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Lectures and Events

Architecture Tour: Mansions on the Hill So this is how the upper half lives. The tony, historic homes of Capitol Hill are the subject of a guided walk led by the Seattle Architectural Foundation. 9 a.m.-noon Sat. Aug. 21. Seattle Architectural Foundation, 1333 5th Ave. Suite 300 (tour meeting place available after ticket purchase) $20, 206- 667-9184.

Artist Demonstration Watch art being made as painter Oleksiy Kovalenko creates a still life before your eyes. Noon-2 p.m. Sat. Aug. 21 and Sun. Aug. 21. Revolution Gallery, 317 N.W. Gilman Blvd. #26, Gilman Village (Issaquah), free, 425-392-4982.

Art in the Making: Davis Freeman An artist who specializes in art made from scanned Polaroids will create an installation based snapshots of museum visitors. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. Aug. 21 and noon-5 p.m. Sun. Aug. 22. Museum of Glass, 1801 E. Dock St., Tacoma, free with admission, 253-396-1768.

Canterbury Arts Festival A weekend of art, food, music, kids’ activities, and people dressed up like medieval serfs and wenches—all in beautiful Kent. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. Aug 21 and Sun. Aug. 22. Mill Creek Canyon Earthworks Park, 742 East Titus St. (Kent), $2, 253-856-5050.

Printmaking Workshop Sarah Barsness demonstrates how to create a polymer film photo etching from an existing photograph or drawing. No experience necessary. 6-8 p.m. Fri. Aug. 20, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat. Aug. 21-Sun. Aug. 22. Sev Shoon Arts Center, 5206 Ballard N.W., $125, 206-782-2415.

Workshop: Creative Collage for Families Artist Helene Lund Den Boer helps children ages 6 to 8 create storytelling collages made from patterned papers, family photos, maps, fabric, and found objects. 10 a.m.-noon Sat. Aug. 21. Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave., $3-$5, 206-622-9250.

Openings

Brick & Mortar Gallery Folk art (including an illustrated Volkswagen fender) by Gig Harbor artist Laura Jacobsen and splashy abstract paintings by Laura Hanan. Music provided by DJ Heike. Reception: 5-9 p.m. Thurs., Aug. 19. 813 Pacific (Tacoma), 253-591-2787. 11 a.m.- 10 p.m. Tues.-Thurs; 11 a.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat.

Henry Art Gallery Two openings at the Henry: Emmet Gowin’s “Changing the Earth,” collects over 10 years of aerial photographs of human-altered landscapes across the American West (including shots of Hanford’s decommissioned nuclear plants). In “The Work of the Work,” curator Elizabeth Brown selects an international potpourri of artworks that deal with the transaction between art and audience. Pieces include work by Anne Appleby, Hannah Villiger, Kim Sooja, Gary Hill, and Olafur Eliasson. UW campus, 206-543-2280. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.

Last Chance

Davidson Three sculptors at Davidson: Carla Grahn makes use of everyday industrial metals—nails, nuts, bolts, and bike chains—but arranges them in soft, floral forms. Juan Alfaro’s installation uses video and a spinning globe to create the illusion of motion, and Kate Hunt’s stark minimalist pieces employ steel and burnt, cut, and sectioned stacks of newspapers in elegant formulations. 313 Occidental Ave. S., 206-624-7684. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Sat. Aug. 21.

Gallery 63 Eleven “At Sea,” a series of painted adventures between a cat and polar bear by Kelly Staton, and Mona J. Lang’s campy struggles for survival called “Wintertime.” 6311 N.W. 24th, 206-478-2238. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Wed. Aug. 25.

G. Gibson “What I Did on My Summer Vacation”: a group show of photographs by Richard Misrach, John Jenkins III, Mark Mann, Carol Sawyer, Lori Nix and others. 514 E. Pike St., 206-587-4033. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. Ends Sat. Aug. 21.

James Harris Seattle artist Mark Mumford turns the old Marshal McLuhan adage inside out, making the message the medium in these almost ludicrously simple photographs—placards emblazoned with text sit perched on office chairs, taking seemingly banal slogans that simultaneously yell at you (like advertising) yet also hold a kind of quiet calm. This is art that revels in the postmodern exhaustion of language. And in a neat twist, the “real” subject of the photos is perched high on the gallery wall opposite: an actual chair with another slogan looming above. 309A Third Ave., 206-903-6220. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Sat. Aug. 21.

Galleries

1506 Projects “Sea Legs” features new work by Ben Beres (tiny-text prints), David Herbert (low-tech sculpture and video), Jamison Ogg (supermarket-quality prints), Matt Sellars (minimal wood sculptures), and Daniel Smith (collage on cedar shingles). 1506 E. Olive, 206-329-5400. 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Ace Studios In “Plastic Fantastic,” Matthew Porter paints cute portraits of Japanese toy characters. 619 Western Ave., 206-623-1288, 1-5 p.m. Sat., or by appointment.

