Visual Arts

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery. “25 Years of Love & Rockets”: A celebration of the influential comic book epic, Love & Rockets by Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez, which helped launch the alternative comics genre. An exhibition of original artwork from the brothers. Through March 7. 1201 S. Vale St., Seattle, 658-0110, www.fantagraphics.com/blog.

Francine Seders Gallery. “A Delicate Balance”: New and old work from mixed-media artist Dina Barzel, who uses silver thread, wire, clay, and wood in her creations. Through Feb. 18. 6701 Greenwood N., (206) 782-0355.

Belle & Wissell. “Beasts”: An exhibit of “mythological menagerie.” Through Feb. 17. 6014 12th Ave. S., Seattle, 322-7908.

20Twenty. “Big Bully”: This group show features artwork from Chris Crites (known for his colorful bag portraits) and 11 others in their attempt to “overthrow old man winter.”. Through March 8. 5208 Ballard Ave. N.W., Seattle, 706-0969.

Punch. # “Birds and Bees”: Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Justin Gibbens’ watercolor drawings–inspired by scientific illustration–detail the conjugal and territorial goings-on of birds, bees, and lovebugs. Optical tricks abound, as a daddy long-legs crawls off a painting and onto the wall, and the painted-on shadows of mating birds bleed from a coffee-stained page. Gibbens’ meticulously detailed images are both amusing and surprisingly sensual. RACHEL SHIMP. Through Feb. 25. 119 Prefontaine Pl. S. (in the Tashiro-Kaplan Building), Seattle, 621-1945.

Henry Art Gallery. # “Elusive Signs”: Neon signs evoke magic and sin–peep shows and diners, pink-elephant car washes, tawdry all-night activities, and bad spelling like ‘donuts’ and ‘tonite’–commerce posing as art and shamelessly vamping itself to catch the eye of passers-by. Since the ’60s, Bruce Nauman has been exploiting the hypnotic allure of these humming, glowing lights to grab people’s attention with messages and images that are sometimes disturbing, sometimes poetically hopeful, cogent puns and playful anagrams often used for social commentary. Mean Clown plays on the ambivalence of the not-so-harmless–nor funny–character. (Note: Some of his sculptures include clown naughty bits!) His Vices and Virtues was installed on the University of California, San Diego, campus in 1988, the year I graduated, alternating and combining pairs of the seven virtues and vices: charity/sloth, faith/lust, etc. Flashing high from the roofline of an engineering building like a silent preacher, it eerily reminded some of us where we might be headed on our way between sheltered higher education and the Real World, and some of the choices we would have to make. “Elusive Signs: Bruce Nauman Works with Light,” on tour from the Milwaukee Art Museum, sets the Henry aglow this spring with a neon retrospective of the 66-year-old artist’s work. SUE PETERS Also: “Make Your Own Life: Artists In & Out of Cologne.” Ends May 6. Through April 22. UW campus, 5th Ave. N.E. and N.E. 41st. St., Seattle, (206) 543-2280.

Washington State Convention and Trade Center. “Coming of Age”: A juried exhibit of contemporary quilt works. On the Galleria Level 2. Through March 26. 800 Convention Pl., (206) 694-5000.

Corridor Gallery. “Corridor Love”: Mixed-media artist Betty Bastai invites you to write a love note and then scrap it, creating an “emotional dumpsite” to be used in a future piece. Through Feb. 24. Tashiro-Kaplan Building (306 S. Washington St.), Seattle, 856-7037.

Form/Space Atelier. “Designated Landmarks”: Work from Paula Rebsom and Stephanie Robison. Through Feb. 28. 1907 2nd Ave., Seattle, 448-2302.

Joe Bar. “Empty Freeways”: Photographs by Steve Hanson. Through Feb. 28. 810 E. Roy St., Seattle, (206) 324-0407, www.joebar.org/.

Triangle Art Gallery. “Finding the Light”: Photographic works from Kentridge High School students. Through Feb. 28. 909 4th Ave. (in the YMCA), Seattle, 382-5003.

