It's all happening at once: art in August

Seattle festival season always ramps up in August, but I bet the first weekend of that month is gonna set some kind of record. Everything is trying to happen all at once!

I'm blocking out July 30th through August 2nd to visit the first Seattle Art Fair. Tons of art gallery representatives and other glitterati are flying in from New York, Tokyo, Seoul... the list goes on. They're showing their best and brightest artists, looking for new collectors and generally networking like there's no tomorrow. The fair will be at the football stadium, but there are also several satellite fair events sprinkled around the area.

Riding that wave of events is Art of the City, the one-day art and music festival in Pioneer Square. You'll find me at the epicenter, in the Tashiro Kaplan Building, for the final iteration of the Black Lives Matter exhibit.

You only have to walk a few short (really, they're pretty short) blocks between Art of the City and the Seattle Art Fair. (The star in the map is Art of the City; the light blue square is the Fair.)

Oh, but there's more! As I was mentioning Art of the City to a friend the other day, she interrupted with an excruciatingly good point:

"Isn't that also SeaFair weekend?"

Oh, that thing that draws thousands of hydroplane fans to the south end of Seattle? The one led by a pirate crew? 

Yes, it is. But the thing is, going to Art of the City is still doable. Here are some suggestions:

• Come to Art of the City right off the bat -- party starts at 11am and goes until 11pm
• Plot out a bus route using the Sound Transit Trip Planner
• Carpool like your sanity depends on it (it probably does)
• Prioritize what you want to see at the Seattle Art Fair: preview it to find your kind of art.

Oh yeah, and wear your walking shoes. Not the cute ones that pinch after an hour. The real walking shoes. (This is Seattle: funny-looking shoes are normal here.) See you soon!

"Black Lives Matter" in Seattle: the road thus far

I'm a little in awe at the momentum of the "Black Lives Matter: Humanity Not Negotiable" exhibit. The opening reception was PACKED...

... and I'm pleased to say one of my two pieces sold that very evening.

But it didn't end there: the show has continued to receive attention from local media.  The South Seattle Emerald ran a Q&A with curator/journalist Naomi Ishisaka. Our local NBC station KING-TV interviewed artist Aramis Hamer as well.

Credit: king5.com

And Real Change News contacted me for a story on the exhibit as well. It's encouraging to see how art can extend and deepen a discussion of an ongoing issue like racialized violence.

"Black Lives Matter" in Seattle

As I said to a friend a little while ago: "I'm really not angry all the time!" But you know... the summer of 2014 really made me worry about my children's safety once they're no longer little and cute. It just all hangs over my head... but fortunately, I'm not alone in my concern.

This altered book, "A Terrible Dream," grew out of that simmering anxiety and frustration. So when I found out about "Black Lives Matter: Humanity Not  Negotiable," I leaped at the chance to submit some of my work. I'm proud to say the jurors chose two -- the one above, and "Janus: Restless."

I'd love to see you at the reception of this exhibit, if you're in Seattle. Details:

Yes, this exhibit is about serious ideas, but don't let that scare you off. Think of it as the opportunity for a thoughtful conversation, a chance to get out of your own head, and into someone else's for a while.