Artemis Laura Amussen’s big, abstract and intriguing installations make use of bamboo and other natural materials to create some rather Freudian-looking holes and other patterns that aim to “initiate a dialog between emptiness and desire.” 3107 S. Day St., 206-323-0562. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Atelier 31 Etchings and aquatints by two important contemporary American artists: Julian Schnabel and sculptor George Segal. Also on display: simple sculptures in wood by Seattle artist Gary Berg. 2500 First Ave., 206-448-5250. 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Tues.; 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Benham Italian photographer Federico Busonero and American Stephen Johnson shoot images of national parks in their respective countries, while William Henry captures manmade castaway objects in a natural environment. 1216 First Ave., 206-622-2480. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Sun.

Blue Door Suburban landscapes by Graham Fracha and paintings of urban decay by Susie Wind. 759 N. 80th St., 206-783-2583. Noon-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Bluebottle In “Esperanza es Eterna” (Hope is Eternal) San Diego-based artist Charles Glaubitz creates a new series of paintings narrating a personal, crossborder mythology in the age of globalization. At its center is a little costumed child-hero who witnesses the excesses of maquiladora factories and other border culture. Glaubitz’s art is a vibrant mix of influences— from Hello Kitty to Tijuana billboards. 415 E. Pine St., 206-325-1592. 1-7 p.m. Tues.-Fri., noon- 6 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Bryan Ohno A group show of gallery artists including Ben Darby (whose baroque 3-D painting is an amalgam of holograms and ribbons of paint), Dean Eliasen and Rae Mahaffey. 155 S. Main St., 206-667-9572. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Carolyn Staley “Modern Women” features a series of Japanese prints depicting strong, lovely, and sensible women from the 19th and 20th centuries. 314 Occidental Ave., 206-621-1888. 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

City Space “Transition and Transformation” is a juried show of 26 emerging artists from across the state. 701 Fifth Ave. (Bank of America Tower), 3rd floor, 206-749-9525, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

CoCA In “101 Ways to Remove a President From Power,” some rather impolitic art counts the ways to get rid of presidents (whether GWB, Martha Stewart, or Kenneth Lay). Featured artists include Jack Daws, Susan Robb, Leiv Fagereng and many others. 410 Dexter Avenue N., 206-728-1980. 2-8 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., noon-5 p.m. Fri.-Sun.

D’Adamo/Woltz In “Untold Story,” Iranian-born artist Parvin paints figurative canvases that beat you over the head with their clumsy symbolism. 303/307 Occidental S., 206-652-4414. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun.

Foster/White Rainier Square Oy, again with “Mille Fiori.” The Dale Chihuly flower exhibit that flummoxed millions at the Tacoma Art Museum goes up for sale in Seattle. “Imaginations will be filled with wonderment and surprise,” the gallery promises. I wonder when will it ever end? 1331 Fifth Ave., 206-583-0100. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Francine Seders The group show “Big and Small” displays one large painting and several small ones from artists Alfonse Borysewicz, Lauri Chambers, Denzil Hurley, Robert C. Jones, and Julie Shapiro. 6701 Greenwood Ave. N., 206-782-0355. 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tues.- Sat., 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sun.

Gallery 4 Culture Neal Bashor’s assorted sculptures and paintings are all concerned with dams and restricted flows—a bathtub is fitted with an inconvenient divider, while sectioned swimming pool models are either half full or half empty, depending on your mood. Meanwhile, a series of small sculptures and paintings inspired by the state’s hydroelectric dams have a kind of feminine, voluptuous beauty to them. 506 Second Ave., Suite 200 (Smith Tower), 206-296-7580. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

Gallery 110 Hallucinatory oil paintings of life run amok comprise Linda Horsley’s “Party Time” while in John Martinotti’s “Relics of the Past,” luminary black-and-white photos document a dreamlike world of rural decay. 110 S. Washington St., 206-624-9336. Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat.

Garde Rail The first show in Garde Rail’s new space in the Tashiro-Kaplan Building is Ohio artist Rick Borg’s folk paintings of people, animals, and houses. They’re all executed on scrap wood and are rich with crusty oils and house paint. And you get two for the price of one—each three- dimensional image is painted on both sides, the artist says, because “some folks like what’s on the other side better.” 110 Third Ave. S., 206-621-1055. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat.

Glo’s UW MFA graduate Flint Crumpacker’s sunny, realist images of Seattle urban landscapes. 1621 E. Olive, 206-782-0786. 7 a.m.-4 p.m.