OKOK Gallery. “Free Parking”: A group drawing/painting exhibition, featuring Mel Kadel, Josh Cochran, Ian Francis, Zachary Rossman, and others. Through March 8. 5107 Ballard Ave. N.W., Seattle, 789-6242.

Verite. “Graffiti Mosaics”: New work from Luke McGuff. Through Feb. 28. 2052 N.W. Market St., Seattle, 782-9557.

Facere Jewelry Art Gallery. “Heart of the Matter”: An exploration of contemporary jewelry materials from 12 artists. Through Feb. 15. 1420 5th Ave., Seattle, 624-6768, www.facerejewelryart.com/.

Wing Luke Asian Museum. “How the Soy Sauce Was Bottled”: These “Uncommon Stories of Common Objects” feature five Asian Pacific Americans’ perspectives on photos and documents in the Museum’s permanent collection. Through Nov. 1. 407 Seventh S, (206) 623-5124.

Nordic Heritage Museum. “Images from Funen Graphic Workshop”: 80 Danish artists’ takes on immigration. Through March 25. 3104 N.W. 67th St., 789-5707.

Patricia Cameron Fine Art. “Journey Through a Dream”: Works on paper and sculpture of paper by Alla Goniodsky; also, “Sanctuary,” mixed-media works on paper from Deborah Walker. Through Feb. 24. 234 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle, 343-9647.

SOIL. # “L.A. Stories”: If it takes two to make a thing go right, Seattleite Samantha Scherer and Los Angeleno Thomas Muller demonstrate that principle in their new artistic collaboration. The pen and watercolor drawings of a police station, a car filling up on gas, or a group of famous Hollywood faces look slight and simple at first, though you might notice the faint text of “WATER METER” or other city insignia rubbed onto the paper, which is Muller’s telltale mark. He began relating his experiences in L.A. to Scherer over the phone, and she’d sketch her interpretations of such surreal comedy as witnessing Nicolas Cage buying cheap gas at ARCO, or standing behind Bishop Don “Magic” Juan at the post office. Muller’s embossments from the streets and sidewalks of his city are the final touches, giving each piece a “literal imprint” that meets Scherer’s figurative, charming images. RACHEL SHIMP. Through Feb. 25. 112 3rd Ave. S. (in the Tashiro-Kaplan Building), Seattle, 264-8061.

Frye Art Museum. “Life After Death”: Paintings and drawings from artists who attended Berlin’s Leipzig Art Academy following the fall of the Berlin wall, from the Rubell Family Collection. Curator lecture: 2 p.m. Sat. Feb. 18. Also: “Spectatorship & Desire: Lust, Loss, and Love” places beloved Frye collection paintings in a new context. Viewers were asked to record their feelings on the absence of certain permanent pieces, which are now displayed apart from their usual spots, with the public’s funny, poignant comments posted nearby. Ends March 4. Feb. 17-June 3. 704 Terry Ave., Seattle, 448-3690.

Phinney Neighborhood Gallery. “Life on the Farm”: Veronique Le Merrre’s oils show surreal country scenes. Through Feb. 27. 6532 Phinney Ave. N., Seattle, 783-2244.

Shift. # “Preternatural”: At first, the animals in Eugene Parnell’s new sculptures seem familiar, but look closely and you’ll see that they’re ancient beings enacting bizarre, modern situations. A proto-crocodile chomps up some doll bodies in a muddy swamp; a monkey silently screams atop a stack of National Geographics. And Parnell gives each piece its own accompanying word: “Macho,” considering what the monkey has in its hand, is right on the money. RACHEL SHIMP. Through Feb. 28. 306 S. Washington St., Suite 105, Seattle, 547-1215.

Museum of Glass. “Quantizing Effects: The Liminal Art of Jim Campbell”: “Quantizing Effects: The Liminal Art of Jim Campbell” showcases 38 of the artist’s interactive multi-media works. Also: “Transparently Built” explores the diverse architectural properties of glass though site-specific works. Also: “Contrasts: A Glass Primer” is designed as a compelling introduction to the medium of glass. Quantizing ends June 3. Through Feb. 1, 2008. 1801 E. Dock St..

