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| Celebrating 39 Years in Business
Exhibitions
January... ........... Jan Griggs - "From Within"r
February. ............"Caution - Curves Ahead - Figures
March.... .............Gallery Inventory
April....... ............Gallery Inventory Construction Postponement
May....... ............. Brad Caplis - "Glass Animals"
June....... ..............Debbie Daniels
July.......................Debbie Daniels
August..................Kristen Reitz- Green
September.............Kristen Reitz - Green
October................ Viola Artemani
November.............Gallery Inventory
December.............The Grinch
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| Join us for A VERNISSAGE every Month and a half for a New Exhibit and Artist Reception.
Spring 2024
As part of the City of Kirkland's efforts to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility, the intersection of Lake Street and Kirkland Avenue will undergo significant renovations, including the implementation of a Pedestrian Scramble. While we are excited about the long-term benefits this will bring to our downtown area, we understand that the construction process will pose challenges for both our business and our patrons.
During the two-month closure of the intersection, all traffic will be rerouted around the business district, and parking and loading areas will not be easily accessible. We recognize that this may deter some of our valued customers from visiting us, especially during our scheduled Solo Artist Exhibitions.
In light of these circumstances, we have made the decision to postpone any scheduled Solo Artist Exhibitions over the next two months. Instead, we will be showcasing gallery-owned inventory, curated to provide an engaging and enticing experience for our visitors. This collection will include familiar works as well as pieces from our past exhibitions, offering both collectors and patrons an opportunity to rediscover old favorites and perhaps find new treasures at advantageous prices.
While we understand that the construction may present challenges, we want to assure you that there will still be parking available in the Marina Park parking lot, the Library, and south of Anthony's Homeport on Lake Street. These options are just a short walk away from our gallery, and we hope that you will continue to support us during this time.
Our representation of The Art of Dr. Seuss will remain on display as usual, and we will continue to offer new works as they are released. We believe that these unique and collectible pieces will provide a delightful experience for visitors of all ages.
Our first exhibit "Interruptions - Part I" March 29 - April 28, 2024 will be Serigraphs by Thomas McKnight, Lithographs by Michel Delecroix, Oils and Etchings by Jurgen Gorg, Etchings by Willi Kissmer, and bronzes by Kevin Pettelle with a little of this and that thrown in. Also keep in mind that we have drawers filled with lots of unframed artwork that we are happy to go through with you.
Our following exhibit "Interruptions - Part II" May 2 - June 9, 2024 (anticipating the scheduled opening of our streets again on June 1 NOW rescheduled for June 12) is yet to be determined, but we will find some fun and good valued work to offer.
We want to express our gratitude for your continued support as we navigate through these next few months. Whether you come to browse our gallery, admire the works of Dr. Seuss, or simply enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of downtown Kirkland and the Marina District, we look forward to welcoming you with open arms, regardless of whether you come with a checkbook in hand.
on.
More Closures.
As we continue with our street closure and fenced sidewalks into the second month, we wanted to reach out and update you on some important changes that might affect your visits to our gallery, especially regarding our ongoing exhibits "Interruptions - Part I and Interruptions Part II".
The City of Kirkland is currently undertaking substantial renovations at the intersection of Lake Street and Kirkland Avenue, aiming to enhance pedestrian safety and accessibility. Among these improvements, a Pedestrian Scramble will be implemented. While we're enthusiastic about the long-term benefits this will bring to our downtown area, we understand the inconveniences it may pose to both our business and our patrons during construction.
Throughout the two and a half-month closure of the intersection, all traffic will be redirected around the business district, and accessing parking and loading areas will be challenging. We acknowledge that this might discourage some of our valued customers from visiting, particularly during our scheduled Solo Artist Exhibitions.
In light of these circumstances, we've decided to postpone any Solo Artist Exhibitions scheduled over the next two months. Instead, for the first month, we showcased gallery-owned inventory, thoughtfully curated to provide an engaging experience for our visitors. These works by McKnight, Delacroix, Gorg, Kissmer, and others will still be available upon request.
The current segment of "Interruptions - Part II" will feature exciting new works by gallery artist Brad Caplis, alongside some of his earlier pieces. These new works promise to be both entertaining and captivating, making the trip to our gallery well worth it.
"Glass Animals" by Brad Caplis
May 2 to June 9, 2024
Be sure to check our website or get on our mailing list for Special Events that are on a little more personal level. It is a great time…come on out!
Meet the Artist events when a reception is planned as of now are scheduled for the 2nd Saturday of each month at 6 pm - 8 pm
Our next reception is planned for Debbie Daniels on Saturday June 15th - Road open or Not.
We refuse to let the City and their inability to complete a project on time to ruin anymore of our business. Please come out and join us to meet Debbie Daniels! |
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| Miscellaneous News
Why Art Galleries Are Important
By Jason Landry
“Merde! I absolutely detest all openings and parties! They’re commercial, political and everybody talks too much. They get on my tits!”
~Joan Miró
The gallery model, as we know it, is flawed. Dramatic changes have affected how we view, experience and acquire art. Does anyone else see this, and if so, are you concerned with it?
