To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Charlie Barr has been a consistent gallery artist with us for the past 6 years and we are pleased to again offer his newest work.
"My Thailand" is a fresh series of new paintings that reflect Barr's love of Thailand and its natural and often unnatural beauty.
Beautifully crafted acrylic and cement on board, Barr captures a busy country with reflections of an ancient past striving to become modern in a competitive world while maintaining the romance of scented landscapes and natural beauty.
His "neo-fresco" style of painting shares his remembrances of a lush and tropical Thailand as effortlessly as his Northwest scenes capture the serene splendor of our Cascades.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Every December we review our artist's works from the past year and offer a few new ones to finish off the year. Please come out and revisit your favorite artist or view a new one that you might have missed in 2011. Happy Holidays! - Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery
Jane Aukshunas
Jane Aukshunas will be in attendance
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to again exhibit the beautifully colored landscapes of Willamette Valley painter, Jane Aukshunas.
Going out to paint in different seasons to capture the changing colors of the year, Jane Aukshunas tunes in to the mysterious power of the natural world and translates what she sees and feels into the essential elements, shapes, and colors that are the crux of her imagery. Searching out the Pacific Northwest's most beautiful places, she paints the crimson clover fields of spring, summer's flowing rows of lavender, golden autumn vineyards, mauve berry fields in winter, and throughout the year, she is always searching for just the right hillsides to capture the stretching shadows cast by the late afternoon sun. Over the years, she has also traveled to Italy and Hawaii to paint some of the world's most beautiful landscapes. With a lifelong interest in textiles, it follows that her imagery is influenced by design patterns more commonly found in fabrics.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
See new works by Dan Larsen as he expands his "puzzle" format in new designs and color palettes.
Also displayed and for sale are Autographed "Guitart" paintings by Dan Larsen and YADO in which a portion of the proceeds go toward the casting costs of the life sized Hendrix/O'Day Northwest Music Monument scheduled for placement at the Seattle Center, summer 2012. Enjoy some of the Northwest's Rock Royalty autographs on these colorful and creative mixed media paintings.
Also on display is a new bronze sculpture, "Endless Celebration" by Gesso Cocteau. Those that have been to Bellevue in the past will recognize this as the maquette for the 51 foot tall bronze (the largest in the USA) "Endless Celebration" that sits in front of Bellevue Place and just adjacent to Bellevue Square.
The large "Endless Celebration" was commissioned by developer and property owner Kemper Freeman Jr. for this specific location just outside our gallery doors. The maquette is available to collectors in an edition size of 75 and sells for $3,800.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to introduce the new works by Northwest Painter Don Tiller. Staying true to our gallery's direction of playful and whimsical work, Tiller is a natural participant.
Residing on the Olympic Peninsula, Tiller is intrigued with the imprint left on the landscape when touched by mankind. With bold colors and simple shapes, he has given this new group of paintings his interpretation of man's attempt to initiate order in nature. Natural chaos provides interest balanced with geometric repetition.
This recent body of work "Sculptured Landscapes" are primarily composed of interesting shapes and bold colors with fields and mountains flowing rhythmically in sculptured contours. These paintings are snippets of warped remembrances allowing you a glimpse of the things he has seen and the places he has been. When someone quips "I think I've been there" or "I know where that is" he knows the connection between creator and viewer has been made.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
Also displayed and for sale are Autographed "Guitart" paintings by Dan Larsen and YADO in which a portion of the proceeds go toward the casting costs of the life sized Hendrix/O'Day Northwest Music Monument scheduled for placement at the Seattle Center, summer 2012. Enjoy some of the Northwest's Rock Royalty autographs on these colorful and creative mixed media paintings.
Also on display is a new bronze sculpture, "Endless Celebration" by Gesso Cocteau. Those that have been to Bellevue in the past will recognize this as the maquette for the 51 foot tall bronze (the largest in the USA) "Endless Celebration" that sits in front of Bellevue Place and just adjacent to Bellevue Square.
The large "Endless Celebration" was commissioned by developer and property owner Kemper Freeman Jr. for this specific location just outside our gallery doors. The maquette is available to collectors in an edition size of 75 and sells for $3,800.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer the newest works by Northwest Abstract painter, Dan Larsen.
Larsen's current paintings have an emotional power and raw primal organic appeal. Larsen's work jolts the senses with an intensely detailed explosion of infinite shapes and riotous color. Each work emanates its own unique upbeat mood and personality, imparting the sensation of playful emotion being conveyed directly and not merely being seen with the eyes.
"Puzzled by Nature" are a new and sophisticated group of paintings that combine a luscious balance of abstract and organic qualities that have become the signature of Dan Larsen's work.
One art enthusiast was heard to exclaim, "These paintings make Jackson Pollock look tired." However, when seeing one of his paintings for the first time, most viewers are compelled to simply blurt out "Wow!"
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists. Also displayed and for sale are Autographed "Guitart" paintings by Dan Larsen and YADO in which proceeds go towards the casting costs of the life sized Hendrix/O'Day Northwest Music Monument scheduled for placement at the Seattle Center, summer 2012. Enjoy some of the Northwest's Rock Royalty autographs on these colorful and creative mixed media paintings.
Hot August Nights - Carrie Vielle and Ken Wachtveitl
August 10, 2011
- September 11, 2011
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
"Hot August Nights" brings erotic and sensuous nudes to the gallery by two talented figurative artists from the Northwest.
Carrie Vielle makes her home on the curvaceous landscape of the Palouse in eastern Washington. Her works on canvas are a beautiful combination of traditional figurative elements and a contemporary application of mixed media. Gentle curves and a fluid execution lead the eye across the soft curves of the female form just as your eye would wander with ease across the rolling hills of the sun kissed Palouse. Lyrical and storied, Vielle combines a variety of prose and music by collage to her canvases which offer a variety of emotions from sensuous moments to free expression.
Living on the western slope of the Cascades in the damp shadow of western Washington clouds and evergreens, Ken Wachtveitl approaches his figurative works from a completely different perspective than Vielle does. His palette of earth tones and mossy green lichen vary from each "canvas" he uses. Using a prehistoric piece of flat, yet irregular slate, Wachtveitl lets the stone guide him as he painstakingly uses the stippling process of thousands of dots of ink on the surface to create the soft curves of the female figure against an organic background. Weathered stone releasing gentle curves and sensuous poses that seem so incongruous until you actually see it before you.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists. Also displayed and for sale are Autographed "Guitart" paintings by Dan Larsen and YADO in which proceeds go towards the casting costs of the life sized Hendrix/O'Day Northwest Music Monument scheduled for placement at the Seattle Center, summer 2012. Enjoy some of the Northwest's Rock Royalty autographs on these colorful and creative mixed media paintings.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
This July we are pleased to offer a special exhibit of Contemporary Asian works. Paintings and prints by Japanese Master, Toko Shinoda, Mikio Tagusari, Yoko Hara, Shinichi Nakazawa, Shigeki Kuroda and Le Thiet Cuong.
