Meerkats reign over the animal kingdom and human heads sprout like weeds in the ground in the wacky landscapes of Claire Cowie. The Seattle painter deliberately uses unnatural hues and subjects in her new series 12 Views (through Dec. 20). She cites 19th-century Japanese painter Hokusais wildly exaggerated depictions of nature as an influence. Likewise, Cowies panoramas are hybrids of reality and imagination. They alternate between being beautiful and downright disturbing. James Harris Gallery, 312 Second Ave. S., 903-6220, www.jamesharrisgallery.com. Free. 11 a.m.5 p.m. ERIKA HOBART
Wednesdays-Saturdays. Starts: Nov. 19. Continues through Dec. 20, 2008
