Cornish Faculty Sabbatical Exhibit & U DISTRICT: Technicolour Wonderland

It's 3rd Friday Art Walk night in the U District, but first! Two of my favourite professors from Cornish days of yore are having a dual exhibition!

Preston Wadley kicked my ass in the most supportive and inspiring of ways in both photography and drawing classes during college. Tonight he's unveiling a two new series of photographs: portraits featuring the cloaked countenances of some of the characters who haunt the Cornish College of the Arts campus, and a fascinating set of graphics and textures intermingled with bits of humanity and pieces of nature. Also displayed are a couple of photographs encased in objects, a technique that lends a sort of tangible permanence to feelings of nostalgia.

Preston Wadley @ Cornish

Robert Campbell is one of the most patient and knowledgeable humans I have ever met. I had the fortune to have him as my video and Photoshop instructor, and this eve he's created a series of videoscapes, collages of imagery and movement that subtly shift as you watch them. I captured a few stills to portray their transformation over a handful of minutes. I wasn't able to see much of his extended video piece, since the small room was packed, but I'll be back later this month for a longer look.

Robert Campbell @ Cornish

It was fantastic to catch up with Preston and Bob and a whole host of other Cornish faculty, students and alumni, but it's on to the U District art walk! I arrive toward the end of the evening, so I only have the chance to catch a couple shows, but BC Surf + Sport and Gargoyles have excellent work, as always.

BC Surf is hosting a colourful collection of work by artists Ian Block, Shogo, and Raine Frederickson. The colours and textures are playful, and the imagery is an entertaining mix of pop culture parodies, intricate monsters, and technicolour comics.

BC Surf + Sport

Just up the street, Gargoyles is hosting "Marvels of the Muse" brand new work by Jeffrey Shaw. Jeffrey playfully pairs elements of Alice in Wonderland (the March Hare makes a couple of appearances) with symbols and deities from Egyptian mythology. Included are paintings, giclee prints on brushed steel, and what appears to be a candy-coated coterie of sculpted scarabs and creatures from the sea.

Jeff Shaw @ Gargoyles

Until next time, U District...

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GREENWOOD: Tall Buildings, Odd Monsters & Road Signs to Adventure

It's Art Walk night in Greenwood once again, and I'm joined by my friends and Art Walk compatriots Jon and Christine! 

Echo Echo Gallery presented "The Survival Handbook" with survival/adventure themed work featuring me (Braden Duncan), Agent 0, Artifact Ripley, Chani Murat, Helfox, and Xavier Lopez Jr. We also hosted a team of Girl Scouts with the last cookies of the season!

"The Survival Handbook" @ Echo Echo Gallery

Urban Light Studios in the Greenwood Collective hosted an epic group show entitled "Tall Buildings," art inspired by the urban landscape featuring over 50 artists and encompassing a huge variety of media. One of my favourites was a string tree house.

"Tall Buildings" @ Urban Light Studios

Quadrapus allowed Andy Hopp, brother of David Hopp (founder of the Oddmall convention) to take over the space with a multitude of tiny colourful monsters!

Andy Hopp @ Quadrapus

"Here" at Bherd Studos featured Kellie Talbot and Troy Gua "in an unlikely road trip to explore themes of migration, manifest destiny, and the unique American yearning to get out on the highway." An entire room full of road signs, vignettes of long-lost landmarks, and a colourful kaleidoscope of unexplored destinations is a fun way to spend an evening.

"Here" @ Bherd Studios

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CAPITOL HILL: Constellations, Trolls, and a Song of Ice & Fire

It's the Cap Hill Art Walk this eve, and I'm still low energy due to the recent plague, but there was no way I was going to miss the opening of "Constellation" at True Love. Curated by Yvette Endrijautzki, the exhibit features over 50 artists with work inspired by all 12 Zodiac sign constellations as well as planets and other imagery of the cosmos! I was one of the artists chosen to portray Virgo, and my lovely model Christine is here with me to see the show! We're joined as well by the illustrious Jon.

"Constellation" @ True Love Gallery

My muse Christine

Jon & Christine & the Astro-Hotline

Artist JP Farquar with his interactive Astro-Hotline

Also opening this eve is Jody Joldersma's solo show "Amazons & Trolls: Escaping the Dungeon of the Modern Monster" at Ghost Gallery. Jody's pieces explore the challenges and stereotypes women face online, particularly in the gaming community. She juxtaposes her experience growing up in the Amish country of rural Pennsylvania where women were largely considered "manipulative and evil" with the assumptions of many modern day online personalities who view women as "stupid and frivolous." What are women really? Get to know us each as individuals, and you'll find out.