Contemporary Asian works have taken a wide and diverse departure from the the long history of Asian traditional art with such masters like Toko Shinoda and her trailblazing accomplishments being hailed as analogous to Picasso's.
While influenced by the western world, Asian Contemporary Art has blossomed into a variety of directions all the while creating it's own identity and style.
This exhibit will allow you to visit a variety of contemporary styles and mediums for contrasts and comparisons from a few different Asian cultures.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
Music Matters Monument - Jimi Hendrix and Pat O'Day
June 17, 2011
- June 18, 2001
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Music Matters Monument Project
Jimi Hendrix and Pat O'Day
VIP and Media Kick-off Celebration at the
Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery
On the Courtyard of the Bellevue Hyatt
Friday June 17th, 2011 at 6 pm to 9 pm.
Please join us for a special presentation, celebration and unveiling of the miniature clay maquett of Jimi Hendrix and Pat O'Day. The maquett depicts a moment in 1968 at Garfield High School when the two shook hands before speaking to students about the importance of education, dreaming big, and what music had meant to both of them.
This is the first private viewing of what will become a life-size bronze monument, that will become a new landmark and permanent part of the public art landscape in Seattle.
The image of the two northwest music men will be a continuous reminder of the role that music education plays in the lives of our children and young artists.
This monument will not only pay tribute to these two men, but serve as a reminder of the difference that Music Aid Northwest and Music Matters makes for student musicians by providing funding, programs, instruments and instruction for young artists.
The evening's events include Special guest presentations, several unique music inspired and paintings with autographed guitars and 10 new works of art by guest artist YADO that will be a part of an exciting silent auction to support Music Aid Northwest as well as The Monument Project. Bring your Checkbooks!
In addition, a new collection of paintings by Lee Oskar from the band "War" will be on display and for sale with a portion of the proceeds going to Music Aid Northwest. A portion of the proceeds from art sales (excluding bronze sculpture) during this special event will be donated to Music Aid Northwest by the Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Simple forms are consistent in all of Ellsworth's artwork where she enjoys working in series offering relationships, discovery and contrasts. She creates visual situations from everyday experiences and observations.
"Although I begin with a clear idea of what I am trying to achieve the paintings actually emerge from what I already know and what I learn along the way. Each new series directs the path I take and the journey is welcomed. "
Jaime Ellsworth's paintings are often built of many thin layers of oil bar starting with a limited palette of bold colors on large canvases or wood panels. Subsequent layers allow the under paint to peek through and transparent glazes give the final surface a subtle tint.
With each work, she invites the viewer to first look at the simplicity of the image and then beyond, opening the door to the imagination.
The Black Dog Story
By Jaime Ellsworth
This is the story of Pagau and his paintings. Pagau was born in China and was rescued as a tiny puppy by my daughter who was teaching in a poor, rural area of Hunan Province. To spare his life, she purchased him for several Yuan or two American dollars and found herself the owner of a puppy in an area with no veterinarians, pet shops or even pet food for hundreds of miles. After many suggestions, her students named him Pagau which means black dog in Mandarin Chinese. She raised him on pork, vegetables and rice and a few care packages from family.
Over the next few months it became apparent that getting him home to the US would not be easy but Nicky took on the challenge and after traveling hundreds of miles and zigzagging all around China for official papers to be stamped, Pagau and Nicky finally made it to Beijing for his final agricultural inspection with just hours to spare before their flight home. After 60 hours of traveling on buses, trains, airplanes, taxis and finally a ferry to the San Juan Islands in Washington State, he arrived home at last with his head held high and tail wagging and was then just five months old.
He happily settled into his new home and it wasn't long before we noticed he was growing up to look exactly like an imaginary dog I had been painting for about a year. I began to observe and paint Pagau's moments of contemplation and his story now unfolds visually through his discoveries. There are now over sixty paintings in the series and I donate many to animal welfare organizations for fund raising events in hopes that our good fortune can be shared by others as well.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
Arlon Rosenoff - Impressions of the Northwest and Beyond
May 11, 2011
- June 5, 2011
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Roenoff's first memories as a young child are memories of drawing. His parents had grown up as farmers and ranchers in Colorado and Wyoming and he spent younger days exploring family farms and the outdoors, capturing places and objects of affection in drawings and paintings that were part of his daily life.
"Everywhere I look, I see a painting. I have a great appreciation for the light, texture, and geometry that occur in nature and in life. All places, people, and things have inherent beauty. A rustic old truck, desolate place, or busy main street can emit peace, beauty, and a sense of place. Capturing the light, texture, and geometry of everyday life is my artistic ambition".
Rosenoff paints with a palette knife because it gives him the opportunity to interact with paint in a very tactile, expressionistic way, thick and luscious with a buttery texture. Each viewer of his art is able to gain a strong sense of his physical interaction with the paint, with every stroke and manipulation visible forever. The surfaces of his paintings are very telling, sometimes resembling a mosaic of palette knife strokes. Never muddy, but clean and color conscious.
As an artist, Rosenoff is inspired by prominent contemporary Italian masters Marco Sassone and Nicola Simbari, and more recently master oil painters Gregory Packard and Louisa McElwain.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Held over for the pure fact that we just didn't sell enough of the Best Charlie Barr work to date. If you haven't had a chance to make it out to see Barr's new mixed media paintings on board of familiar Northwest Landscapes, please come by before the beginning of May.
Charlie Barr is a Northwest landscape artist working with a unique mixed media blend of acrylic and cement on panel. These contemporary landscape paintings are meant to set a mood or evoke emotion and often leave the viewer with a sense of remembrance and stimulated senses.
Barr's goal is to create paintings ranging from representational to abstract with a focus on color, contrast, and balance. He doesn't want the quality of the painting to diminish whether viewed from ten feet or eight inches and believes it is crucial to use texture and creative brush techniques to hold a viewers attention up close and have a strong composition to hold the viewers interest at a greater distance. Every inch of the painted surface has movement without sacrificing the overall composition.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Charlie Barr is a Northwest landscape artist working with a unique mixed media blend of acrylic and cement on panel. These contemporary landscape paintings are meant to set a mood or evoke emotion and often leave the viewer with a sense of remembrance and stimulated senses.
Barr's goal is to create paintings ranging from representational to abstract with a focus on color, contrast, and balance. He doesn't want the quality of the painting to diminish whether viewed from ten feet or eight inches and believes it is crucial to use texture and creative brush techniques to hold a viewers attention up close and have a strong composition to hold the viewers interest at a greater distance. Every inch of the painted surface has movement without sacrificing the overall composition.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists. We have added six beautiful Alvar images that have proven the test of time and popularity.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer an international experience with our February Exhibit "East visits West".
Our February exhibit will offer a rare and exceptional opportunity to view the paintings by two well known Chinese professional painters from the Guan Shanyue Art Museum of Shenzhen China.
Chen Xiangbo and Wen Zhenfei both have over 20 years experience as museum quality painters in China and will be in attendance for our opening on Wednesday February 9th.
