Art Etc. – 12/01/2010

1. Highlights
2. Visual Arts
3. Performing Arts
4. Film/Media
5. Written Arts
6. Art News/ Opportunites

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Highlights

• The Holiday Arts, Crafts & Book Fair returns to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church featuring book signings on Sat., Dec. 4 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. with authors Irene Akio, Kieby Larson, Lawrence Matsuda and Samantha Vamos. The fair goes on from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. with homemade sushi, traditional Japanese treats, ornaments, arts & crafts, kimono fabric clothing and more. Location at 1610 South King. Call (206) 323-5250 for details.
• Talented local singer/songwriter Rachel Wong has her debut CD out. CD release party is set for December 3 from 7:30 – 11 p.m. in the Benbow Room in West Seattle. Go to http://www/facebook.com/event.php?eid=163349240372145 for details.
• Noted local Olympic champion speed skater Apolo Ohno makes a special appearance at Elliott Bay Book company to sing copies of his memoir, “Zero Regrets: Be Greater Than Yesterday” (Atria) on December 2 at 8 p.m. Located at 1521 10^th Ave. Call (206) 624-6600. Go to www.elliottbaybook.com for details.
• “Tibet in Song” which won the Special Jury Prize for Documentary Film at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival created by director and former Tibetan political prisoner Ngawang Choephal opens for a one week run in Seattle at a Landmark Theatres theatre on Dec. 3. Go to www.tibetinsong.com for details.
• Internationally acclaimed cellist Yo Yo Ma returns to Seattle to perform Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich with Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall on Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Call (206) 215-4747 or visit www.seattlesymphony.org.
• “The Agony And The Ecstasy of Phil Spector” is a new documentary film by award-winning producer and director Vikram Ayanti. It’s a continuation of his series on larger-than-life people who are, in his own words “about something even bigger than themselves.” Spector has been hailed and defiled as a musical genius and creepy megalomaniac. His produced pop music masterpieces are performed by artists like the Ronettes, Ike & Tina Turner, The Righteous Brothers and the Beatles to name a few. A few years ago he was convicted of murder and is presently serving time in a California prison. Plays December 3 – 9 at Northwest Film Forum. Location at 1515 – 12^th Ave. Call (206) 329-2629 or go to www.nwfilmforum.org.
• As we move into winter do you find yourself craving more light? Then why not check out a group show entitled “Light” with lighted sculpture featuring Elaine Hanowell, HiiH Lights of Portland (courtesy of KOBO), June Sekiguchi and Kenzan Tsutakawa-Chinn. At Artxchange Gallery. Through Dec. 31 with many activities and workshops planned.  Location at 512 First Ave. S. Call (206) 839-0377 or visit www.artxchange.org.

