CENTERS
Catherine Chalmers--Food Chain: Encounters Between Mates, Predators, and Prey is the first substantial survey of the photographs by this New York artist. Playing with scale and heightened drama, Chalmers has photographed various insects she's raised up close and personal during a complex dance through the food chain. Through May 22.
FRYE ART MUSEUM, 704 Terry Ave, 622-9250
The Hermitage Group--Eight Russian contemporary artists who work and study at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. Through June 6.
HENRY ART GALLERY, 15th Ave NE at NE 41st St, 543-2280
Coming to Life--The Henry has featured a series of exhibitions focusing on the figure in art since the mid-century. This, the final installment, concentrates on the figure in American art with works by Diane Arbus, Willem DeKooning, Richard Diebenkorn, Philip Guston, Lucas Samaras, and more. Through June 13.
*Josiah McElheny--Renowned conceptual artist and glassblower McElheny was commissioned by the Henry to create a new installation. The result is An Historical Anecdote About Fashion, which includes dresses and textiles from the Henry collection alongside the artist's glass sculpture. One is wrapped in a web of deceit upon entry into an exhibition of the fictitious possessions of Italy's Paolo Venini and his couture-clad wife. Through May 30.
Allan Sekula--Fish Story is a perfect exhibition for Seattle--a series of photographs examining labor, life, and technology in port cities around the globe. The images are familiar but not inviting; instead a forceful, cool examination. Through May 16.
MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND INDUSTRY, 2700 24th Ave E, McCurdy Park, 324-1126
*A Change of Worlds-- This knockout exhibition has two distinct purposes, the first being predictable: showing some of the history and contributions of Northwest Native Americans. The show takes a braver approach with its second objective, dealing head-on with issues such as cultural vandalism and the tensions between tradition and change in the lives of Puget Sound Native Americans. Photographs, artifacts, and audio-visual components. Through April 30.
SEATTLE ART MUSEUM, 100 University St, 654-3100
*Chuck Close--Washington native and UW graduate Close exhibits 80 portrait paintings spanning 30 years. Working in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and pastel paintings, lithograph, serigraph, and woodblock prints, paper pulp, fingerprints, and even woven silk, Close's obsession with the face has taken him from photo-realism to figurative abstraction to minimalism. This exhibition travels here from the Museum of Modern Art. Through May 9.
*The Virginia and Bagley Wright Collection of Modern Art--Over 100 works collected by these passionate, aggressive, and visionary Northwest collectors. Through May 9.
SEATTLE ASIAN ART MUSEUM, 1400 E Prospect St, Volunteer Park, 654-3100
Flights of Fancy--Screens, scrolls, and lacquers pulled from the museum's collection in this exhibition about natural and supernatural imagery in Japanese art. Heads up for the flamesames of hell, dragons, cranes, horse-headed demons, and other fantastical visions, both evil and sublime. Through July 25.
TACOMA ART MUSEUM, 1123 Pacific Ave, Tacoma, 253-627-1898.
The Art Guys Again and Again--See Pick Box.
Sue Coe--A retrospective of prints featuring works from 1979 to the present. Coe is renowned for her hard-hitting, propaganda-filled prints dealing with subjects of controversy and high emotion. Through July 18.
OPENING
GLORIA BORNSTEIN--A 30-year survey, curated by Vicki Halper, of an important Northwest artist. In the 1970s Bornstein began as a groundbreaking performance artist and evolved into one of the region's most visible sculptors and creators of public works. The exhibition incorporates emotionally charged installation pieces with sculpture, paintings, and prints. Bellevue Art Museum, 301 Bellevue Square, 425 454-3322. Sat April 24 through June 21.
CARLO MARIA MARIANI--An exhibition of paintings using neo-classical images to tackle contemporary dilemmas entitled The Mysterious Enchantment of Beauty. The Frye Art Museum, 704 Terry Ave, 622-9250. Fri April 23 through June 27.
DONA ANN McADAMS-- A photographic project focusing on a small farming community in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia consumed McAdams, and the result is a dignified view of the dwindling population of a rural community. Bellevue Art Museum, 301 Belle-vue Square, 425 454-3322. Sat April 24 through June 21.
RUTH SORENSEN--This little frame shop in Madison Valley has had a great run of shows this year, and this is no exception. Sorensen exhibits that she is an exceptional painter with a series of glowing oils featuring displaced figures in surreal landscapes. Baas Gallery, 2703 E Madison, 324-4742. Thurs April 22 through June 12.
