Seattle Art Blog - News, Discussion, and Events

“Transcendence,” an exploration of artistic passion and the pursuit of philosophical answers, is on view until July 29 at Oasis Art Gallery, 3744 Wallingford Avenue N. in Seattle. The gallery will be open for the Wallingford First Wednesday Art Walk from 6-9pm. Included in the show are works by abstract painter Drie Chapek, impressionistic landscapes by Nadia Kasko,  acrylic painter Joni James, acrylics by Marti Lyttle, Zen-like photographs on Japanese paper with bee's wax by Irene Stauffer, and the pursuit of the Tao in a new photographic series entitled "Obstacles" by Alex Strazzanti. Shown is Alex Strazzanti’s Rock Water Series 5: The Rush.

Would you believe more Russians are visiting this web site than any country other than the United States?  In fact, there are 1/3 more Russians than the country in second place – Italy. The top five are Russia, Italy, China, Great Britain and Germany.

Larry Richmond’s contemporary interpretations of traditional basket shapes using clay will be featured at Good Earth Pottery , 1000 Harris in Bellingham, for the month of July.

Crackerjack Contemporary Crafts. 1815 N. 45th. #212 in Wallingford, opens from 6-8pm on July 1 for the Wallingford Art Walk with fused glass pieces from Susanna Prince. Prince, also known for her art jewelry, will attend the reception.

First Wednesday

Wallingford Art Walk from 5:30-8pm. Info: 206.547.5177 or info@oasisinseattle.com   

First Thursday

Gallery Walks in Pioneer Square and the Seattle Art Museum area, 6-8pm.

Downtown Museum and Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park are free all day on First Thursdays. For maps check out www.firstthursdayseattle.com/

First Friday

Anacortes Galleries are open from 6-8pm.  Visit www.anacortesart.com.

Bainbridge Island Galleries are open from 5-8 or 9pm.

Bellingham Downtown Art Walk from 6-10 pm. For more information go to http://www.downtownbellingham.com/gallerywalk/

Belltown Seattle monthly art walk from 6-8pm. Call Carol d'Amelio at 206.443.6003 for more information.

Bremerton Gallery Walk, 5-8pm, in Downtown Bremerton.

Ellensburg Art Walk, 5-7:30pm., in Historic Downtown Ellensburg.

Fremont Art Walk, 6-9pm.  Visit www.fremontseattle.com.

Issaquah Art Walk 6-9pm in downtown Issaquah.

Sequim Art Walk, 5-8pm, downtown.

Vashon Island Gallery Cruise, 6-9pm.  Call Silverwood Gallery 206/463-1722.

First Saturday

Gig Harbor Art Walk, 1-5pm., along the waterfront

Langley on Whidbey Island Galleries extend their hours to 8pm.

Port Townsend Art Walk, 5:30-8:30.  Call Ancestral Spirits Gallery at

360/385-0078.

Quilcene Art Walk, 11am-6pm.  E-mail info@olympicartgallery.com.

June 29

Western Bridge, 3412 Fourth Avenue South in Seattle, invite all to support the Green Bag Campaign and meet acclaimed green artist Chris Jordan at a reception at the gallery on June 29 from 5:30-7pm. Although this is a fundraiser with a supposed $35 minimum donation, any amount is welcome. Mayor Nickels and several council  members will also be in attendance.

July 1-2

Gallery 110, 110 S. Washington St., reception and silent auction 6-8pm on both nights. From paper fashion gowns and hats worn by artists to food, raffle, exhibition, music, performance art and more, this annual event features one-of-a-kind works on paper by gallery artists.

“The Miniature Worlds of Bruce Metcalf,” 70 pieces of leading art jeweler, Bruce Metcalf, makes its Northwest debut at Bellevue Arts Museum and is on view June 27 through October 18. His work has been featured in major exhibitions, including the Museum of Arts & Design, NY;  Akron Art Museum, OH and the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC among others. Shown: Figure Pin #140.

Washington State nature photographer ,Keith Lazel, has captured the drama of the Hoh River, one of the very few intact and pristine rivers left in the contiguous United States, in a photographic exhibit called “Fast Moving Water: The Hoh River Story.” Organized by the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle, the exhibition will be on view through October 18 at the Washington State History Museum , 1911 Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma. Shown: Hoh River in Early Spring.