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Visual Arts

• Award-winning former Seattle Times photographer Barry Wong had his piece, “Jasmine Tea and Black Teapot” exhibited in the Department of Commerce’s Diplomatic Room in Washington D.C. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke’s office. Wong’s “Japanese Yellow Plums” was also on display at Tea House Kuan Yin recently in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood. Go to www.teahousekuanyin.com for details.
• The work of photographer Carina del Rosario is included again in Photography Center Northwest’s Annual Book. The book launch party is set for December 3 from 6 – 8 p.m. Location at 900 12^th Ave. Go to www.pcnw.org for details.
• Woodside/Braseth Gallery presents “Reflection and Abstraction: George Tsutakawa Centennial and Gerard Tsutakawa New Sculpture” (see review this issue) on view through December 23. A rare opportunity to survey the life and art of educator, sculptor and painter George Tsutakawa (1910 – 1997) and also see the new work of his son in “Abstraction” by Gerard Tsutakawa. An additional group show entitled “George Tsutakawa And Friends” is also on view. Location at 2101 Ninth Ave. at Lenora in Seattle. Call (206) 622-7243 or go to www.woodsidebrasethgallery.com.
• Against the backdrop of the Great Depression, the U.S. government created the Public Works of Art Program – the first federal government program to support the arts nationally. From the Smithsonian American Art Museum comes a selection of the paintings made with the support from this program. “1934: A New Deal For Artists” is on view from through January 9, 2011. Whatcom Museum at the Lightcatcher. Location at 121 Prospect Street in Bellingham. Call (360) 778-8930 or visit www.whatcommuseum.org.
• “Waste Not” is a monumental installation that is a collaboration between the contemporary artist Song Dong and his mother. All of the everyday objects collected during her entire life are piled up within the frame of her house. Through January 16, 2011.  Vancouver Art Gallery. Location at 750 Hornby Street in Vancouver, B.C. Call (604) 662-4719.
• The work of Saya Moriyasu, Yuki Nakamura, Arun Sharma, Brendan Tang, Patti Warashina and others is included in “BAM Biennial 2010: Clay Throwdown”. This is Bellevue Arts Museum’s new juried exhibition competition where artists are asked to make work expressly for the show. Continues on view through January 16. Noted ceramic artist and UW Art Professor Akio Takamori was one of the judges. Location at 510 Bellevue Way N.E. Call (425) 519-0770.
• Hiih Lighting from Portland show their distinctive sculptural lighting from Nov. 6 through Dec. The 5^th Annual “KOBO Simple Cup Show” opens November 13 from 6 – 8 p.m. and stays on view till December 5.  KOBO Gallery at HIGO. Location at 604 South Jackson. Call (206) 381-3000 or www.koboseattle.com.
• “Trace Series” is a solo show of new work by Etsuko Ichikawa who uses the fire and smoke of molten glass as a paint brush. On view until the end of this year. At Tramel-Gagne in the Design Center located at 5701 – 6^th Avenue S. #105. Location at (206) 762-1511 or visit www.tgshowroom.com or call (206) 838-0377 or visit www.artxchange.org.
• “From Edo To Tacoma – Three Eras of Japanese Woodblock Prints: Edo, Meiji, and 20^th Century Works” remains on view through February 13, 2011. Tacoma Art Museum is at 1701 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma. Call (253) 272-4258 or www.tacomaartmuseum.org.
• The Burke Museum mounts their first major exhibition of their international textile collection showing work from the peoples of the Americas, Asia and the Pacific Islands in “Weaving Heritage: Textile Masterpieces From the Burke Collection”. Through February 27, 2012. Call (206) 543-5590 or go to www.washington.edu/burkemuseum.
• “Wang Huaiqing: A Painter’s Painter in Contemporary China” traces the artist’s development through 23 innovative works. Recognized as one of China’s leading contemporary artists for his ability to blur the line between abstract and naturalistic art. Nov. 18 – July 17. Seattle Asian Art Museum. Location at 1400 Prospect in Volunteer  Park. Call (206) 654-3100 or www.seattleartmuseum.org.
• “Order and Border” is an on-going exhibit on the third floor World Textiles Gallery at Seattle Art Museum downtown. The selection from SAM’s permanent collection puts stripes in the spotlight with Japanese bedcovers and undergarments, a meditation cloth from Laos, an African teacher’s disguise and items from many other global cultures. Call (206) 654-3121 or visit www.seattleartmuseum.org.
• “Born Into Identity: The Asian Pacific American Adoptee Experience” is the latest show to open at the “Wing.” 13 APA Adoptee artists and oral histories from community members explore the complexities of being an APA adoptee. “A Refugee’s Journey of Survival And Hope” is”. See life through the eyes of a refugee through personal stories, photographs and multimedia. Show continues on view till Dec. 12, 2010. “Sacred Seattle” is a new exhibit opening September 16 from 6 – 8pm. It traces spaces, places and paths where Asian Pacfic Americans both belong to and long for the sacred.   ”Home Revealed: Artists of the Chinatown-International District” remains on view till April 17, 2011. Dec. 2 is “First Thursday” and gives you a chance to experience the historic hotel tour at a discount (always free to members). 10am – 8pm. For details on all of the above, go to www.wingluke.org or call (206) 623-5124.
• Local artist MalPina Chan curates a show on book art entitled “The Art of the Book: Hand to Hand” through Jan. 9. Columbia City Gallery at 4864 Rainier Ave. S. (206) 760-9843 or go to www.columbiacitygallery.com.
• The work of Paul Horiuchi and George Tsutakawa is included in a group show entitled “Guy Anderson and other Friends – the Paul I. Gingrich, Jr. Collection” on view through Jan. 2 at the Museum of Northwest War. Location at 121 South First St. in La Connor, Wash. Call (360) 466-4446 or go to www.museumofnwart.org.
• Seattle-raised artist Roger Shimomura keeps busy with four one-man shows around the country. His latest, “An American Knockoff” at the Flomenhaft Gallery in New York City through December. Go to www.rshim.com for more information.
• In celebration of the 125^th Anniversary of the Kansas City Art Institute, the school presents “(Re)Form – Recent Work by graduates of the Kansas City Art Institute ceramics program” on view through Dec. 19. Noted local ceramics artist and UW Professor Akio Takamori went to KCAI and his work is included in this show. [email protected].
• “Skowhegan – A Residency Program for Emerging Visual Artists” presented by Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture annually affords artists the opportunity to work and workshop by internationally known artists in residency. Takes place June 11 – August 13, 2011. Apply online at www.skowheganart.org by Feb. 1, 2011.