People used to get excited to go to a gallery, meet an artist in person and experience a work of art. Now, with almost every image an artist makes available on the internet, more people can view the work online and decide if they like it enough to leave their house to visit the gallery, or attend the opening reception, or just stay in to watch another night of reality television. I guess there is also the flip side: maybe the artist sees marketing the work to a critical mass over the web beneficial to their career. Or maybe it’s the collector who would like to see the work online first to get a sense of what they might want to acquire. What’s really driving this art market — artists, collectors, galleries? We’ll save the answer to that question for another post.
Artists and dealers know that art must be experienced in person to truly get a sense of its magnitude — it’s the outsiders who don’t get that. This is another benefit of visiting an art gallery. Viewing artwork on the Internet is like walking by a gallery on a rainy night and wiping the fog from the glass to get a peek. You think you can see the art but there is a barrier obscuring your vision — distance from the actual art piece can distort your perception, and not being able to see how a work of art hangs or is displayed next to or near other works of art — that can be an issue too. We’d hate for you to finally take delivery of your newest conversation piece just to find out it doesn’t fit where you wanted it, or the color clashes too much with your chartreuse drapes. Most art is non-refundable.
The gallery used to be a place to go to meet up with friends and exchange ideas and build community. Patrons and students alike would come to see a show and then talk about it with their peers the next day. The arts community has grown to be less real and more superficial because of things like social media and sites like Facebook. With all the good that social media does as a marketing tool for galleries, artists and the arts as a whole, it also removes something from the art world equation: community.
Galleries are one such place to build a community — a real, true social network — your art ecosystem, and that is important. It’s been this way forever. Warm body introductions are important. Social networks on the internet are okay to rack up followers or friends, but a great quote that I read in the book The Start-Up of You by Reid Hoffman, the founder of LinkedIn states, “There is a big difference between being the most connected person and being the best connected person.” My network came from the schools that I attended, but also through the artists, collectors, patrons, mentors, educators, curators and publishers that I bumped into at gallery openings and other art-related events along the way. Now that I am an art dealer, I don’t get out to openings like I did in the past. When I happened to go to a recent First Friday’s gallery event in Boston, it was great to run into old friends. It reminded me of what I love about the arts and I will stress it here again: the community.
Fact: There is definitely a different experience meeting someone in person, rather than just looking at their photograph on a website. Just ask the thousands who think they have found their soul mate on sites like Match.com, and then realize they look nothing like their picture when they finally meet up for a date. The same goes true for looking at and experiencing a piece of art in a gallery. Before you click that ‘buy’ button on one of those online websites that sell art, go visit and support your local art galleries and experience what can happen. You may just be surprised at what you see, whom you meet, and what you will learn.
Follow Jason Landry on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Lanrod |
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| Congratulations
Congratulations to Jaime Ellsworth for her inclusion into "100 Artists of the Northwest" by E. Ashely Rooney.
The works of 100 contemporary artists interpret and provide a fresh look at the artistic vibrancy of the Northwest region of the United States. The states of Oregon and Washington are rich with artists, having become vital art scenes in the past several decades. Using sculpture, glass, oil, clay, wood, and other contemporary mediums, as well as paint, these 21st century artists combine, redesign, and transform their materials into pieces of works that change the way we perceive both the regions of the Northwest and the world. With a guide to galleries, sculpture parks, museums, and schools, this book is a wonderful resource for lovers of all art mediums
E. Ashley Rooney, of Lexington, Massachusetts, has written several art books; this is her fifth in the "100 Artists" series. She has established a solid reputation for her architectural, design, and historical works.
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| See You In The Funny Papers
My mother always said “see you in the funny papers” and alas, she finally saw me there. On Mother’s Day May 13, 2001, The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery appeared nationally in a wonderful 3 panel Sunday edition of the comic strip Ziggy by Tom Wilson. In the title panel, Ziggy is looking up at his home’s blank walls with his dog, exclaiming “Our house is lacking artistic ambience” In the next panel, Ziggy says “… We need some art in here” “…art is one of the essentials of life!” “FOOD, WATER, SHELTER and ART” he exclaims with arms waving. The third panel has a very distinguished art dealer standing in a gallery talking to Ziggy “…Welcome to the Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery…is there anything I can show you?” Ziggy answers “…yes, I’d like to see something in a paisley to match my sofa!!” The very distinguished art dealer only sighs and of course finds Ziggy exactly what he was looking for. We are never too stuffy to help you find exactly what you are looking for.
Ziggy has a new book out as of November 2003, Ziggy Goes Hollywood features many of his most recent successful comic strips....and yes....we made the cut. Read the Gallery comic on page 114. Wouldn't that make a great gift?
Many thanks for that great plug to our friend Tom Wilson and Tom II for their support and great comic strip. |
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| The Gallery Mistress is back!
While “Matisse” the mistress of the gallery during the 1990's was sold back in the 2002, a new "Mistress" took her place in 2018. Located only a stones throw from the gallery, she proudly calls
The Homeport Marina in downtown Kirkland home. She will be the beauty flying a Cougar flag prior to the Apple Cup.
"Sien", named for Vincent Van Gogh's mistress in the 1880's, is a sleek, fast and beautiful 1969 30’ Shields daysailer. She saw a lot of use this past summer of 2022 as it lingered so beautifully well into the middle of October. Capt'n Duffy (our gallery pooch) was often on board lounging on deck and barking orders even took his first swim in the lake (life jacket clad) and seemed to enjoy himself. Duffy has often been a pampered pooch, but has enjoyed getting his paws dirty working on Sien.
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