Lectures and Events

SUPERHEATED POETRY Here’s an odd idea: have three nationally-known poetry slam performers each write and play the roles of Fire, Water, and Wind as part a multimedia extravaganza complete with glassblowing demonstrations. Could be sorta interesting. The glassy-eyed poets featured are Lucas Smiraldo and Jacqueline Harmon (both of Seattle’s Radical Jazz Uprising) and local slammer Mercedes Roberson. 1 p.m. Fri. Nov. 28, Sat. Nov. 29, and Sun. Nov. 30. Museum of Glass, 1801 East Dock St. Tacoma, free with admission, 253-396-1768.

POTTERY NORTHWEST HOLIDAY SALE A whole mess of pottery for your holiday shopping pleasure. Opening Night: 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Fri. Nov. 28. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. Nov. 29-Dec. 21, weekends only. Pottery Northwest, 226 First Avenue N. (south of Key Arena), 206-285-2241.

Openings

FRYE ART MUSEUM Zhi Lin: Crossing History/Crossing Cultures features the UW prof’s series of five giant canvases entitled Five Capital Executions in China, including: Starvation, Firing Squad, Flaying, Decapitation, and (everyone’s favorite) Drawing and Quartering. Bring the kids! Opens Fri. Nov. 28. 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.

Last Chance

ARTEMIS In his first solo show, West Seattle artist John Schuh demonstrates an uncanny ability to create detailed photo collages. Inspired by a Jorge Luis Borges story that describes a “tiger composed of many tigers,” Schuh reproduces a 1970s Thunderbird, an imaginary cover of the New Yorker, the Washington Mutal Tower, and other subjects using thousands of his own photos, or in the case of the New Yorker, clipped images from the covers of magazines. Step back a few feet, and the image materializes. Also on display: William A. Herberholz’s assemblages made from flattened tin boxes and toys. 3107 S. Day St., 206-323-0562. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Sat. Nov. 29.

ATELIER 31 Straight outta Walla Walla, sculptor and painter Brad Rude’s goofy bronzes pose farm animals in precarious situations. Meanwhile, Rich Lehl’s surreal paintings try to evoke the weirdness of quickie marts and other urban spaces at night. 2500 First Ave., 206-448-5250. 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Tues.; 10:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun. Ends Sun. Nov. 30.

BLACK LAB These ain’t no Barbies…Sara Lanzillotta and Jessica Geigers “Devil Dolls” portray women and girls “on the margins”: big-busted demons, cigarette-smoking hipsters, and such. 4216 Sixth Ave NW, 206-781-2392. Noon- 5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. Ends Sat. Nov. 29.

BLUEBOTTLE Ted Riederer watched way too much TV as a kid. Ample evidence is found in the “SacredProfane” series of faux religious icons by this Boston-based bike messenger and artist. Replacing St. Sebastian and St. Francis are the true saints: Don Knotts, Captain Kirk, and that holiest of holies, The Fonz. 415 E. Pine St., 206-325-1592. 1 p.m.-7 p.m. Tue.-Fri., noon-6 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Sun. Nov. 30.

CDA GALLERY Seattle artist Mi Wu’s organically-shaped ceramics work best when they’re combined with other media: one bulbous creation is fixed with a rubber tube and a tiny pump that causes it to breathe elegant bubbles in a glycerine-like substance. Another, “Dr. Testa: My Eyes Are the Windows of Your Soul,” is fixed with little peepholes that reveal mysterious scenes within. 506 Second Ave., Suite 200 (Smith Tower), 206-296-7580. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon-Fri. Ends Fri. Nov. 28.

DAVIDSON New work by Brian Novotny, whose paintings of people in banal situations (taking off a shirt, putting on a shoe) transform those moments into classical, formalist studies of figure and pattern. 313 Occidental Ave. S., 206-624-7684. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Sat. Nov. 29.

FRANCINE SEDERS Cornish instructor Jon Gierlich sets out to explore the moment when the two-dimensional work of art begins to “lift off the page” is his solo show, “Verso:” drawings, photographs, and sculptures that incorporate twigs and other natural materials. 6701 Greenwood Ave. N., 206-782-0355. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.- Sat, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sun. Ends Sun. Nov. 30.

FRYE ART MUSEUM “An Imperial Collection: Women Artists from the State Hermitage Museum,” consists of 45 accomplished, but somewhat ho-hum royal family portraits, history paintings, and self-portraits culled from the walls of the Hermitage. 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. Ends Sun. Nov. 30.

