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

Lectures and Events

Benefit Art Auction A gala dinner and auction of some 400 works by local artists, to raise funds for the Arts Council of Snohomish County. Everett Arts Center, 2000 Hewitt Ave. (Everett), 425-257-8380. $85. Silent auction begins at 4:30 p.m.; live auction begins at 7:30 p.m. Sat. March 12.

Panel Discussion: Artistic Freedom in China Scholars and working artists, including Willie Tsao, artistic director of the Beijing Modern Dance Company, discuss the possibilities and limitations facing contemporary visual and performing arts in China. Seattle Art Museum, 100 University St., 206-654-3100. Free with admission. 6:30 p.m. gallery walkthrough; 7:30 p.m. panel discussion Thurs. March 10.

Artist Slide Show: From Kasur to Kandahar For six months in 2003 and 2004, Seattle-based photographer Beb Reynol documented the daily life of the Pashtun, Tajik, Uzbek, and Hazara tribes of Afghanistan after the U.S. invasion. The result is a series of varied and beautiful portraits of a people “struggling to reconstruct their country and their culture,” according to Reynol. Oddfellows Hall, 1529 10th Ave., $5 suggested donation. 8 p.m. Thurs. March 10.

Openings

CoCABorn magazine, the online venue that fosters collaborations between writers and visual artists, is the impetus behind “Help Wanted,” a promising-looking collection of multimedia, interactive pieces by Andrio Abero, Randy Moss, Tatiana Parcero, Trimpin, and many others.Reception: 7-10 p.m. Sat. March 12. 410 Dexter Ave. N., 206-728-1980. 2-8 p.m. Tues.-Thurs., noon-5 p.m. Fri.-Sun.

Columbia City Gallery A potpourri of photographs and prints by artists Stephanie Dickie, Bill Herberholz, and others. Reception: 5-9 p.m. Sat. March 12. 4864 Rainier Ave. S., 206-760-9843. Noon-7 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sun.

Kirkland Arts Center This intriguing exhibit explores how works on paper can move beyond the sketchy and ephemeral to more lasting innovation. Curated by Fionn Meade, the show has a promising lineup of artists, including Claire Cowie, Saul Becker, Perri Lynch, and Marc Dombrosky—who makes intricate needlework out of found grocery lists and scribbled notes. Reception: 6-9 p.m. Thurs. March 11. 620 Market St., Kirkland, 425-822-7161. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

Roq La Rue Oh, the decadence! In “Opulent Decay,” three artists luxuriate in death, the macabre, and destruction, including Joshua Petker’s creepy expressionist paintings and Alice Tippet’s subtle but gory pictures of peacocks and other birdies. Reception: 6-10 p.m. Fri. March 11. 23160 Second Ave., 206-374-8977. 2-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon- 4 p.m. Sun.

Western Bridge “19 Rainstorms” is an international sampling of video, painting, photography, and installations by Oliver Boberg, Trisha Donnelly, Olafur Eliasson, Anri Sala, Tania Kitchell, and others. Opens Thurs. March 10. 3412 Fourth Ave. S., 206-838-7444. Noon-6 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.

Last Chance

Howard House A small show of Joseph Park’s new work (see visual arts spotlight, page 70), plus spare abstraction with a fresh, improvisational feel by Monique van Genderen. 604 Second Ave., 206-256-6399. 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Sat. March 12.

Kittredge Gallery New work by Seattle painter Alfredo Arreguín, who does amazing, mystic abstract and figurative work in rich colors; also, Phil Roach’s voyeuristic peephole installations hiding little dioramas. University of Puget Sound, 1500 N. Lawrence St. (Tacoma), 253-879-2806. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 1-4 p.m. Sat. Ends Fri. March 11.

Winston Wächter Toronto artist Tony Scherman’s broadly brushed figurative works of mysterious women and birds have a ready-made decay to them. 203 Dexter Ave. N., 206-652-5855. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Sat. March 12.

