Ron van der Ende: Motor Memory

Dutch artist Ron van der Ende, who was born in Delft (home of the famous blue porcelain dishware), here makes his U.S. debut. “Motor Memory” renders manufactured machines as oversized, hand-wrought bas-relief figures. Those on display include a Boeing 727, the S.S. Roosevelt (the schooner used for Robert Peary’s historic but ill-fated North Pole expedition), and two Citröen DS automobiles (those beautifully streamlined and iconic French sedans with their adjustable hydraulic suspension). The title of this show (through June 10) refers both to the motor-powered objects being modeled and van der Ende’s time-intensive manual recreations of same. His fragile reproductions of vintage vehicles are made of balsa and scrap wood. Yet in a gallery, free from rust, they may outlive their inspirations. OkOk Gallery, 5107 Ballard Ave. N.W., 789-6242, www.okokgallery.com. Free. 6-10 p.m. ADRIANA GRANT

OkOk Gallery

Every week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from Sat., May 10 until Tue., June 10

Jesse Brown: The Village Green

A show of drawings and paintings by this artist/designer and the Creative Director at Artworks. A last hurrah before he moves to Chicago. Opens Sat., May 10, 7-9 p.m. Free. Mon.-Sun. Ends June 12.

20Twenty

Daily from Sat., May 10 until Thu., June 12

Dorothy Rissman & Tim Forcade

Objects on view include Rissman’s hair shirt made from Dick’s burger wrappers and Forcade’s photograph of a mysterious burning object, set on a lovely grassy field. Free. Tues.-Sat. Ends May 24.

Fetherston Gallery

Fri., April 18, 5:00pm-7:00pmEvery week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Fri., April 18 until Sat., May 24

Anna Skibska: Follow the Line, the Path to Form

Ribbons of glass filament constructed into a site-specific installation piece. $7. Tues.-Sun. Ends September 21.

Bellevue Arts Museum

Fri., May 2, 6:30pm-7:30pmEvery week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from Tue., April 8 until Sun., September 21

Mandy Greer: Dare alla Luce

The artist who awed Bumbershoot-goers with a unicorn bleeding crocheted red entrails makes an "earthly and celestial paradise" at the museum, for her largest installation to date. $7. Tues.-Sun. Opens May 6. Ends August 4. RACHEL SHIMP.

Bellevue Arts Museum

Every week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday from Tue., May 6 until Mon., August 4

Blue Earth Alliance Photographers

Visual documentation of the impact of climate change, from award-winning photographers. Free. Mon.-Fri. Ends June 6.

City Hall

Thu., May 1, 4:00pm-6:00pmEvery week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from Tue., April 22 until Fri., June 6

Cornish College of the Arts Art & Design BFA Exhibitions

Two concurrent exhibitions showing work by graduating art and design students. And the opening is always a great scene. Art Department Exhibition: Terry Avenue Studios at 2000 Terry Ave. Design Department Exhibition, Cornish Main Campus Center, Floor 1, 1000 Lenora St. Opens Thursday, May 8, 5–9 p.m. Free. Tues.-Sat. Ends May 20.

Cornish Main Gallery

Thu., May 8, 5:00pm-9:00pmEvery week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Fri., May 9 until Tue., May 20

Group Exhibit

Pyrographs by Etsuko Ichikawa, iron sculpture by Kathleen Rabel, and gorgeous images of bike works, in ink on Mylar by Katina Huston. Free. Tues.-Sat. Ends May 31.

Davidson Contemporary

Every week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Thu., May 1 until Sat., May 31

Alison Keough: In-Cite

A trio of media, with works in clay, graphite, and newsprint. Delicate, patterned works. Free. Tues.-Sat. Ends May 24.