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Performing Arts

• Seattle Theatre Group (STG) presents “Global Dance Party” (see preview article in this issue) on December 4 at 7:30 p.m. at the Moore Theatre downtown. The concert is an energetic evening of cultural and contemporary dance and live music from around the globe featuring young local performers. 1-877-784-4849.
• Hanz Araki & the Celtic Conspiracy perform in a Solstice Concert set for Dec. 11 at 8pm. Araki is the sixth generation in his family line to play the shakuhachi. Into this, he brings the music of Scotland and Ireland into his repertoire. Kirkland Performance Center at 350 Kirkland Ave. Call (425) 893-9900 or visit www.kpcenter.org.
• The Intiman Theatre presents a new adaptation of “The Scarlet Letter” written by Naomi Iizuka. Through Dec. 5. 201 Mercer St. Call (206) 269-1900 or go to [email protected].
• “The Wing” helps sponsor a “Chinatown/ID & Little Saigon Shop-O-Rama”. Shop, eat and get festive with neighborhood shops with artist workshops and a treasure hunt. Through Dec. 22 (every Th. & Sat.). Call (206) 623-5124 x203 or go to www.wingluke.org/marketplace.
• The Killerbees (with Bob Antolin on sax, flute and guitar) continue their weekly stand at Waid’s every Thursday at 8 p.m. $5 cover. Location at 1212 E. Jefferson. Call (206) 328-6483. They also have a new self-titled CD which will be available for purchase at the club.
• Portland State University Center for Japanese Studies will host the only West Coast performance by the prestigious Kashu-juku Noh Theater from Kyoto, Japan set for March 16, 2011. They will be performing one of the centerpieces of their repertoire entitled “Aoi no Ue (Lady Aoi) adapted from Lay Murasaki’s “The Tale of Genji”. For details, go to http://www.pdx.edu/cjs.
• Noted classical violinist Silu Fehas joined the Oregon Symphony after a decade of experience in Asia and the U.S. including the San Francisco Symphony. Go to www.orsymphony.org for details.

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Film/Media

• “Today’s Special” is a new film inspired by Aasif Mandvi’s Obie-Award winning play, “Sakina’s Restaurant”. When a young chef is bypassed for a promotion, he decides to go to Paris to study with a prominent chef only to see his plan derailed when he is forced to take over a fading neighborhood Indian restaurant owned by his estranged father. With little or no expertise in Indian cuisine, the young chef will need all the help he can get. Stars Harish Patel and Madhur Jaffrey. Opens for a one-week run on Nov. 19 at Harvard Exit Theatre. Location at 807 E. Roy. Call (206) 781-5755.
• “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes” screens Dec. 4 at 3 p.m. The film tells the true story of a young Japanese girl who develops leukemia from radiation caused by the bombing of Hiroshima. She tries to fold paper cranes in an effort to get well again. At the “Wing” located at 719 S. King. Call (206) 623-5124 or go to www.wingluke.org.
• Washington Lawyers for the Arts presents the first in a series of three workshops for filmmakers. Lance Rosen conducts a workshop entitled “Contract Issues for Filmmakers” on December 15 at noon. Held at Garvey Schubert Barer, Room #1800 at 1191 Second Ave. For details, call 1-800-838-3086.
• A new Chinese language film entitled “Bruce Lee, My Brother” will focus on memories of his siblings of his formative year growing up in Hong Kong. Hong newcomer Aarif Lee (no relation) was cast in the lead. Lee’s daughter and widow were not consulted. The film is based on memories from Lee’s younger brother and his two older sisters.
• Noted Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke, known for his realist films that depict the way Chinese youth and working class cope with China’s changing economy is taking a break from his usual serious subject matter to take on his first king-fu epic, “In the Qing Dynasty” set to began shooting early next spring.