WORLDS OF FANTASY: CHINESE SHADOW PUPPETS--Volunteer Park hosts more than 70 puppets from the 19th century. The majority of the exhibited works come from the collection of Theodore Bodde, who purchased the extraordinary objects while in Beijing in the 1930's. Chinese textiles with related themes will accompany. Seattle Asian Art Museum, 1400 E Prospect St, Volunteer Park, 654-3100. Opens Sat April 24.
CONTINUING EXHIBITS
SUSAN BENNERSTROM--New pastels by this wildly popular Northwest artist. Landscapes have dominated the previous work, but in Inhabited the focus is shifted inside with depictions of uninhabited interior settings. Davidson Gallery, 313 Occidental Ave S, 624-4588. Through May 1.
WARNER BLAKE--From a veteran Northwest artist, a new and highly personal installation dealing with the life and death of his father, entitled Reassembling Memories: Artworks Evolving from Inherited Objects. Blue Heron Gallery, 19704 Vashon Hwy, Vashon Island. Through April 30.
*BREAKING THE SURFACE--Collaborative works in mixed media by Lauren Atkinson and Donald Green. Large dress forms constructed of cane are covered with wax-impregnated materials, and stand quietly by blurry, disturbingly confrontational photos of staring figures. A simple and powerful show. LEAD Gallery, 1022 First Ave, 623-6240. Through April 30.
MARSHA BURNS--Another terrific collection of work by Burns, entitled Photographs from another place continued.... G. Gibson Gallery, 122 S Jackson St, 587-4033. Through May 15.
*DONNABELLE CASIS--In her second solo show with Howard House, Casis continues her exploration of the human body in paintings that are referential but expressionistically abstract. The work is captivating, with sensuous forms and a beautifully applied thick surface of vibrant oil paint. As difficult as it is to linger on the flameseshy, squishy, organ-like subjects, they provide the strength and mystery of the work. Howard House, 2017 Second Ave, 256-6399. Through April 25.
LAURIE CINOTTO--Some Facts in Nature is filled with familiar detritus collaged into oddly foreign sculptures that are encased in plastic. This sterile treatment ignites the complexities of "personal evidence" rather than the trappings of domestic sentimentality. SOIL, 310 First Ave S, 264-8016. Through May 1.
JAMES COOK--Highly textured and abstracted landscapes and seascapes painted in a grand scale. Eyre/Moore Gallery, 913 Western Ave, 624-5596. Through May 1.
*ROY DeFOREST--Bay Area artist DeForest has been one of the West Coast's most established and celebrated artists for the past 20 years. The work, loosely drawn figures and animals in comical brightly colored landscapes, is still fresh and energetic. Linda Hodges Gallery, 410 Occidental Ave S, 624-3034. Through May 1.
DEPICTION--A debut solo show by Canadian artist my name is scot. Yes, that's his name. The photo-based installation consists of illuminated boxes that require the viewer to stand closely and examine the eerie faces inside. Oculus Gallery, 163 S Jackson, 366-2108. Through May 1.
AMY DIED--Welcome back to one of Capitol Hill's primary exhibition spots for emerging artists. With new digs and a more professional look, R.M. presents large-scale, mixed-media works by Died. Robbie Mildred Gallery, 307 E Pike St, 325-5228. Through May 3.
EN PLEIN AIR--Landscapes by Michael Dailey, Nanci Erskine, Boyer Gonzales, Phillip Govedare, Juliana Heyne, Michael Howard, Ed Kamuda, Norman Lundin, and Spike Mafford. Francine Seders Gallery, 6701 Greenwood Ave N, 782-0355. Through May 2.
*FAMILY: FUTURE POSITIVE--Works by an internationally acclaimed bunch of photographers, stylists, and designers who have all contributed to the hip fashion and lifestyle magazine i-D. The exhibition deals with the "flamesuid" concept of family and includes photographs, projections, drawings, and running sheets. ARO.space, 925 E Pike St, 320-0424. Through April 25.
HEIDI FIECHTER--Manipulated photographs within mixed media works and installations. FotoCircle, 163 S Jackson, 2nd flamesr, 624-2645. Through May 1.
RICHARD GILKEY--Paintings from the 1950s by this veteran Northwest artist. Works by Mark Tobey accompany. Kurt Litke Gallery, 318 Second Ave S, 623-5082. Through May 22.
COLLEEN HAYWARD/MEGAN MURPHY--Hayward, a Cornish instructor, exhibits dark and rich abstract paintings with heavily worked, thickly layered surfaces. In contrast, Murphy's abstract work is light and ethereal, with layers of pigment and silver leaf. Esther Claypool Gallery, 617 Western Ave, 264-1586. Through May 1.
ERIN KEENOY--New paintings focused on the power and vulnerability of being female. Highly stylized and full of personal symbology and social commentary. Zeitgeist, 161 S Jackson, 583-0497. Through May 5.
