A few exhibits I almost missed, and one I still have…
Michael Howard at Francine Seders through Sunday. His acrylics are paintings under construction of houses under construction. Earlier versions were more elusive in subject matter, featuring houses that could go either way, being built or torn down. Present ones look abandoned. Nobody’s working on them, but there they are.
His watercolors are very Fairfield Porter but with a twist or two, such as the tree in the image below, which seems to be suffering from some tree plague instead of serving as surface for melting snow. The partially melted snow on tree and house has gone on strike and refuses to melt further. It will be there forever, as long as the image adheres to the paper.
Upstairs, Gail Grinnell shares a gallery with her son, Samuel Wildman. He made a giant red skull in wax and plaster that had to be cracked in half to get out of the studio. On the way upstairs at Seders, it broke again. Francine thought he’d have to repair it and wondered if he had time, but he liked the pieces and left them on the floor, where they now resemble a broken heart. A shot of the whole head below, which did not turn out to be the finished product.
Grinnell
hung a multi-layered, cut paper drawing in the window. It could be lace
from New Orleans after the flood. (Below, studio shot)
At Vermillion Gallery through Sunday, Ann Duffy’s oil paintings are a narcotic fantasy for drivers. California Dreaming is aptly titled. Empty freeways bathed in a buttery light are a dream.
I went to Flatcolor Gallery to see Robert Hardgrave
on Tuesday and was indignant to find the front door locked. On the
verge of leaving a passive-aggressive note suggesting the gallery
attempt to keep regular hours, I happened to glance at a sign: Open
Wednesday to Sunday.
Never mind then. Hardgrave is a major
painter with a minor career, even by Seattle standards. He’s more proof
(if proof is needed) that you can’t go to the top ten galleries and
think you’ve seen what’s to be seen.
Hardgrave paints somewhere between the intricate form of Lari Pittman and the silky slides of Darren Waterston
without owing much to either. His muscle and heat that fuse grace to
force are entirely his own. I have till Sunday to see his show.
Regina, I am disappointed here to notice your omission of the work of Alison Keogh at Francine Seders. That little Japanese rock garden(Karesansui) display, replete with stone and clay and sand, and an abundance of lighting, truly served as a springboard to imaginary far away places. Not an original concept, I thought, but well placed and beautifully executed. A must see for those of us who can’t afford to travel. Also, her mixed media collages of newsprint and paint were impressive in their tenacious exactitude.
Upstairs, that pairing of Gail Grinnel and Samuel Wildman left me perplexed and thereby intrigued. Forget about the bloodline connection between these two artists. And besides, that connection to Katrina is quite a stretch.
Francine is too wily and her shows are too full of subtlety to allow anything untoward to slip past her notice. And the title of this pairing “Beans”?
As I said, I just don’t get it. I ain’t buying into the Katrina thing though, and some kind soul should speak to Francine and ask her wassup? You can sign me in as “Bewildered but Hopefull”.
PS to Francine Seders: Please do not retire, ever. The north end would be a wasteland without the Francine Seders Gallery. Go down with your boots on. Besides, all that angst will keep you young.
Regina, Damn, I should’ve continued on down to the next offering on your blog before shooting from the lip. You did have the wherewithal to do a piece on Alison Keogh. I did think that she held her own in this show and further elaboration by you would have been nice. My apologies for my own oversight.
It’s ok Marulis. I should have included her in the “Final Call” reviews, but I’m running a small series on the uses of newspaper and couldn’t resist positing there.
Sorry we were not open at Flatcolor Gallery on Tuesday and that we missed you.
I really hope you can make it down to see Robert’s work.
Let me know if you need to visit anytime other than our normal 12-6 hours this week and I’ll make sure I’m there.
Best Regards,
Cris
info@flatcolor.com
206.390.6537
A great time to check out Robert Hardgrave’s work would be during the Drum of the Draw event at Flatcolor on Friday night.
http://drumofthedraw.com/
Regina. I read with interest your claim that Seattle has 10 top galleries. In what way top? Try as I might, I can come up with only four that even marginally live up to that description: Greg Kucera, James Harris, Howard House and Lawrimore Project.