Even though these are museum quality paintings, all artwork will be for sale.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists. We have held over several of Ken Grants light and shadow filled interiors as well as a small selection of his figurative works.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer new paintings by Oregon artist Ken Grant.
This year's exhibit is relates to shadows and light as they play off interior corners, chair legs and tables. There is also a rare selection of figurative paintings that add another dimension to this artist's superb talent.
Ken Grant has lived in Oregon all his life, born in Klamath Falls in 1938. He grew up in Portland, and from 1956 to 1962 studied at the Advertising Art School ( where during his last three years taught drawing and anatomy). From 1969 to 1970 he further honed his skills in drawing and sculpture at the Museum Art School (now Pacific Northwest College of Art).
In 1958 he began a long career in retail store window and interior display, first for Bedell's Department Store until 1964, then for Nordstrom where he was Director of Display and Interior Design of the three Portland area stores. Leaving Nordstrom in 1967 he began a successful business as a freelance display artist and retail store designer. From 1968 to 1970 he also taught visual merchandising at the Bassist Fashion Institute.
During the summer of 1960 he and a friend from art school opened an art gallery in Cannon Beach, Oregon. Having fallen in love with the Oregon coast, in 1972 he moved with his wife and two sons back to Cannon Beach to spend more time on his art and built a permanent home and studio there. As this small town was now becoming known as an artist enclave, Grant's drawings and sculpture were being exhibited in several galleries in Cannon Beach and Portland.
In 1975 he and several other local artists founded the Winter Gallery in Portland to have an outlet for their work in the coast's off season. In 1976, one of his drawings "Life Size Self Portrait Paper Doll" was the feature piece in the "Works on Paper" exhibit at the Portland Art Museum and in 1982 a book of his drawings, "The Nude" was published.
Along the way he has done numerous Illustrations for books, magazines, greeting cards and advertisements. In 1982 he moved to Milwaukie, Oregon in the Portland area, where he increasingly concentrated on painting. By 1994 he had become an artist full time.
Modern Masters - Chagall Miro Picasso Dali Renoir - On Going Exhibit
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Being a curator for an installation and being an art dealer assembling an exhibit are two different beasts.
A curator even in the most nominal position is an expert as a subject specialist in whatever is being presented where historical significance and intellect are generally evident.
As an art dealer assembling an exhibit the path is much wider and more forgiving from a critical perspective where the outcome is collector based and sales are a key ingredient. However, there is on occasion a crossover of intellect and presentation from a gallery exhibit to that of a museum.
The term Modern Masters is fairly expansive and includes artists over the past 100 years from 1900 - 2000. Revolutionary art movements such as Surrealism, Cubism, Expressionism, Abstraction and Pop were the most expansive movements in art history to ever take place during a relatively short period of time.
Pablo Picasso's genius and influence in art history was the critical birth of these artistic movements by pushing the limits of painting away from the belief that art was meant to preserve old traditions and not create new ones. Whether he was globally responsible for such a departure in painting or the time was just serendipitous with other painters making the same leap at that period is still left to debate, but the art world would never be the same after 1900 and Picasso's emergence as a Modern Master.
Names such as Picasso, Chagall, Miro and Dali are the linked most commonly to the term Modern Masters and while there are many other important and critically acclaimed artists spanning the past hundred years, these are the most significant and commonly known.
In creating an exhibit of this kind, it isn't as easy as meeting with an artist in representation and discussing the next exhibit's direction. Modern Master works are not readily available, they're rare, not available from one source and often expensive which can create a variety of challenges when assembling an exhibit with such variables.
Over the past 25 years as an art dealer, I have had the pleasure of selling a variety of works including Picasso, Chagall, Miro and Dali and wanted to assemble a small collection by these important artists for sale in our new Bellevue location.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Our annual Holiday Exhibit introduces new work by Arlon Rosenoff, Pat Tolle, Holly Ballard, Brad Caplis, Bob Allan and rare unseen works by Ray Pelley.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Why? That's the usual question. Why do these paintings. The answer is usually pretty complicated, but I had several reasons. Here are a few:
Artistic influences. The pop artists Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstien and Jasper Johns all had an influence on these pieces. Of course, most of the pop art everyone is familiar with is far more graphic than my style, but they deal with similar popular imagery. Warhol used products (Campbell soup, Brillo Soap Pads, etc.) in his imagery. I've chosen popular products for these images. Johns chose beer as an icon of his times. I've chosen wine. And Lichtenstein used the media to relay his message. I've chosen the pervasive media imagery of popular advertising to reflect on our culture.
But obviously not in the graphic style of the pop artists.
I was also influenced by the photorealists, such as Richard Estes and Chuck Close. I enjoyed Estes for his mundane yet brilliant approach. His paintings of reflections in glass were superb. Close approached his work through portraiture. I think my work has a similar feel. Even though it is similar to a still life, it has elements of portraiture within the composition.
In my earlier paintings I have been influenced by the surrealists, such as Salvador Dali, Paul Klee, and Joan Miro. Much of my earlier work dealt with the use of symbols and symbolism as artistic expression. Wine is resplendent with symbolism. Red wine in particular has spiritual, sexual, bacchanal, celebratory and other symbolic meanings. Just as wine itself is deep and complex, wine symbolism is deep and varied, and appealing to the artist as a nonverbal communicative device.
These artistic influences are in the work and they lead me to define my work as a kind of Pop Realism.
I also chose these images because they reminded me of many varied and pleasurable experiences in which wine has played an important part: Shared times with friends, celebrations and anniversaries, vacations and events that I have experienced. Many of these occasions have been accompanied by the pleasure of the grape.
Additionally, I enjoy a glass of wine and I enjoy painting. What better than to combine these two pleasures. So - with wine in hand, a toast to wine, and its influence on our lives and culture. Cheers!
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Why? That’s the usual question. Why do these paintings. The answer is usually pretty complicated, but I had several reasons. Here are a few:
Artistic influences. The pop artists Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstien and Jasper Johns all had an influence on these pieces. Of course, most of the pop art everyone is familiar with is far more graphic than my style, but they deal with similar popular imagery. Warhol used products (Campbell soup, Brillo Soap Pads, etc.) in his imagery. I’ve chosen popular products for these images. Johns chose beer as an icon of his times. I’ve chosen wine. And Lichtenstein used the media to relay his message. I’ve chosen the pervasive media imagery of popular advertising to reflect on our culture.
But obviously not in the graphic style of the pop artists.
I was also influenced by the photorealists, such as Richard Estes and Chuck Close. I enjoyed Estes for his mundane yet brilliant approach. His paintings of reflections in glass were superb. Close approached his work through portraiture. I think my work has a similar feel. Even though it is similar to a still life, it has elements of portraiture within the composition.
In my earlier paintings I have been influenced by the surrealists, such as Salvador Dali, Paul Klee, and Joan Miro. Much of my earlier work dealt with the use of symbols and symbolism as artistic expression. Wine is resplendent with symbolism. Red wine in particular has spiritual, sexual, bacchanal, celebratory and other symbolic meanings. Just as wine itself is deep and complex, wine symbolism is deep and varied, and appealing to the artist as a nonverbal communicative device.
