Greenwood-Phinney takes a walk on artsy side

By Vera M. Chan-Pool
Editor

■ Local artist John Osgood created this snowman-in-progress for the event. He also designed the snowmen themselves, for which Dunn Lumber donated the wood and He Saw Her Paint’s Roger Brockway cut out. photo/Michele Persinger

LOCAL ART WALKS

FREMONT FIRST FRIDAYS
First Friday, 6-9 p.m.
www.fremontfirstfriday.com

GREENWOOD-PHINNEY ART UP/OPEN UP
Second Friday, 6-9 p.m.
www.greenwood-phinney.com/artwalk/art-up-greenwood-phinney

ROOSEVELT NEIGHBORHOOD ART WALK
Second Thursday, 6:30 p.m.
rooseveltneighborhoodseattle.org/bullmoose.aspx

UNIVERSITY DISTRICT ART WALK
Third Friday, 5-9 p.m.
www.udistrictchamber.org/ArtWalk

WALLINGFORD ART WALK
First Wednesday, 6-9 p.m. (May-October)
www.wallingfordartwalk.com

Greenwood-Phinney will join the ranks of several other North Seattle neighborhoods when it starts its own art walk on Dec. 12. Just in time for the holiday shopping season, at least 19 businesses, galleries and studios will open their doors from 6 to 9 p.m. for Art Up/Open Up.

While not all will display artwork, some will open the extra hours for customers to shop and enjoy.

"Some businesses don't lend themselves to displaying art," conceded Bherd Studio's Michele Persinger, a Greenwood-Phinney Chamber of Commerce volunteer. "But we'd like to see them stay open and offer some kind of special...and participate in any way they can."

Persinger helped to organize the new monthly event, recruiting many of the participants from the Phinney Neighborhood Association's annual juried art walk.

Some retailers and galleries aren't expected to participate every month, but on a bimonthly or quarterly basis, depending on its own established art rotation, she said.

This first art walk is also a benefit for the North Seattle Boys & Girls Club, located in the neighborhood. Local artists and Boys & Girls Club members will decorate 15 wooden snowmen for the Snowmen on Parade fund-raiser.

Each snowman will be displayed along Greenwood Avenue North the night of the art walk,

with sales proceeds from the snowmen going toward the purchase of Boys & Girls Club

memberships for youths unable to afford the annual fee.

"Between the galleries, studios, coffee shops and stores, [the art walk] is a natural fit for our neighborhood," Persinger said.

For more information, visit www.greenwood-phinney.com/artwalk/art-up-greenwood-phinney.

Seattle Real Estate News

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/realestatenews/archives/153703.asp

Mural fun

Courtesy Pb Elemental

Seattle's Pb Elemental Architecture commissioned artist John Osgood to paint a 30 foot by 14 foot mural on the side of its new live/work and loft residences in the Central District.

"We've fallen in love with John's work over the past few years. We had this blank canvas and felt he was the perfect artist for the project," Chris Pardo, Pb's co-founder and principal, said in a news release. "It would be pretty easy to give directions if you were hosting a party here."

"The mural is about communication," Osgood said. "If it makes a single person stop, form an opinion, or discuss it with someone else, it will have achieved its purpose."

Designed by Pb Elemental and built by LEAD development, the three lofts start in the mid $500,000s for a 1,500-square-foot unit. Contact Modern Dwelling Real Estate for details.

Posted by Aubrey Cohen at November 6, 2008 7:13 p.m.

“Spray It, Don’t Say It”

Published on August 13, 2008 in the Seattle Weekly

Kick-ass graffiti artist Greg Boudreau uses stencils and spray paint to create voluptuous Brigitte Bardot–esque female landscapes that run up to 40 by 40 feet. Imagine Boudreau approaching a kid tagging a stop sign to offer some pointers. And maybe a larger canvas. That’s essentially the approach Bherd Studios and the Greenwood-Phinney Chamber of Commerce are taking with their recently launched “Art Up” project, which aims to halt neighborhood graffiti by matching artists and teens to work on murals. It’ll be a couple of months before we can see the results. In the meantime, check out “Spray It, Don’t Say It” (through Sept. 5), which features French graffiti artist Jef Aerosol, a fixture in almost every major city in Europe. Also included are urban art pieces by locals Boudreau, John Osgood, and Asher. If Greenwood starts rocking a cityscape influenced by them, I demand Art Up’s next project be the store right outside my apartment window. That brick wall has got to go. Bherd Studios, 315 N.W. 85th St., Suite B, 234-8348, www.bherdstudios.com. Free. Noon–6 p.m. ERIKA HOBART
Wed., Aug. 13, noon, 2008

The Seattle PI and Seattle Weekly caught John Osgood, owner of Bherd Studios, in action at Georgetown's Artopia event on June 28, 2008. John had an interactive booth where he custom painted Converse canvas shoes. Then later on, throws up some spray on the graffiti trailer.

"Bomb" the Galleries - A Guide to Urban Art Galleries on the West Coast
from WorldWeb.com Travel Guide

With new galleries opening with the explicit purpose of displaying it, contemporary urban art is a visceral and exhilarating movement that can no longer be ignored. Vilified by some, and championed by others, the evolution of the art-form has a storied past. In its infantile stage the art was a method for neighborhood gangs to mark their territories. "Tagging", was soon taken up by street-artists and art-school students who enjoyed the notoriety and competition of seeing who could leave their mark in as many locations as possible. As the popularity of tagging grew, artists who wanted to stand out were forced to think big; both literally and figuratively. This led to a flurry of sophisticated pieces that covered everything from alleyways in Philadelphia, to subway cars in New York City.