DAVID KLEINER--Forceful brushstrokes and bold colors figure prominently in the paintings of this Seattle newcomer. The most fascinating series in the show features Kleiner's various interpretations of the famous 1950 Life magazine photo of the Abstract Expressionists posed for a formal portrait. Re-bar, 1114 Howell St, 233-9873. Through April 30.
MAYME KRATZ--Encased in resin, a difficult, laborious and toxic medium, is an entrancing, frozen organic scrapbook. Over 15 sculptures so pretty you could lick 'em. Elliott Brown, 619 N 35th St, #101A, 547-9740. Through May 1.
MADRONA ARTISTS--A group exhibition including the works of 26 artists living in the Madrona community, notably Trimpin, Roy McMakin, Tom Flood, and everyone's favorite spreader of good cheer, DeeDee Rainbow. Madrona Automatic, 1435 34th Ave, 329-7869. Through April 25.
GARY NISBET--Sensitive, decorative works in mixed media featuring domestic objects--flamesowers, bowls, vegetables, clothing.... Grover Thurston Gallery, 309 Occidental Ave S, 223-0816. Through May 1.
*BILL OWENS--Kucera gives over his entire gallery to almost 50 photographs from the artist's three main series of works from the 1970s, Suburbia, Our Kind of People and Working (I do it for the money). Owens challenged the idea of contemporary art photography--and garnered international attention with his straightforward approach to capturing average Americans on film and combining the images with quotes from the subjects. Greg Kucera Gallery, 212 Third Ave S, 624-0770. Through May 1. Reviewed this issue.
KEN PARKER--Large-scale monoprints of industrial containers. Inside the clearly defined edges of the vessels is a dense network of lines and splotches that indicate the age and corrosion of the object. Ballard Fetherston Gallery, 818 E Pike St, 322-9440. Through May 4.
ROCK STARS = ART STARS--A group show with musicians who are also photographers, filmmakers, graphic designers, and sculptors. Curated by Nicky Thomas of Mavis Piggot and Milky World owner De Kwok. Milky World Gallery, 111 Battery St, 374-0933. Through April 30.
JOAN STUART ROSS--The encaustic medium can either look rich and vibrant, or like a muddy mess. There's both going on in this work, but Ross manages to create a symbolic dialogue between clearly defined quilt-like segments, and for the most part rises above the inherent difficulty of the medium. Friesen Gallery, 1210 Second Ave, 628-9501. Through April 30.
SHINY HAPPY PEOPLE--This is the only gallery in the Northwest dedicated to the works of self-taught artists. This month Verna Weatherly, who began painting after praying to God and then feeling a white light engulf her body, shows bright acrylic paintings of divine heavenly creatures. Ralph Auf der Heide taught himself how to paint after retirement, and produces paintings on the reverse side of acrylic Plexiglas. Garde Rail, 312 First Ave S, #5, 623-3004. Through April 30.
TRES FLORES--Prints, drawings, and paintings by three of Mexico's leading female contemporary artists. Tule Gallery, 316 First Ave S, 748-9904. Through May 31.
EVENTS
An Evening of Film with Allan Sekula--Sekula, who is exhibiting an amazing body of photographs exploring ports around the world at the Henry Art Gallery, has chosen two feature films to present in conjunction with his show. Two French films, one lyrical, Les Hommes du Port and one gritty, Valparaiso deal with life in harbor towns. Sekula will be on hand to introduce and comment. The Henry Art Gallery, Thursday April 22, 7:30pm.
OPPORTUNITIES
Box Populi--1. ArtSpace will be handing out stamped, numbered boxes to Seattle residents to fill with whatever they want. 2. The boxes are given to participating artists on First Thursday to make art referencing or incorporate the contents of the boxes. 3. On Saturday June 26 the boxes are auctioned for a minimum of $50. 4. People buy the boxes and a great alternative space gets some support. For more information call 442-9365.
PHRESH--The Pacific Northwest Arts Council of the Seattle Art Museum announces the first biennial juried exhibition on the grounds of Bumbershoot titled PHRESH. The focus is on fresh talent featuring the region's best up and coming artists. Trevor Fairbrother, Deputy Director of Art is the juror. Call for a prospectus at 654-3119. Deadline for submission is June 7.
Washington State Lawyers for the Arts--Every second and fourth Monday from 6:30-8:30 pm, volunteer lawyers specializing in arts and entertainment law are available to answer questions. Artists may receive a private session for a suggested $15 donation. First-come, first-serve; arrive early. For information call the Arts Legal Clinic at 328-7053.