Drop City Gallery

Fri., April 11, 6:00pm-9:00pmEvery week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Fri., April 11 until Sat., May 24

"Message to Love"

The first phase of a tribute to Jimi Hendrix, “Love” features two of the legend’s guitars, including his Woodstock Fender Strat. The gallery walls are a blank slate for visitors to write comments and reflections. Jan. 26-April 6. Also: Rik Allen's clever glass and metalworks of spaceships and rockets come from a mind fascinated with science-fiction and the future. Through April 25. Also: “American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music,” a bilingual, interpretive, interactive exhibition following the impact of Latinos in American pop music. Through Sept. 7 2008. “Sound and Vision: Artists Tell their Stories,” features more than 100 excerpts from the extensive oral history archives of Experience Music Project and the Science Fiction Museum.

Experience Music Project

Daily

Jordan Crane

Limited edition prints and original artworks from this L.A. cartoonist. Opens May 10, 6-9 p.m. as part of Art Attack. Free. Mon.-Sun. Ends May 21.

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery

Daily from Sat., May 10 until Wed., May 21

Merrilee Moore and James Waterman

Work by glass artist Merrilee Moore and painter James Waterman. Free. Tues.-Sat. Ends May 24.

Foster/White-Seattle

Thu., May 1, 6:00pm-8:00pmEvery week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Thu., May 1 until Sat., May 24

Clicks and Cuts: Sound Retooled

Audio and sculptural artworks made by teens during a workshop taught by Susan Robb last fall. Sound art experiments using circuit bending, tape loops, field recording, and more. Tues.-Sun.

Frye Art Museum

Every week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from Sat., March 1 until Sun., June 1

Dario Robleto: Heaven is Being a Memory to Others

An installation created from the artist’s 2007 residency at the museum, with research into, and sculptural interpretations of the little-known life of Emma Lamp Frye, wife of Charles Frye. A site-specific work, including 20 paintings from the gallery’s collection. Free. Tues.-Sun. Ends August 10.

Frye Art Museum

Sat., April 26, 2:00pmEvery week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from Sat., April 26 until Sun., August 10

Dennis Oppenheim: From Here

Photographs, models, and drawings of the sculptor’s work, to coincide with the installation (mid-May) of his 18 foot high fiberglass traffic cones, Safety Cones (2007), at SAM’s Olympic Sculpture Park. Free. Mon.-Fri. Ends May 30.

Gallery4Culture

Thu., May 1, 6:00pm-8:00pmEvery week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from Thu., May 1 until Fri., May 30

Amy Ellen Flatchestedmama Trefsger: Urban Beach Scenes

Photographs documenting the artist, in retro swim gear, ready for a dip in the unlikeliest of (urban) places. Tues.-Sun. Free. Ends June 7.

Grey Gallery & Lounge

Every week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from Thu., April 10 until Sat., June 7

Shawn Patrick Landis: Suspension of Belief

A household after a flood, crafted from objects suspended in inflated clear vinyl, some of which hang in mid-air. You’ll remember his work from a recent show at Gallery4Culture. Opens Thurs., May 8, 6-10 p.m. Followed by music from WD4D and Vital Free. Tues.-Sun. Ends July 5.

Grey Gallery & Lounge

Every week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from Thu., May 8 until Sat., July 5

Kader Attia

Installations and new video works by the French-Algerian artist, and his first large-scale, solo exhibition in the U.S. $15. Tues.-Sat. Ends May 25.

Henry Art Gallery

$6-$10. Every week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Fri., February 29 until Sun., May 25

Josiah McElheny: the last scattering surface

MacArthur fellow McElheny creates installation work in glass, rigging, and electric lighting. $15. Tues.-Sun. Ends August 17.

Henry Art Gallery

Every week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Fri., April 4 until Sun., August 17

Oscar Tuazon & Eli Hansen:This World's Just Not Real To Me

This two-man (two-brother) exhibit explores temporary shelters, found objects, and utopian architecture. Object-oriented work and site-specific installation pieces are on view, including a structure constructed from six-sided blown glass bottles inspired by Alfred Heineken. The beer company owner came up with a brilliant (and thwarted) solution to third world housing and recycling problems: beer bottles as building blocks. The blown glass bottles on view in the galley are a nod to that unrealized project. More installation work on view at SAM, in a parallel exhibit. Free. Tues.-Sat. Ends May 31.