GALLERY 110 How do we look within the confines of our homes? Pam BergLundh’s paintings and woodblock prints find both comfort and discomfort in domestic space. Also on display, Sharon Strauss’ abstract paintings consist of multiple canvases slightly jumbled and linked together. 110 S. Washington St., 206-624-9336. Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat. Ends Sat. Nov. 29.

GARDE RAIL Self-taught artist John Taylor’s detailed and historically accurate vintage ships using found objects. 4860 Rainier Ave. (Columbia City), 206-721-0107. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat. Ends Sat. Nov. 29.

GREG KUCERA Anne Appleby is known for creating abstract color fields based on what she’s observed in nature. In a new show at Kucera, Appleby applies this same method to in a series of aquatints based on the poplars in the Veneto district of Italy. Also on display are six experiments in lithography by acclaimed artist Susan Rothenberg. 212 Third Ave., 206-624-0770. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Sun. Nov. 30.

HOWARD HOUSE L.A. artist Tony de los Reyes continues his series of blue-and-white faux-rococo paintings that resemble Delft porcelainthis time turning his attention from figures to imaginary landscapes and fanciful architecture. Also on display will be Ken Fandell’s show “3 Skies.” After taking a series of photographs of the sky from the same location, Fandell arranges the resulting photos in abstract montages. 2017 Second Ave., 206-256-6399. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Sat. Nov. 29.

KURT LIDTKE Newly acquired work by those ol’ standbys of Northwest art: Guy Anderson, Morris Graves, William Ivey, George Tsutakawa and others. 408 Occidental Ave. S. 206-623-5082. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat. Ends Sat. Nov. 29.

LINDA HODGES Vancouver, B.C. artist Margaretha Bootsma’s mixed media art combines photography, paint, natural earth, and tightly structured compositions to explore the intersection of human and natural environments. 316 First Ave. S., 206-624-3034. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Sat. Nov. 29.

LISA HARRIS A painter of boldly colorful acrylic urbanscapes (he switched from oils because of allergies), Richard Morhous’ new work, “A Divergence of Interest” features small-scale symbolic vignettes on cigar boxes and paper. 1922 Pike Pl., 206-443-3315. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun. Ends Sat. Nov. 29.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CENTER NORTHWEST In “Seen and Not Seen,” Tucson-based photographer Ken Rosenthal toys with issues of memory, nostalgia, dreams, and the tendency of the mind to half create and half perceive (to mangle an observation of Wordsworth’s). Drawing upon his own photographs and an archive of family snapshots, Rosenthal sets out to crop and blur the photos into a sort of liquid haze. That’s simple enough these days to do with PhotoShop software, but Rosenthal instead does it the old-fashioned, analog way: in the darkroom using selective toning and bleach. The resulting images are strangely silent, but still potent with storiessome no doubt real, and others imagined. 900 12th Ave., 206-720-7222. Noon-9:30 p.m. Mon.; 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Tues.-Sun. Ends Sat. Nov. 29.

PRICELESS WORKS Three shows are on offer at this Fremont gallery: “52 Weeks,” a collection of Joseph Cornell-esque shadow boxes by Christopher Dyer and Jason McHenry; Joe Plotts and Dan Weiser’s photos and audio of HIV/AIDs survivors; and Bennett McKnight’s “Chalkboard Poetry.” 619 N. 35th St., Suite 100, 206-349-9943. Noon-7 p.m. Fri.-Sun. Ends Sun. Nov. 30.

ROQ LA RUE Musician and artist Jon Langford (of the Mekons and others) shows faded-looking paintings of old West and roots music motifs. Also showing are Seonna Hong’s paintings, which are unfathomably popular. They’re in that “cute” category that refers back to 1960s images of wide-eyed children without the usual irony or creepiness. 2316 Second Ave., 206-374-8977. 2 p.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon-4 p.m. Sun. Ends Fri. Nov. 28.

SEATTLE INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER Works in acrylic on canvas by Mark Bradford and Michael Slaughter, two inmates on death row at California’s San Quentin prison. 1415 Third Ave., 206-498-3937. Noon-7 p.m. Mon., 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Tues. & Thurs., Noon-3 p.m. Wed. & Thurs. Ends Sun. Nov. 30.

SECLUDED ALLEY WORKS The short, dark Seattle days have you gloomy? Rather than Paxil or sunlamps, have a look at “Titties and Boo-Boos” currently at SAW. On offer are “prescriptive” paintings by Seattle artist Kristine Evans (also known as Kinoko) and big acrylic paintings of naked ladies by Seattle cartoonist and illustrator Ellen Forney. Kinoko’s paintings are in that syrupy super-sweet, Hello-Kitty school, and her subjects this time are nurses and others dealing with the emotional ouchies. Also on display will be the Evans’ customized first aid kits and Happy Band-Aids. Forney’s huge paintings on wood evoke the pin-ups of the forties and fifties, but with modern-day, smart, lusty ladies. 113 12th Ave. (at Yesler), 206-839-0880. Noon-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Wed. Nov. 26.