These artistic influences are in the work and they lead me to define my work as a kind of Pop Realism.
I also chose these images because they reminded me of many varied and pleasurable experiences in which wine has played an important part: Shared times with friends, celebrations and anniversaries, vacations and events that I have experienced. Many of these occasions have been accompanied by the pleasure of the grape.
Additionally, I enjoy a glass of wine and I enjoy painting. What better than to combine these two pleasures. So - with wine in hand, a toast to wine, and its influence on our lives and culture. Cheers!
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to exhibit the new works by Northwest Painter Don Tiller. Staying true to our gallery's direction of playful and whimsical work, Tiller is a natural participant.
Residing on the Olympic Peninsula, Tiller is intrigued with the imprint left on the landscape when touched by mankind. With bold colors and simple shapes, he has given this new group of paintings his interpretation of man's attempt to initiate order in nature. Natural chaos provides interest balanced with geometric repetition.
This recent body of work is primarily composed of interesting shapes and bold colors as one travels the rolling hills of a rural landscape. The paintings are snippets of warped remembrances allowing you a glimpse of the things he has seen and the places he has been. When someone quips "I think I've been there" or "I know where that is" he knows the connection between creator and viewer has been made.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
We are pleased to exhibit new watercolors by well known Washington artist, Mike Smith.
Mike Smith was born in 1942 in Portland, Oregon, and spent his childhood growing up in S.W. Washington, and the Puget Sound area. He now resides in a small community located on the shores of the Columbia River.
He graduated from the University of Portland with a degree in English Literature. Smith began drawing and sculpting at the age of two, after an interlude of baseball, he became a serious full-time artist at the age of twenty-five. He supported himself doing graphic design and other commercial art endeavors while pursuing his fine art career.
He has tried to abandon any "school" of painting and uses an autobiographical approach. His subjects are mostly found in his backyard or around the neighborhood in which he lives. His dogs, the cat, his rowboat, and ducks in his pond, are all included in the bright watercolors of his paintings. He also sculpts in bronze, paints in oils and does silk screen prints.
Smith says, "People always want to know the meaning of my work and where I get my ideas from. My work is simply about the people and places and animals I love. Images, unlike the written word, do not dictate to you. After twenty-five years of painting almost every day, it has become my world." It is fun-filled, colorful, and full of life.
Over the years, Smith has had more than 50 one-man shows. One of the most interesting was a double show in Leipzig, Germany - in a gallery at the American Consulate. The media he uses includes watercolor, pastel, bronze (cast and fabricated), oil, ceramic, wood, and several printmaking techniques.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists. Please join us in welcoming Florida artist, Doug Bloodworth to the gallery. Bloodworth has a quirky sense of humor and a steady hand as he creates colorful photo-real paintings of candy, comics and everyday things.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to exhibit new pastels by Atlanta artist Bob Ichter
R. John Ichter is an award-winning artist residing in Atlanta Georgia who is quickly captivating the art scene wherever his work is shown. Also known as "Bob" to his friends, Ichter's romantic pastels are richly colored and hand-rubbed onto lushly textured black suede archival board. The strengths of Ichter's pastels include vibrant, saturated colors and strong compositions. According to Ichter, each piece is designed to evoke a certain time of day and to transport the viewer to another place.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists. Please join us in welcoming Florida artist, Doug Bloodworth to the gallery. Bloodworth has a quirky sense of humor and a steady hand as he creates colorful photo-real paintings of candy, comics and everyday things.
Jaime Ellsworth
Jaime Ellsworth will be in attendance
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer new paintings by Friday Harbor artist Jaime Ellsworth.
Simple forms are consistent in all her artwork and she enjoys working in series offering relationships, discovery and contrasts. She creates visual situations from everyday experiences and observations. One of those situations is a series of paintings based on Pagau, the dog they adopted from China and his experiences in the Western World.
Other of Ellsworth's paintings are built of many thin layers of oil bar starting with a limited palette of bold colors on large canvases or wood panels. Subsequent layers allow the under paint to peek through and transparent glazes give the final surface a subtle tint.
With each work, she invites the viewer to first look at the simplicity of the image and then beyond, opening the door to the imagination.
A Vernissage and Artist Reception is the second Wednesday of each month, 6pm-8pm Also, join us for a Finissage (Exhibit Ending Party) on the First Friday of each month 5pm-7pm.
Loren Salazar - "Full Circle" New Paintings for 2010 - Held Over!
Loren Salazar
June 9, 2010
- July 11, 2010
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
These new works by Loren Salazar are well worth a hold over exhibit, now available through August 8th. Loren Salazar was born in California in 1951. He graduated with Honors in 1973 from Central Washington State University with a degree in Arts and Sciences. Salazar has painted and exhibited extensively in the western states of Washington, California, and Alaska. His work has been exhibited across the country and his published images are found internationally. Currently calling Colombia, South America home, Salazar continues to paint image locations from Italy to South America.
Even though Salazar calls Colombia home now, he has strong and long ties to the Seattle area and the Eastside in particular. Gunnar Nordstrom has been selling or exhibiting the paintings by Loren Salazar for 28 years which makes him the longest artist in representation at the Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery.
His paintings were honed and affected by the end of the turbulent 1960's. His exploration of art professionally coincided with an explosion of new music and social change. Salazar's early art paralleled a wave of new progressive rock music and a common direction brought contacts with the music industry and with rock artists. These associations resulted in numerous album covers and music industry designs. By 1977 reproductions and cards of Salazar's paintings were being distributed on an international basis by a California publisher.
His painting technique set him apart as one of the early practitioners of the air brush as a fine art tool. His mastery of that technique resulted in paintings that were included in the Seattle Art Museum's Northwest Annual Fine Arts Competition. While on display at the Museum his works were singled out by the Seattle Times for individual praise. These early works were so convincing that his paintings were at times mistaken for photography.
Salazar's photorealistic technique developed into a long series of works based on visual memory or "dreamscapes". This involved numerous images and places occupying the same picture plane. These images dissolved in and out of one another in long horizontal compositions. Salazar had developed a technique and imagery that proceeded computer art but was essentially "Photoshop" by hand before Photoshop was available. At this point the artist's works in the early 1990's were being mistaken at times for sophisticated works created on computers using Photoshop.
With a desire to distance himself from what he saw as a coming concern, (digital art), the artist moved onto a technique and media that could not be mistaken for anything digital. With the encouragement of close friend and mentor Andreas Nottebohm, Salazar set fourth on a 4 year series of works on etched aluminum, a technique pioneered by San Francisco artist Nottebohm. While living near Lake Arenal in Costa Rica, Salazar's nights were consumed creating a series of paintings based on "The "Northern Lights" or "Aurora Borealis". This series was painted in layers of transparent acrylic on etched aluminum. From Arenal, Salazar exhibited the Northern Light Series in galleries in Alaska, Washington, and California.
This body of new work has a unique combination of the past and present as Salazar goes "Full Circle". The four most recent paintings to be exhibited are a clear reflection of his early "dreamscapes" of multiple images. These beautiful works combine multiple landscapes as Salazar explores a mixed media of Acrylic and Resin on Canvas.
The remaining works are etched aluminum paintings that have evolved from the Northern Lights Series and create an amazing hologramic effect with dimension, yet allow a grounded view of a landscape, often placed within the plane of the hologram.
These works embody representational imagery of sky as a way of reflecting the changing textures of the etched metal ground. These paintings in acrylic and resin on etched aluminum play on the evolving reflection of light and color like the untouchable textures of water vapor that form clouds and rainbows. They are never static, always changing and evolving with each new point of view, as an object that lives in visual space more than in physical space.
These are some of the most unique and interesting paintings being shown today.
Modern Masters - Chagall Miro Picasso Dali -HELD OVER
May 12, 2010
- June 6, 2010
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Being a curator for an installation and being an art dealer assembling an exhibit are two different beasts.
A curator even in the most nominal position is an expert as a subject specialist in whatever is being presented where historical significance and intellect are generally evident.
As an art dealer assembling an exhibit the path is much wider and more forgiving from a critical perspective where the outcome is collector based and sales are a key ingredient. However, there is on occasion a crossover of intellect and presentation from a gallery exhibit to that of a museum.
The term Modern Masters is fairly expansive and includes artists over the past 100 years from 1900 - 2000. Revolutionary art movements such as Surrealism, Cubism, Expressionism, Abstraction and Pop were the most expansive movements in art history to ever take place during a relatively short period of time.
Pablo Picasso's genius and influence in art history was the critical birth of these artistic movements by pushing the limits of painting away from the belief that art was meant to preserve old traditions and not create new ones. Whether he was globally responsible for such a departure in painting or the time was just serendipitous with other painters making the same leap at that period is still left to debate, but the art world would never be the same after 1900 and Picasso's emergence as a Modern Master.
Names such as Picasso, Chagall, Miro and Dali are the linked most commonly to the term Modern Masters and while there are many other important and critically acclaimed artists spanning the past hundred years, these are the most significant and commonly known.
In creating an exhibit of this kind, it isn't as easy as meeting with an artist in representation and discussing the next exhibit's direction. Modern Master works are not readily available, they're rare, not available from one source and often expensive which can create a variety of challenges when assembling an exhibit with such variables.
Over the past 25 years as an art dealer, I have had the pleasure of selling a variety of works including Picasso, Chagall, Miro and Dali and wanted to assemble a small collection by these important artists for sale in our new Bellevue location.
Two particular works to be exhibited share historical similarities as well as juxtaposed iconography by two different Spanish artists. The first by Pablo Picasso is from 1922 and is a lovely dry point etching "Femme au Miroir" or "Woman looking onto a Mirror". Sitting nude, but reserved (much different than later works by Picasso also on display) a woman holds a mirror and gazes into it daydreaming of beauty, fashion and the future. Picasso said, "The hidden harmony is better than the obvious" as evident in this jewel of a print.
The other is a lithograph is by renowned surrealist, Joan Miro titled "Fashion Frenzy" from 1969. In this much later image, the figure becomes abstracted and movement is integral and not static or posed. The frenzy of fashion, color, design, movement and energy are all captured here with broad strokes, delicate lines and interpretive suggestion. Miro said, "My characters have undergone the same process of simplification as the colors. Now that they have been simplified, they appear more human and alive than if they had been represented in all their detail."
Additional work on display by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall and Salvador Dali.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
Thom Ross "They say the West was Wild" New Paintings
Thom Ross
May 12, 2010
- June 6, 2010
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is again pleased to offer for the 17th year, the new paintings by well known western artist Thom Ross. Ross is best known for his accurate and playful portrayal of events taken from the Wild West era. His paintings are bright, bold and refreshing in their style, yet accurate in their history. Little known events or stories are transformed into paintings by Ross that capture our interest and imagination. Ross has recently and for the third year in a row, has been named by True West Magazine as the best living Contemporary Western Painter in the Country. This solo exhibit combines a variety of paintings of wild west culture, Native American history and popular wild west heroes and villains and promises to be one of the strongest exhibits ever.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Being a curator for an installation and being an art dealer assembling an exhibit are two different beasts.
A curator even in the most nominal position is an expert as a subject specialist in whatever is being presented where historical significance and intellect are generally evident.
As an art dealer assembling an exhibit the path is much wider and more forgiving from a critical perspective where the outcome is collector based and sales are a key ingredient. However, there is on occasion a crossover of intellect and presentation from a gallery exhibit to that of a museum.
The term Modern Masters is fairly expansive and includes artists over the past 100 years from 1900 - 2000. Revolutionary art movements such as Surrealism, Cubism, Expressionism, Abstraction and Pop were the most expansive movements in art history to ever take place during a relatively short period of time.
Pablo Picasso's genius and influence in art history was the critical birth of these artistic movements by pushing the limits of painting away from the belief that art was meant to preserve old traditions and not create new ones. Whether he was globally responsible for such a departure in painting or the time was just serendipitous with other painters making the same leap at that period is still left to debate, but the art world would never be the same after 1900 and Picasso's emergence as a Modern Master.
Names such as Picasso, Chagall, Miro and Dali are the linked most commonly to the term Modern Masters and while there are many other important and critically acclaimed artists spanning the past hundred years, these are the most significant and commonly known.
In creating an exhibit of this kind, it isn't as easy as meeting with an artist in representation and discussing the next exhibit's direction. Modern Master works are not readily available, they're rare, not available from one source and often expensive which can create a variety of challenges when assembling an exhibit with such variables.
Over the past 25 years as an art dealer, I have had the pleasure of selling a variety of works including Picasso, Chagall, Miro and Dali and wanted to assemble a small collection by these important artists for sale in our new Bellevue location.
Two particular works to be exhibited share historical similarities as well as juxtaposed iconography by two different Spanish artists. The first by Pablo Picasso is from 1922 and is a lovely dry point etching "Femme au Miroir" or "Woman looking onto a Mirror". Sitting nude, but reserved (much different than later works by Picasso also on display) a woman holds a mirror and gazes into it daydreaming of beauty, fashion and the future. Picasso said, "The hidden harmony is better than the obvious" as evident in this jewel of a print.
The other is a lithograph is by renowned surrealist, Joan Miro titled "Fashion Frenzy" from 1969. In this much later image, the figure becomes abstracted and movement is integral and not static or posed. The frenzy of fashion, color, design, movement and energy are all captured here with broad strokes, delicate lines and interpretive suggestion. Miro said, "My characters have undergone the same process of simplification as the colors. Now that they have been simplified, they appear more human and alive than if they had been represented in all their detail."
Additional work on display by Pablo Picasso, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall and Salvador Dali.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Dan Larsen is a Northwest native descended from a long line of fine artists and craftsmen with his family's local roots tracing back to the time when tall ships explored the far reaches of Puget Sound.