Photographic Center Northwest. “Satellites”: Jonas Bendiksen’s photographs show the “scattered enclaves, unrecognized mini-states, and other isolated communities that straddle the southern borderlands of the former USSR.”. Through Feb. 27. 900 12th Ave., Seattle, (206) 720-7222.

Catherine Person Gallery. “Snow White, Sterling Silver”: Contemporary sculpture by Haley Renee Bates, Teresa Illene Redden, and an installation by Mi Wu. Through March 10. 319 3rd Ave., Seattle, 763-5565, www.catherinepersongallery.com.

Retail Therapy. “Stereotyping the Asian Feminine”: Gazelle Samizay’s new photographic work examines the stereotyping of Asian women through 20th century film and the repetition of images. Through March 10. 905 E. Pike St., Seattle, 324-4092.

Crawl Space. “Symbiosis”: New works studying the relationship of light and motion from video vs. oil painting, from gallery member Ori Ornstein. Reception: 6-9 p.m. Sat. Feb. 17.. Feb. 17-March 11. 504 E. Denny Way #1, Seattle, 322-5752.

911 Media Arts Center. “Temple”: A new sound and video installation from John Feodorov. Through March 7. 402 9th Ave. N., Seattle, 682-6552, www.911media.org.

Jack Straw New Media Gallery. # “Terminus”: This month the guest at this resource center for the audio arts is Bay Area artist David Kwan, whose audiovisual work Terminus is a multi-channel installation of paintings inspired by the majestic landscapes of Puget Sound. The evolving images of water and landforms are merged with sound clips Kwan collected at roadways and rail lines. The collected data, from South Seattle to Orcas Island, are looped in uneven lengths to make an ever-shifting amalgamation of color, shape, and sound. An accomplished exhibitor in California, this Oakland native’s interpretation–and transformations–of our familiar surroundings are sure to make us see them in a new light. RACHEL SHIMP. Through April 20. 4261 Roosevelt Way N.E., Seattle, 634-0919.

Benham Studio/Gallery. “The Visionary State”: Recent photographs from Michael Rauner in “The Visionary State: A Journey through California’s Spiritual Landscape.”. Feb. 15-March 31. 1216 First, (206) 622-2480.

Davidson Contemporary. “Threshold”: New paintings from Stephanie J. Frostad focus on the “literal and metaphorical meaning of a point of entry.” Also: small sculptures from M.J. Anderson. Through Feb. 24. 310 S. Washington St., Seattle, 624-7684.

Viveza. “Universal Desires”: For his fourth showing at the gallery, Raymond Morrow’s paintings are a study in the universal desires of love. Through Feb. 18. 2604 Western Ave., Seattle, 956-3584.

Western Bridge. # “Video Quartet”: A forty foot, four-channel video installation, “Video Quartet” by Christian Marclay (shown at the Tate Modern) is the focal point of this new show. Kit Bashing features a selection of “interventions and appropriations” with work by Gretchen Bennett, Steven Brekelmans, Ryan Gander, Paul Morrison, Carsten Höller, Steve Roden, and Ben Rubin. Höller’s Birds documents ten new species of cross-bred birds in photogravure. Venturing into the apartment bedroom (upstairs) you’ll feel deliciously like a voyeur, enjoying Ben Rubin’s 12-screen loop of dreams, “The Quiet Ticking of Dreams”, which incorporates text from dream chat-rooms. Steve Rodin’s sound installation possesses a decidedly space-based focus: exploring John Glen’s orbit of the earth, using the noises of collected satellite transmissions. ADRIANA GRANT. Through May 5. 3412 Fourth Ave. S., Seattle, 838-7444.

ArtPatch. “4x Abstraction”: Pratt instructors Kamla Kakaria, Paula Stokes, Cheryl Toh, and Rickie Wolfe show paintings, encaustics, and other media. Through Feb. 22. Tashiro-Kaplan Building (306 S. Washington St., Suite 102), Seattle, 388-2373.

William Traver Gallery. Alex Gabriel Bernstein: Also: Joshua Weintraub. Through Feb. 25. 110 Union, second floor, (206) 587-6501.