SOLOMON FINE ART John Powers’ “House,” employs thousands of Froebel blocks (plain wooden 1 inch by 2 inch by 3 inch children’s blocks favored by Frank Lloyd Wright) to create vast geometric studies of order and chaos. 1215 First Ave., 206-297-1400. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Ends Fri. Nov. 28.

TACOMA ART MUSEUM In a touring retrospective of Bay Area painter Nathan Oliveira’s career, the lessons of abstract expressionism inform more than 60 figurative works. 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-272-4258. Every third Thursday free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.; 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Sun. Ends Sun. Nov. 30.

VIVEZA Denise Whitlow’s “Awoken: Archetypes and Ancestors” is a mixed-media show of installations and three dimensional work that aims to address “biology, archeology, philosophy, art, and myth” with a little bit of hybridity studies thrown in. Have to say, I’m wary of any art show that has a bibliography at the end of the press release (in this case, a list ranging from Joseph Campbell to Luce Irigaray). 2604 Western Ave., 206-355-0070. Noon-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat. Ends Sat. Nov. 29.

WILLIAM TRAVER TACOMA New work by glass artist Sonja Blomdahl, paintings on steel by Merrill Wagner, and Seattle artist Jaq Chartier’s DNA-test inspired abstractions at William Traver’s new spin-off gallery in downtown Tacoma. 1821 E. Dock St., #100, Tacoma, 253-383-3685. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun. Ends Sun. Nov. 30.

WING LUKE ASIAN MUSEUM “It’s Like That: APAs and the Seattle Hip-Hop Scene,” explores the contributions of Asian Pacific Americans to the music, graffiti art, dance, and other modes of expression in the city’s burgeoning hip-hop community. 407 Seventh S., 206-623-5124. 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; noon-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Sun. Nov. 30.

ZEITGEIST This arthouse-coffeehouse’s annual Shrinky Dink benefit show of very very small art raises money for Richard Hugo House and includes work by Claire Cowie, Su Job, Ellen Forney, Susan Dory and Jack Daws. 171 S. Jackson St., 206-583-0497. 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Mon.-Fri, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Ends Sun. Nov. 30.

Museums

EXPERIENCE MUSIC PROJECT Annie Leibovitz’s “American Music,” photographs taken during a recent four-year project, of folks like Willie Nelson, Tom Waits, Eminem, and various Mississippi bluesmen. Like a meal of junk food, it will probably leave you feeling full, but a little empty. 325 Fifth Ave. N., 206-367-5483. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun.-Thurs., 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Tues.-Sun; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.

FRYE ART MUSEUM “Watermarks” features depictions of the world’s waters by naturalist, traveler, and painter Tony Foster. Plus: “Frames.” 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 In addition to Lee Bul’s “Live Forever” karaoke pods, there’s James Turrell’s “Knowing Light,”magnificent rooms of pure color and light. “Architecture and Light” showcases some rather sterile but technically interesting photographs from the Henry Monsen collection, while Victoria Haven’s “Supermodel City” is a filigree of red tape pinned to one of the gallery’s walls. UW campus, 206-543-2280. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.

MUSEUM OF GLASS “Moving Through Nature:” variations on landscape and nature through installations by sculptors Mayme Kratz and Stacey Neff as well as Michael Kenna’s dreamy, Zen-inspired black and white photographs of Japan. Also on display: “Glass of the Avant Garde,” selections from the Torsten Brohan collection of middle European twentieth-century art glass. Exhibit opens Sat. Oct. 4. 1801 East Dock St. Tacoma, 253-396-1768. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat., noon-5 p.m. Sun.

SEATTLE ART MUSEUM SAM’s ambitious “Baja to Vancouver” collects representational art in various media by young artists along the Pacific Coast. Also on display is the second installment in SAM’s “International Abstraction: Making Painting Real:” superb examples of the post-World War II abstract expressionist and minimalist movements. 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 “Discovering Buddhist Art: Seeking the Sublime, ” recycles Buddhist pieces from the museum’s permanent collection to highlight the diversity of Buddhist sacred art, from simple, quiet Bodhisattva sculptures to colorful Tibetan thanka paintings. 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 “Building Tradition” showcases such Northwest artists as Fay Jones, Mark Takamichi Miller, and Mary Randlett while Dale Chihuly’s “Mille Fiori” offers yet more flowery glass to the masses. 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-272-4258. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.; 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Sun.

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