Portland artist Robert Procter’s work shows the beauty of the Oregon and Washington coasts.

The Hoffman Center for the Arts is buzzing with creativity.

December will feature its “Bowl Us Over” ceramics show, plus artwork by Bruce Vincent and Robert Procter.

The center on Laneda Avenue in Manzanita is open Fridays through Sundays, admission is free. The public is invited to an opening reception 2 p.m. Saturday, at which the artists will describe their work and answer questions.

India Downes-Le Guin, executive director of the Hoffman Center, describes it as an exciting show to close out the center’s year.

The ceramics show features works by coastal artists, who will display and sell their creations. It follows a similar teapot-themed show last year. Janice Gaines Ehlan and Sarah Sump are among artists whose work is featured.

Vincent, who lives in Tillamook, is originally from New York. In earlier years, he earned degrees in forestry at Oregon State University and urban planning at Portland State University.

In his art, he experiments with what he describes as unconventional techniques in his printmaking. “My finished pieces lean towards a combination of the representational and the abstract,” he noted.

His work features layers of texture and color. “Recently, I have achieved that goal by layering printmaking techniques — monotype, collagraph, dry point, mark making from sketch directly onto the print surface — onto a print and/or its ghost print.”

Downes-Le Guin said that for Procter, “painting is his portal to the magic of the moment. With all the chaos of daily life, he’s reminded that solace is right here.”

The Portland-based artist uses techniques like encaustic, calligraphy, print and paint and seeks to reflect solace in his paintings, and strives for strong composition. “My use of color is intended to enhance the drawing, to further the story,” he noted.

Downes-Le Guin admires this approach. “Procter’s work in this show emphasizes the beauty of the coast that surrounds us,” she said.

Hoffman Center for the Arts

Hoffman Center for the Arts

594 Laneda Ave., Manzanita

Open Fridays through Sundays, ceramics show and gallery exhibit on view through Dec. 23

A free opening reception will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday

www.hoffmanarts.org