Suyama Space. # Alex Schweder: SEE WIRE, MONDAY. Through April 13. 2324 2nd Ave., Seattle, (206) 256-0809.

Alibi Room. “Ancestors and Ghosts”: Adria Garcia’s self-portraits drawn on mirrors, in her first solo show. Through Feb. 28. 85 Pike St. (on Post Alley), Seattle, (206) 623-3180.

Bellevue Art Museum. # Ron Ho, Mohamed Zakariya, Barbara Cooper: Northwest jewelry artist Ron Ho, and Mohamed Zakariya’s elegant script work. End Feb. 18. Chicago artist Barbara Cooper glues layers of wood veneer scraps to return the material to an organic form, creating life-size sculptural forests. Twelve of her pieces will be on display. Also: 20 works of wood art, from the collection of Jane and Arthur Mason. Through April 22. 510 Bellevue Way N.E., Bellevue, 425-519-0770, www.bellevueart.org.

Fancy + Pants. Clare Bowers: “Clare Cupcake” and her painterly collages. Through Feb. 28. 1914 2nd Ave., Seattle, 956-2945, www.fancyschmancypants.com/.

Museum of Flight. Da Vinci Models: 50 working models based on Leonardo da Vinci’s notes and sketches. Through Feb. 28. 9404 E Marginal Wy S.

Grover/Thurston Gallery. Deborah Mersky: A solo show of new paintings. Through Feb. 24. 309 Occidental S, (206) 223-0816.

Zeitgeist Art and Coffee. Dennis Kempe: Kempe’s Seattle-based, silver gelatin prints from the last two decades. Through Feb. 28. 171 S. Jackson St., Seattle, (206) 583-0497, zeitgeistcoffee.com/.

Art/Not Terminal Gallery. Don Farrell: New paintings. Through March 2. 2046 Westlake, (206) 233-0680.

D’Adamo/Woltz. Emerging Students: An exhibition showcasing work by Cornish, Pratt, SU, and SCCC students. Through March 1. 307 Occidental Ave. S., Seattle, 652-4414.

Gallery IMA. Emmanuel Ranny/James Brown: Gallery artists Ranny and Brown show drawings, oils, and acrylics. Through Feb. 25. 123 S. Jackson St., Seattle, 625-0055.

Columbia City Gallery. Eze Anamelechi: Woodblock prints and paintings from Nigerian artist Anamelechi; ruminations on shelter from photographer Tara McDermott, Stephanie Dickie, Mark Ditzler, and Hannah Voss in the main gallery. Through March 11. 4864 Rainier Ave. S., Seattle, 760-9834.

Seattle Central Community College. Fine Arts Exhibition: Paint media, drawing, printmaking, and 3-D from Seattle Central’s Fine Arts program, in the M. Rosetta Hunter Gallery. Through Feb. 23. Broadway and Pine, (206) 344-4379.

The Fountainhead. H.H. Lyman Jr.: H.H. Lyman, Jr.’s stoneware and porcelain; contemporary baskets from Hiroshi Oe Tom and Mary Alice Sterling. Through Feb. 25. 625 W McGraw, (206) 285-4467.

Cornish College Gallery. Interior Design Dept Show: The work of 40+ interior design students, who’ve applied “spatial and visual elements to the places in which people live, work and play.”. Through Feb. 15. 1000 Lenora St., Seattle, 726-5011.

Greg Kucera. Jane Hammond: Paintings, photographs, and works on paper. Through March 10. 212 Third S, (206) 624-4031.

Ballard/Fetherston Gallery. Joel Shlichta: Current, colorful paintings, reminiscent of plant life. Through March 3. 818 E Pike, Seattle, 322-9440, www.ballardfetherstongallery.com.

G. Gibson Gallery. John Divola/Eirik Johnson: Divola’s photographs of his “dog chasing my car in the desert;” and Eirik Johnson’s, of holes that animals make in the earth. Feb. 15-March 24. 300 S. Washington St., Seattle, 587-4033.

