Ivan McLean and his dog, Gus, stand in front of a sphere sculpture.

Gallery owners Joyce Lincoln and Bob Necker seek to connect regional art with a sense of place.

Celebrating 35 years of operating Northwest by Northwest Gallery in Cannon Beach this month, the couple’s mission remains the same: elevating the work of artists that capture the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

“We are passionate about our community and very involved in the promotion and preservation of the why,” Lincoln said.

A passionate advocate for local arts, Lincoln acts as the gallery’s director and curator. “Our clients love to come here year after year,” she said. “It is the spectacular uncrowded natural world and the art experience” that keeps them returning.

And return they have. The gallery, a draw for both tourists and locals, now features a tranquil sculpture garden in downtown Cannon Beach. It’s been “35 years of really hard work,” Lincoln said. “We have many shared memories with clients from around the country,” she added.

Northwest by Northwest just wrapped up the year’s Spring Unveiling Arts Festival in Cannon Beach. The annual event, held in early May, is a regular highlight. This year, the gallery presented new photography prints by Christopher Burkett, and bronze pieces by sculptors Ann Flemings and Georgia Gerber.

Year-round, the gallery features a variety of artists and mediums, including Burkett and Gerber alongside sculptor Ivan McLean and painter Laura O’Brien.

Gerber, a sculptor based on Whidbey Island, Washington, creates intricate sculptures that feature animals such as birds, rabbits and otters. Her works include public sculptures at Seattle’s Pike Place Market as well as pieces featuring the beloved tufted puffins of Cannon Beach.

“The gifts we treasure are the very reasons why tourists have loved coming here for generations. It is exciting to have Georgia Gerber’s ‘Tufted Puffins’ on permanent display when they are in fact our city mascot,” Lincoln said.

McLean’s displayed art includes a large red sphere just outside the gallery. McLean is also the artist behind unique garbage cans that feature limericks, which are located throughout downtown Cannon Beach.

Other artists featured at Northwest by Northwest include regional painter Hazel Schlesinger, painter and glass artist Angelita Surmon, sculptors Fleming and Don Stastny, glass artist Steve Jensen, mixed media artist Harro Art and ceramic artist Natalie Warrens. “Sharing the authentic works of regional masters is a gift that sustains what we love about visiting and living here,” Lincoln said.

232 N. Spruce St., Cannon Beach

Open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and by appointment

www.nwbynwgallery.com