"Going Home," a collection of my most poignant paintings, is on display in the Seattle Municipal Tower (700 Fifth Avenue: the very tall building with a freeway ramp running through it), Thursday 30 October to Thursday 23 January. The show is hosted by and in Seattle's Ethnic Heritage Art Gallery on the 3rd floor lobby of the building. If you know folks who work in the Tower, please spread the word -
I've spent the past two weeks finishing a piece (What Could Be – which I originally wanted to title Infinity Awaits) that did not want to end, reading Bianca Bosker's Get the Picture, and reading a set of essays (titled Ways of Seeing) based on a 1972 BBC series of the same name.
I devoured Bosker's book, though in retrospect I found the first section (about her toxic relationship with a deeply flawed gallerist) painful and useless. The last quarter or so was uplifting, reminding me of the ways my eyes and mind were opened when I started painting. I'm glad I read that before our upcoming travels -- reminding me to be as open as possible.
Ways of Seeing (edited by John Berger) takes the format of seven essays - three of which contain only photos. The first essay essentially interprets Walter Benjamin's "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction." The other verbal essays are critical screeds on capitalism and sexism in Euro-American beaux arts. I had to keep reminding myself of the date of the essays: to me they repeated the critical theory that I read throughout my time as an academic, but actually they were early applications of theory to art.
I'll have works in two shows opening in June:
Bainbridge Arts & Crafts features new members in its June show, June 7-30, including several of my small paintings on panels (just $150!). The gallery is at 151 Winslow Way e on Bainbridge Island, a short walk from the ferry terminal. Open M-Sa 10-6, Sundays 11-5.
Two of my figurative paintings (including a self portrait) were selected for the 22nd Annual Juried Art Exhibition at The Gallery at TCC. The show will be uo June 25 - August 15, with a reception on Thursday, July 18th, 4-6 pm (followed by group discussion 6-8pm). The gallery is on the north end of the TCC campus, accessible from parking at S. Mildred Street and S. 12th St. in Tacoma.
I've been working in my studio almost every day for the past five weeks. Here are two of the 15 pieces I've completed: Aqua Dream 3 and Color Surf, each in oil, 40"x 30".
