FEBRUARY Art Fix: Upcoming Events

If you need your art fix for the month of February (and I know I do!), here are some shows that you won't want to miss. It's still winter, but that doesn't mean the cold has to keep you inside. February is the month of love, and you know what I love? Art! So if you, like me, would rather not perpetuate the conventional custom of candy and flowers, come out to an art walk! Find your sweetie something artistic and unique, or buy your single self something pretty just because you can. It might not be edible, but it will be one of a kind!

TONIGHT! The 1st Friday Art Walk in Fremont, Friday, 1 February from 6-9pm. The Fremont art walk welcomes Makerhaus to the mix! The grand opening will feature a tour of the space and art by Scott Fuller, Jeff Skierka, and Brandon Perhacs. Saturn has five artists on five floors this month: Lauren Aldrich, Bryan Ubaghs, Arturo Torres, Matt Bazemore, and Sean McFayden. Pel'Meni Dumpling Tzar is featuring a collection of Russian propaganda posters. Space is hosting the varied and colourful works of artists Shelly K, Annette Lusher, and Anja Zeigler. Frame Up studios is featuring new work by Patrick Joy. Bellefleur Lingerie has the whimsical paintings of Blair Breitenstein, and Jesse Link's surreal paintings have taken over Portage Bay Goods!

TONIGHT! The 1st Friday Art Walk in Bainbridge Island, Friday, 1 February from 6-8pm. See new and exciting work at Bainbridge Arts & Crafts, Blackbird Bakery, the BPA, Danger, Fork & Spoon, Ginger, Harbour Public House, Island Gallery, Pegasus Coffee, PrettyStick, Roby King Gallery, The 122, and more!

"Rock the Terminal 2013: Twisted Love" at Art/Not Terminal Gallery in Downtown Seattle Opening Night: Saturday, 2 February from 6-10pm. Juried art show featuring over 100 Northwest alternative artists! Live music by The Reigning Daze, Mixed Messages, and Pill Brigade! Cash bar and snacks! Minimum $2 cover charge and donations accepted. Curated by Braden Duncan, Xavier Lopez Jr, Yvette Endrijautzki, and Zachary Sofia. Encore opening: Thursday, 14 February (Valentine's Day) from 5-9pm. Show runs through 24 February.

Counsel Langley, "Data Collection (Midnight)" @ Red Raven Gallery

The 1st Saturday Art Walk in Port Townsend, Saturday, 2 February from 5-8.30pm. Come see "Zoom In, Zoom Out: The Works of Counsel Langley" at Red Raven Gallery in Port Townsend. Brilliantly coloured mixed media collages in a unique art space. Take a walk down Water Street and check out new work at Earthenworks Gallery, Forest Gems Gallery, Gallery 9, Max Grover Gallery, Northwind Arts Alliance, Port Townsend Gallery, Simon Mace Gallery, Williams Gallery, and more!

The 1st Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square, Thursday, 7 February from 5-8pm. Check out "Women's Work: Culture and the Feminie" at Art Xchange, "Cracked Prospects: A Picture of Global Calamity" at Punch Gallery, "Telescope Art" and Back Alley Bike Repair in Nord Alley, "Magic Sync" at SOIL, the urban paintings of Jeffrey Allan Moffat at Heart, and the 3rd Annual Juried Exhibition at Gallery 110. It's also the grand opening of Studio F! You won't want to miss it! Pioneer Square is the oldest art walk in the United States, and features over 50 galleries, studios, and other art spaces!

The 2nd Friday Art Walk in the Greenwood-Phinney neighbourhood, Friday, 8 February from 6-9pm. Bherd Studios and Tasty Delectable Collectibles are teaming up to showcase all-female talents this month! Check out "Tarts, Trollops & Tramps" at Tasty! Curated by Laurie McClave of the Red Raven Gallery in Port Townsend, and featuring art by Amy Minchew, Amber Michelle Russell, Jel Ena, Jessica Ward, Kelly Haigh, Kim Gordon, Laurie McClave, Lea Barozzi, Patricia Ariel, and Redd Walitzki!

"Southern Gothic" @ Bherd Studios

"Southern Gothic: Dark Fantasy" at Bherd Studios presents the work of five female artists from Portland, whose works reveal a phantasmagoric world caught between fairytale and nightmare. Heidi Elise Wirz, Kalina Torino, Kendra Binney, Lea Barozzi, and Lesley Reppetaux paint lissome, sloe-eyed beauties who journey unafraid through places steeped in myth, symbolism and danger.

Also see new and exciting work at Chocolatti, EchoEcho, Full Circle, Gainsbourg, Naked City Brewery, Two Bird Tattoo, Urban Light Studios, and more!

Casey Curran, "Detritus" (detail) @ Roq la Rue

  
The 2nd Friday Art Walk in Belltown, Friday, 8 February from 6-9pm. Roq la Rue is hosting "Dissymmetry," the kinetic sculptures of Casey Curran and "Nocturne," the black and white drawings of Sam Wolfe Connelly. Show runs through 2 March.

The 2nd Saturday Art Walk in Ballard, Saturday, 9 February from 6-9pm. Don't miss new work at Annie's Art & Frame, Art & Soul, Blowing Sands Glass Studio, Cupcake Royal, Filthy Rich, Habitude, Kiss Cafe, Monster Art & Clothing, Nightingale Gallery, Savour, the Sunset Tavern, Venue, and more!

