Seattle Twist

“Lush Life 2″ Group Invitational

New works by Joe Sorren, Chris Berens, Marion Peck, Kris Kuksi, Travis Louie, Brian Despain, John Brophy, Martin Wittfooth, Ryan Heshka, Michael Brown, Charlie Immer, Mandy Greer, Gail Potocki, Laurie Hogin, Boomer, Madeline Von Foerster, Ryan Heshka, Andrew Arconti, and more TBA.

Roq La Rue Gallery

Opening Night Friday, March 12
Show runs to May 07, 2010

As the weather heats up, so does the action at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery, with a series of exhibitions, signings and performances featuring some of our favorite artists.

On Saturday, March 13, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, Fantagraphics Bookstore welcomes illustrious LOVE & ROCKETS co-creator Gilbert Hernandez on the occasion of the release of his latest masterpiece HIGH SOFT LISP. This exhibition of his amazing original art and book signing doubles as the official after-party for the Emerald City Comicon. Expect to socialize with a diverse array of unannounced special guests at this festive annual event.

Rock on Saturday, April 10 with our crew of musical savants from the warehouse and friends for an evening of dissonant performance. Improvisational quartet Zinjanthropus features maestro Martin Bland reuniting with his mate Ren from the awesome Australian combo Lubricated Goat and his Monkeywrench axe man Tom Price of the legendary U-Men. Joining them is former Gas Huffer front man Matt Wright. Our beloved Ajax makes lovely noise as Ardent Vein. Georgetown will be filled with melodious mayhem all night as the cacophonous Honk Fest West marching band carnival takes over the streets. Un-freaking-believable, this one.

On Saturday, April 17 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM we host a signing and publication party for James Sturm and Peter Bagge. Sturm returns to Seattle where he co-founded the Stranger and created his popular comic Cereal Killings for Fantagraphics Books. He since co-founded the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont and continued a successful career as a cartoonist. He’ll be signing his recent graphic novel MARKET DAY. Also appearing will be the architect of the alternative comics movement Peter Bagge signing the highly anticipated HATE ANNUAL #8. Catch up on the latest shenanigans of Buddy Bradley and the gang.

Look for these and other activities throughout the Spring at Fantagraphics Bookstore, located at 1201 S. Vale Street only minutes sought of downtown Seattle. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110. See you all soon.

Opening Thursday February 11th -  6-10PM - at Vermillion

Friends of the Nib

If you’re passionate about comix, there’s no place like Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery to celebrate Valentine’s Day. We’ve got “50 Years of Playboy Cartoons” with Gahan Wilson. Meet the living legend from 6:00 to 9:00 PM this Saturday, February 13 for a book signing and reception for his exhibition of original drawings and prints.

To commemorate the occasion we’re offering a bookstore-only 20% discount on the exquisite 3-volume slipcase edition of GAHAN WILSON: 50 YEARS OF PLAYBOY CARTOONS and an even more generous offer on the limited deluxe edition. Look for specials on other alluring comics and graphic novels. You’ll find affordable gifts to please anyone.

And if you love R. Crumb, you’ll have your only chance to view Michael Leavitt’s spectacular articulated Crumb sculpture on Saturday before it departs to a private, out-of-state collection. Fantagraphics Bookstore stocks the region’s largest selection of lovely Crumb books.

Join us on Saturday in Seattle’s enchanting Georgetown arts community for this memorable evening event. It coincides with the Georgetown Art Attack featuring visual and performing arts presentations throughout the neighborhood, as well as a diverse array of dining and drinking establishments.

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located at 1201 S. Vale Street at Airport Way S., only minutes south of downtown Seattle. Open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM, Sundays until 5:00 PM. Phone 206.658.0110. See you soon.

Roq La Rue Gallery
presents

Sarah Joncas

“Shadow Play”
new paintings

And 

Ciou
“Mysterious Flowers”
paintings and drawings

Opening Friday February 12th 6-9pm
Show runs through March 6th

Sarah Joncas new show focuses on the theme of shadows. Her work is primarily narrative portraiture, but is imbued with a sense of cinematic spatiality and a contemporary noir sensibility. Influenced by artists diverse in scope as Van Eyck, Lautrec, Hopper, Varo, Mucha, and Frida Kahlo, Sarah was also greatly influenced by the newly emerging Anime scene as a child. As Anime became more pervasive in US culture, it was readily embraced for its approach of using complex narratives and emotional maturity within a cartoon framework. This use of a cartoon as a form of fine art “character” has been one of the stapes behind the Pop Surrealism scene and Sarah’s melancholy heroines are examples of the range of subtle nuances that can be achieved using that as a base despite its seeming limitations. She has exhibited her paintings in New York, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and Rome.

