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Zack Bent’s new mixed-media installation at Vermillion Art Gallery, Fort Branch, continues the tradition of his previous series at Gallery 4Culture, Buffalo Trace, where he and his family "appropriated scouting as a tribal play frame." Whereas his previous exhibition centered on social responsibility toward the conservation and preservation of nature while referencing the Boy Scouts of America, Zack describes Fort Branch as "less occupied with human figures in relationship to one another and more with the trace of their presence.
"In this series," Zack says, "many of the works walk the line between play and catastrophe in the face of an unwieldy natural order. The exhibit is filled with a series of artifacts, including a full-scale dilapidated Lincoln Log cabin, drawing on the nearly 100-year-old toy designed by Frank Lloyd Wright’s son John during the Progressive Era. The toy’s early packaging described the contents as ‘interesting playthings typifying the spirit of America.’ Also among the works are a mummy bag sarcophagus and a selection of photographic documents of modern survival."
Zack Bent was born in 1975 in Sunnyvale, California, but considers rural Indiana his formative homeland. He received a BARCH in Architecture and a B.S. in Environmental Design in 1999 from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. During this course of study, he became interested in the visual arts and through further study received an M.A. in Photography from Ball State in 2004 and an MFA from the University of Washington in 2008. He currently works collaboratively with his wife, Gala, and his two sons, Ezra and Solomon. Most recently they were Artists-in-Residence at Crawl Space Gallery, where they found a dead bird and slept in a covered wagon. Bent makes his home in Seattle, Washington.
Flambeau, 2010. photographic print.
This exhibition was sponsored in part thanks to generous grants from 4Culture and the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.
Trannyshack (For Richard Prince), 2010 Collage 36.5x23.5
Mark Mueller has observed the detritus that results from layers upon layers of posters in the neighborhood and has decided to repurpose them in a way that redefines their meaning. Although the information on the posters is irrelevant, they remain cultural artifacts, with their colorful graphics, textures and evolving layers.
Mark says, "Constructing these collages caused a cascade of choices in order to determine the parameters and logic of each work. Many of these choices highlighted the differences between these new structures and their original context of their outside environment. These collages, found object sculptures and other studio productions are meant to be a reflection and celebration of this neighborhood where I have been lucky enough to be a participant over the last 20 years." Mueller appropriates street culture that is appropriating art culture which in turn appropriates commercial culture.
Additional large format images available at: http://www.vermillionseattle.com/images/mueller08_2010/mueller.html
By definition, the word Transillumination is the transmission of light through tissues of the body.
Transillumination is a series of work by Bette Burgoyne where she uses white Prismacolor pencil on black paper to create an ethereal landscape of shapes. She says, "Each drawing is a reinterpretation and combination of observations made from looking at many things; clouds, rocks, erosion, light, mammal ears, leaves, fur, waves, lichen and science illustrations of electromagnetic fields . The lighting in the drawings is oblique, like the light during sunset or moonrise. It is a time filled with portent and possibility, just before the night begins. Each new piece of black paper is a little dark night that I beam some light into."
Bette Burgoyne was born in Seattle in 1959. After graduating from Cornish College of the Arts in 1986, she moved to San Francisco and spent 10 years practicing and teaching art. Bette earned an MFA from Mills College, California. She taught at several places, including San Francisco Art Institute and California College of the Arts.
Bette's solo exhibitions at New Langton Arts, Southern Exposure, Mincher/Wilcox and Headlands Center for the Arts were reviewed positively by art critics Kenneth Baker and David Bonetti. Her work has been featured in many group exhibitions, including A Labor of Love at the New Museum NYC and the touring exhibition New World (Dis)Order. Among Bette's awards and residencies have been the Veronica di Rosa Residency Award at Headlands Center for the Arts CA, Tread of Angels Fellowship at Djerassi Foundation CA, Watkins Award at New Langton Arts SF, and the Boudreaux Cadogan Scholarship at Mills College.
After her return to Seattle, Bette purchased a giant roll of black Canson paper and has been cutting it and drawing on it ever since. The current exhibition at Vermillion, Transillumination, is a presentation of drawings made within the last 12 months.
Cryptomenagerie: Michael Alm, Jody Joldersma, Zoë Williams.
With select works by Keely Dolan
Opening Reception Thursday, June 10, 6-11pm
Show runs June 10 - July 3, 2010
Cryptomenagerie brings together three Seattle artists who have a fantastic interpretation of an imaginary animal world. For the title of this show, the Greek prefix "Crypto," meaning "secret or hidden," is morphed with the word "Menagerie," which is a form of collecting common and exotic animals.