Galleries

911 Media Arts John Feodorov, who as a child was told that the lava bed down the road was actually the coagulated blood of a slain giant, brings mythological imagination to bear on office cubicles and other disenchanted contemporary places in the installation “Four Sacred Spaces.” 402 Ninth Ave., 206-682-6552. 1-7 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Artemis Painter Matthew Porter (who also co-owns Bluebottle gallery on Capitol Hill) serves up more of his odd-cute paintings of gigantic cats eating Seattle (one too many double-shorts, perhaps?), and monkeys, monkeys, and more monkeys. Who doesn’t love monkeys? Sat. Feb. 19. 3107 S. Day St., 206-323-0562. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Arts of Snohomish A group show of work by 30 participants in VSA of Washington’s programs for artists with disabilities. 105 Cedar Ave. (Snohomish), 360-568-8648. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Ballard/Fetherston Big, sunny abstraction by Benton Peugh, and Dorothy Rissman’s meticulously layered and sanded multimedia paintings. 818 E. Pike St., 206-322-9440. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Blue Heron Gallery Art Hansen’s watercolors, drawings, and lithographs of Northwest landscapes are quite rewarding—a pleasing mix of recurring patterns, textures, and spare forms. All proceeds from this exhibit will be donated to Vashon Allied Arts. 19704 Vashon Hwy. S.W., Vashon Island, 206-463-5131. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; noon-5 p.m. Sat.

Bluebottle Mike Maas’ “TV Party” offers a bunch of Tiki- and Mod-retro 1970s nostalgia paintings made three- dimensional with multiple layers of cut Masonite. 415 E. Pine St., 206-325-1592. 1-7 p.m. Tues.-Fri., noon-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Bryan Ohno Katina Huston’s lovely, near-abstract studies of bicycles employ a variety of inks and washes on Mylar. 155 S. Main St., 206- 667-9572. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Capitol Hill Arts Center Watercolors have a bad rap as a lightweight art medium. In “Unbroken,” the hipsters of the Capitol Hill Watercolor Society hope to change all that with a show of stuff ranging from comics-inspired portraits to trippy landscapes. 1621 12th Ave., 206-388-0600. 6-10 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat.

Consolidated Works “Ergonomicon” is a carnival-like array of work on the theme of bodies and environments, including Jealous Poché’s video projections that put the viewer in the picture, Alex Schweder’s fully plumbed and operational “Peescapes,” and Sami Bin Larbi’s “Sur Place,” which aims to destabilize your perception with mirrors, video cameras, and a pair of adjoining stalls. 500 Boren Ave. N., 206-860-5245. 4-8 p.m. Thurs.-Fri., 1-8 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Davidson Take off your shoes and walk on Jill Weinstock’s squishy rubber-encased nylon stockings while checking out the oil paintings of Sally Cleveland, who’s drawn to scenes of cows standing around, as well as to poetic urban details (like the sky reflected in a stream of water running down an alley). 313 Occidental Ave. S., 206-624-7684. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Francine Seders New mixed-media assemblages by Robert Mirenzi, who works with materials ranging from plastic dolls’ heads to cheap Chinese party favors. Also: Juliana Heyne’s monoprints and landscape paintings inspired by a recent trip to Spain. 6701 Greenwood Ave. N., 206-782-0355. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.- Sat., 1-5 p.m. Sun.

G. Gibson A group show of gallery favorites—in celebration of Gibson’s return to Pioneer Square—features, among others, staged tableaux by Lori Nix, Richard Misrach’s epic landscapes, and Doug Keyes’ multiple-exposure impressions of Chinatown. 300 S. Washington St., 206- 587-4033. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat.

Gallery 110 Gary Oliveira’s photos of postcoital motel rooms (clothes strewn about the Magic-Fingers bed, cigarette burns on the night stand—you get the idea); also, Cynthia Bittenfield’s photographs of Normandy beaches pay earnest tribute to her father’s involvement in D-Day. 110 S. Washington St., 206-624-9336. Noon- 5 p.m. Wed.-Sat.

Gallery 4 Culture Eric Olson generates his dot paintings using random tables of numbers, then hand-paints each tiny blob of acrylic on sheets of aluminum. It’s a clever if slightly sterile excursion into issues of chaos, order, and how much of our creative process is driven by forces beyond our control. 506 Second Ave., Suite 200 (Smith Tower), 206-296-7580. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

Gallery Fraga Irish painter Josie Gray’s mystic-naive landscapes in gouache, created in collaboration with Northwest poet Tess Gallagher. 166 Winslow Way E. (Bainbridge Island), 206-842-1150. 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Garde Rail A small solo show of John Taylor’s creaky, rough-hewn interpretations of historic ships, cobbled together from junk lumber, rusted tin cans, and assorted flotsam—including one interpretation of Washington’s favorite homeless ferry, the Kalakala. 110 Third Ave. S., 206-621-1055. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.

