Seattle Art Blog - News, Discussion, and Events

In 1885, Wilson A. Bentley was the first person to successfully photograph an individual snow crystal through a microscope. He photographed over 5,000 crystals in his lifetime, demonstrating that no two snowflakes are alike. During Bentley’s lifetime, because of widespread interest in his work, he made up glass slides to use in his lectures. Schools, universities, and scientists purchased sets. These rare slides will be shown every half-hour, starting at 5:30pm, with the last show at 7:30pm at the Fine Impressions Gallery, 8300 Fifth Avenue NE in Seattle. For more  information, call the gallery at 206.784.5270.

A group show of new works in on view at the Howard/Mandville Gallery, 120 Park Lane in Kirkland, through February 24. Shown: Amsterdam Canal by Richard Boyer. 

A project that began at School 52 in the South Bronx in 1981 between Tim Rollins and a group of students described as “academically or emotionally at risk” turned into a collaboration where they produced art and found an interest in doing their schoolwork. Rollins or one of the students read aloud from the selected text while the other members drew, relating the stories to their own experiences. Their signature style was born as Rollins and K.O.S.—Kids of Survival—began producing works of art directly on the pages of these books, cut out and laid in a grid on canvas. Today there are active K.O.S. members in Philadelphia, Memphis, San Francisco, and New York, and their work has appeared  throughout the world. The exhibition will be on view until May 31 at the Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Avenue in Seattle. Robin Held, Frye Deputy Director, has scheduled a talk about the exhibit at 2pm on February 20.

Opening January 21 in a reception from 6-9pm at the Fulcrum Gallery, 1308 Martin Luther  King Way in Tacoma, is artist Troy Gua’s exhibit, “Monument.” The exhibit attempts to understand loss, especially the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. A closing reception is  scheduled for February 18 at 6pm.

Artist Matthew Offenbacher and curator Yoko Ott with the assistance of a group of artists will convert the Hedreen Gallery at Seattle University, 901 12th Avenue, into a physical database of material collected from the work spaces of select academic professionals. Each week participating artists will visit their assigned academic professional, learn about their work, and select material to add to “Intellectual Property.” In total fourteen artists will pair up with fourteen academic professionals over the course of seven weeks. The exhibit closes March 20.

Museum of Glass, 1801 Dock Street in Tacoma, welcomes glass artists Beth Lipman (Sheboygan, WI) and Ingalena Klenell (Sunne, Sweden) to the Hot Shop for a two-week Visiting Artist residency beginning  January 20. During this session, the two artists will work on elements for Glimmering Gone, an exhibition organized by MOG opening in October, 2010.

Foster/White Gallery , 220 Third Avenue S. in Seattle, is inviting the public to a special event January 17 from 1-5pm to see recently acquired works by Alden Mason and Morris Graves and to view new works by gallery artists, preview Madart Redux and enjoy light refreshments.

Traver Gallery Tacoma,  1821 E Dock Street #100, presents Danish glass artist Jeannet Iskandar in her first North American solo exhibition, “Between Fragment and Whole,” showing January 16 - February 7. Both organic and meticulously composed, Iskandar's ethereal constructions of suspended light and line meet in a confluence of rhythm and repetition. Iskandar made her North American debut with Traver Gallery in 2009 as one of 39 artists featured in the exhibition Look Forward, in which masters of the studio glass movement selected up-and-coming studio glass artists to show alongside their own work. Iskandar will be present for the January 16 opening of “Between Fragment and Whole” which will be held from 4-7pm. Shown: Ellipse II.

The Cole Gallery, 107 5th Avenue South in Edmonds, is celebrating their “3rd Anniversary Show” with an exhibition of Patty Forte Linna’s classic bistro and Paris scenes along with a new look back at the 1940's. Also on view is work by all gallery artists. A reception is scheduled for January 16 from 6-9pm  and will include Hors d'orves and wine along with live jazz by Richard Cole and friends. All art is 10% off for this one night only. Shown: The Reluctant Adviser, Patty Forte Linna.

Wall Space Gallery, 600 First Avenue, Suite 623 in Seattle, wants to do its part to help support the people of Haiti. Photographer, Jeff Antebi’s photo from the Haitian slum of Cite Soleil is currently part of the “New Directions 2010” exhibition and is available for purchase with ALL PROCEEDS being donated to Doctors Without Borders and OxFam. The gallery will send the Cite Soleil photo in return for any donation but is asking for a minimum of $25 to help with medical supplies and food. Contact the gallery or make a donation here. Gallery owner, Crista Dix, and Jeff Antebi have also  provided a list of other places where you can contribute if you don’t want to donate through the gallery. They are:

Text Haiti to 90999 to instantly donate $10.
Give directly to the American Red Cross
Give directly to Doctors Without Borders or OxFam
MSNBC has a list of relief organizations on their website.

Somehow I’ve confused this art walk with a Capitol Hill art walk on Second Tuesday, but an email from one of the participants just informed me that it takes place on Second Thursday. Since it’s produced by the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce, I have to believe my information was originally sent by someone who wasn’t in the know. Bottom line: there are over arts-related businesses open from 5-8pm for an art walk. Here’s the web site for the Blitz Second Thursday Art Walk complete with a map of participants.

On view at Vermillion , 1508 11th Ave. in Seattle, from January 14  through February 7 are works from nine artists and art groups who explore the senses through self-illumination, and intrigue the mind through their exploration of technology as a creative medium. Projects range from small animated light sculptures, to large scale, interactive computer vision and laser displays. The opening reception takes place on January 14 from 5-8pm.

A major exhibition of paintings and drawings by Northwest master Kenneth Callahan opens January 14  in a reception from 5:30-8:30pm  at the Gordon Woodside/John Braseth Gallery , 2101 9th Ave. at Lenora St. in Seattle. Also, the recently published memoir, “Margaret Callahan: Mother of Northwest Art”, compiled by Brian Callahan will be available at the gallery during the Kenneth Callahan Exhibition. The show runs through February 20. Shown: Horse.

From January 13 through March 28, the La Conner Quilt & Textile Museum, 703 S. 2nd. Street in La Conner, is showing  Lura Schwarz Smith’s art quilts, “Imagery and Imagination.” Also featured is  "On the Surface" with textile artists from the Whidbey Island Surface Design Association. Schwarz Smith will give a lecture and tour of the exhibit on January 16 at 1pm. Shown is a quilt by Lura Schwarz Smith.

In support of The Memory Project, C Art Gallery, 855 Hiawatha Place South, is participating in a community project to provide a creative means for remembrance and healing.