Larsen has been expressing his artistic gifts in all types of art media since he was a small child. A graduate of Washington State University, he earned degrees in Construction Management and Business Administration with a minor in Industrial Design.
While he has been involved in construction for the last 30 years, Larsen's passion for the art process has been a continuing exploration into any new potential industrial medium. In recent years, he has increasingly focused on developing his own unique art form using a variety of industrial materials. The current paintings are created utilizing an industrial resin formulated to include microscopic heat treated glass flakes, which give the paintings extra depth and durability.
The artist's current paintings have an emotional power and raw primal organic appeal. Larsen's work jolts the senses with an intensely detailed explosion of infinite shapes and riotous color. Each work emanates its own unique upbeat mood and personality, imparting the sensation of playful emotion being conveyed directly and not merely being seen with the eyes.
One art enthusiast was heard to exclaim, "These paintings make Jackson Pollock look tired." However, when seeing one of his paintings for the first time, most viewers are compelled to simply blurt out "Wow!"
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
We are also introducing the Natural and Organic paintings by Southwest artist, Kim Walker.
Painting allows me the quiet and thoughtful internal dialogue that refreshes my spirit. For me, there is no greater beauty than what God has already provided. It can be seen in every aspect of nature, from the tiniest grain of sand to the outreaches of the heavens. My artwork takes me on a spiritual journey as I seek and collect natural elements, which I then incorporate into each of my mixed-media paintings. My feeling is that these gifts found in nature are universal and comforting and inspiring for all people. In addition, by including natural elements in my artwork, my desire is to provide another way to experience this beauty and all that it represents in a way that might otherwise be missed.
Most compositions are done on either domestic or exotic woods from all parts of the world. I treasure both the symbolic and the tangible connections of using these woods as the foundation of my paintings. My art comes to fruition through a variety of processes, both additive and subtractive, as well as by utilizing numerous mediums. The combination of natural elements as well as mediums such as oils, acrylics, and polyurethane, to name a few, allow numerous textures and nuances throughout the many layers in each painting. Many of my processes have been developed over years of experimentation and evolution, and yet some seem to take on a life of their own with the creation of each new composition.
Poetry is another integral part of my art. Greatly inspired by the insights and wisdom of life's experiences, along with many metaphoric lessons found in nature, I feel that the two go hand in hand. Therefore, my paintings also include an original poem that is handwritten on the back of each composition. I once read in a book by Rebecca Wells, "use everything in your life to create your art". This intention is at the heart of my paintings and my poetry. Thank you for taking the time to really look at my art and to feel the connections.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Charlie Barr is a Seattle based artist with long ties to the northwest. A Gonzaga graduate, he works with oil on canvas, acrylic on canvas and an interesting mixed media approach of acrylic and cement on board.
His paintings are meant to set a mood or evoke emotion. The paintings rarely reflect social statements and any social interpretation should be subtle at best. He appreciates the timelessness tradition of oil as a painting medium as it is a welcome departure from the technology that has become a part of our daily lives.
His stated goal is to create pieces ranging from representational to abstract with a focus on color, contrast, and balance.
"I do not want the quality of the painting to diminish whether viewed from ten feet or eight inches. I believe it is crucial to use texture and creative brush techniques to hold a viewers attention up close. It is also necessary to have a strong composition to hold the viewers interest at a greater distance. Every inch of the canvas should have movement without sacrificing the overall composition. I enjoy working with oil because of the depth and texture that can be achieved. People continually want to reach out and feel the canvas."
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Charlie Barr is a Seattle based artist with long ties to the northwest. A Gonzaga graduate, he works with oil on canvas, acrylic on canvas and an interesting mixed media approach of acrylic and cement on board.
His paintings are meant to set a mood or evoke emotion. The paintings rarely reflect social statements and any social interpretation should be subtle at best. He appreciates the timelessness tradition of oil as a painting medium as it is a welcome departure from the technology that has become a part of our daily lives.
His stated goal is to create pieces ranging from representational to abstract with a focus on color, contrast, and balance.
"I do not want the quality of the painting to diminish whether viewed from ten feet or eight inches. I believe it is crucial to use texture and creative brush techniques to hold a viewers attention up close. It is also necessary to have a strong composition to hold the viewers interest at a greater distance. Every inch of the canvas should have movement without sacrificing the overall composition. I enjoy working with oil because of the depth and texture that can be achieved. People continually want to reach out and feel the canvas."
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Pat Tolle is currently a northwest painter who has spent much of her life in sunny southern California and amongst the tropical Islands of Hawaii.
While sunshine and warmer climates are a natural draw for her, she has spent many years in Washington State creating a large body of work of northwest landscapes. From the San Juan Islands and the tulip fields of the Skagit Valley to the rolling hills of the Palouse in eastern Washington, Tolle has captured our interest since her first exhibit with us in 1993.
More recently and the subject of this year's exhibit, Tolle reflects back on her years in Hawaii and the ever present "On Holiday" beach culture mentality there.
This latest series takes her back to figurative imagery and away from the areal views of past landscapes all the while combining her love of beach and water narratives.
These new beach culture images are playfully voyeuristic from a bird’s-eye view.
Come by and let your imagination take you away to warm water and sunshine with Pat Tolle guiding the way.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artist's works as we can during the year we are pleased to exhibit an excellent selection of past and new works this month by Gallery Artists.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Ballard Martz's paintings are about finding direction and navigating through life. There seem to be instructions for almost every imaginable action– twist cap, pull tab, shake well – but not for the myriad, complex choices we all must make in our daily endeavors. She is interested in the methods people use to find their path in life, be it fortunes or faith, science or chance, and employs these elements and ideas in her work. She is particularly drawn to items that provide direction, such as diagrams, dressmakers' patterns, equations, arrows, ladders and targets.
The paintings for the current exhibit, "Higher Ground", continue Martz's investigation of navigating the twists and turns of life. In particular she explores loss, the loss of a loved one, the difficulty of being the one left behind, and the search for higher ground.
The encaustic pieces are a bit of a departure and are more lighthearted and playful. She stretched and pushed herself with a medium that was new to her all the while indulging her obsession with circles and targets.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artists works as we can during the year we are pleased to offer an excellent selection of past and new works by Gallery Artists.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to introduce the new works by Northwest Painter Don Tiller. Staying true to our gallery's direction of playful and whimsical work, Tiller is a natural participant.
Residing on the Olympic Peninsula, Tiller is intrigued with the imprint left on the landscape when touched by mankind. With bold colors and simple shapes, he has given this new group of paintings his interpretation of man's attempt to initiate order in nature. Natural chaos provides interest balanced with geometric repetition.
This recent body of work is primarily composed of interesting shapes and bold colors. The paintings are snippets of warped remembrances allowing you a glimpse of the things he has seen and the places he has been. When someone quips "I think I've been there" or "I know where that is" he knows the connection between creator and viewer has been made.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artists works as we can during the year we are pleased to offer an excellent selection of past and new works by Gallery Artists.