Ciou hails from Paris, France. Her work features the admittedly well worn standard of spooky girls and their animals consorts, however Ciou’s unapologetic punk style (reminiscent of teenage notebook scrawls dialed up to 11) breathes a new brash life into the theme. Her sweet and sour heavy metal nymphs live out their wild carnivalesque fairytales on found vintage papers, taken from old medical books, dictionaries, and nature manuals. Her line-work is by turns thickly layered like decadent rocker girl eyeliner and then meticulously thin and ornate like stitchwork. Ciou has exhibited in Paris, Amsterdam,Brussels, Toulouse,Berlin, Los Angeles, Rome,and Barcelona. This is her first US solo show. She also has about of her work entitled “Chat Siamose”.

- Roq La Rue Gallery

Femtasia - The Art of Femke Hiemstra

December 2, 2009 – SEATTLE, WA. The third anniversary celebration for Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on Saturday, December 12, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, promises to be an unforgettable affair. The event features appearances by an international cadre of compelling cartoonists and artists as well as the world premiere of PORTABLE GRINDHOUSE with editor Jacques Boyreau. An entertaining panel discussion will be held the following Sunday afternoon, December 13.

PORTABLE GRINDHOUSE: The Lost Art of the VHS Box collects colorful cover art from a selection of vintage exploitation genre films. Cleverly packaged in a VHS slipcase, this anthology celebrates the film format that changed pop culture forever. On opening night Portland-based editor and B movie aficionado Jacques Boyreau will unveil a monumental site-specific “Portable Grindhouse” mural designed by Candice Schroeder. Boyreau commissioned Schroeder to create an equally impressive mural for his “SuperTrash” movie memorabilia exhibition currently on display at the Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh.

December 12 also marks the third anniversary of Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. To celebrate the occasion, Fantagraphics Books has assembled an amazing group of cartoonists to socialize and sign books. Among the stellar line-up of guests: Femke Hiemstra (ROCK CANDY) from Amsterdam, Paul Hornschemeier (ALL & SUNDRY) and Jay Ryan (BEASTS!) from Chicago, Portland’s Dame Darcy (MEAT CAKE), and Seattle’s own Peter Bagge (HATE), Jim Woodring (FRANK), Ellen Forney (LUST), Scott Musgrove (THE LATE FAUNA OF EARLY NORTH AMERICA), and Jim Blanchard (TRUCKER FAGS IN DENIAL.) Musical entertainment will be provided by Bagge’s pop combo CAN YOU IMAGINE? featuring Steve Fisk and an opening set by the enchanting DAME DARCY.

On Sunday, December 13 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM, Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery presents a panel discussion focusing on PORTABLE GRINDHOUSE. Five distinguished experts in the field will screen short clips from their favorite exploitation film and discuss its influence on their work, as well as the broader social implications of the genre.

Panelists include artist Lisa Petrucci (KICKASS KUTIES) of Something Weird, cartoonist Marc Palm of Scarecrow Video, Seattle Times pop culture critic Mark Rahner with film critic and curator Robert Horton, co-writers of horror comic ROTTEN. The panel is moderated by PORTABLE GRINDHOUSE editor Jacques Boyreau and will be followed by a book signing and reception. Admission is free as always.

You should have already seen the cool installation by Dan Corson at Suyama Space, but if not, this is a perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone and view his work, plus go to an unusual “garage sale” of unique art objects, antiques and collectibles.

The sale is Saturday, Dec. 5th from 9am to 5pm at Suyama Space located at 2324 Second Avenue in Belltown.

Brian Despain • “Requiarium” • new paintings
and
John Brophy • “Saints and Angels” • new paintings

Opens Friday November 13th 6-9pm at Roq La Rue Gallery, 2312 2nd Ave

Roq La Rue is very pleased to present two solo exhibitions by two Northwest painters, Brian Despain and John Brophy.

Brian Despain works with imaginary yet recognizable modern landscapes, but populates his world with seemingly self aware and melancholy robots in a seemingly endless quest for the numinous. His work blends the natural world with technology and usually has a slightly morbid slant. Archetype-loaded imagery such as skulls, gears, fish, and birds provide the forefront for a seemingly arcane number system the artist employs in all his work. His rich and somber color palettes of post apocalyptic ochres, deep blues, and steel greys belie and hidden warmth and dark humor within his work. This show will feature 8 new paintings.