By the 1980s, the sheer volume of urban artwork found on city streets led to a crack-down by municipal officials in large metropolitan areas. Ironically the crack-down strengthened the movement by sorting out true artists from petty vandals. Artists determined to express their creativity, continued their work, completely disregarding the potential legal pitfalls of their actions. Eventually, public officials around north America acknowledged the sociological merit of the art-form. Soon, cities began to sanction select walls for urban art use, and artists were free to express themselves without fear of persecution.

Today, the curiosity and appreciation of urban art from art-house circles and the pop-culture at large, has led to the opening of literally hundreds of galleries all over the world. This WorldWeb.com Travel Guide will highlight some of the most innovative and well-respected contemporary urban art galleries on the west coast of the United States.

BLVD
Opened in 2006, BLVD is the brainchild of a group of urban art enthusiasts that include the owners of Seattle bar's, the War Room and Viceroy Lounge. Nestled between the respected pop-surrealist gallery Roq La Rue, and hipster hangout Shorty's, this gallery has hosted installations by artists such as Justin Bua, Oliver Vernon and Damon Soule . Although, relatively new, BLVD has become a welcome addition to the Seattle art community, this may be due in no small part to the variety of collaborative projects it sponsors.

Bherd Studios
Influenced by Picasso-era cubism and urban design, this studio displays the work of artist in residence, John Osgood. Taking a cue from several pop-surrealist collectives Osgood populates the walls of Bherd with pieces big and small. This allows discerning art enthusiasts the chance to own a piece of his work regardless of their budget. Recently, this gallery has begun to host installations by guest artists.

Experience Music Project
Acknowledging its contribution to the rise and cultivation of Hip-Hop, the EMP's installation, Yes Yes Y'all: The First Decade of Hip-Hop features a special section on urban art. Contained in the exhibit are artifacts such as an original sketch-pad from urban art pioneer Lady Pink, as well as several examples of artwork found on New York City subway cars and block-party posters. This exhibit will be on display until May of 2008.

Street Level
Recently relocated, Street Level has featured some of the west coast's most innovative and inviting exhibits. Showcasing both local and international artists, past installations have included the wallpapering of the interior of the the gallery with posters and stickers from over 10 international street artists as well as a collaborative effort that led to the exterior of Street Level being completely engulfed by the work of several artists.

Fifty 24PDX
The Portland branch of the popular Upper Playground offshoot Fifty 24SF, this gallery features bimonthly displays of contemporary urban art's most exciting new talents. Past shows at this gallery have included work by icons such as Mear One, and the artist-collective, Faile. Fifty 24PDX also carries select Upper Playground apparel and is located close to the popular Portland cafe and lounge, Saucebox.

The Toy Room Gallery
Highlighting Punk and Skate culture's contribution to contemporary urban art, this gallery is situated just off of Broadway. Priding itself on providing a pretentious-free environment, the gallery is the perfect placefor novice art enthusiasts to begin their education. The Toy Room features monthly exhibits as well as commercial space selling a variety of art supplies such as spray-paints and caps.

A Bitchin' Space
Opened by local artist, Gale Hart, this gallery hosts the collaborative works of several of Portland's local talent. Several artists contribute to each piece on display at the gallery, which results in pieces full of depth and style. A Bitchin' Space only opens its doors on the second weekend of every month, and always with new collaborative pieces to view.

White Walls / The Shooting Gallery
Influenced by the pop-surrealist periodical Juxtapoz, Justin Giarla opened these conjoined galleries in order to exhibit the art he loves. The two galleries span approximately 4,000 sq ft and has exhibited works by local artists such as Jeremy Fish and Ogi. White Walls and the Shooting Gallery are located in the TenderNob district and is within walking distance to the hip-hop influenced, Element Lounge.

Fifty 24SF
The art gallery component of the Upper Playground urban boutique -housed two doors down- this galleryfeatures monthly exhibits from the world's most popular urban artists such as Shepard Fairey, Dalek and David Choe. Work on display at this gallery can be purchased on-site or at their website.

Receiver Gallery
Situated in San Francisco's Mission District beside the Blackthorn Tavern, this gallery has a large windowed front that creates an inviting setting for visitors to enjoy. The gallery has played host to artists such as Chris Pew and Nancy Chan. Receiver also carries artist apparel, and hosts a weekly podcast featuring music and news about the San Francisco art community.

The Lab 101 Gallery
Emphasizing group exhibits, this gallery can be found on Washington Boulevard. Group exhibits at 101 often contain the work of artists from a variety of mediums, which makes every visit to the gallery an eclectic one. Past contributors to this gallery include California native Sam Flores, and television personality Jason Lee.

New Image Art Gallery
Since 2000, the New Image Art Gallery has been showcasing a veritable who's who of contemporaryurban art. Past shows have included collaborative installations by the all-star trio of Faile, Swoon and David Ellis, the work of Brazilian trailblazer, Herbert Baglione and a special outdoor live-mural-painting event by Mear One.

ThinkSpace Gallery
Established in 2005, ThinkSpace has dove head-first into the contemporary urban art scene. Inside and out the space is covered with murals by artists such as Mear, Ekundayo and the London Police. ThinkSpace has been profiled multiple times in Juxtapoz magazine and Sour Harvest, an online periodical.

4. George Tapia; c/o New Image Art Gallery; The Burning House by David Ellis, Faile and Swoon - Opening Night Event; Los Angeles, CA, USA

5. George Tapia; c/o New Image Art Gallery; The Burning House by David Ellis, Faile and Swoon - Opening Night Event; Los Angeles, CA, USA

A&E Dispatch | New Greenwood-Phinney Art Walk starts Friday

“Spray It, Don’t Say It”

Published on August 13, 2008 in the Seattle Weekly