Davidson Galleries. Jonelle Johnson: New monotypes and etchings from Jonelle Johnson. In the Antique Print Department, woodcuts from Jacques Hnizdovsky. Through Feb. 24. 313 Occidental S, (206) 624-7684.

La Familia. Lucas Vindana: Screenprints and acrylics. Through Feb. 28. Tashiro-Kaplan Building (117 Prefontaine Pl. S.), Seattle, 291-4608.

Wing Luke Asian Museum. “How the Soy Sauce Was Bottled”: These “Uncommon Stories of Common Objects” feature five Asian Pacific Americans’ perspectives on photos and documents in the Museum’s permanent collection. Through Nov. 1. 407 Seventh S, (206) 623-5124. Wing Luke Asian Museum. Lunar New Year: Celebrate the Lunar New Year with free family day at the museum by creating your own festive lanterns and decorations. A lion dance performance from the Lieu Quan Lion Dance Team also takes place at 2:30 p.m. Sat., Feb. 17, 12-4 p.m. 407 Seventh S, (206) 623-5124.

Woodside Braseth Gallery. Maria Frank Abrams: A re-evaluation of accomplished, longtime Northwest painter Abrams’ work. Reception: 5:30-8:30 p.m. Thurs. Feb. 15. . Feb. 15-March 2. 1533 Ninth at Pine, (206) 622-7243.

ArtsWest. Martha Carey, Billy Colby, Lee Mohr: Martha Carey’s abstract oils, Billy Colby’s woodblock prints and etchings, and oils from Lee Mohr all feature the artists responding to interior and exterior landscapes. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Continues through Feb. 17. 4711 California Ave. SW, (206) 938-9793.

Wright Exhibition Space. Mary Henry: Also at Howard House, Mary Henry shows selected modernist paintings from 1965 to 1992 in a new survey of her work. Through March 30. 407 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle, 264-8200.

Howard House. # Mary Henry: Henry’s striking modernist paintings, spanning 1965-1992, are also being shown this month at Wright Exhibition Space. Through March 10. 2017 Second Avenue, (206) 256-6399.

Lawrimore Project. Michael D. Linares: Paintings from Linares, photographs by Isaac Layman, and videos from Josh Azzarella. Through March 10. 831 Airport Way S., Seattle, 501-1231.

Lisa Harris Gallery. Michael Greenspan/Anthony Dimichele: New paintings from Greenspan, and mezzotints from Dimichele. Through Feb. 24. 1922 Pike Pl., (206) 443-3315.

Kittredge Gallery. Michael Johnson: New mixed-media sculpture from Johnson, plus recent paintings and drawings from local artist Karen Ganz. Through Feb. 15. University of Puget Sound (N. 15th St. and N. Lawrence St.), Tacoma, 253-879-2806, www.ups.edu.

Linda Hodges Gallery. Nancy Loughlin: Loughlin’s debut exhibition of oils. Through Feb. 24. 316 1st Ave. S., 624-3034.

Jeffrey Moose Gallery. Neil Andersson: Paintings from Andersson, Karen Schroeder, and Michele Soderstrom. Through March 3. Rainier Square Atrium, 1333 Fifth, Ste 511, (206) 467-6951.

Patricia Rovzar Gallery. Paul Brigham: Bold interpretations of nature in Brigham’s recent paintings. Through Feb. 28. 118 Central Wy, (425) 889-4627.

Escala Presentation Center. Poncho Art Auction Preview: A preview of art being auctioned from a variety of Northwest artists. Sat., Feb. 17, 6-8 p.m. 4th Ave. & Stewart St., Seattle.

Wall of Sound. Rachael Jackson: Jackson’s B & W environmental photography. Through March 31. 315 E. Pine St., Seattle, 441-9880, wosound.com.

Gallery4Culture. Read/Unread: Ruth Marie Tomlinson’s new installation, using deconstructed issues of the New York Times. Through Feb. 23. 101 Prefontaine Pl., Seattle, 296-7580.

Roq La Rue. Ronald Kurniawan: Paintings and digital images from Kurniawan, Femke Hiemstra, and David Ho. Through March 3. 2313 2nd Ave., Seattle, 374-8977.

