The Seattle Traveler

A current exhibit at the Frye Museum, Napoleon on the Nile, allows us a glimpse at the Middle East through the eyes of savants who traveled with Napoleon during his 1798 invasion of Egypt.
Writers, philosophers, geographers, map makers, and artists, all provided written details of the journey, along with glimpses into every day life.  These works are represented in this exhibit through a number of plates from the Description de l’Egypte (a compendium from the early 1800’s), Orientalist paintings, a selection of campaign letters and documents, and even some early political humor.
The exhibit was, at times, a little dry.  …read more

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December is a great month to take kids to the Tacoma Art Museum, AND it won’t put a dent in your holiday budget!
During the month of December, visitors 6 – 18 years of age get FREE admission to the Tacoma Art Museum.  Kids under 5 are always FREE. 
Brett Willis, president of the museum’s Board of Trustees said:  “Our Museum is a safe place where children and their families can come together to explore, think creatively, and build stronger connections, all through art.”
The museum’s permanent collection includes a rotating display of pieces of Northwest Art, Glass, Studio Art …read more

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As the holiday season approaches and we start thinking about spending more time with family and loved ones, it’s also a good time to reflect on those among us who are without shelter and food. 
This weekend. . .
. . . take some time to reflect on the disadvantaged here in Seattle with a review of Outsiders, a documentary photo exhibit by Seattle photographer David Entrikin.
This exhibit contains photos of the people living on the streets of Seattle and tries to bring the stories of the clients to life in a very visual way.  You’ll see portraits of the …read more

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The Seattle Art Museum recently unveiled some of Edward Hopper’s best known paintings in the exhibit, Edward Hopper’s Women, a collection of images of 1920’s women in New York.  The evocative images are set in New York City, showing the emerging women in routine, every day moments of life.
Hopper was an American realist painter, known best for his oil paintings.  His works consistent primarily of urban and rural scenes that depicted his personal vision of modern life.
This exhibit features Chop Suey, painted in 1929 and one of the early Hopper paintings of modern urban life, along with several etchings. …read more

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This weekend. . .
. . . get away from the city with a drive to the Columbia River Gorge, home of the Maryhill Museum where you can catch the final days of the Andy Warhol and Other Famous Faces exhibit.
The Maryhill Museum is a castle-like structure on a 6,000 acre site overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, and is home to a collection of art ranging from early 20th century European art to more current Native American art.  The setting also includes beautiful gardens and grounds.
Famous Faces features many of the diverse personalities that Warhol captured, and many of …read more

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With its new exhibit, Oasis: Western Dreams of the Ottoman Empire from the Dahesh Museum of Art, the Tacoma Art Museum features art reflective of the diverse culture of the former Ottoman Empire, and the art movement that became known as Orientalism. 
Orientalism art (example at right) is generally thought to include rich detail and lush colors depicting things based on fact, but often romanticized or combined with fantasy.  This works presented explore important historical and cultural aspects of this part of the world (Turkey, Greece, the middle East, and parts of North Africa) as developed through its art.
Early …read more

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If you’re looking for a special gift for a special someone, or maybe even for yourself, Crackerjack Contemporary Crafts has an impressive selection of gifts that are lovingly created by American Crafts Artists.
Open since 1986, Crackerjack chooses items for its shop that are unique and reflective of the artist.  You’ll find a selection of works from various medium, including jewelry, glass, ceramics, fabric, paper, and metal representing the works of over 200 local, regional, national and international artists.  I love finding items made by Seattle-area artists like the Bella Luz Luminettes or the Susanna Prince fused glass.
Located in Wallingford …read more

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After my trip to Italy earlier this year, I’ve kept an eye open for any events, exhibits, or news of the country that I fell in love with.  Earlier this spring, the Seattle Art Museum hosted a traveling exhibit of Roman Art from the Louvre. 
Now, it’s the Henry’s turn with Roman Holiday, a series of 19th and 20th century images of famous Roman spots, including the Forum, St Peter’s, and the Castel Sant’Angelo.  I had the opportunity to see many of these historic sites while I was in Rome, so am curious about these earlier photographs.
The exhibition runs …read more

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Combine a Labor Day Weekend getaway with a little Labor history with a trip to Portland to see the "Women in Agriculture" at the Oregon Historical Society Museum.
This exhibit of dramatic and poignant black-and-white photographs gives voice to the often overlooked American farm woman and her relationship to the land. 
Too diverse to uniformly categorize, these women were more than just a farmer’s wife.  They wrestled with issues of work, poverty, family, running a household, and community.  They shaped the farm in ways that shaped the future of the country with their focus on sustainable agriculture, bio-diversity and entrepreneurship.
These …read more

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Opening this weekend at the Tacoma Art Museum is the new exhibit, Illuminating the Word:  The Saint John’s Bible. 
This is the only handwritten and illuminated Bible commissioned in over 500 years — since the advent of the printing press, and was created in the tradition of medieval handwritten manuscripts.
The calligraphy was done with goose-feather quills writing on vellum sheets created from calf skin.  The painting was done with hand ground minerals and stones, and included silver, copper, and gold.  To the extent that it was possible, the Bible was created with material and processes that replicate the …read more

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