Greg Kucera Mark Newport’s “Superhero Pantheon” (see story, p. 77). Also on display: creepy, masterfully composed photographs by Tim Roda and a benefit print sale to support the defeat of George W. Bush; on offer is an impressive array of work from Jasper Johns, Susan Rothenberg, Ed Ruscha, Cicely Brown, Richard Serra, and John Baldessari. 212 Third Ave., 206-624-0770. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Gulassa & Co. Paige Alderete’s “Les Cheveaux” demonstrates that wigs can be art, too with a series of wigs incorporating human hair, colorful synthetic fibers, feathers, beads, and found objects. 10 Dravus St., 206-283-181. Noon-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

Howard House In “Soft Sport” Jenny Heishman addresses the emptiness and weird sex appeal of golf and other sports through a variety of mixed-media sculptures, drawings, and photographs. Also on display, paintings from snapshots of strangers by Mark Takamichi Miller. In previous work, Miller painted from snapshots he stole from Costco. He readily acknowledges the moral slipperiness of his experiments in art voyeurism, and now that Costco has caught on and changed its photo procedure, he’s turned to happenstance: The resulting new series of paintings, called “Zion,” is based on a single roll of film Miller discovered during a camping trip to Utah’s Zion National Park. 604 Second Ave., 206-256-6399. 10:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Jack Straw New Media Gallery Seattle’s Iole Alessandrini installs interactive lasers and other optical gizmos in this multimedia experience intended to explore, the artist says, “the distributed body, multiple-self and transmigration of presence.” 4261 Roosevelt Way N.E., 206-634-0919. 9 a.m.- 6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

JEM Studios Digitally altered photographic prints on paper, wood, and other materials by Cornish alum Caroline Kapp. 6012 12th Ave. S., 206-427-6748. Noon-6 p.m. Tues.-Sun.

Kirkland Arts Center “You Are What You Eat:” jewelry, food, and sociopolitics featuring juried works by Patty Cokus, Ron Pascho, Rebecca Tomas, and others. 620 Market St. 425-822-7161. 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

LGBT Community Center “Reflections of a Self-Absorbed Woman” is composed of fractured photographs on the topic of—you guessed it—self and identity by Seattle’s Linda Young. 1115 E. Pike St. 206-323-5428. Noon-9 p.m.

Linda Hodges Kenna Moser incorporates antique letters, flowers, and natural objects into beeswax to create engaging nature notebooks on wood, while David French’s painted abstract wood sculptures recall natural forms. 316 First Ave. S., 206-624-3034. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Lisa Harris The 20th anniversary of this dependable— if a bit conservative—gallery above Pike Place Market includes a selection of greatest hits from the Lisa Harris playlist including works by Peter de Lory, Ed Kamuda, Richard Morhous, Royal Nebeker, and Emily Wood. 1922 Pike Pl., 206-443-3315. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun.

Martin-Zambito Rare figure drawings by Japanese-American modernist Kiyoshi Shimizu and Depression-era paintings by WPA artist Louis Wolchonok. 721 E. Pike St., 206-726-9509. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

National Parks Conservation Association “In Nature’s Light,” a collection of outdoor photographs by Keith Lazelle. 313-A First Ave., 206- 903-1444, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., noon-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Priceless Works Two new solo shows: one from Terri Gibbs, a series of line drawings on vellum that embrace the gallery, and one from Kim Mahar, who practices postmodern, 3-D stained glass. 619 N. 35th St., Suite 100, 206-349-9943. Noon- 6 p.m. Fri.-Sun.

Seattle Art Museum Rental/Sales Gallery A satisfying little show of work from emerging artists, “Summer Introductions” showcases abstract paintings by a number of locals. Barbara Sternberger’s canvases bring to mind expanses of skin and flesh, while Amanda Knowles’ scientific-looking compositions recall technical diagrams and chemical formulas. Patricia Hagen’s work is a weird mix of candy-colored sweetness and disturbing blobs of yucky stuff you’d find under a microscope, while Shea Bajaj’s wood-and-resin paintings are distinctly three-dimensional, with glossy, repeating forms that emerge from the clear resin like bathers stepping from a glassy lake. 1220 Third Ave., 206-343-1101. 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Solomon Fine Art Tom Gormally’s encaustic paintings recall vaguely cellular forms. Also on display will be abstracted landscapes by Fred Holcomb, the “Wonder” and “Dream” series by Alex Mitchell, and kaleidoscopic chaos by Page Davis. 1215 First Ave., 206-297-1400. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Vain “Hot Boys and Pouty Lips” offers paintings of a voyeuristic nature by Karl Fjelstrom. 2018 First Ave., 206-441-3441. Noon-7 p.m. Sun.-Tues.; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Wed.-Thurs.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri.-Sat.

Western Bridge This fabulous new SODO art space designed by Roy McMakin showcases William and Ruth True’s vast collection of contemporary art, and kicks off with “Possessed,” a group show about “the things we own and the things that own us,” featuring work by Adam Fuss, Zoe Leonard, Shirin Neshat, Tony Oursler, Paul Pfeiffer, Aïda Ruilova, and Cindy Sherman. 3412 Fourth Ave. S. 206-838-7444. Noon-6 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.

