by Julie-C
Early Thursday morning, Aug. 11, 2023, on 2544 Beacon Ave. S., South Seattle creative and street art catalyst Crick “Dozer” Lont unveiled a heartwarming dedication to hip-hop’s 50th anniversary — a 90-square-foot aerosol portrait of a man named Charles, the local legend known to many as “Seattle’s biggest hip-hop fan.”
Continue reading New Mural Is a Beacon Hill Tribute to Seattle’s Biggest Hip-Hop Fanby Jas Keimig
South Seattle residents got an extra treat in their mailboxes this week in the most mundane of places — their junk mail.
Continue reading The Art of Junk Mail — South End Artist Ari Glass Commissioned to Make Art for Grocery Ad Bundleby Jas Keimig
Theda Sandiford has always been making art.
As the daughter of a Caribbean father and a German-Polish mother, the Queens-born artist grew up helping her grandmother sew sequins onto G-strings and feather headdresses for Carnival. “My grandmother was old school,” Sandiford told me over the phone recently. “She believed every proper young lady needed to know how to sew.” Deeply attuned to the world around her, Sandiford consistently found inspiration in items and objects that others might consider unworthy of artistic pursuit.
Continue reading Emotional Baggage Carts and Painted Rice Paper at Wa Na Wariby Victor Simoes
From March 7 to May 12 the Onyx Fine Arts Collective celebrates Black women artists with “Embrace Equity.” The 48 works by 28 artists not only celebrate artistic excellence but create a discussion on equity and equality. It is the first gallery opening for many of these artists, whose artwork includes paintings and mixed-media compositions that incorporate collage and textile work into the canvas.
Continue reading The Works of Local Black Women Artists Shine at Gallery Onyx’s ‘Embrace Equity’by Amanda Ong
Through March 13, Matika Wilbur’s new multimedia art installation, “Salmon People,” will be on view at Climate Pledge Arena’s first-ever artist-in-residence program. The First Residence is a new residency program for Native American artists, and it is funded by the Seattle Kraken, Climate Pledge Arena, and Smartsheet.
Continue reading Climate Change and Indigenous Identity at Matika Wilbur’s ‘Salmon People’by Patheresa Wells
On Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, during Walk The Block, Onyx Fine Arts Collective opened their new location of Gallery Onyx. Inside of ARTE NOIR at 23rd and Union at Midtown Square, the gallery will provide space to share the artwork of artists of African descent in the Pacific Northwest. The space provided is substantial because it gives Black artists, many who may have never had a gallery presence, the opportunity to showcase their work to the community.
Continue reading Gallery Onyx Opens New Location Dedicated to Artists of African Descent at Midtown Squareby Duncan Gibbs
The timing could not be more relevant for the current show at King Street Station. Political forces across the U.S. are criminalizing reproductive health care and gender-affirming support for trans youth. This year already, according to NBC News in March, state legislators around the U.S. have introduced a record 238 bills limiting the rights of LGBTQI people and 500 measures restricting abortion have been introduced in 40 states. In times like this, art can inspire the hope and community we need.
Continue reading Artists O’Leary and Vaughan at King Street Station — Feminine Powerby Ronnie Estoque
The Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery, located in White Center, is a multiuse, multicultural, accessible arts gallery grounded in the Chicano and Latino arts traditions. Its March exhibition is called “Ka-Pow: An Artistic Tribute to Comics.” Much of the art showcased includes work from local artists, while other pieces have been sent in from all over the country. All money from art sales goes directly to the artists, says Jake Prendez, owner and codirector at the Gallery.
Continue reading Nepantla Cultural Arts Gallery Features Comics Art Show by Chicano Artistsby Ronnie Estoque
On March 3, renowned Seattle muralist Joe Nix had his first show in nearly six years. The exhibition, called “HOLD ON,” is located in Belltown where Nix has lived for over 15 years. At the grand opening on Friday, March 11, the venue was packed with art connoisseurs and community members, all eager to view his latest work that draws inspiration from everyday mechanical objects. The oil paintings in the exhibit infuse machinery with life through color, shape, and form.
Continue reading PHOTO ESSAY: Joe Nix’s ‘HOLD ON’ Show Features Machinery Artby Susan Fried
There are hundreds of murals all over the City of Seattle, and some of the city’s most iconic reside in South Seattle. Several of those murals have become cherished parts of the neighborhood. Recently, after the Martin Luther King Jr. mural on the wall outside of Fat’s Chicken & Waffles was defaced on MLK Jr. weekend, the community, including the mayor, vowed to work together to repair the damage. Similarly, when the mural celebrating the Seattle Chapter of the Black Panther Party that hangs on the fence in front of Franklin High School was vandalized in 2021, some of the members of Franklin’s Art of Resistance and Resilience Club and several local artists repaired it.
The murals of South Seattle are an eclectic group with depictions of everything from Sasquatches, dogs, and cats to expressions of solidarity, artistic renderings of the Seattle skyline, marine life, and dancers. The art is accessible to anyone driving or walking along Rainier Avenue or Martin Luther King Jr. Way.
Continue reading PHOTO ESSAY: Murals — Accessible Art for Everyone