Goods Illustration and type design by the Vancouver, B.C.–based team of Robin Cameron and Niall McClelland. 1112 Pike St., 206-622-0459, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Greg Kucera Minimal, color-saturated abstractions and near-abstractions (stars seen through tree branches, landscapes, and such) executed in encaustic by Northwest painter Joseph Goldberg. Also on display: new work by Gregory Kucera—not the gallery owner but the L.A.-based conceptual and video artist of the same name. Kucera the Artist makes frenetic videos of urban life, digitally created stripe paintings, and sculptural “paintings” in which holes have been cored into thick sheets of plastic. 212 Third Ave., 206-624-0770. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Jacob Lawrence Gallery Children’s drawings created during wartime, from the Spanish Civil War to Kosovo. UW campus, Art Building, Room 132, 206- 685-1805. Noon-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

James Harris New work by Peter Schuyff, whose carved pencils and obsessively layered paintings make excursions into pattern and geometry. 309A Third Ave., 206-903-6220. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat.

Jeffrey Moose Al Loving, African-American art legend, has been making his way in the art world since the 1960s. Not long ago, he completed a huge mosaic in a Brooklyn subway station; here he shows a series of color-saturated acrylic/rag paper collages. 1333 Fifth Ave., Rainier Square, second level, 206-467-6951. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; noon-5 p.m. Sat.

Linda Hodges Brad Rude’s paintings and sculptures put animals in vaguely ritualistic or shamanist compositions. 316 First Ave. S., 206-624-3034. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Lisa Harris New, vigorous, boldly colored Northwest landscapes by Brit-born transplant John Cole—all firmly rooted in the tradition of Madsen Hartley, Arthur Dove, and Georgia O’Keeffe. 1922 Pike Pl., 206-443-3315. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun.

National Parks Conservation Association Shots of alpine wildflowers in Olympic and Mount Rainier National Parks by local photographer Gary Luhm. 313A First Ave., 206-903-1444, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri., noon-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Photographic Center Northwest “Fotografenbüro” features documentary work—much of it chronicling the dramatic changes affecting Eastern Europe—by five photographers from Lux, a Berlin-based photo bureau. 900 12th Ave., 206-720-7222. Noon-9:30 p.m. Mon.; 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Tues.-Sun.

Platform Scott Fife’s “I Am What I Am” portrays an small, random assortment of celebrities—Popeye, Frida Kahlo, and Mies Van der Rohe among them—using his extraordinary sculptural technique, which makes use of layer upon layer of cut gray cardboard. 114 Third Ave. S., 206-323-2808. 11 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.

Priceless Works “Small Salience” collects abstractions and figurative work by 14 artists who use minimal gestures and forms to make their points. Includes work by Patrick Holderfield, Peter Gross, and Linda Peschong. 619 N. 35th St., Suite 100, 206- 349-9943. Noon-6 p.m. Thurs.-Sun.

Shoreline Community College Art Gallery Jessica Dodge’s figurative paintings on glass of the adolescents she’s known. Building 1000, 16101 Greenwood N., 206-546-4101 ext. 4433. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

SOIL In “Knock-Off,” Nina Zingale and Gina Rymarcsuk transform tacky European art and religious souvenirs into—well, tacky photo-booth snapshots. Also on display: Toi Sennhauser’s dozen sewn-felt oysters. 112 Third Ave. S., 206-264-8061. Noon-5 p.m. Thurs.-Sun.

Solomon Fine Art In “Small Tales,” Ellen Garvens’ insectlike assemblages made from hand tools and photographs explore the fragility and utility of the body, while Peter Stanfield’s techno-looking wall sculptures from hand-tooled steel focus on short vignettes of love or loss. Also on display: Fred Holcomb’s bright, competent abstract paintings. 1215 First Ave., 206-297-1400. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Suyama Space Roger Feldman’s architectural sculptures are designed to be unsettling— literally. The three installations, each about the size of Thoreau’s cabin, are built simply from 2-by-4s and other framing materials, and are meant to be experienced. So take off your shoes and enter. Each structure is made to rock and teeter. One is constructed with an Escher-like zigzag of parallelograms and takes random and disturbing lurches as you walk. The most memorable piece is sealed off in sensory-deprivation blackness. 2324 Second Ave., 206-256-0809. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

Tollbooth It’s not worth a trip in itself, but if you happen to be in Tacoma, stop by the innovative street kiosk called Tollbooth to see “Hello Central, Give Me Heaven, Hello Central, Give Me No Man’s Land,” a new video/propaganda project created by artist Mary Simpson, musician Rob Millis, and writer Fionn Meade. 11th and Broadway, Tacoma. Open 24 hours.

