We like our art here in Seattle. It ranks up there with coffee, sushi, microbrews and REI. This city is absolutely bursting with stuff to do, all year round. The rain doesn't seem to slow people down any. (I complain more than usual, especially if my butt is wet, but venture out just the same.)
First Thursdays are the poor man's Cheap Date Night, since the museums are free, as is the Pioneer Sq. Art Walk -- where you can also get free dinner if you score wine, cheese and crackers at each gallery.
In New Haven we had Open Studios, which is the same thing, but it was only once a year. Seattle does it every month. If you rotate neighborhoods, you could even go weekly. Today is Fremont 1st Friday, and next week is West Seattle 2nd Thursday. I went to the West Seattle Art Walk last month. It wasn't as bustling as Pioneer Sq., but I love West Seattle and whatever it does is the best. Alki is my golden child -- it can trap me in bridge traffic, break my neck on potholes, and remain financially just out of reach -- but it will always be my favorite. Every night at sunset, Alki quietly apologizes for its transgressions, and you must forgive it.
So last night was the Pioneer Square shindig, and Aphrodite and I rode down with Orin to be cultured.
In any case, I was un-thrilled to head out in the driving rain, but by the time we got to the International District, it had mostly stopped. The sun had gone down but the sky was still deep blue, and the whole city was crisp and shiny after the rain. Everything glittered. I could smell the Sound. I forgot about my wet butt for one moment and just soaked in the night.
We parked on the sidewalk, which is reason #1,592 why I love having a scooter. We hit about a dozen galleries. The TK Gallery reminded me of ActivSpace, where I used to have my studio. There were many smaller studios within the main one, and the artists had their doors open with their work up. Of all the artists we saw last night, two of my favorites were in that gallery. One was Betty Hageman, who let us touch her paintings (!!!!), and the other was Kerrie Carbary who creates altered books and mixed media. Kerrie had these amazing miniature collages that were so intricate. There were a couple of pieces that I simply loved, and wanted to climb inside.
I so wish I had money that I could be spending on art -- it seems like such a luxury to me. It's like organic produce. I know it's healthier for me, tastes better, and I want to support local farms. But some days I can't rationalize a $7 red pepper. I know a framed mixed media piece on my living room wall is better than a print from allposters.com, but I just sank every last penny I had into a scooter. So I added "buy real art from local artists" to my list of things I'll do when I'm a responsible adult with a house and stuff. Luckily, I have amazingly talented friends that send me their work as gifts for Christmas and birthdays.
You know, I thought a lot about my friends last night, and how talented they are. V.VB had a show this week in New Haven, and sent me an email snapshot of her display (with the subject line "giving birth"):
I thought of V.VB's photos (seven of which I have framed and hanging in my apartment) and of Nathan's photos (four of which I have framed and hanging in my apartment) and didn't see even a handful of photographs last night that moved me in the same way. Or really, moved me at all. I think a person can be an artist even before picking up their medium, and being an artist is more a way of seeing the world than the mastery of a specific skillset. If you take away the technology, does the photo still speak? Because that stuff can't be taught.
I personally don't make art with photographs. I'm more of a documentarian. A personal-life journalist, I guess. I started enjoying photography a lot more when I stopped trying to make art. Images are an intimate love of mine, but words are my passionate life partner. My little digital point-and-shoot is more like a fling.
Speaking of documentation -- here are two pics from last night. It's funny when you have two photographers, who are used to being the ones taking the pictures, turn it around on one another. I was curled up in a big chair in the coffee shop, nearly napping, and Orin said he wished he had his camera. So I gave him mine. It was very low light in the cafe, and the shots came out quite dreamy.
Orin thinks he looks like Bill Gates in this one I took of him. But I think this pic looks like an author photo on the sleeve of a hardcover book about graphic design. Maybe it's the glasses.
I'm excited to dig into the digital video more. I shot some footage last week by strapping the camera to my scooter, facing backward. It came out very cool for a first try. If I get it edited this weekend I'll post it. I want to add music. One finished project I helped out with is the "How to Shift a Manual Vespa" video for scootinoldskool. I rode on the back of Orin's scooter and shot the video camera over his shoulder while he shifted. We edited the video using MS Movie Maker. It turned out well -- considering my lack of familiarity with the camera, my two hours of experience with the software, and the fact that I was riding bitch on a PX150 with no foot pegs or grab rails. You can view the final video here.
I'm hoping to improve my skills in the video arena because I've got a brain on fire full of projects I want to do -- I just have to figure out how to make the pictures in my head come out with the available technology.
Oooh -- does that make me an artist?
RSS