William Traver In “Patterns Unrandomized” Sean Albert creates Mondrian-like pattern studies using colored glass tumblers and wooden shelves. 110 Union St., second floor, 206-587-6501. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Zeitgeist Sarah Kavage’s large paintings of fingerprints, computer circuitry, and other 21st-century subjects, all painted in lurid silvers and golds. 171 S. Jackson St., 206-583-0497. 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Museums

Frye Art Museum In “Figuring the Forces,” contemporary realist painter Scott Goodwillie brings a baroque sensibility to contemporary anxieties and conflicts. “Eloquent Vistas” collects American landscape photography from the second half of the 19th century by Eadweard Muybridge, William Henry Jackson, and many others. And for those who don’t know a watercolor from a mezzotint, the Frye’s new selection of works on paper offers a tutorial in techniques such as lithography, drawing, and engraving. 704 Terry Ave., 206-622-9250. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.

Henry Art Gallery “Santiago Calatrava: The Architect’s Studio” showcases the work of the ultramodern Spanish architect with a fondness for organic swoops and seemingly impossible curves. Meanwhile, a show by British multimedia artist Alex Morrison explores youth subcultures and their co-opting by the marketplace. “Selections from the Collection of William and Ruth True” offers a sampling from the collection of these two keen-eyed art collectors and longtime patrons of the Henry, including a typically intense video by Trisha Donnelly, a portrait in paint samples by Vik Muniz, and a soothingly mindless video of skateboarders by Kristen Stoltmann. UW campus, 206-543-2280. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun.; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.

Museum of Glass Motorized, kinetic sculptures by Museum of Glass favorite Gregory Barsamian, plus dolls, fabric creations, and glass faces all exploring issues of identity by local artist Marita Dingus. 1801 E. Dock St. Tacoma, 253-396-1768. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat. (third Thurs. of the month until 8 p.m.), noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Museum of Northwest Art “600 Moons: Fifty Years of Philip McCracken’s Art” presents a retrospective of the Northwest sculptor known for combining exquisite craftsmanship with a deep respect for the natural world. 121 South First St. (La Conner), 360-466-4446. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

Royal B.C. Museum A huge touring exhibit of ancient Egyptian artifacts from the British Museum will make its only stop in the Pacific Northwest at Victoria’s Royal B.C. Museum. Expect to see heaps of gorgeous treasures looted by those darn Brit imperialists, including intricate golden death masks, a multiton granite lion, scraps of Egyptian scrolls, and yes, real, dead mummies. 675 Belleville Street (Victoria, B.C.) 888-447-7977. 9 a.m.-5 p.m daily.

Seattle Art Museum “Van Gogh to Mondrian: Modern Art from the Kröller- Müller Museum” offers some truly great examples of Van Gogh’s work. Also in this traveling exhibit from the Netherlands are other exemplars of the modernist movement, including some early Picassos, cubist work by Juan Gris, freaky mythological scenes by Odilon Redon, and pictures by Leger and Seurat. Also on display: The video “Shadow Procession,” a recent SAM acquisition by South African artist William Kentridge, is a low-tech shadow parable, “The View From Here,” offers selections of Pacific Northwest art from 1870 to 1940, while “Modern in America,” explores the interaction between photography and the paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe, Jasper Johns, and other 20th century artists. “Song, Story and Speech” is a multimedia installation exploring how oral tradition is a crucial part of Native Coast Salish culture. 100 University St., 206-654-3100. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs.

Seattle Asian Art Museum “Larger than Life Heroes” presents Ukiyo-e and woodblock prints on the subject of sumo wrestling. Volunteer Park, 1400 E. Prospect Ave., 206-625-8900. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sun.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs.

Tacoma Art Museum TAM’s Northwest Annual, “Buildingwise,” is a grab bag of local art, some quite good and some just OK. Standouts in this juried show include a painting and time-lapse video of its creation by Patte Loper, realist paintings thick with queasy pinks and greens by Robert Jones, a couple of clever video installations by Juniper Shuey and Iole Alessandrini, large-scale abstractions by Margie Livingston, and Rachel Brumer’s quilts-as stained glass. Also on display: “Andy Goldsworthy: Mountain and Coast, Autumn Into Winter,” presents photographs from the nature artist’s 1987 residency in Japan, plus four sculptures of burnt wood and other natural materials. 1701 Pacific Ave. (Tacoma), 253-272-4258. Every third Thursday free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Wing Luke Asian Museum The juried exhibit “Beyond Talk: Redrawing Race” attempts to break open the lockbox of dialogue on race. 407 Seventh S., 206-623-5124. 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; noon-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun.