"Will work for Mel McCuddin Paintings"

If I stood on a street corner in Coeur d'Alene with this sign, I doubt anyone would get it. Unless they'd seen his paintings, of course, then they might realize that something about them invokes covetous behavior. Here is the one I wish for, called Reveries.

The exhibit, at The Art Spirit Galleryhttp://www.theartspiritgallery.com/html/home.asp, goes through August 7.

The Wonderful World of Harold Balazs: Northwest MAC through October

The line to purchase a book was several dozen deep while down below in the gallery, Balazs had already begun signing the gorgeous volume that accompanies his retrospective at the MAC. Ever clever, Balazs even numbered his signatures to correspond with the individually numbered/signed, hand-pulled prints that will appear in EACH book. The man is unstoppable!

Of course any exhibition at the MAC is an opportunity to run into friends and colleagues and this was no exception. The gallery was packed, as was the outdoor reception area. So crowded it was hard to see all the amazing artwork.

One of my favorite things was the inclusion of a portion of his studio.  Imagine looking in the kitchen of Julia Child or the science lab of Louis Pasteur.  It's a rare glimpse into how a mind works. Awesome.

For more info and a great visual/essay in Inlander, click here.


For a podcast from KYRS radio, featuring Harold, video artist Tom Dukich, and MAC arts curator, Ben Mitchell, click here.

Tinman Gallery and Tinman Too: Reopening Celebration July 30th

Tinman Too opened recently, formerly Ruby Slipper, and the counterpart to owner Sue Bradley's Garland Street arts-oriented businesses.


Next door is Tinman Gallery, itself undergoing a facelift, with a grand (re)opening scheduled for July 30th.


The theme of the reopening is Alice in Wonderland (see post July 29).

Also appearing is their emerging artist series, this month featuring Deanna Camp, Five Mile Prairie in Pastels.


According to Bradley, "We first encountered Deanna when she brought in her Trout Calendars, featuring a series of whimsical watercolors of various trout characters, such as "The Patriot Trout" and "The Grateful Dead Trout." Deanna is an accomplished painter of landscapes as well, both in pastel and in oils. She paints the scenes around her up on Five Mile Prairie, creating a luminous vision out of a familiar landscape."

Christmas in July? More Harold Balazs? The MAC Summer Lineup

The MAC July 2010 Calendar of Events


Christmas in July at Campbell House Wednesday, July 21st
Join us at this second annual benefit to celebrate Campbell House. This lawn party will be from 6-9:00 PM and will feature docent led tours of the historic home, a no-host bar along with seasonal silent auction packages and raffle baskets. There is no cost to attend – just come planning on bidding on these great items! Reservations are required. Call 509-363-5321 or email Eileen.anderson@northwestmuseum.org.


Harold Balazs Exhibit - Opening Celebration
Saturday, July 17 1:00 - 3:00 PM at the MAC
Enjoy this Celebration of a Life in Art reception with brief remarks by Harold Balazs, Tom Kundig and Alan Dodge and the introduction of the new book Harold Balazs published by the University of Washington Press and Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture. Great klezmer music by local band Chutzpah!

Exhibit July 17 – October 9, 2010
The largest overview of Harold Balazs’ extensive career – presenting a rich and wildly varied survey of this local artist’s deep, unfettered and creative imagination. A must see summer exhibit. His outdoor installations can be seen throughout the city of Spokane. Lead Sponsors - Sterling Savings Bank and The Spokesman-Review

Premier screening of the new Tom Dukich film, Uncle Harold’s Wunder Stuff

July 22.
4:30 – 6:00 PM at the MAC Auditorium. Free to MAC members, others by general admission. $5-7

Mestizo: Collections and Cultural Fusions

July 31 - December 4, 2010
This exhibit illustrates the unique Mestizo identity fused from the disparate cultures of the indigenous people and the colonizing Europeans. Colorful! Informative and intriguing. Lead Sponsor: Gonzaga University

Young Artists Symposium

Saturday, July 24, 2010 1:00 – 3:00 PM In the Davenport Gallery
In honor of beloved local artist Harold Balazs and his upcoming exhibition Harold Balazs– A Celebration of a Life in Art, the MAC will be hosting a young artist symposium. Spend an afternoon with local artists Harold Balazs and Ken Spiering for an open discussion about the role of art & artists in affecting change in the public arena, art’s participatory nature, and its cultural contribution to a community. The event is free to the public. Space is limited. RSVP to ginger.ewing@northwestmuseum.org or 509-363-5311. Exclusive sponsor is Wells Fargo

Gathering to Sing and Dance

August 7, 2010 – October 2010 Museum Orientation Gallery
This exhibit will highlight photographer Rob Roberts’ still images of the local, regional and visiting tribal peoples who gather for traditional summer celebrations (commonly known as powwows). The Riverfront Park Northwest Encampment and Julyamsh Coeur d’Alene Tribal Encampment are two annual events in the Spokane region that reflect the ongoing traditions of tribal songs and dances from the Plateau Tribes. A video produced by Shonto Pete, The Real Powwow Trail documents various aspects to these celebrations.

Current ExhibitionsTradition is my Life, Education is my Futures, Through July 3

Ruben Trejo:Beyond Boundaries, Aztlán y más allá through November 13, 2010

Living Legacy: The American Indian Collection through July 18, 2010

SpokaneTimeline: Personal Voices - long-term exhibit; current feature: Big Timber



Call (509) 456-3931 for additional information or e-mail pr@northwestmuseum.org. Events are subject to change or cancellation. All events are on the Museum campus at 2316 W. First Avenue, Spokane, Washington unless otherwise noted.

Tom Wakely's Impressionist Stylings at Entree Gallery, Coolin Bay

PRESS RELEASE

The luminescent, contemporary paintings of Tom Wakeley will be featured at the Entree Gallery at Coolin Bay during the July 1-31 showing, “Light, Color and Priest Lake”.

Inspired by the Impressionists and 20th Century Modernists, the Priest Lake artist uses light, abstract shapes, palette-knife work and broad, loose brush strokes to create his regional landscapes and occasional still-lifes. For Wakeley, who prefers to paint on location, the application and textures of the paint itself is as important as the image in capturing a mood. 

Of Wakeley’s work, gallery owner Pam Martin expressed, “Tom’s work has evolved and moved into a whole new arena. He has captured the essence of Priest Lake.” 

Wakeley’s work has been exhibited in galleries throughout the region. The Coolin Bay gallery will host a reception for Wakeley on July 17, 1-3pm. 

At the Reeder Bay gallery, Sandpoint artist Janene Grende is featured in “A Walk In The Woods” showing July 1-31.
Huckleberry board games and nesting bears will be on display July 18, 11am-3pm. Paul Kuhlmann will display his metal works on July 24-25, 11-4pm;
 
Upcoming August shows include pastels by Monica Stobie, and watercolors by Priest Lake artist Betti Jemison.

The Entree Gallery, now at two locations, invites the public to view the work of over 150 regional artists. The gallery at Reeder Bay is located just two miles east of Nordman at 1755 Reeder Bay Rd, and can be contacted at 208 443-2001. The Coolin Bay gallery, located two doors from the Leonard Paul Store on Bay View Rd, can be contacted at 208 443-2002. July hours at both galleries are daily, 10am-6pm.

Shown: Morning Light (from Painter's Chair Gallery) 

Seeing Seattle: An Art Experience

Just back from Seattle and thereabouts, with lots of great art experiences to share. First, we did ArtWalk, which in Seattle can be quite the spectacle and as wide a range of types and quality of art as most other places who do this urban event.

Most of our tour was limited to the areal along Third Avenue South north of Yesler, around Pioneer Square. We started at 4Culture, and then made our way around, including Punch (Renee Adams' sculptural piece, left)and Platform Gallery, where I ran into Garric Simonsen, who had some pieces there and was en route to Spokane for his opening at the Saranac the following day (see previous post).

Somewhere in there we ended up inside a maze of studios called TK2 Studios in the Tashiro Kaplan Building. Lots of younger artists and group shows, some of it crap, some really trendy, and some really interesting.

The standout for me was Paul McKee, who works in installation, painting and sculpture, currently with taxidermy, figurative components and furniture to make these wry commentaries that are just exquisitely crafted.

Really liked the Greg Kucera gallery (gorgeous, huge space, well-appointed ). Not a huge fan of all the abstracts he had showing but his stable of artists (pardon the pun) includes Deborah Butterfield and John Buck from Montana, plus some artists I've written about (Susan Skilling), so that feels like a good connection, and some iconic contemporary artists like Helen Frankenthaler and Edward Ruscha.

On Friday, we bussed and hoofed it up to the Frye Museum, Seattle's first free museum, and the legacy of Emma and Charles Frye. Their German heritage in the rough-and-tumble early Northwest--including Alaska--can be seen in two of the shows currently on view. "Northern Latitudes: The Frye and Alaska" features work by Jules Dahlager, Ted Lambert, Sydney Laurence, Fred Machetanz, Theodore Richardson, Cleveland Rockwell, Jonathan Van Zyle, and Eustace Ziegler. Beautiful, poetic work documenting and sometimes memorializing early life in Alaska. There is also a series of photos of the Frye family's early days in the meatpacking industry, which stretched up from Seattle to Alaska.

And Tete-a-Tete features a salon-style exhibition of fifty of the Frye's collection, mostly portraiture and some landscape pieces. Some of it reminded of the Vienna Secessionist's style, Klimt especially, and, as I learned, quite a few pieces were from the German Secessionists. Example: Von Stuck's Sin, left, a pivotal piece that gives me ideas for a painting series! Ah, makes perfect sense. Click here for the Seattle Times piece on the exhibit.

Mel McCuddin Opens Tonight at The Art Spirit, thru end of July 2010

I've never been shy about my enthusiasm for Washington artist, Mel McCuddin. His cast of characters and enigmatic landscapes emerge from the painting process, like flashes from one's dream floating on the surface of wakefulness.

See new works opening tonight at The Art Spirit Gallery, Coeur d'Alene.

And check out his new video.

Jacklin Arts and Cultural Center Events for July 2010

July 2010 Schedule

Julyamsh Celebration Events

In July, the Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center plays host to the Julyamsh Artist & Buyer's Reception and the Vision Seekers Youth Art Workshop in collaboration with the Coeur d'Alene Indian Tribe.  

Saturday, July 17th from 9 am to 3 pm
Vision Seekers Youth Art Workshop: The JACC is pleased to once again host this interactive arts education retreat for our local youth to experience native American art and culture from internationally known American Indian artists. This year we seek to extend the cultural exchange by featuring featherwork with Dave Browneagle, sculpting with soapstone with George Hill, acrylic on canvas with Ric Gendron and storytelling with Coeur d'Alene tribal elder, Cliff SiJohn. The workshop is open to youths aged 10-14. The fee for attending the workshop is $30, which includes lunch and supplies. Pre-registration is required. To register, please call (208) 457-8950. 


Thursday, July 22nd from 5 to 7 pm
Julyamsh Artist & Buyer’s Reception: In conjunction with the Julyamsh Powwow, the Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center and Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort Hotel hosts the annual Julyamsh Artist & Buyer's Reception to celebrate the American Indian culture and to preview works by internationally acclaimed American Indian artists. Free admission. 

Featuring live entertainment by bluegrass musicians Mark & Kimberly Holt, silent auction, raffle, hors d'oeurves, cash bar. Please RSVP for this premier art event by July 12th at (208) 457-8950.

Gallery at the JACC
Ongoing through June 11th
The Photography and Sculpture Show: featuring sculptures by Steve Gervurtz, Kevin Kirking and Terry Lee and the photography of Pat Schilling.


Friday, July 16th; 5:30-7:30 pm opening reception
The American Indian Artist and Western Art Show: The gallery at the Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center invites you to attend the 3rd Friday Art Gallery Celebration for our American Indian Artists and Western Art show. This show will feature two of our Vision Seekers youth workshop instructors, Ric Gendron and George Hill, with wine tasting by Enoteca at $5 per flight (3 tastings). The show will be ongoing through August 13th, 2010. 

The gallery is free and open to the public during our regular business hours Monday through Friday from 10 am to 2 pm and during special events; for more information call (208) 457-8959. Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center, 405 N William Street, Post Falls, ID

Garric Simonsen and Patricia Thornton at Saranac, thru July 2010

Click here for the Inlander preview of work by Montana artist, Patricia Thornton (image, left), and Washington artist, Garric Simonsen.

Saranac Art Projects


Hours:
12-5 Thursday
12-8 Friday
12-5 Saturday