Seattle Twist

The amazing German Artistic Cycling Team will be performing 15-minute demonstrations at the Seattle Bicycle Expo this weekend, taking place at Smith Cove Cruise Terminal 91 located at 2001 W. Garfield St..

There will be 300 exhibitors related to bikes, gear, travel, health and fitness, plus a Kids’ Bike Zone that will have an assortment of interactive activities including the Seattle Cirque and Acrobatics Team (S.C.A.T.S.) Unicycle Stunt Team, a treasure hunt, bicycle arts and crafts, bike-themed carnival games and Learn to Ride sessions. For more information, visit www.cascade.org

Northwest fans of fine art and low brow culture alike are in for a treat this Saturday, March 13. Get your geek on at the Emerald City Comicon, and visit the Fantagraphics booth for a look at a carload of brand new books. Meet stellar cartoonists including legendary Love & Rockets co-creator Gilbert Hernandez.

Take a break from the convention madness to greet the lovely and talented Los Angeles artist Camille Rose Garcia at Roq la Rue Gallery in Belltown. She’ll be signing her timely new book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and ever-popular Magic Bottle from Fantagraphics Books this Saturday afternoon.

Then head down to Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery in Georgetown from 6:00 to 9:00 PM for an adult beverage at the opening of Gilbert’s HIGH SOFT LISP exhibition and book launch event that serves as the after-party for the Emerald City Comicon. Expect cameos from visiting pros, exquisite art, and DJ Russ Fallout spinning classic punk platters. See you this weekend.

From a common Leopard Gecko to a rare Boa morph, you will find a great selection of high quality, captive-bred reptiles and amphibians for sale at the Northwest Reptile Expo. Arachnids, feeders, supplies, cages, books and educational tables will be setup to allow one-on-one interaction with these “misunderstood” creatures.

Seattle Metro Reptile Expo
La Quinta
1425 E. 27th St. Tacoma, WA 98421
Saturday - March 13, 2010

March 3, 2010 – Seattle, WA. The colorful Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack enters its third year resolved to draw attention to the historic industrial arts district in an effort to generate public sentiment towards preservation of this enchanting civic asset. As many of Seattle’s formerly artist-friendly neighborhoods fell victim to frenzied gentrification over the past decade, Georgetown remains the last bastion of a cohesive creative community in the city. We believe activities like the monthly Art Attack will advance our preservation efforts.

Among the highlights of the March 13 Art Attack: The grand opening of the Miller School of Art with a show of student work, painting demonstrations and more; “Circus Series” at Bella Vitale Studio featuring original paintings, prints, textile designs and punk pock dog clothing by Angielena Chamberlain; “Into the Briny Deep”, new paintings by Mary Louise Silva at Frida / Georgetown Tile Works; “High Soft Lisp” art exhibition and book signing by influential Los Angeles cartoonist Gilbert Hernandez at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery; “Wackalope: The Paintings of Dan’l Linehan” at Helmet Head, where the lovely staff will be applying make-up and styling hair for Art Attack patrons; the Helle salon opens their spacious new facility and the Mix re-opens its recently remodeled nightclub; Mark Tedin, Kyle Abernethy and Julie Baroh at KrabJab Studios; Georgetown Atelier open studio tours with founder Mark Tedin; and the usual mayhem and merriment we’ve come to associate with this diverse and festive cultural event.

Sheila Klein and Ries Niemi met in 1972 in a class on screen-printing on fabric.

They had both been working in textiles for several years at that time.

They were married in 1978.

They are still both working in textiles, among many other mediums, today.

They each maintain their own careers and art trajectories.

Between the two of them, they have tied hundreds of thousands of knots.

Ries Niemi is a maximalist. Too much is never enough for him.Niemi has been sewing and embroidering since 8th grade, and still at it today, defying sexual stereotypes. Once, in a grocery store checkout line, a nice old lady told him “Honey, don’t you grow up and be one of THOSE kind of girls”.

He has heeded that advice.

Sheila Klein made her first artwork in Grade One. It was the beginning of performing with materials. The teacher was mean and wouldn’t allow erasers. Klein figured out that she could erase the paper with her rubber-soled gym shoes.

She got caught.

Sheila and Ries’s show at Punch Gallery opens Thursday, March 4th from 5 to 8pm.

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.

On the Surface: Passions We Can’t Hide

Diane Marie Chaudiere, Gay Jensen, and Barbara Zander

February 3-26, 2010

Phinney Center Gallery

On the Surface: Passions We Can’t Hide, on view now at the Phinney Center Gallery through February 26th,  celebrates three artists’ passions.

Diane Marie Chaudiere is passionate about gardening and aquatic environments.

Gay Jensen is passionate about wildlife; especially birds, bears, and antlered animals.  As well as inescapably drawn to lunar, solar and stellar images.

Barbara Zander is passionate about movement, discovering the unexpected and has an insatiable thirst for color and texture.

On The Surface: Passions We Can't Hide on view through Feb 26th

These three artists, who all work in fiber, have come to realize that they do their best work when they let these passions motivate their artistic endeavors.   In the exhibit On the Surface: Passions We Can’t Hide they show work that celebrates passion as their muse.

