Send listings two weeks in advance to visualarts@seattleweekly.com.

Lectures and Events

Lecture: Sanford Gifford Goes West Curator Patti Junker discusses the travels and art of Sanford Gifford , who explored the Rockies in 1870 and the Pacific Northwest in 1874. 11 a.m. Fri. Jan. 7 and 3 p.m. Sun. Jan. 9. Seattle Art Museum, 100 University St., free with admission, 206- 654-3100.

Seattle Print Fair Five centuries of woodcuts, etchings, lithographs, and serigraphs from 18 galleries scattered across the country, including locals Davidson and Carolyn Staley. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. Jan. 8, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun. Jan. 9. Snoqualmie Room, Seattle Center, free, 206-624-6938.

First Thursday

Capitol Hill Arts Center In “Afterlife,” Diana Falchuk creates wall sculptures and installations from childhood blankets, stuffed animals, and other dilapidated comfort items loved to destruction. Opening night includes music by DJ Vital and Anya Ruosso. Reception: 8 p.m.-10 p.m. 1621 12th Ave., 206-388-0600. 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat.

Consolidated Works The touring “Curiously Strong Collection” lands at ConWorks, loaded with painting and sculpture from a pack of up-and-coming artists from across the country, including Reed Anderson, Jedediah Caesar, Tony Matelli, Katie Pell, and Anna Sew Hoy. Reception: 6 p.m.-10 p.m. 500 Boren Ave. N., 4 p.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.-Fri., 1 p.m.-8 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 206-860-5245.

D’Adamo/Woltz A group show of work by Gregory Dean, Eberhard Quinkenstein, Mark Keller, Simona Foggitt, and others. Reception: 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. 303/307 Occidental S., 206-652-4414. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Davidson Selene Santucci’s paintings in “Left Hand Turns” offer well-proportioned geometric abstractions into which she tucks little symbolic figures—creating a kind of visual cabinet of curiosities. Also on display: overly cute paintings and frescos of animals and such by Liza von Rosenstiel, plus woodcuts of crumbling castles and Colorado scenes by Lockwood Dennis. Reception: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 313 Occidental Ave. S., 206-624-7684. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Foster/White In “The Continental,” octogenarian painter James Martin offers more of his sloppy, funny, Chagall-esque menageries stocked with kingfishers, mermaids, rocket ship babies, the Lone Ranger, and peanut butter cookies. Reception: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 123 S. Jackson, 206-622-2833. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; noon- 5 p.m. Sun.

Gallery 110 A group show of work by member artists in this cooperative gallery, including Pat Andrus, Christopher Beuning, Carl Jackson, and heaps of others. Reception: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 110 S. Washington St., 206-624-9336. Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat.

Gallery 4 Culture Debra Baxter, a local artist whose huge silk paper cloud recently graced Platform Gallery’s “Paperwork” show, stages a solo show of installations, plus photographs of her “portable weather systems” (clouds on a stick) set amid real landscapes. Reception : 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 506 Second Ave., Suite 200 (Smith Tower), 206-296-7580. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon-Fri.

Grover/Thurston Simple but unsentimental paintings of birds, lovers, and bicycles by local self-trained painter Joe Max Emminger. Reception: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 309 Occidental St., 206-223-0816. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Howard House The Vancouver, B.C.-based duo Hadley and Maxwell display their “Décor Project,” in which they enter the homes of curators, art collectors, and other artsy-fartsy people, rearrange their rooms in unconventional ways, and then photograph the whole project in slick, design-magazine style. Reception: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 604 Second Ave., 206-256-6399. 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Kimzey Miller Photorealist paintings of assorted Seattle locales by Misty Martin. Reception: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 1225 Second, 206-682-2339. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Linda Hodges Jennifer Beedon-Snow’s sunlit suburban landscapes have an abandoned, solitary quality reminiscent of David Hockney’s paintings of LA. Reception: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 316 First Ave. S., 206-624-3034. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Lisa Harris Richard Morhous is infatuated with big, bold primary colors—no somber Northwest grays for this artist who’s been showing at Lisa Harris since it first opened in 1984. Morhous’ new work, “Night Light” makes masterful use of color in predominantly nocturnal urban scenes. There’s a trace of sentimentality in some of the images, but the well-composed acrylic paintings (each of which will be displayed alongside several preliminary sketches) explode with color blasting out of the darkness. Reception: 6 p.m.-8 p.m.. 1922 Pike Pl., 206-443-3315. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun.

Platform Gallery co-founder Blake Haygood—known for minimal, cartoony paintings stocked with truncated aorta-like forms, odd machines and floating beans—shows “Buck Fever,” a series of new paintings. Reception: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 114 Third Ave. S., 206-323-2808. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.

SOIL “Seeing Green,” a group show of off-kilter nature art. (SEE THIS WEEK’S VISUAL ARTS SPOTLIGHT, p.TK) 112 Third Ave. S., 206-264-8061. Noon-5 p.m. Thurs.-Sun.