John Brophy creates paintings that blend artifacts from global cultures and belief systems and juxtaposes them with the overarching affects of western consumer culture. Taking cues from the religious imagery of 15th century Flemish Primitive art, he takes their use of intimate compositions and understated gestures and reworks them using contemporary imagery to create surreal yet immediate new icons for the modern age.

Business as Usual 30" X 40" C-print, photo by Peter Jameson 2009

Wow! Elizabeth Jameson, one of our favorite artists opening this Thursday, with our favorite band Lushy performing. We can’t miss this one.

Elizabeth’s show opens Thursday, November 12th, and runs thru December 19th, 09 at the Fetherston Gallery. Performing will be special guests Lushy!

www.fetherstongallery.com
www.lushy.com
Elizabeth’s blog

Join this traditional Mexican celebration of life and death at the Phinney Center’s annual Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) parade and festival on Friday, November 6.

Start with the candlelight procession, which begins and ends at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Ave N.  The procession will depart at 6:30 p.m. and return at 7:00pm.  Where you can participate in the community altar, enjoy poetry,  live music, hot chocolate, craft activities, and more.

The Phinney Center Dia de los Muertos art show will be on view through the month of November and features works by Dreama Blankenbeckler, Pedro De Valdivia, Amaranta Ibarra-Sandys, Reagan Jackson, Jena Marks, Debbie McGibbon, Elisha Miller, and Lincoln Skrypeck.

Costumed participants at the Phinney Center's Dia de los Muertos Celebration

In Mexico, El Día de los Muertos is a festive and family-centered event, traditionally held on Nov. 1st (Day of the Little Angels) and 2nd (Day of the Dead or all Soul’s Day in Christian tradition).  Día de los Muertos celebrations emphasize life and death as part of the same cycle and regard death on friendly and intimate terms.  According to beliefs rooted in pre-Columbian traditions, on Dia de los Muertos, the veil between life and death is at its thinnest and the dead can be lured back to us through the scent of marigolds and the temptation of offerings of favorite food and drink.

In certain parts of Mexico, an important facet of this celebration is the ofrenda, or personal altar, built both in family homes and/or over the graves of loved ones. Traditionally, photographs of the dead at are the altar center, around which are placed offerings of food, drink, candles, flowers, sugar skulls, and personal mementoes. All these items are presented in beautiful displays to honor the returning souls.

Call (206) 783-2244 for more information.

For a detail of the evenings events go to: http://www.phinneycenter.org/events/dayodead.shtm

EN ESPAÑOL:

Venga y acompañe la celebración tradicional mexicana de la vida y la muerte con el Phinney Neighborhood Association (PNA) en una procesión y festival el viernes 6 de noviembre 2009. Los festejos empezarán con una procesión a la luz de las velas, que partirá a las 6:30 pm, y terminará de regreso a las 7pm en el PNA, que se localiza en el 6532 Phinney Ave N. Todos son bienvenidos a participar en el altar comunitario y a disfrutar de música en vivo, chocolate caliente, actividades de arte y más.

En México el día de los muertos es un evento alegre y enfocado en la familia. Tradicionalmente, el 1 de Noviembre es el Día de los pequeños ángeles y el 2 de Noviembre es el Día de los muertos o Día de todas las almas en la tradición cristiana.

La celebración del día de los muertos enfatiza que la vida y la muerte son parte del mismo ciclo y contempla la muerte en condiciones amables e íntimas. Según creencias, con principios en tradiciones pre-Colombinas, en el día de los muertos, el velo entre la vida y la muerte es tan delgado que los muertos pueden ser atraídos de nuevo a los vivos por los aromas de incienso y la tentación de ofrendas de comidas y bebidas favoritas.

En algunas partes de México, una parte muy importante de esta celebración es la ofrenda o altar personal construido en casas familiares y/o sobre sepultura del muerto amado. Tradicionalmente, se colocan fotografías de los muertos en el centro del altar, rodeadas por ofrendas de comida, bebida, velas, flores, calaveras de azúcar y recuerdos personales. Todas estas cosas son presentadas de una forma muy vistosa y colorida para honrar las almas visitantes.

Damos la gracias al City of Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs y el Washington State Arts Commission por su apoyo, ya que han hecho posible la continuación de la celebración de este importante evento tradicional.

Llame al (206) 783-2244 para mayor información.

Roq La Rue Gallery’s opening Friday evening Oct. 9 features art by Ana Bagayan, Ryan Heshka, and Tin. Opening begins at 6:00pm. Show runs until Nov. 7th.

Roq La Rue Gallery is located at 2312 2nd Ave. in Seattle.