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Four artists present industrial maritime paintings in oil, watercolor and mixed media
November 10, 2009—February 5, 2010, at Port of Seattle headquarters, Pier 69. An online slide show of the exhibit is available here.
Why would four painters decide to paint the industrial waterfront—awe of massive machinery? Attraction to oxidation? Environmental awareness? Puget Sound is renowned for its natural beauty, prompting countless traditional landscape paintings. But these four artists find meaning in places known more for productivity and grime than postcard views—the colors and textures of tankers and bulk carriers, the grandeur of industrial structures, the complex interplay between the man-made and natural world. The exhibit at Port of Seattle headquarters illustrates the beauty found in wear and tear, rust, journey, maintenance and survival – objects that helped support generations of families who found their livelihoods on the working waterfront.
Catherine Gill, Melinda Hannigan, Robin Siegl and Suze Woolf show 39 paintings across a wide range of media, size, focal distance, color, all united by this common subject matter. The exhibit is on display at Pier 69 from November 10, 2009 to February 6, 2010. An opening reception takes place on November 10 from 5:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m. Paintings in the lobby are on view Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; viewing works in the building’s Conference Center is by invitation. Print this flyer and use it as your FREE admission to view this exhibit.
“…the artists of Purposeful Surfaces take on the industrial subject matter of the port primarily because of its striking visual qualities” says art commentator Gary Faigin. “In an urban landscape that is often chaotic, repetitive, garish, or banal, the working port offers the artist an environment with far more visual integrity. The movement of goods from land to sea has led to the development of a host of specialized structures and machinery whose straightforward lines and rugged materials delight the trained eye and reward the patient observer, as the present exhibition amply demonstrates.”
Catherine Gill has been exhibiting and teaching painting and printmaking in Seattle and internationally for 25 years. She is at work on a book for North Light Press. Her energies go into finding new ways to be creative in doing her artwork, teaching and marketing. Her work space is her studio in the Ballard area of Seattle.
Melinda Hannigan's inspiration comes from the working side of the maritime world — the colors and textures of tankers, containerships and rusty old bulk carriers. It's an environment she has known all her life. Hannigan's work has been featured in exhibits, in galleries and museums in both the United States and Europe, and is represented by Fetherston Gallery and SAM Gallery in Seattle. (Photo by Neil Lukas).
Robin Siegl has always made art, primarily drawing and painting in water-based media. Siegl is drawn both to the industrial waterfront and the landscape, especially along the Ballard Ship Canal that connects Puget Sound to Lake Washington.
Suze Woolf's goal is "to transport the viewer into the world of the painting and yet that viewer always remains aware of the artist's hand." (Photo by Howard Romero).