Michael Alm is inspired by the impact that humans have on altering the biodiversity of the planet and natural world through population growth, over consumption and technology. He says, "The modern structure for protecting endangered animals is inherently synthetic. Many species are removed from their habitat, protected in simulated environments, and then reintroduced when mature." He exaggerates this point by creating creatures that appear normal at first, but on closer examination are composed of fake fur, PVC, clay and glass. They are displayed taxidermically as though they were skinned, stuffed, and mounted with expressions and gestures to imply that they might be aware of their state.
Jody Joldersma goes for dark themes with a twist of humor or cultural sarcasm. Hideous creatures cause the viewer to feel sympathy due to the implicit helplessness of their situation. Her dioramas occasionally have a "sideshow" aspect to them and explore the awkward interactions between humans and animals. Jody works in natural, found objects, Play-Doh, papier-mâché, and more.
Zoë Williams utilizes the imagination of the observer and the symbolic imagery of dream images, personal visions and abstract concepts to imply duality, multiplicity and opposite forces. Subjects can be simultaneously beautiful and horrible, cute and creepy, familiar and strange. Zoë works primarily in wool using a dry felting technique called needle felting. A barbed felting needle is used to shape and mold wool fibers into sculptural forms. It is a very slow and painstaking process; the carded wool is pierced hundreds, maybe even thousands of times to lock the fibers together and create a solid object. No armatures are used; each piece is solid wool with the exception of additions like glass eyes, lenses and beads, and the wood plaques/frames on which some pieces are mounted.
Keely Dolan deals with the symbolism of creatures as they apply to different archetypal emotions.
About the Artists:
Michael Alm: B.F.A., Sculpture, Washington University in St. Louis, 2006. Select exhibitions: Unnatural Selection, Some Space Gallery, Seattle, WA, 2009; The Artists, Wright Exhibition Space, Seattle, WA, 2009. http://www.michaelalm.com/
Zoë Williams: B.A., Digital Media, magna cum laude, University of New Orleans, 2005. Select exhibitions: Lost at Sea, Gallery Hanahou, New York, NY, 2010; Induced Epidemics, Chaos Gallery, Hollywood, CA, 2009. http://www.x03.org/
Keely Dolan: M.F.A., School of Visual Arts, New York.
May Art: "Backdrop" Jed Dunkerley, Jason Puccinelli, Curtis Taylor Thursday, May 13 6-9pm, FREE
Show runs through June 5, 2010
In art, as in life, things aren’t always what they seem. Elements worth admiring are not always first noticed. In "BACKDROP," three artists use their abilities – subtle or obvious – to make us consider our awareness.
The scenarios Jed Dunkerley captures put into focus deep questions about human tendencies towards distraction, hobby, routine, competition, industry, technology, and notions of progress. Dunkerley exposes the mundane as occasionally surreal and ludicrous: Elementary school field trips go to sites so toxic that tiny hazmat suits are required; a man navigates a natural area, planting seemingly random, ominous orange flags; pet owners are reduced to bag-holding collectors of offal; high-capacity urban freeway interchanges become intertwined ribbons that defy logic and gravity. Humorous but not without subtlety, Dunkerley creates often dark narratives about the health of our modern society and entreats viewers to ponder the peripheral lunacy all around us that often escapes notice.
Jason Puccinelli masters the realism of the medium where the dialogue reveals itself in the background. Beautifully depicted birds distract the viewer from an event that is in progress, or is possibly going to happen: A loon is cannibalizing an egg – but is it the loon’s own young? Another bird majestically presents while an elephant slaughter takes place behind him. Two warblers seem enamored with each other in a world completely removed from the figure on top of the building behind them.
Curtis Taylor’s participation in "BACKDROP" depicts his work with two former muses: the Rollvulvas and Vodvil. Together they made stories about the past, the future, and how to better organize the mind.
About the artists: Jed Dunkerley and Jason Puccinelli are two-thirds of the conceptual art team PDL, who participated in installations at Bumbershoot, the Olympic Sculpture Park, and the Seattle Art Museum.
Jed Dunkerley has shown art at Vital 5, COCA, and the Hedreen Gallery (Seattle U.). He has been a full-time drawing instructor at Franklin High School for 6 years and hosts a life drawing session twice a month at the Canoe Social Club.
For the last 10 years, Jason Puccinelli has focused his art career on creating experiences that encourage the audience to participate – and even complete – the art presented. Jason was the recipient of the Cultural Development Authority special projects grant in 2002 and a Paul G. Allen grant in 2007. He has had paintings and installations at Vital 5, Seattle Art Museum, Sound Transit’s STart program, and the Free Sheep Foundation. Both Jed and Jason presented "Standing Under Understanding" at Vermillion in January 2009.