ToST Evan Blackwell and Marc Lawrence’s big, bold 3-D wall sculptures created from found lumber and other colorful junkyard detritus. 513 N. 36th St., 206-547-0240. 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Tues.-Sat., 5 p.m.-midnight Sun.-Mon.

Vera Project A silent auction and group gallery show to support Broken Ground, a nonprofit that works with artists to provide funds for humanitarian causes. Includes work by UW ceramics major Charles Thomas and local photographers Jacob Canini and Sean Simpson. 1122 E. Pike Street, No. 849, 206-956-8372. 2-6 p.m. Tues.-Thurs.; 2-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat.

Vain “Your Egyptian Jets” features monsters, mod superheroes, and other graffiti-inspired art by Brandon Graham, David Linder, and Corey Lewis. 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.

William Traver Nancy Worden’s art jewelry makes use of some wild materials—everything from clothespins to taxidermy eyes to chunks of the demolished Kingdome. 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 Kynan Antos’ high-contrast paintings in “Wake” explore the transformations we experience after the loss of a loved one. 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 Robin Held’s first exhibition since taking over as curator at the Frye is “Moon Beam Caress,” a solo show by Seattle artist Joseph Park (see visual arts spotlight, page 70). Also on display: 20th-century artist Philip Pearlstein’s intense drawings of nudes. 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 As laterally mobile curator Robin Held’s first show continues at the Frye, her last opens across town at the Henry. “Celebrity Skin” pairs photos of famous 19th-century French people with Alice Wheeler’s photos of Nirvana, which are startlingly immediate enough to penetrate any jadedness you think you might feel toward Cobain and company. UW campus, 206-543-2280. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun.; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.

Museum of Northwest Art “Northwest Matriarchs of Modernism” showcases work by a dozen artists working between 1940 and 1970, including figurative painter Viola Patterson, abstract painter Mary Henry, and sculptor Hilda Morris. 121 South First St. (La Conner), 360-466-4446. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

Nordic Heritage Museum “Mirror on Wood” is a journey through 100 years of Finnish woodcut prints, from angst-ridden symbolism to serene rural landscapes. 104 N.W. 67th St., 206-789-5707. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon-4 p.m. Sun.

Seattle Art Museum “Between Past and Future” is a thrilling showcase of contemporary Chinese video and photography, much of it focused on the body in relation to the world. Though small and suppressed, the avant-garde is alive and vital in communist China. Standouts in this superb show include Zhang Huan’s iconic photos of language and identity, Family Tree, Rong Rong’s disturbing images of visceral performance art, Li Wei’s clever experiments with mirrors, and Zhao Lian’s video-game-inspired exploration of authority, Social Survey. Also on display: “Africa in America,” a varied and complex look at slavery, displacement, and ethnic culture as portrayed in African-American art of the late 20th century, including work by James W. Washington Jr., Kara Walker, Ellen Gallagher, Oliver Jackson, and Marita Dingus. 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 “Mountain Dreams” collects contemporary ceramics incised with Buddhist text by Korean artist Yoon Kwang-cho. 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 Marsden Hartley isn’t exactly a household name, but the 20th-century American painter, poet, critic, and dandy was a solid experimenter in form and color. This touring retrospective marks the first major show of his work in the Northwest in 20 years. Also, “A Decade of Excellence” displays Northwest artists who’ve been awarded the Behnke Foundation’s “Neddy” Artist Fellowship since the program began 10 years ago— including work by Michael Spafford, Juan Alonso, Claire Cowie, Susan Dory, and Mark Takamichi Miller. 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.

Washington State History Museum Do you remember being able to think about 9/11 without cursing Bush for dragging us into the bloody quagmire of Iraq? Yeah, neither do we, and we’re not at all sure that “September 11: Bearing Witness to History” will help. It’s a touring show of charred flags, blackened firefighter helmets, and twisted steel from the WTC, all presented like sacred relics. 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-272-3500. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Wed. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Fri.-Sat. noon-5 p.m. Sun.