Howard House

Sat., April 19, 12:00pmEvery week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from Thu., April 17 until Sat., May 31

Heads (dis)Embodied

Curated by Jim McDonald, this exhibit the role of the human head in art. With work by Claire Cowie, Scott Fife, Sherry Markovitz, Shawn Nordfors, and Dan Webb, among others. Opens Thurs., May 8, 6-8 p.m. Free. Mon.-Sat. Ends July 3.

Kirkland Arts Center

Thu., May 8, 6:00pm-8:00pmEvery week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Fri., May 9 until Thu., July 3

Susan Robb: The Challenge Nature Provides

A methane-powered campfire, plastic sculptures, and best of all, a full-size video of Tubes, last summer’s installation in Volunteer Park: a series of black tubes, their hypnotic and playful movement powered by their own contained heat. Tues.-Sat. Brunch with the artist Sat., May 10, at noon. Free. Ends May 31.

Lawrimore Project

Thu., April 24, 5:00pm-10:00pmSat., May 10, 12:00pmEvery week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Thu., April 24 until Sat., May 31

Leo Morrisey, David Bunn, Carol Es: Bookish

Exploring the organizing principal in whole books, words, text, and pattern. With works made from decommissioned library card catalogs, sewing patterns, and whole encyclopedias. And make sure to check out All Done But None, a bound autobiographical work by Carol Es illustrating raw details of her childhood, with delicate (and not so delicate) drawings and print work. Free. Tues.-Sat. Ends June 21.

Hedreen Gallery/Lee Center for the Arts, Seattle University campus

Thu., April 10, 5:00pm-8:00pmEvery week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Thu., April 10 until Sat., June 21

Alfredo Arreguin:Canciones de la Terra (Songs of the Earth)

The Mexican-born long-time Seattle artist paints intensely patterned works in oil on canvas. Free. Tues.-Sat. Ends May 31.

Linda Hodges Gallery

Thu., May 1, 6:00pm-8:00pmEvery week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Thu., May 1 until Sat., May 31

Sherry Carver, Peter deLory & Richard Morhouse

Paintings that incorporate photography, with diptychs by Morhouse and deLory. Free. Mon.-Sun. Ends May 31.

Lisa Harris Gallery

Daily from Thu., May 1 until Sat., May 31

The Black Panthers: Making Sense of History

Photography by Stephen Shames Forty seven photographs by Stephen Shames, documenting both public and behind-the-scenes activities of The Seattle Chapter of the Black Panther Party, in work from 1967 to 1973. Mon.-Sun. Free. Ends May 31.

Odegaard Undergraduate Library, UW campus

Daily from Wed., April 2 until Sat., May 31

Geoff McFetridge: In the Mind

An installation by the L.A. artist takes over the east wall of the pavilion: “an over-sized bulletin board complete with out of scale thumbtacks holding up larger-than-life posters.” On view for about one year, until March 2009.

Olympic Sculpture Park

Daily from Tue., April 29 until Sun., March 29

Xavier Lopez Jr.: Into the Deep End

Acrylic on canvas. Opens May 2, 6-11 p.m. Free.

Orange Splot Gallery

Fri., May 2, 6:00pm-11:00pmDaily from Fri., May 2 until Sat., May 31

Amanda Coleman: Time, Being

Paintings of and about the city, on canvas and plexiglass. Tues.-Sat Free. Ends May 31.

Patricia Cameron Fine Art

Wed., April 23, 5:00pm-8:00pmEvery week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Wed., April 23 until Sat., May 31

Sugar and Spice

L.A. and Philly photographers Susan Anderson, Amy Stevens, and Alex Prager explore dress-up, drama, and the play of self-decoration. With gorgeously messy cakes, a la Martha Stewart (almost) and lots of dresses. Mon.-Sun. Free. Ends May 28.

Photographic Center Northwest

Daily from Fri., May 2 until Wed., May 28

Oscar Tuazon & Eli Hansen: SAM Next

A two-man (two-brother) exhibit exploring temporary shelters, found objects, and utopian architecture. This installation at SAM–appropriately enough, for Tuazon won the 2007 Betty Bowen award– is parallel to a work located in a remote wilderness. Curated by Michael Darling, this show is the first in a promising new series, Next, focusing on underappreciated Northwest artists. The artist team also shows concurrent exhibit exploring similar themes at Howard House. $13.Tues.-Sun. Ends Oct 26.