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Written Arts

• The building of the Three Gorges Dam over the Yangtze River in China has led to the displacement of hundreds of people and the elimination of villages. Not surprisingly, it has also let to dramatic stories told through literature and film. Bay-area based journalist/writer Li Miao Lovett adds to the conversation with her debut novel entitled “In the Lap of the Gods” (Leapfrog Press) which tells that story through the eyes of her characters caught up in the upheaval of movement and loss. She reads December 2 at 7 p.m. at Town hall Seattle located at 1119 Eighth Ave. Go to www.townhallseattle.org. Co-presented by Elliott Bay Book Company.
• Local poet Larry Matsuda was interviewed recently on National Public Radio. His poetry book, “A Cold Wind From Idaho” (Black Lawrence Press) is sold out and going into a second printing. To access the radio broadcast, go to www. kuow.org/program.
• The Elliott Bay Book Company now situated in their cozy new digs on Capitol Hill hits the group running this fall with readings on almost every day of the week. All readings at Elliott Bay unless otherwise noted. React Theatre led by David Hsieh will present a series of holiday story time hours for kids. Go to the Castle in the Children’s section to hear the stories with your kids. Dec. 4, 7,11, 14, 18 & 21 all beginning at 11:30 a.m. Historian James Bradley reads from “The Imperial Cruise: A Secret History of Empire And War” (Back Bay Books) in which he details President Theodore Roosevelt’s 1905 diplomatic mission in which plans were laid with other Western powers over the division of Asia, the results which eventually led to WW II. December 10 at 7 p.m. Please see www.elliottbaybook.com for more details.
• Noted Portland-based children’s author Allen Say has a new book out entitled “The Boy in the Garden” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).  He was honored with a retrospective exhibition of his work at the Japanese American National Museum a few years back.
• The Gardner Center for Asian Art & Ideas present “Saturday University-Sacred Sites of Asia”, a series of talks set for Saturdays through November 15 and January 15 – 22. 9:30 – 11 a.m. at Seattle Asian Art Museum in Volunteer Park. Call (206) 442-8480 or visit seattleartmuseum.org/gardnercenter for more details.

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Art News/ Opportunites

• The Japan-U.S. Friendship Commission works with the National Endowment for the Arts to sponsor the U.S./Japan Creative Artists Program. Up to five outstanding contemporary and traditional artists from the U.S. from various genres can spend a three-month residency in Japan to pursue their individual and artistic goals. A month stipend and money for transportation and language lesions is provided. Deadline is Feb. 1, 2011. Go to http://www.jusfc.gov/creativeartists.asp for details.
• The Ethnic Art Gallery was established by a coalition of City of Seattle employees to showcase emerging and established artists of color. For general questions, go to [email protected]. Asian & Pacific Islander artists can call (206) 386-0043 or email [email protected].
• Poets and Writers offer matching grants up to $300 to pay writers who are speaking as part of literary programming. To download details, go to http://www.pw.org/funding.
• The idea for a collective art gallery in Seattle’s Chinatown/International District neighborhood is in the planning stages. Plans call for a gallery space that will showcase visual art by new & emerging artists of color. If you want more information or want to attend a meeting, e-mail Carina at [email protected] or log on to www.flickr.com/photos/cadelrosario.
• Artist Trust is accepting nominations for the Irving and Yvonne Twining Humber Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement to a Washington state female artist, age 60 or over. Deadline is December 15, 2010. Go to www.artisttrust.org for details.
• ARTerra offers residencies for creation and development of artistic work in Portugal. Deadline is Nov. 20, 2010. Go to http://bit.ly/akBw0m.
• Artistic Residencies at the Contemporary Artists Center in Troy, New York will focus on emerging contemporary artists and accepts applicants who offer quality in their art. Deadline is Dec. 1, 2011. Go to www.cactroy.org.
• NEA’s Literary Fellowships: Translation Projects supports projects for the translation of specific works of prose, poetry or drama from other languages into English. Deadline is Jan. 6, 2011. Go to http://bit.ly/cNrQPC for details.
• Calyx, A Journal of Art and Literature by Women seeks submissions. Deadline is Dec. 31, 2010. Go to www.calyxpress.org/submission for details.
• Artworks on or of paper are wanted for an exhibit in Budapest. Work must fit into a 9 x 12 envelope. Deadline is Jan. 30, 2011. Go to http://bit.ly/9xzKAS for details.