Rhonda Addison - Two Days Only During Fashion Week at Bellevue Place
October 2, 2009
- October 3, 2009
October 2 /7:00 - 9:00 & October 3 /4:00 - 8:00
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Bellevue Collection 2009 Fashion Week festivities kick off Tuesday, September 29, and will run through Sunday, October 4, introducing shoppers to the hottest looks for fall in fashion, beauty, apparel, footwear and accessories. Runway shows will showcase the latest offerings from retailers at The Bellevue Collection, including Bellevue Square, Bellevue Place and Lincoln Square.
Along with all the great new fashions, The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery will be featuring the Fine Art Photography of renowned artist, Rhonda Addison for a limited two day event. Addison's photographic images will be a great addition to Fashion Week and we look forward to you visiting and meeting Rhonda in person at our gallery in Bellevue Place.
Friday October 2, 2009 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Saturday October 3, 2009 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
New this year is The Bellevue Collection's collaboration with Vogue magazine, the recognized authority in haute fashion coverage, to present a special Vogue fashion presentation. Front Row Fashion presented by Vogue is a spectacular runway show designed and executed by Vogue magazine with fashions from The Bellevue Collection. This exclusive presentation will bring the fall trends straight from the pages of Vogue to Bellevue's Fashion Week runway.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Shadows on the American Landscape
Landscape paintings are common throughout the world and every region has its beauty that has been captured by artists for centuries. In art history, it isn't new that an artist in one culture has ventured off to another part of the world to explore and create in a foreign environment where cultural influences and visual stimulus change perspectives in the way subject matter is viewed. New experiences, new surroundings and new methodology are all influences with any immigrant, as it is so, with the artist Liang Wei.
We dream, we visualize and we participate in experiences that influence our lives forever. Remembrances of a moment ago or déjà vu from an undetermined origin are often pleasant and comforting thoughts and it is those heartwarming and pleasant memories that Liang Wei strives to capture on canvas with his paintings.
Moody, thoughtful and alluring are a few words that are frequently used to describe the paintings of Liang Wei as he wanders the west coast of the United States capturing landscapes and western culture.
Influenced by Americana and artists, Edward Hopper, Grant Wood and Northwest Contemporary Susan Bennerstrom, Liang Wei's landscapes reflect a style that is moody, provocative and thought provoking all combined with an excellent foundation in composition, design and technique. His exploration of landscape painting is defined by creating mood rather than fact in combining intellect and emotion.
Not a realist, not a Naturalist and not an Impressionist, Liang Wei is a "Moodist." The impressionists wanted to capture the moment, Liang Wei captures a mood. Lingering and delicious, his paintings of long afternoon shadows or a dawn's rising sun are remembrances of feelings long put away in our memories that are awoken again and again when viewing his paintings. The scent of freshly cut grass as the afternoon sun casts a long shadow from a lonesome tree or the lung filling fresh air and dry grass from standing cliff side above the Columbia River as it meanders through central Washington. These are moments, moods and instinctual remembrances that are provoked and cherished by his paintings.
While Liang Wei doesn't walk alone in the painting world, he is still searching, exploring and experimenting with a delicate dance between the rhythm of his past and the structure of living in a western culture. A Northwest contemporary painter, Liang Wei has lived, painted and embraced the Pacific Northwest as home since 1988.
Follow him as he chases the ever changing shadow and fading light of the Pacific sun.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artists works as we can during the year we are pleased to offer an excellent selection of past and new works.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Kim Starr is the preeminent painter of Romantic Realism. Her meticulous attention to detail, combined with the artistic sensitivity of earlier masters, results in contemporary works of unparalleled beauty. Critics have said that Kim's work elicits an immediate emotional response. Viewers are drawn into the image and surrounded by its elegance. It is obvious that they are in the presence of a modern master.
In the last 25 years, Kim Starr has created classic paintings and works on paper for corporate and private collections. Her extraordinary art hangs in public spaces, world-class resorts and homes throughout the world. The success of her exhibits has been overwhelming.
For much of her life as a painter, Kim Starr created her art in a serene and beautiful village on the Island of Kauai. Inspired by this paradise, she revealed in each of her new works a unique combination of rare artistic vision and painterly technique.
Today, Kim continues to create jewel-like masterpieces in a small community in northwestern Washington State, and collectors everywhere continue to seek out and acquire these works.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Continuing with our desire to offer as many of our artists works as we can during the year we are pleased to offer an excellent selection of past and new works. With new paintings by Dan Larsen, Bill Braun and Ken Wachtveitl there are also lingering favorites by some of our other artists ready to be rediscovered by you.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer the new paintings by Friday Harbor artist Jaime Ellsworth.
Simple forms are consistent in all her artwork and she enjoys working in series offering relationships, discovery and contrasts. She creates visual situations from everyday experiences and observations.
Ellsworth's paintings are built of many thin layers of oil starting with a limited palette of bold colors on large canvases or wood panels. Subsequent layers allow the under paint to peek through and transparent glazes give the final surface a subtle tint.
With each work, she invites the viewer to first look at the simplicity of the image and then beyond, opening the door to the imagination.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Trompe-l'Oeil (Fr. 'deceives the eye') A type of painting, usually STILL-LIFE, which by means of various ILLUSIONIST devices persuades the spectator that he is looking at the actual objects represented. Successful Trompe l'Oeil occupies a very shallow space behind the PICTURE-PLANE, or actually seems to project beyond the picture surface
Trompe-l'Oeil literal translation and intent are the same" "to deceive the eye". Trompe- l'Oeil historical citation starts with Pliny the Elder's story of the painting contest between Zeuxis and Parrhasius in Athens, 5th century B.C. and classical examples had been discovered in the ruins of Pompeii.
Parrhasius, it is recorded, entered into a competition with Zeuxis, who produced a picture of grapes so successfully represented that birds flew up to the stage buildings (in the theater, which served at that time as a public art gallery); whereupon Parrhasios himself produced such a realistic picture of a curtain that Zeuxis, proud of the verdict of the birds, requested that the curtain should now be drawn and the picture displayed; and when he realized his mistake, with a modesty that did him honor he yielded up the prize, saying that whereas he had deceived birds, Parrhasius had deceived him, an artist.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
This exhibit is a review of selected works by the artists that we have shown over the past 6 months. While we have regular patrons and gallery regulars, not everyone has the chance to come each and every month.
We are also introducing some new work by Northwest painter, Ricco DiStefano. These newest works are from the artist's Shadow Man Series.
"The shadowman is not intended as a literal image, but rather a reflection or the shadow of one's spirit. I was born into a family of artists, both visual and musical. As an artistic child, boredom was a foreign concept to me. My passion is to take the moments that happen in my mind and share them with the world. In doing so, I hope to provoke thought or inspiration, or just a momentary escape for the viewer. I feel stronger than ever that – as William Shakespeare wrote in Macbeth –"Life's but a walking shadow." We can only experience life, moments at a time. We cannot control time, and it stops for no one. As an artist, I try to leave my personal stamp on this temporary world, hopefully giving something beautiful as a gift for those who follow."