Greenwood Masonic Lodge. Scott Schuldt: Schuldt speaks on his hand-sewn bead embroidery and about creating conceptual and narrative art using themes of science, nature, history, and social issues. Thu., Feb. 15, 7 p.m. 7910 Greenwood Ave. N., Seattle, 442-1144.

SAM Gallery. Soil Show: 11 artists from the Soil collective, including Thom Heileson, Chris Engman, Etsuko Ichikawa, and Claire Johnson. Through Feb. 28. 1220 3rd Ave., Seattle, 206-343-1101, seattleartmuseum.org/artrentals.

Frye Art Museum. “Life After Death”: Paintings and drawings from artists who attended Berlin’s Leipzig Art Academy following the fall of the Berlin wall, from the Rubell Family Collection. Curator lecture: 2 p.m. Sat. Feb. 18. Also: “Spectatorship & Desire: Lust, Loss, and Love” places beloved Frye collection paintings in a new context. Viewers were asked to record their feelings on the absence of certain permanent pieces, which are now displayed apart from their usual spots, with the public’s funny, poignant comments posted nearby. Ends March 4. Feb. 17-June 3. 704 Terry Ave., Seattle, 448-3690. Frye Art Museum. Talks on Film and Art: Robert Horton speaks on In from the Cold: Films from the Iron Curtain and After.. Sun., Feb. 18, 2 p.m. 704 Terry Ave., Seattle, 448-3690.

Tacoma Art Museum. # TAM Biennial/Paul Strand/Frida Kahlo: Biennials are always a mixed bag. As with any group show, each artist only presents a sample, which is why the challenge is to make a Big Memorable Statement. The question is who will achieve it? For its 8th Annual Northwest Biennial, the museum showcases recent work by 41 regional artists, over half from Seattle. There’ll be a large-scale hemlock sculpture by Cris Bruch, abstract paintings by Denzil Hurley and Mary Ann Peters, pen and ink frenzies by Keith Tilford, and a packing-peanuts and saliva installation by the ever-intriguing Alex Schweder. Some critic faves are also among the group: Robert Yoder, Jeffry Mitchell, and Brian Murphy with his fleshy Balzacian self-portrait in watercolor. A highlight will be Claude Zervas’s elegantly draped cathode-ray tube elegy to Napoleon’s final years in exile, Elba, a recent standout at Western Bridge. As for the Big Statement, art trio SuttonBeresCuller are the only ones creating work specifically for the show, with a wryly oversized take on a Ship in a Bottle squeezed into the museum’s center courtyard space. The mast will likely stick out past the roof. Ends May 6. SUE PETERS Also: “Paul Strand Southwest” features some never-before-seen prints from the influential photographer’s estate. His early-1930s images of the Southwestern landscape, including decayed ghost towns and adobe churches, are as striking as his portraiture. Ends May 23. Also: 60 photographic portraits of iconic artist Frida Kahlo. Through June 10. 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, (253) 272-4258.

Foster/White-Seattle. Tom Burrows: Colorful new work. Through Feb. 24. 220 3rd Ave. S., Seattle, 622-2833.

Garde Rail Gallery. Tom D./Melissa Duimstra: Collaborations in painting, collage, and stencil from the married artists. Through Feb. 24. Tashiro-Kaplan Building, 110 Third Ave. S., Seattle, 621-1055.

Winston Wachter. Tony Scherman: New paintings from Tony Scherman and Julie Speidel. Through March 16. 203 Dexter Ave. N., Seattle, 652-5855.

Vain. Studio Works: New works from eight studio members. Through Feb. 28. 2018 1st Ave., Seattle, 441-3441.

Gallery 110. Blackfish Exchange: An exchange of works from Portland’s Blackfish Gallery. Through Feb. 24. 110 S. Washington St., (206) 624-9366.

Jacob Lawrence Gallery. “Time works + Digital video 2007”: Curated by Western Bridge director Eric Fredericksen, this exhibit features innovative new media work from students in the school of Arts and DXarts. Through Feb. 22. UW campus, Art Building, #132, (206) 85-1805..