William Traver Portland artist Jeremy LePisto makes cool, post-Chihuly glass: some pieces resemble tiny bridges while others are painted with deadpan little scenes of industrial buildings and bored everymen. 5 p.m.-8 p.m. 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.

Winston Wächter “Lucky 7,” a group show of seven women artists from the Northwest, features Victoria Adams (who creates imaginary landscapes in the Hudson River tradition), abstract painters Susan Dory and Besty Eby, and modernist sculptor Julie Speidel. Reception: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. 203 Dexter Ave. N., 206-652-5855, 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Zeitgeist Letterpress prints created with metal and wood type, woodcuts, and other techniques, by students at the School of Visual Concepts. 171 S. Jackson St., 206-583-0497. 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Other Openings

Art & Soul “Land and Water,” collects Patti Bezzo’s hyper-realist paintings of Puget Sound locales. Reception: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Sat. Jan. 8. 2860 N.W. Market St., 206-297-1223. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

Artbooks Press Bookstore & Gallery Collectible art books featuring the work of Mare Blocker, Erica Van Horn, Robert Rauschenberg, Francesco Clemente, and others. Reception: 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Sat. Jan. 8. 4703 Ballard Ave., 206-285-2665. Noon-6 p.m. Tues.-Fri..; 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. Sat.

Art/Not Terminal Holly Cannell’s small abstract canvases and Kris Hoglund’s hippy-trippy landscapes resembling stained glass. Reception: 7 p.m.-10 p.m Sat. Jan. 8. 2045 Westlake, 206-233-0680, 11 a.m.-6 p.m., 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Sun.

Bainbridge Arts & Crafts “The Great Escape” features paintings and photographs inspired by travels afar. Reception: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Fri. Jan. 8. 151 Winslow Way E. (Bainbridge Island), 206- 842-3132.

Frank & Dunya Paintings in the Russian folk tradition by Natasha Villone. Reception: 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Fri. Jan. 7. 3418 Fremont Ave. N., 206- 547-6760. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily.

Gallery 63 Eleven Folksy-trippy paintings and pastels by C.L. Utley. Reception: 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Sat. Jan. 8. 6311 N.W. 24th (Ballard), 206- 478-2238. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Frye Art Museum 20th century artist Philip Pearlstein is proof that the Frye’s quirky mission to preserve realist art isn’t totally misguided. In the 1950s, bucking the prevailing trend of abstract impressionism, Pearlstein was creating intensely human pictures. This series of sketches reveals his preoccupation with capturing the human body with all its flaws and imperfections. Opens Fri. Jan. 7. 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.

Photographic Center Northwest PCNW’s annual juried members’ show is curated by SAM’s Susan Rosenberg and features photography by Anna Daedalus, Margot Quan Knight, and others. Reception and award ceremony: 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Sat. Jan. 8. 900 12th Ave., 206-720-7222. Noon-9:30 p.m. Mon.; 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Tues.-Sun.

Richard Hugo House “On and Off the Map” features photos and etchings of local landscapes by Jennifer Nerad and Mark Griswold. Reception: 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Fri. Jan. 7. 1634 11th Ave., 206-322-7030. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Fri, noon-5 p.m. Sat.

Last Chance

1506 Projects Tony Weathers’ “Yes, Oui, Si; Waiting,” is a site-specific video installation questioning our desire for commodities and consumer goods. 1506 E. Olive, 206-329-5400. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat-Sun. Ends Sun. Jan. 9.

CoCA “Because We Can,” a solo show of surreal photos by Hugh Lenzt, plus a group show by CoCA members. 410 Dexter Avenue N., 206-728-1980. 2 p.m.-8 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., noon-5 p.m. Fri.-Sun. Ends Wed. Jan. 12.

Roq La Rue Mike Leavitt returns with more of his cool Art Army action figures based on all your favorite heroes: R. Crumb, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Van Gogh and all the rest. Also on display: simple, monochrome paintings of young critters lost in the woods by Joe Newton. 2316 Second Ave., 206-374-8977. 2 p.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun. Ends Wed. Jan. 5.

Galleries

911 Media Arts The contemporary media center celebrates its move to new digs with an installation of Language Willing, a frenetic and profoundly mesmerizing video piece by local genius Gary Hill. 402 9th Ave., 206-682-6552. 1 p.m.-7 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

G. Gibson Contemporary figurative photographs by Mona Kuhn and flower photographs by Ron van Dongen. 514 E. Pike St., 206-587-4033. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.

Garde Rail Thick with frosting-like layers of paint (her skies resemble nothing so much as Crest toothpaste), Toronto-based artist Jennifer Harrison’s row upon row of painted houses offer a cheery, but abandoned landscape of mythical happiness. 110 Third Ave. S., 206-621-1055. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.

