and I stopped doing any kind of art work until one day I realized that I missed it so much. So I picked up a brush and thought, 'Why not just try?'

"I practiced, and through trial and error, I learned how to paint again with my 'very different eyes' and continued ever since. I have good and bad days with my vision. I try to paint on my better days and sometimes, 'I just try anyway.' To me, art is a process and evolution. So, in my process, I'm hoping to evolve into the artist I was always meant to be in spite of my lupus."

POETS TO READ OUTSIDE THE BOX

SpeakEasy, an occasional reading series at Amadeus Project on Cornwall Avenue that's hosted by Whatcom County poet Luther Allen, will held in late February and feature "out of the box" presentations, Allen says, perhaps enlisting multiple readers of a single poem; sounds other than words; or just about anything a poet would like to do, other than stand up and read a poem in a conventional manner.

There are enough poets willing to experiment to have the reading, but there are still some spaces available, so Allen is soliciting additional proposals. The deadline for proposals is Tuesday, Jan, 8.

Maybe one way to think about it, says Allen, is that the poet is the bridge between the poem and the audience, and has an arsenal of not only words and the sound and rhythm of those words, but also other sounds, light, movement, images, space, other voices and the participation of the listener, that can be used to present the poem to the audience in a way that might enrich its meaning or deepen its power.

BELLINGHAM WRITER PENS MURDER MYSTERY

Clyde Curley, who moved to Bellingham in 2003 after a long career as an English teacher, recently sent me his first book, "Raggedy Man," a murder mystery set in Portland, Ore. It's a big book, somewhere around 600 pages. ("Doesn't every high school English teacher dream of writing a novel?" he asks rhetorically).

If you're in Portland next Thursday, Jan. 10, you might want to stop by O'Connor's Vault, next to Annie Bloom's Books on Capitol Highway (the sponsor of the event), when Clyde hosts his official book launch. He's working with Village Books to schedule a local reading.

Clyde says he has ideas for three more novels in a series featuring fictional detective Matthew Toussaint of the Portland Police Bureau, and is digging into the next one now - that is, when, he says, he can force himself to put down the fiddle or mandolin. (He plays for local and regional contra dances). Details: clydecurley.com.

CHEECH MARIN TO SHOWCASE ART COLLECTION

Comedy and culture lovers have a chance to indulge doubly when entertainer Cheech Marin comes to Bellingham on Jan. 11 to open an exhibition at Whatcom Museum's Lightcatcher featuring works from his renowned collection by Mexican-American artists.

"Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection {size doesn't matter}" will be on view through March 24.

Please note the Lightcatcher fine art and family interactive galleries (FIG) will have new hours starting in January.

Marin is the featured guest at the show's museum member preview from 5 to 8 p.m. Jan. 11, and will deliver a public lecture at 2 p.m. Jan. 12 in the Rotunda Room at the museum's Old City Hall building. That same evening, he will be at Pickford Film Center on Bay Street to screen the 25th anniversary showing of "Born in East LA," followed by a Q&A session. Showtime is 6:30 p.m.

Showcasing 65 paintings by 26 painters, the exhibit highlights Marin's most recent passion: small paintings averaging 16 inches square and smaller. In contrast to other works in his collection representing and promoting the Chicano art movement of the mid-'60s and '70s, the content of many of the small paintings leans toward the artist's internal or personal statement rather than a response to political, social or cultural situations.

In his collector's statement Marin notes "There is something about the intimacy of a small painting that draws you in and implants itself is the warmth of your memory. For the collector, the small paintings are the ones that remain with them throughout their lives. They are the paintings that are always in their bedrooms or their kitchens or whatever room in which they spend the most time. The owners know every square inch of these paintings and can almost see them in the dark."

The paintings, which include photorealism, abstracts, portraits and landscapes, offer a window into the lives of the artists, each drawing on his or her upbringing, cultural heritage, education and life experiences for inspiration.

Check whatcommuseum.org for upcoming events related to the exhibit.

Reach MARGARET BIKMAN at margaret.bikman@bellinghamherald.com or 715-2273.