This Week(end)s Events: Feb 14 - Feb 16, 2008

Apologies for the lateness this week, but better late than never. Happy Valentine's Day!

Thursday, February 14

Gage Academy of Art - ArtTalk Series lecture, “The Epic Narrative,” with Bo Bartlett. Gage Artistic Director, Gary Faigin, facilitates a monthly group discussion about the work of contemporary figurative artists. Bartlett is a contemporary master of the most challenging of all traditions: the life-sized figurative narrative. Faigin and Bartlett discuss the underlying symbolic and spiritual underpinnings of his dramatic scenes, as well as compositional and color decisions. 12:30-2 pm, free and open to the public. (The lecture will be held in the Geo Studio, Room 304, Third Floor.)

James Harris Gallery – Opening reception for “Message in a Bottle,” a group exhibition bringing together a wide range of mediums – including sculpture, photography, painting and installation –focusing on how artists transform the expected visual utility of an object to multiple pictorial possibilities. These are artists who inherently investigate the origins of their subjects, creating fictive spaces and new relationships by placing disparate or unusual objects together in dynamic ways. Reception 6-8 pm. Exhibition continues through March 18, 2008.

Helga Steppan, See Through Series, 2004, exhibiting at James Harris Gallery

Greg Kucera Gallery – Opening of new exhibition featuring recent paintings by “Anne Appleby.” Reception 6-8 pm. Exhibit continues through March 29, 2008. "Saturday After" artist talk: February 16, 12:00 pm.

West Seattle Junction Art Walk – Galleries and participating businesses open from 6pm - 8pm. For information and maps visit Hotwire Coffeehouse, 4410 California SW, Seattle, which will be featuring multi-media works by collage artist "Sarah Gordon."

Twilight Artist Collective – In the new TwAC West Seattle gallery, “Because Diamonds Aren’t Really A Girl’s Best Friend...ART IS!” a Valentine’s Day event. Looking for a creative way to show your Valentine he or she is “one-of-a-kind”? Give them gifts “like no other” from local TwACkers including paintings, sculpture, jewelry, warm knit hats and scarves, and limited edition t-shirts from artist Eric Osborne. Osborne is also the February featured artist and is exhibiting a new body of work. 6-9 pm.

Friday, February 15

Platform Gallery – Artist reception for “Fall Together / Fall Apart” new work by Melissa Pokorny, sculptor and Associate Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Using the strategies of still life composition and tableau vivant painting, Pokorny's work explores the arbitrary, the inappropriate, and the accidental while evoking a wry sense of melancholy. 5-7 pm. Exhibition continues through March 22, 2008.

Work by Melissa Pokorny, opening at Platform Gallery

Gage Academy of Art – In the Rosen Gallery, “Face Forward: Gage Annual Self-Portrait Competition.” Past and current Gage students put their best face forward for this self-portrait competition and exhibit. 7-9 pm. Debuting in the Steele Gallery, “Face Backward: Gary Faigin.” In conjunction with the self-portrait competition, this special exhibition features 25 years of self portraits by Gage cofounder and artistic director Gary Faigin. 6-8 pm. Also, don’t miss “Big Heads: Cardboard Constructions,” with artist Scott Fife discussing his sculpture portraiture - intricate work that he creates with simple tools such as X-acto knives, masking tape, glue and a screwgun. 7 pm. All events are free and open to the public.