Bill and Ruth True, owners of Western Bridge, 3412 Fourth Avenue South in Seattle, invite all to support the Green Bag Campaign and meet acclaimed green artist Chris Jordan at a reception at the gallery on June 29 from 5:30-7pm. Although this is a fundraiser with a supposed $35 minimum donation, any amount is welcome. Mayor Nickels and several council  members will also be in attendance.

Darkbot-Sea, in collaboration with 911 Media Arts Center , 402 9th Avenue North, opens the exhibit, “People Doing Strange Things With Electricity,” tonight at a party from 7-12pm. The exhibit showcases innovative trends in contemporary art by bringing together established and emerging artists who work with electricity in a significant way either in their art or in its creation. The show closes July 24.

Contemporary art came under attack after World War II as many of the new generation of artists painted in a very different style that seemed to tear down the past. With the exhibit “Target Practice: Painting Under Attack 1949-78,” curated by Michael Darling, the Seattle Art Museum shows how well-known artists like Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, as well as lesser-known peers around the globe, escaped conventions and broke the traditions of hundreds of years. The show runs through September 7. Shown is Target by Jasper Johns.

Organized by Patricia Junker, Seattle Art Museum Curator of American Art, “Andrew Wyeth: Remembrance,” seven paintings that span Wyeth’s career and show his favorite subjects, are on view through October 19 at SAM. The seven paintings are from private collections and range from the 1950s to the 1980s. They include two early works: Brown Swiss (1957)and Distant Thunder (1961) along with five Helga paintings: Black Velvet(1972), Farm Road (1979), Cape Coat (1982), Overflow (1978) and Braids(1979), one of his most beloved paintings. Shown: Braids (detail). Courtesy of Frank E.Fowler.

What else can a photograph be beyond the carrier of an uninterrupted image?  Lawrimore Project , 831 Airport Way South, takes on this question in an exhibit called “phot(o)jects,” circulated by Presentation House Gallery in Vancouver, B.C. and organized by Bob Nickas. On view through August 1, the opening reception is June 24 from 6-9pm. Shown: Wolfgang Tillmans Lighter, Green Concave I.

June 25

Michael Darling and Iain Baxter discuss the new Seattle Art Museum downtown exhibit, “Target Practice:Painting Under Attack 1949-78,” at 7pm.

June 25-28

“Island Light,” an exhibit to benefit beach watchers on the Coupeville wharf with an opening reception on June 26 from 5:30-8:30pm. Exhibit hours: 2-7pm on June 25 and 10-7pm June 26-28.

June 26

Wine tasting, beer samples, appetizers and tour four new exhibits at the Bellevue Arts Museum from 6-9pm.

June 26-28

Taste of Tacoma, Point Defiance Park, Tacoma. The ultimate family picnic features juried arts and crafts vendors.  Visit www.tasteoftacoma.com

June 27

Art Wolfe, 1944 First Avenue South,  sponsors the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Gala fundraiser to help save orphaned elephants and rhinos in the southeastern region of Kenya.

June 27-28

Art 30 – Magnuson Park, Sand Point Way,  10am-6pm.  A neighborhood show featuring regional artists and fine craftspersons – produced by Northwest Art Alliance.  Visit www.nwartalliance.com.

3rd annual Artopia community arts festival in Georgetown.  For more information, see  http://www.artopiaseattle.com .

Autumn’s Framing & Gallery , 537 Main Street in Edmonds, explores human spiritual expressions through dance in “Path of Fire,” Autumn Kegley’s new work, on view through July 14. Shown is The Scent of Love.

The Museum of Glass,  1801 Dock Street in Tacoma,  has begun its Seventh Annual Visiting Artist Summer Series which features a different visiting artist at work in the hot shop each week, concluding August 30, 2009. The series offers museum visitors a unique opportunity to view the diverse creative processes of glass artists from around the world who come to the Pacific Northwest to work at Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, WA. Go to the Museum of Glass web site for a full list of artists and dates. By the way, you can also watch the hot shop live on the web site.