Greg Kucera Susan Skilling’s recent minimalist paintings offer passionate glimpses into the heavens—a place of frosty moonlight and orblike objects that recall the intense spiritual iconography of Morris Graves. Lynne Woods Turner’s drawings create a place of concentric rings and faint dots, all sketched so lightly they’re nearly invisible. There’s no need to revive the tired “Northwest Mystics” label (Skilling is from Seattle, Turner from Portland), but these two local artists definitely deliver a quiet, meditative art that’s a refreshing blend of complexity and subtlety. 212 Third Ave., 206-624-0770. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

James Harris In “Low Pressure,” Tania Kitchell conducts little experiment- performances in chilly conditions and records the results in fleeting, ephemeral photographs. The nearly abstract images of Kitchell’s breath-steam and fluttering snowflakes caught against the night sky have a sweet, Zen quiet to them. Kitchell also keeps meticulous records of her time outdoors, and these Haiku-like weather observations are transferred into blocks of text etched on to plexiglass. 309A Third Ave., 206-903-6220. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

National Parks Conservation Association Scott Parker’s “National Parks Project” collects photographs, paintings and sketches from a dream road trip: visiting all 56 officially-designated National Parks in two years via jeep, kayak, bush plane, and on foot. 313-A First Ave., 206-903-1444, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Solomon Fine Art “Barely Visible” showcases two artists whose meticulous work transforms the banal into something vital through the act of creation: New York-based Cynthia Lin’s silverpoint drawings of paper capture the chaotic beauty of dust, while Marc Dombrosky’s fascinating work morphs tossed-aside grocery lists and other found notes into exquisitely detailed embroidery. 1215 First Ave., 206-297-1400. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Victrola Coffee & Art New paintings in oils and encaustic by local artist Chad Downard. Reception: 5 p.m.-7 p.m. Sat. Jan. 1. 411 15th E., 206-325-6520. 5:30 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.

Western Bridge The second part of Henry Art Gallery’s ambitious show “Work of the Work” (much of which was mounted with the help of William and Ruth True’s Western Bridge collection) showcases art that deals with perception and humanist religiosity. Kimsooja’s jukebox-like Mandala: Zone of Zero broadcasts a cacophony of chanting from Tibetans and Gregorian monks, while Steve McQueen’s gritty video of trip-hop singer Tricky is a near-claustrophobic immersion in a trance state. Anne Appleby’s color field paintings derived from the fleeting colors of Montana’s outdoors offer a palpable, quiet grace, while Carston Höller’s immersive merry-go-round of fluorescent light takes you to another plane of existence. 3412 Fourth Avenue S. 206-838-7444. Noon-6 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.

Wright Exhibition Space This show, curated by Virginia Wright, hopes to revive interest in color field painters Jules Olitski, Morris Louis, Helen Frankenthaler, and Kenneth Noland. Some of the pieces are magnificent in their lush disregard for anything but their own colors: Noland’s vast “Vista” surrounds the viewer with a bath of mauve, while Louis’s “Mem” is a subtle veil of browns. 407 Dexter Ave. N., 206-264-8200. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thurs.-Fri.

Museums

Frye Art Museum Mark Ryden’s amazing “Wondertoonel” brings gothic pop surrealism to the sleepy halls of the Frye. The California-based artist’s morbid and masterfully painted images are lurid and blackly comic: Lincoln’s severed head juggles pork chops, Jesus zooms in his spaceship the Godspeed, freaky stuffed animals carve meat, and wide-eyed Keane-esque kids watch the madness unfold. Also on display: Henk Pander portrays modern-day tragedies—the New Carissa oil spill, terminal illness and ground zero in Manhattan—with disturbing realism. His painting Prayer Before Night, recently acquired by the Frye, is a haunting and strange icon of death in a blaze of fabulousness. 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 “The Work of the Work” is a rewarding and tightly focused exploration of how art works on viewers. Much of curator Elizabeth Brown’s guiding aesthetic is to find art that is both accessible to those who don’t have an extensive background in art, but art that also stands up to rigorous critical scrutiny. Highlights include Seattle video genius Gary Hill’s Tall Ships, a video installation in which ghostly figures approach and recede; Kimsooja’s nearly still video of contemplation; Callum Innes’ lushly brushed abstract paintings, Wolfgang Laib’s radiant installation of hazelnut pollen, and Anne Appleby’s superb color field paintings inspired by Montana nature. UW campus, 206-543-2280. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.

Seattle Art Museum “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’Keefe, Jasper Johns, and other 20th century greats. 100 University St., 206-654-3100. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs.

Tacoma Art Museum “Hudson River School” is an OK collection of landscapes from 19th century American artists including Albert Bierstadt and Frederic Church: heaps of pretty sunsets and over-the-top sublimity for all you nature lovers. “Sense of Place” includes a memory collage by Randy Hayes, a lovely little Edward Hopper watercolor, and Merrill Wagner’s magnificent rustoleum-on-steel abstraction, Estuary. The fourth installment of “Building Tradition” offers Northwest art by Carl Morris, Yuki Nakamura, David Darraugh, Marita Dingus, and Jennifer West. 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-272-4258. Every third Thursday free and open until 8 p.m.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.