Artist Jody Joldersma @ Ghost Gallery

Tonight also marked the encore opening of the "Winter is Coming" art tribute to George RR Martin's "Song of Ice & Fire" series recently re-popularised by the "Game of Thrones" TV show. Martin endorsed the show in his blog not once, but *twice*! It's up until the 23rd, so see it while you can!

"Winter is Coming!" @ Ltd Gallery

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GEORGETOWN: One for Sorrow, Two for Pain

I'm powering through Art Walk this eve, because I contracted one of the many plagues going around, but one of my very favourite artists, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, is showing at Krab Jab Studio! Her dedication to fantastical forms and exquisitely intricate textures made her one of the few artists who initially inspired me to explore watercolours. She's only in town for a short while, and she's giving an artist talk about her process that I would have kicked myself if I'd missed. But I'm happily able to her her speak, ask some questions, and secure a copy of her most recent art book "Between the Seams" which she's kind enough to sign and personalise for me. 

Curator Julie Baroh & artist Stephanie Pui-Mun Law @ Krab jab Studio

I also hit the opening of "Pain Body" at the Georgetown Liquor Co. featuring the work of Rachel Setzer, my co-founder in the Seattle Arts Coalition. This is my first month curating at the GLC, and I feel I should make an appearance for fun and posterity. Overall, an awesome eve, and I'm still standing despite being still plague-ridden. 

"Pain Body" @ Georgetown Liquor Co

I hope I can come back later in the month to see the "Stereo*type*" group show at LxWxH and Mark Tedin's "Mark Makings" at Calamity Jane's. If you find yourslef in Georgetown, check them out!

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BURIEN: B-Town Beat & PIONEER SQUARE: Apocalypse, Books, and Infusion

I'm on a mission to explore two art walks this eve! It's Pioneer Square and Burien, and there are too many fun shows going on to miss! I'm joined this eve by my friend and fellow artist, the lovely Corey Skillman, and it's her job to keep me from getting too distracted by shiney things so that we can make it back to Pioneer Square in time to see everything.

We start at my solo show in at SkinPerfect Aesthetics in Burien. I've never been to the B-Town Beat before, but it seems to be gaining traction. SkinPerfect is a beautiful location, my work practically shines against the soft grey walls. 

Braden Duncan's "Mechanical Aviary" @ SkinPerfect

It's a little on the early end, and there aren't many art walkers about yet, so we pop across the street to Phoenix Teas and end up meeting Virginia Wright, the director of the Burien Arts Council, and she treats us to a miniature tea service. 

Phoenix Teas

A little down the road is Jesse Link's solo show at the Burien Press, so we stop in for a look, a chai, and a couple of free Girl Scout cookies.

Jesse Link @ Burien Press

And we're off to Pioneer Square to make an appearance at Corey's opening for "An Evening of Light-Hearted Horror" the HappyTime Apocalypse group show I curated at Laika Lounge. We arrive with plenty of time to catch up with fellow HappyTime artists Sami Saurus, Dusty Rockets, Jeanne Young, and Kendall BH. The walls are awash with adorable creepiness, and it's difficult to pull ourselves a way, but a few more venues await...

Artist Corey Skillman @ Laika Lounge

Artist Sami Saurus @ Lakia Lounge

Artist Jeanne Young @ Laika Lounge

Artist Kendal BH @ Laika Lounge

The HappyTime crew @ Laika Lounge

AXIS: Pioneer Square is hosting "Ex Libris" a 100-artist event curated by Siolo Thompson featuring art works inspired by 100 different works of literature. 
 

"Ex Libris" @ AXIS

Our last stop of the evening is "Infusion" a group show introducing this year's artist line-up at Roq la Rue. Included are Alessandra Maria, Alessia Iannetti, Andrea Wicklund, Dylan Neuwirth, Femke Hiemstra, Jeff Jacobson, Jeremy Mann, Joanne Nam, John Brophy, Laurie Lee Brom, Lucy Hardie, Nicomi Nix Turner, R Freymuth-Fraizer, Redd Walitzki, Zachari Logan, and a brand new mural by Robert Hardgrave!

"Infusion" @ Roq la Rue

Redd Walitzki @ Roq la Rue

I can't wait to see what the rest of the year brings for Pioneer Square!

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