Art Chowder March | April 2018, Issue 14 | Page 26

A
fter you finish gawking at the
fabulous surface on the new building,
you will be intrigued by the new
exhibitions. Ryan Hardesty, interim
chief curator, said, “For the inaugural
exhibition slate we selected three of the
region’s most prominent and respected
contemporary artists—Jeffry Mitchell,
Marie Watt, and Trimpin—all of whom
have demonstrated dedication to their
craft and their communities. They have
over 100 years of combined work in the
Northwest. Our institution is committed
to supporting living artists, often of the
Northwest, in reaching their artistic
goals while producing forward-thinking
works. In all three instances, the artists
were offered generous commissions to
produce original and ambitious pieces
for the grand opening of the museum;
they have all risen to the occasion,
exceeding our expectations, and we
couldn’t be more excited to share their
accomplishments. 
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ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE
“In selecting Jeffry, Marie, and Trimpin
we recognized shared commonalities
which aligned with our own—their
works, although vastly varied from
one another, all exhibit an openness
and inclusivity that is engaging and
heartfelt. These artists are intentionally
engaged with community interactions
in meaningful ways that are appealing
to us at this moment. Trimpin’s sound
sculpture will literally put the visitor
at the center of the action; the visitor’s
movement in the gallery influences the
behavior of his interactive installation.
Marie and Jeffry’s works are often built
in participation, or with, communities
in mind: Marie utilizes practices such
as communal sewing bees and story
building, whereas Jeffry’s whole project
could be characterized as an invitation
for acceptance and companionship.
We’re building a community ourselves
and these artists set the perfect tone as
our doors open,” adds Hardesty.