Curtis Taylor is a Seattle filmmaker and theater artist who founded the performance-storefront Vodvil, a tiny Baptist church converted into a theater, art gallery, concert hall, scene shop, and pirate radio station where he created original folk operas. More recently he uses film to consider themes of art, life, and time. Currently Mr. Taylor is in residency at New City Theater/Seattle, at work on a magic show that explores flying dreams, work, and suicide.
Opening Night Gala Saturday, May 1, 2010 6-8pm FREE 21+
Posters up until May 7. All ages before 8pm any other day during exhibit (May 2 - May 7).
The Sasquatch Posters Exhibition features screen-printed posters created for acts performing at the Sasquatch! Music Festival. Those invited to participate range from world-renowned to burgeoning graphic designers and illustrators, all talented and all dedicated to the art of the poster.
Year after year, an eclectic and inspired group of work emerges, reflecting the unique collection of live performers this festival offers. We are pleased to announce that Vermillion in Seattle has been so kind as to provide gallery space to display the 2010 poster exhibit! For the first time in the history of the festival’s yearly design invitational, these posters will be up for the public
to enjoy for over a week rather than one-night-only: April 28th – May 7th.
Aaron Bloom, Adam Zacks, Andre Martin, Andrew Vastagh, Andy Abero – 33 RPM, Bob Smith, Bobby Dixon, Brandon Bay, Bungaloo, Carisa G, Casey Burns, Chad Lundberg, Chelsea Conboy, Clay Nowak, Clint Wilson, Corianton Hale, Cricket Press, Dan Black, Dan D Schafer, Dan Paulus, Dan Stiles, Diana Sudyka, Dirk Fowler, Don Clark / Invisible Creature, Farley Bookout, Frida Clements, Furturtle Design, Garrett Karol, Gary Houston, Guy Burwell, Hero Design, Jannie Mercado, Jason Munn, Jay Ryan, Jeffery Everett, Joanna Wecht, Johann Gomez, John Foster, John Howard, Jon Smith, Joseph P. Markiewicz, Junichi Tsuneoka, Justin Hampton, Keith Whiteman, Kevin Mercer, Kevin Tong, Killorn O’Neil, Kim Mason, Lauren Jong, Lee Zeman, Lia Cerizo, Mark Pedini, Matt McCrakin, Michael Budai, Mig Kokinda, Mike King, Mike Klay, Modern Dog – Robynne Raye, Michael Strassburger, Shogo Ota, Molly Leonard, Nat Damm, Nate Duval, Nathan Goldman, Patent Pending – Jeff Kleinsmith and Jesse LeDoux, Rangotang, Rob Helmstetter, Rob Stanton, Robert Zwiebel, Ryan Clark/Invisible Creature, Ryan O’Niell, Sara Thompson, Sasha Barr, Scott Dalrymple, Sean Carroll, Seattle Show Posters, Shane Long, Shawn Wolfe, Small Horse Studio, Strawberry Luna, The Silent Giants, Two Rabbits, Victor Melendez, Zach Hobbs.
(Co-curated by Mark Mueller w/select works by Elizabeth Aurich)
March 11th – April 25th, 2010
Blitz! Capitol Hill Artwalk THIS THURSDAY, April 8th 6-9pm Ree Brown in attendance (earlier in the evening).
Jay Steensma (1941-1994) is considered to be part of the second generation of the Morris Graves-founded "Northwest School," an art movement near Seattle that peaked in the 1930s and 1940s. Known primarily for his expressionistic, stark landscapes and sincere portraits, he incorporated mystical references of chalices, snakes, houses, clouds, and fish in his mixed media work. Occasionally using housepaint and mixing oils, acrylics, crayons and pencil, he painted on everything from scraps of paper bags the size of a postage stamp to large canvasses that he would partially deface out of frustration. He always had a sketchbook nearby and gifted many friends with his prolific work at random. It was known that he had struggled with manic-depression most of his life and was notoriously eccentric, complicated and passionate but found a way organize his life around his art and find peace before he passed away from a heart attack.
Ree Brown (1926- ) is a highly regarded "naive" or outsider artist without any formal training or degree, but with a charmingly awkward relationship to the formal qualities of painting. He paints delicate portraits of neighborhood cats, birds, dark-skinned children and women with colorful dress onto scraps of paper, cardboard, bits of matting and brown paper bags.
Later in life, these two artists became close friends and supportive partners who encouraged and influenced each other in many fascinating, intuitive ways. Vermillion is honored and excited to introduce these two highly regarded artists to a new demographic and neighborhood as well as invite longtime friends, collectors and admirers a chance to see some work that has not yet been seen. Special thanks to co-curator Mark Mueller.
