From documentary photographs to ethereal prints, artwork of all styles and genres is being showcased during the monthly Port Townsend Art Walk, coming up again on August 3.

Nearly 20 galleries and alternative venues across the city keep their doors open late for the occasion, with most keeping hours from 5 to 7 or 8 p.m. Many spaces offer light refreshments, share demonstrations, and invite visitors to meet artists while diving deeper into processes.

This Saturday, Jefferson Museum of Art and History presents the work of acclaimed documentary photojournalist Jeremy Johnson, who gets to the heart of Port Townsend’s maritime industry. Presented alongside other videos and artifacts, Johnson’s work captures the essence of maritime culture and its challenges, emphasizing community and craftsmanship.

“Discover Stem to Stern: The Craft and Culture of a Maritime Community” opens August 1 at the museum, with extended hours for Art Walk on August 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. Highlighting everything from the restoration of historic vessels to the daily routines of fish boats, this exhibit illustrates the vitality and heritage of local maritime trades.

The fun and curiously named Low Fence, Horse Sense Gallery is a new addition to Port Townsend’s monthly celebration of art. This is the brainchild of artists Anne McGowan and Elisabeth Haight, who said their new venture will share the work of different local artists on a monthly basis, with a focus on investigative practices and in-progress works.

Grover Gallery in downtown Port Townsend will celebrate the opening of a retrospective show by Darcie Chase during Art Walk. Chase shares whimsical drawings and paintings to benefit Olympic Neighbors, a nonprofit creating home and community for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Art by Richard Jesse Watson, Tracy Grisman, and Meg Kaczyk also will be on exhibit at Grover Gallery. Visitors are encouraged to dress in stripes for the occasion, and participate in an artist-driven Art Walk theme as they stroll from place to place.

Aurora Loop Gallery presents a meet-and-greet reception with local artist Frank Samuelson, whose imaginative paintings and murals draw inspiration from the natural world, rendering vibrant scenes with bold brushstrokes.

"Moving and playing with form and color are just a thrill that I can’t deny myself,” Samuelson explained in an artist statement. His show, “Frosting the Cosmos,” opens at Aurora Loop on August 3. Samuelson’s work is also part of Washington’s State Art Collection and can be viewed online at the Washington Public Art Portal.

Port Townsend-based artist Shirley Scheier also takes cues from nature. Inspired by the Salish Sea and the garden outside her studio, Scheier uses reclaimed and handcrafted nets to cast color across large canvases.

“I believe in allowing my intuition to take control of the work,” Scheier said during a July artist talk. Her show at Jeanette Best Gallery, titled “Sifting the Silence,” shares 40 ethereal paintings and printworks during Art Walk.

Look for the Art Walk logo, and discover even more art in alternative venues like KALMA, Zee Tai Collective, and Polk Street Salon. For more information, visit the blog on Port Townsend’s Creative District website, online at www.ptcreativedistrict.org.

Mitzi Jo Gordon is manager of the Port Townsend Creative District and a one-time editor of The Leader.