Roby King Gallery presents the art of Kris Ekstrand, Stephen MacFarlane and Fumi Matsumoto in the new show “Birds & Nests.”

The First Friday reception is 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2.

Ekstrand lives in the Skagit Valley area and works out of her studio in Edison.

“All my work is strongly rooted in the natural world around me, particularly the estuarine edges of the landscape where fertile farmland meet the salt water flats,” she notes. “I am particularly intrigued with nest-like objects. A nesting bird can make a thousand trips or more

to retrieve construction materials for these diminutive structures. Drawing them has given me a deep respect for their architects and builders.” MacFarlane finds that making monotypes is especially suited to him.

“It’s essentially a painting done on a printing plate, run through a press, transferring the image to the paper, with each piece being distinctive and unique, and there is a surprise element in the process,” the artist said. “I love the expressiveness of drawing whether realistically accurate or pushing towards abstraction.”

With his comprehensive drawing skills, MacFarlane distills his subject to it’s essential components, “in a direct yet spontaneous way.”

Matsumoto came to America at age 4, grew up in California, and received her degree in Art and Education from UC Berkeley. She spent one year abroad as a UCB exchange student in Tokyo, studying Japanese art, language and culture.

Greatly inspired by a visit to Denali Park, AK, Matsumoto quickly moved to Alaska and has been living, teaching and making art in Juneau ever since. Her artwork reflects a Japanese aesthetic, her delicate lino-cuts are printed on teabag papers she carefully glues together. The grandeur of Alaska and its magnificent wildlife remain her subject matter.

The exhibition continues through Feb. 28.

Roby King Gallery is at 176 Winslow Way East. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, call 206-842-2063 or visit www.robykinggallery.com.