All three artists are enthusiastic surface designers, using combinations of dyeing, painting, weaving, stitching, layering, printing, digital photography, quilting, beading and other embellishment techniques to express their ideas.    They hope that viewers of their show will gain an enhanced appreciation of the depth and breadth of fiber as a medium as well as an understanding of the passion that drives them to create art.

The Phinney Center Gallery is located at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, on the second floor of the Blue building, at 6532 Phinney Ave N in Seattle.  http://www.phinneycenter.org/arts.shtml

Gallery hours are Monday - Friday 9am-10pm, Saturdays 9am-3pm.

If you are interested in the arts and would like to know more about the Phinney Center arts committee, please email Pamela at arts@phinneycenter.org

Seattle-based artist Michael Leavitt is involved an ongoing 8-year project sculpting figures for his fanciful “Art Army.” Inductees include Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Mark Ryden, Robert Williams, Ron English, Shag, Banksy, and countless others. His latest recruit is none other than underground comix legend R. Crumb.

This fully articulated wood-carved sculpture was commissioned by an out-of-state collector. Before it ships off to the private collection, the piece will be put on public display at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery for one night only during the reception for Gahan Wilson on Saturday, February 13. If you can’t make it then, you can view Leavitt’s recent work, including collaborations with Fantagraphics friend Charles Krafft, at Stolen Space Gallery in London May 13 through May 30.

February 1, 2010 – Seattle, WA. The Georgetown Second Saturday Art Attack celebrates is second anniversary on February 13, just in time for Valentine’s Day. What better place for art mavens of all ages to observe this romantic occasion than in the enchanting industrial arts quarter of Georgetown? In the short span of two years the Georgetown Art Attack has gained a reputation as one of the region’s most provocative and colorful cultural outings. The public is invited to experience the excitement on Saturday, February 13 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM as dozens of nightclubs, cafes and creative enterprises present a vast array of visual and performing arts.

Among the highlights: “Show Some Heart” by Georgetown artist and blacksmith Lisa Geertsen at FRIDA & Georgetown Tile Works; Pop art pet paintings by Shai Steiner at A Dog’s Dream; make your own shrinky art with Shrinkmaster Malice together with paintings by Kris Kirwan and Michelle Robles at ProletariArt in the old Rainier Bottling Plant; new works by M. C. Corley and wine charms by Erika Tedin, as well as a huge assortment of fine wines and boutique beers at Full Throttle Bottles; paintings and prints by Mark Tedin, Kyle Abernethy and Julie Baroh at KrabJab Studio; legendary macabre cartoonist Gahan Wilson celebrates 50 years of Playboy cartoons at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery with the debut of a monumental new sculpture by Michael Leavitt; Annalisa Cristine Barelli’s “Into the Dream” at the captivating Engine Room at Georgetown Studios; open house tours with Georgetown Atelier School of Drawing and Painting founder Tenaya Sims; informal music jam with guest musicians at Georgetown Music; diverse dining and drinking at Calamity Jane’s, Jules Maes Saloon, Georgetown Liquor Company, 9 Lb. Hammer, Smarty Pants; Stellars Pizza & Ale; All City Coffee; Squid & Ink; Via Tribunali and more.

For map see: www.georgetownartattack.com.

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.

January 3, 2010 – SEATTLE, WA. The Georgetown Art Attack welcomes the New Year with a celebration of contemporary art and entertainment on Saturday, January 9 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Please join us to toast one of Seattle’s most colorful and diverse creative communities.

Among the presentations on January 9: The 2nd Anniversary of Seattle Uncorked at Georgetown Studios with an array of wines from 18-20 wineries from Family Wineries of Washington, live music by The Pink Torpedoes, and Street Skillet Food dispensing fare outdoors from their vintage Airstream kitchen; An exhibition by Rick Simpson, Ninjagrl Nicole Linde, Kate Protage, Brad Strain and CASH from the Twilight Artist Collective at the Stables; Richard Olmstead and Dave Ryan present politically themed artworks at Calamity Jane’s; “Without a Net: 10 Year Trapeze Art Studio Retrospective” featuring Justin Smith, Cait Willis, Tracy Lang, Mark Taylor, Mike Regan, Jason Huntley, Lisanne Coen, Olger Palma, Martha Dunham, Dan Abrams, Mark Adam, Frank Junk, India Nagy, Carol Mallet Adelman, Don Farrel, Jazz-minh Moore, Sharon Sanborn, Emily Wilkins, Brain Shaw, Shelley Higman and John Ohannesian at Georgetown Art Center; Frida/Georgetown Tile Works present “Cambrian Explosion”, an exhibition of mixed media paintings by French artist Elisabeth Vedrine; Fantagraphics 2010 Preview exhibition at Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery; Georgetown Limited Art Gallery open house with music by ACHE and Summersetmombackery; lots of exotic shopping and the usual dining and imbibing at some of Seattle’s liveliest establishments. See you there!

- Roq La Rue Gallery

Femtasia - The Art of Femke Hiemstra