Even though it’s the first Thursday of the month, very few Pioneer Square galleries are opening shows tomorrow night. In the old days, when PS galleries marched in lock step, everybody opened on First Thursday and closed at the end of the month.
That 12-show a year schedule was tough to maintain. Too tough, plus, it didn’t allow for the work to sink in. Some galleries drifted toward 6-week shows, and others began to open and close when they felt like it.
But never have so few galleries debuted on First Thursday.
What’s there is top of the line. The usual others will be open as well, even though they are nearly all at the end of a run.
Matthew Offenbacher …
and Tony De Los Reyes…
open at Howard House.
Also, Tim Roda …
and Drew Daly …
open at Greg Kucera. That’s all in the way of mainstream galleries. Fortunately, mainstream galleries aren’t the only ones in the Square. Soil opens what looks like a fascinating invitational lineup, and Punch is auctioning off its entire group show, $10 per ticket.
I’m in. Among other tempting offerings, the piece below, by Ries Niemi, is calling my name.
What about Eva Isaksen at Foster/White? She’s not chopped liver….
I don’t know how it can be over. Hundreds of people show up.
At a recent meeting of the Seattle Art Dealer’s Association, we discovered by a poll that about half of us are now on a 5 or 6 week show time turnaround, doing about 9 or 10 shows a year. Several more are on a schedule that allows for mostly monthly shows and a few shows per year, generally around the summer or the end of year holidays, that are longer. Fewer than half of us are on a strict First Thursday to First Thursday schedule.
Personally, I feel that a show length of 5 – 6 weeks allows many more collectors and viewers to see our shows and the chance for repeat visits.
If galleries stay on a FT – FT schedule, shows are up for between 18 and 23 days, Tuesday through Saturday business days. Last month yielded a short 18 day show; this month would be only 23 days. (Only a few dealers are still open on Sundays here.)
Working with nationally known artists, as we often are, it’s impossible to suggest with any credibility a show length of fewer than 5 weeks. And I don’t feel the artists of our region deserve any less.
Still, whether we’re opening our show that night or not, all of us in the downtown area are still committed to keeping First Thursday as a predictable night for being open to the public.
At nearly 30 years of age, First Thursday has become the longest standing regular monthly arts event in Seattle.
It has always been privately funded by the participating galleries. No public funds make First Thursday possible. SADA, arguably an organization of the city’s best dealers, produces and provides a monthly map and guide.
We will continue to welcome the public from 6 – 8 on each and every First Thursday. Maps and guides are available at each gallery to help find the others.
Oh, give Regina a break. Clearly First Thursday is not what it once was. Ever notice how many people there are in the galleries that don’t have new shows on First Thursday? That’s right. Not many. People come to see new shows that night.
Hi Nancy. You’re right. She isn’t.