Seattle Art Museum

Fri., May 2, 6:00pm-9:00pmEvery week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from Sat., April 19 until Sun., October 26

Chinese Art: A Seattle Perspective

From painting and calligraphy, jades, ceramics and sculpture, as well as contemporary art in a range of media. $5. Tues.-Sun. Ongoing.

Seattle Asian Art Museum

Every week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Sneak Peek

A selection of works in a range of media curated by Deborah Paine from the city's portable works collection. Mixed-media works by 22 artists, with oftentimes a strange perspective on looking. Free. Mon.-Fri. Ends August 1.

Seattle Municipal Tower Gallery

Every week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday from Mon., April 28 until Fri., August 1

Jenny Heishman’s Water Mover

The sculptor's first piece of public art, composed with artificial timber pipes and a false boulder. Its movement is powered by rain. A permanent installation.

Seattle Public Library, Fremont Branch

Sat., May 3, 4:00pmDaily

Anna Summa: Los Angles Punk

Photographs of the LA punk scene, 1978-84, from Black Flag to Siouxsie Sioux. Free. Mon.-Sun. Ends May 25.

Skylark Cafe & Club

Sun., April 20, 7:00pmDaily from Tue., April 1 until Sun., May 25

Printmakers' Showcase

Work by a slew of local artists, including Dawn Cerny, Brian Lane, Marcie Myrick, Kristen Ramirez, and James Reed. Free. Mon.-Sat. Ends May 31.

Some Space Gallery

Every week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Thu., May 1 until Sat., May 31

A Couple of Ways of Doing Something: Photographs by Chuck Close, Poems by Bob Holman

Chuck Close’s larger-than-life daguerreotypes capture the sensuality of skin, in all its imperfect beauty. Friends and colleagues of the artist seen here: Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass, and Lorna Simpson. Printed (in 2003) with praise poems by slam-poet Bob Holman. $6.50-$7.50. Tues.-Sun. Ends June 15.

Tacoma Art Museum

Every week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from Tue., February 26 until Sun., June 15

Brian Tolle: Stronghold

Best known for his Battery Park Irish Hunger Memorial, New York based Tolle has installed a new work on the UW campus. A stump measuring 23 feet in diameter and crafted from cedar two by sixes, Stronghold is a nod to the many enormous old growth trees that once populated the UW camps. Free.

University of Washington Campus

Daily

Peter Waite: Arrivals and Departures

The Connecticut-based artist shows work in acrylic: gorgeous old buildings and lonely pools. Free. Mon.-Sat. Ends May 23.

Winston Wachter

Wed., April 16, 6:00pm-8:00pmEvery week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Wed., April 16 until Fri., May 23

New Directions: Shape, Color, Movement

A group show of glass: Cassandria Blackmore, Ann Gardner, Therese Lahaie, Amy Pruzan, and Susan Zoccola. Mon.-Sat. Free. Ends May 23.

Winston Wachter

Every week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday from Wed., April 16 until Fri., May 23, 6:00pm-8:00pm

Brooke Fitts: The Fair

Photographs that work to capture an iconic American landscape. Opens May 1. Free. Mon-Sun. Ends June 4.

Zeitgeist Art and Coffee

Daily from Thu., May 1 until Wed., June 4

To Do List

Sunday, May 11

Cake
On a cold rainy day, nothing perks my mood like Cake. The Sacramento alt-ro... More>>
Paramount Theatre, Sun., May 11, 7:00pm

Seattle Trumpet Consort
Without getting into a lot of acoustic arcana about how and why, the natura... More>>
Trinity Parish Church, Sun., May 11, 2:00pm

Ron van der Ende: Motor Memory
Dutch artist Ron van der Ende, who was born in Delft (home of the famous bl... More>>
OkOk Gallery, Every week Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from Sat., May 10 until Tue., June 10

97 more things to do today>>