The 2nd Saturday Art Walk in the Central District, Saturday, 9 February from 1-5pm. Check out the Neptune Gallery Sculpture Garden and new work at Atelier Autumnthing, Hi-Spot Cafe, Pratt Fine Art Centre, Twilight Exit and more!

The 2nd Saturday Art Walk in Georgetown, Saturday 9 February from 6-9pm. Check out "Masks, Marionettes & Mechanical Birds" by me (Braden Duncan) and "Quetzals" by Kat Houseman, an astonishing avian event, at Calamity Jane's! Also see new work at American Pie, Artcore Tattoo, Belle & Whissel, Fantagraphics Bookstore, Georgetown Arts & Cultural Centre, Krab Jab Studios, Nautilus Studios, Smarty Pants, Totally Blown Glassworks, Two Tartes Cafe, Wax Expressions, and more!

The Better Bombshell Book Release Gala at the Olympic Sculpture Park, Valentine's Day, Thursday, 14 February from 8pm to midnight. Mingle with artists and writers, hear readings, stay for dancing, and have your book signed! Black tie affair, and tickets are limited. The Better Bombshell project is "centered around a simple void in modern media: the lack of positive, multidimensional female role models. Who do today’s young women admire? Who do today’s men covet? What earns our envy and our celebration, our lust and our love? The last century has seen women’s roles change more rapidly than ever before, and the media is showering us with images of modern women – but without conscious reflection on what those images mean." (from thebetterbombshell.com) Spearheaded by Siolo Thompson, Seattle artist and visionary, the Better Bombshell project brings together the creative, intellectual, and artistic insights of some of the most interesting minds of our era. Even if you can't make the release party, buy the book. Support your local art scene and the women who have both the integrity and allure to deserve the title: bombshell. It's only $31 with shipping, available through the Better Bombshell website.

The 2nd Thursday Art Walk in Capitol Hill, Thursday, 14 February from 5-9pm. Check out "Comfort: Fabrications," works in quilted fabric, weaving, embroidery, paint on canvas, and found object constructions by Caitlin Emeritz, Luke Haynes, Maura Donegan, Michael Williamson, and T.V. Tommy Vision. There will be artist talks on Wednesday the 6th and Wednesday the 20th from 7-8.30pm. Don't miss "Queens, Crowns & Cameos," portraits of local drag performaers, at True Love Gallery and "Velvet Legends of Wrestling," a black velvet tribute to the legends of Pro Wrestling at Ltd Gallery. Also see new work at Bauhaus Coffee, Boom Noodle, Cupcake Royale, High 5 Pie, Frame Central, Joe Bar, Laughing Buddha, Online Cafe, Retrofit Home, True Love Gallery, Vermillion, and more!

"Transmission" at the Mercury, Thursday, 14 February from 9.30pm til late. You do not have to be a member for this night, and you do not need a member to sign you in. It is open to the public. No dress code. Free for members before 9.30pm. Starts at 9pm and goes til 2am. The performer will go on around 10.30 and again at 11.30, and the artist will be there all night. Come buy art, drinks, hear music and watch a sexy lady dance. "Transmission" happens the 2nd Thursday of every month.

The 2nd Thursday Art Walk in West Seattle, Thursday, 14 February from 6-9pm. The Twilight Artist Collective welcomes brand new owners Tracy Cilona and Christine Heidel! Get to know the new owners of Twilight at the January show. Both Christine and Tracy will be exhibiting their work including photography, mixed media, embroidery and jewelry. Also check out new work at The Heartland Cafe, Hotwire Coffee, Shoofly Pie, Windermere, and more!

Liv Rainey Smith @ Gargoyles

The 3rd Friday Art Walk in the University District, Friday, 15 February from 6-9pm. Gargoyles Statuary presents "A Collection of Dark Beasties," featuring the art of Braden Duncan (me), Craig Luchenbach, Heidi Estey, J. Kovach, Jeff Hughes, Jessica Geiger, Lis Wright Ivec, Liv Rainey Smith, Mike Mullins, Sam Hamrick, and Thea Maia; and live ambiant music by Celadon! Donations of cat food, cat litter, etc for the Purrfect Pals no-kill cat shelter in Marysville will be gratefully accepted! Also check out new work at Artist & Craftsman, BC Surf & Sport, Cafe Allegro, Chaco Canyon Cafe, Solstice Cafe, Starbucks and more! Don't forget to stop by Boulevard Grocery for a bag of fresh-roasted coffee hand-painted by a local Seattle artist!

The 3rd Thursday Art Walk in Edmonds, Thursday, 21 February from 5-8pm. Come see new work at Otherworlds in downtown Edmonds that features new and exciting steampunk/gamer/geek/sci-fi/fantasy/gothic/horror-themed events every night of the week (except Tuesdays - they're closed on Tuesdays)! Cheesemongers is right next door if you find yourself in need of something delicious, and you can check out new work at ARTspot, Arts Now, C'est La Vie, The Papery, Red Petal Cakes, Stunningly Strange Gallery, and more than 30 other Edmonds art spaces!

With this much going on, you couldn't possibly complain that there's nothing to do in Seattle!

Support your local art scene! Cheers.

~ BCDuncan