Facebook Page, Slog Mention
1) There will be a list of songs. The songlist has been lobotomized of all
the depressing, slow, ballads and dirges that bring down every Karaoke
party, and contains only fun, upbeat, and caffeinated songs.
2) You can choose one of the songs to sing, live, in the room. Just like
karaoke! Except -
3) You will be accompanied by a live human (i.e. Korby Sears) using his non-virtual,
real-time hands and feet to play the mighty 1964 Conn Rhapsody Organ and
whirling Leslie 51 cabinet
4) Lyrics will be performed from a book with all the printed lyrics. So no
karaoke machine playing tracks, no karaoke monitor playing the lyrics. We're
all analog, flying without a net, playing off each other. (Having backed up
X mount of jazz singers in the past, I'm used to following singers off the
cliff if they get off track - which is part of the fun of doing this).
5) Microphone or Megaphone? At FFOK you get to choose your Vocal Delivery
System. There will be a megaphone on a stand, which you can sing into or
grab and rock the room with it like Rudy Vallee. Or, be traditional and
choose the mic (could use the vintage speaker I noticed you have. And I have
several Shure 57 and 58 mics).
In addition to this basic concept, the songlist - which will be updated on a
weekly basis (and with requests from the audience) - will contain unusual
selections full of suprises, such as tracks by local bands (SATURDAY
KNIGHTS, COMMON MARKET), poetry (William S Burrough's "Thanksgiving Prayer",
Steven Jesse Bernstein's No No Man), and even film scenes (Darth Vader
quotes they perform while I play The Imperial March behind them). So we're
redefining what karaoke means here.
The overall effect of the night is very loose, warm, personal, on the fly -
like a living room party.
"BFF: Excerpts From Friends of the Nib"
Feb 11th -March 7th, 2010
Reception Thursday, Feb. 11th 6-10pm
Meet the "Friends of the Nib*", a loose-knit group of Seattle-area cartoonists that meet weekly at Cafe Racer (5828 Roosevelt Way NE), to chew the fat and scratch the paper. Founded by artists Bob Rini, Tom Dougherty, David Lasky, Mark Campos, Dalton Webb, Scott Faulkner and Jim Woodring, the Friends have been producing and exhibiting volumes of work for at least three years, often based around a theme.
"BFF: Excerpts From Friends of the Nib" will throw wide the doors on their secret machinations and reveal to you select sketches, drawings, prints and more from their own portfolios, including a special preview of original artwork from the upcoming Friends of the Nib Playing Card Set!
This is a rare opportunity to see a vast cross section of the local cartooning scene, and to prepare yourself for their inevitable master plan.
Featuring original artwork and prints by: Aaron Bagley, Jessixa Bagley, DJ Bryant, Mark Campos, Kaia Chessen, Max Clotfelder, Tom Dougherty, Heidi Estey, Scott Faulkner, Ellen Forney, Noel Franklin, Kelly Froh, Billis Helig, Justin Ison, Sean Kent, Elizabeth Klein, David Lasky, Tim Miller, Sarah McIntyre, Pat Moriarity, Jonathan Morris, Aubrey Mysterious, Carl Nelson, Marc Palm, Helen Parson, Bob Rini, Sean Robinson, Stevie VanBronkhorst, Adam Watson, Dalton Webb and Cait Willis.
* A "Nib" is the sharpened end of a pen point used for illustration.
PREVIOUS ART SHOWS
This art show was mentioned on KUOW here: WEEKDAY 1/21/10 Steve Scher interviews one of the current artists, Eric McNeill, and others for a show entitled, "The DIY Hacker Fest".
Winter Lights: Explorations in Self-Illuminated Art
Open Thursday, Jan 14, 2010 through Feb 7, 2010 Opening night party, 5 - 8pm, Jan 14th
Artists panel discussion on Wed, Jan 20th, 7:30 - 8:30pm.
As winter nights become long and dark, we rely on electricity to lighten our spirits. This show reflects the human fascination with manipulating light and electricity to shape sensory experience. Works from eight artists and art groups will both delight the senses through self-illumination, and intrigue the mind through their exploration of technology as a creative medium. You'll find projects ranging from small animated light sculptures, to large scale, interactive computer vision and laser displays.
Curated by Shelly Farnham, Eric McNeill, and friends of Dorkbot. Shelly Farnham and Eric McNeill have been on the Dorkbot-Seattle committee since 2005. Dorkbot-Seattle showcases innovative trends in contemporary art by bringing together artists and technologists who work with electricity in a significant way either in their art or in its creation.
