My favorite art walk of the year.



December’s First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square is tomorrow. Local artists have worked hard to showcase their best works. People are cheerful and in the giving spirit.  It’s opportunity to support local artists, find unique gifts, and support local charities and non-profits. Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll find this Thursday, December 2nd.
painting and wall installation at gallery

Ryan Molenkamp, detail from his Flood exhibition at Gallery4Culture. The opening reception for Flood, is from 6–8pm at the corner of Third and Prefontaine, in the Tashiro/Kaplan Building. The artist reception will be followed by an 8—9pm Floating Bridge Press reading featuring poets Dennis Caswell and Sharon Cumberland.

Molenkamp is all over Seattle these days, from 619 Western to the SAM if you are an arts patron you have likely seen his intriguing paintings. Molenkamp is an artist deeply absorbed in his relationship to place. His monochromatic landscapes depict Pacific Northwest panoramas bound by mountains and enhanced by shifting horizon lines. In a series of paintings, executed in oils and graphite on panel, Ryan Molenkamp explores natural disasters exacerbated by development, self-interest, and climate change. . .  Read more about his art at 4Culture.

See Kate Protage‘s most recent paintings at the Alexis Hotel for Bherd Studios new Meet the Artist Event from 5–6pm. Artist, Kate Protage will be in the lobby speaking with guests and artwalk attendees. For non-guests, cocktails & other beverages are available at the Bistro & Bookstore Bar and can be brought into the lobby during the event. For hotel guests, this event is held in conjunction with the guest wine reception.

The National Parks Conservation Association, located at 313 First Ave South, will be hosting their holiday reception and presentation about how the new Congress may impact their work with the national parks in the Northwest from 6-8pm. This will be their final event in the Pioneer Square office and your last chance to see their exhibition about NPCA’s Vision for our national parks. (Full disclosure, we created the illustrations and info graphics for this exhibition:)

THREE is a fashion exhibition by Leo Lam featuring three major fashion stories presented in life-size prints at Eterea Studios located on the 2nd floor of the 619 Western Arts Building, doors open at 6pm. Leo Lam is a leading fashion photographer. His work is poetic and minimalistic in many ways, drawing inspiration from life, romance, and current events. Leo photographs inspires the viewer to go beyond the surface and indulge themselves in a world of fantasy.

During the reception, Leo will be collecting non-perishable food items and monetary donations for the Northwest Harvest food bank. The food bank buys white rice and beans in bulk and needs the following items, oatmeal, brown rice, canned vegetables and tomato sauces, canned fish or meat, beef stew or chili, and similar meals with low sugar and saturated fats. They also have a high need for baby formula, and baby food.

After dropping off your food items and taking a stroll through the world of fashion, be sure to check out the rest if the eclectic 619 Western Arts Building.

Lance Lobuzzetta, from Efflux Creations is a studio not to be missed on the 4th floor North. Lobuzzetta’s work features sublime images of inner worlds emergent from the surface, synthesizing couplings of man and nature on various mediums such as T-shirts, screen prints, wood and bronze sculptures, paintings, and drawings. The work could further be described as globular abstract organic imagery that bubbles into existence, with meticulously detailed fluid line work consisting of warm and inviting color palettes.

To meet Lance in person venture further down the hall to Blank Space’s original studio, where Lance will be assisting Sanctuary Arts Center with their new gallery and print shop.

The Sanctuary Art Center, is a non-profit art studio serving homeless youth and young adults ages 13-25. The center operates five days a week and offers programs in Visual Arts, Theater, Music and Youth Employment. Programs are instructed by professional and amateur artists from the local community. The focus of their instruction is on creating meaningful relationships with  youth as they are guided through the art making process.

The Sanctuary Arts Center just acquired new space at 619 Western to showcase student art work, and to provide an additional print shop for their silkscreening projects. Professional silkscreeners will be on hand to print custom t-shirts on American Apparel tees. The proceeds from all t-shirt sales go directly to the center and all art sales benefit the youth. This event runs from 6-10pm, on 4th floor South at 619 Western. Stop by and welcome them to the neighborhood!

If you are driving you can park for free thanks to the Parking for Peanuts pilot program at:
Merrill Place Garage
(76 S King Street), from 5–10pm
(with proof of gallery purchase, or business card from one of the galleries.)

Hope to see you at Art Walk!