This exhibit will allow a discovery for some and remembrance for others. Enjoy!
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is again pleased to offer the spectacular works by Northwest Trompe l'Oeil painter Bill Braun.
The paintings by Braun are amazing feats of illusion. What initially appears to be an art project constructed by a third grader is in reality a masterful painting of acrylic on canvas. The subject matter of cut out construction paper flowers and paper doll trees appear to be adhered by masking tape and staples to a crinkled background of brown kraft paper. These are the tease that invites the viewer further.
Upon seeing the work for the first time, the viewer can easily and immediately dismiss what he sees as what it "probably" is. "Of course it's not a painting, because why would you paint it" The definition of the work is superb and the likeness to real imagery is second only to the material itself. A second, third and frequently a fourth look is required to reassure ones self that what they are looking at isn't really a collage.
This years show revolves around garden scenes and landscapes and potted flowers.
It is difficult to explain the success of good Trompe l'Oeil and it takes an actual face to face experience to completely understand these magnificent paintings. YES, THEY ARE PAINTINGS!
Group Exhibit - Introducing Doug Martindale and Ken Wachtveitl
June 10, 2009
- July 5, 2009
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
We are pleased to introduce two new artists to the gallery and look forward to a long and healthy relationship as we represent their works.
Doug Martindale creates moody and rhythmic landscapes in pastel of Eastern Washington and the rolling hillsides of the Santa Inez Valley in California.
In the early 90's, Martindale attended a show of soft pastel landscapes by Susan Bennerstrom, an accomplished master northwest pastel artist. He was so inspired by her work that he took an intensive workshop in soft chalk pastel painting from Bennerstrom and he was hooked with the pure, intense color and richness of the medium. Additionally, he was intrigued with the prospect of expanding his artistic expression with the use of landscapes as his subject matter. This proved to be a creatively unrestrictive, exciting new direction with which he could further pursue his craft.
It is in his pastel paintings that Martindale feels he has finally found his true "niche" in his method of artistic expression. His idealistic interpretation of the landscapes he paints transcends the viewer into a timeless, perfect space. One can clearly see the incredible attention to detail in his work. The rich, bold color variations and dramatic compositions continue to be alive, sumptuous and compelling. Yet, Martindale's success reaches far beyond his own self fulfillment with his craft, for his work is admired worldwide.
Ken Wachtveitl has been drawing most of his life. At the age of 16 he began using a technique usually referred to as "stipple." He started doing stipple after looking closely at a photograph in a newspaper realizing that the photo was made up of several thousands of dots and thought he would try drawing using only dots.
While choosing stone tiles for his home, Ken began to see a subtle or softness quality as well as the natural beauty stone can deliver. "Looking closely at stone you can sometimes begin to see images just as you can when you study the clouds as they move across the sky". Ken thought "Why couldn't a person add or force an image into the stone".
While keeping with the natural beauty and an element of subtle softness stone can bring, Ken has decided on the natural beauty of figurative nudes as his subject matter. "While stone is completely natural it seem only fitting that the image should be completely natural as well. I find it very interesting that a matter as hard as stone can be so soft and pleasant to look at." Using this unique medium it is my hope to add to the natural beauty of the stone and to inspire you with emotion while showing the powerfulness and sensuality of the human body and its connection with nature.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
This body of new work is an extension of a direction that Salazar started in the early 1990's as a means of confronting the changes wrought by a coming digital environment. His goal was to produce artwork using reflective effects on an aluminum ground as a means of transcending our new digital representation. He wanted to create a permanent, archival quality object that blurs the meaning of painting and sculpture in a way that cannot be recorded digitally. An artwork with qualities that can only be experienced from the original, that changes relative to the viewers perspective, and defies two dimensional space.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
This body of new work is an extension of a direction that Salazar started in the early 1990's as a means of confronting the changes wrought by a coming digital environment. His goal was to produce artwork using reflective effects on an aluminum ground as a means of transcending our new digital representation. He wanted to create a permanent, archival quality object that blurs the meaning of painting and sculpture in a way that cannot be recorded digitally. An artwork with qualities that can only be experienced from the original, that changes relative to the viewers perspective, and defies two dimensional space.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
With our new location in Bellevue, we are evolving and acclimating ourselves every day as we settle into this great new gallery space that will suit us and our collectors needs long into the future.
Each month on the second Wednesday we open a new exhibit. Our center gallery we will feature our "Meet the Artist Series" with one artist for a solo exhibit or on occasion a two person exhibit. The additional gallery space will rotate also with new works by gallery artists and personal gallery inventory for your collecting interests. There is always a good chance that your favorite artist will be in attendance for the opening even if they are not the featured exhibit.
This month we have held over Dan Larsen's organic paintings on aluminum, Thom Ross, Mike Smith, Kathleen Hooks and Bill Braun. We also have added a couple of Ken Grants interiors, Ray Pelley photo-realism cocktails, Bob Ichter pastels, some lovely Japanese prints by Toko Shinoda and Vietnamese artist Pham An Hai as well as German printmakers, Jurgen Gorg and Willi Kissmer and French Mezzotint artist Laurent Schkolnyk.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to again offer the unique abstract paintings by Dan Larsen.
Larsen is a regional abstract painter who uses "paint in motion" as he calls it to express a feeling as the viewer contemplates his work. Loose and fluid, Larsen takes Pollock to another level by letting the paint and its unique reaction to its counterparts define some of the process.
Close up views of his work are as interesting as viewed from a distance as one tries to determine just how he did it.
"Organic Growth" represents the newest direction of work by Dan Larsen as he pushes his medium to new technical levels.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is again pleased to offer for the 16th year in a row, the new paintings by well known western artist Thom Ross.
Ross is best known for his accurate and playful portrayal of events taken from the Wild West era. His paintings are bright, bold and refreshing in their style, yet accurate in their history. Little known events or stories are transformed into paintings by Ross that capture our interest and imagination.
This is the first exhibit of new paintings by Thom Ross since his monumental installation of "Indians on the Beach" in San Francisco in September. This outdoor installation consisted of 110 life sized painted sculptures placed in the sand on the shore of the Pacific Ocean depicting a 1902 photograph of Buffalo Bill Cody's Wild West Show of "Indians on the Beach". The location was just below the Cliff House in San Francisco an mimicked the photo with amazing accuracy.
Many may remember his 200 life sized sculptures he created 4 years ago based on the battle of the Little Big Horn and positioned on the battlefield in Montana.
Ross has recently and for the third year in a row, been named by True West Magazine as the best living contemporary western painter in the country.
This solo exhibit combines a variety of paintings of wild west culture, Native American history and popular wild west heros and villains and is one of the strongest exhibits we have ever had from Ross.
If anyone has ever wanted a Thom Ross painting, this exhibit is a must see and not to be missed.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Portland, Oregon, and spent his childhood growing up in Vancouver, Washington, and the Puget Sound area. He now resides in Camas Washington, a small pulp and paper community located on the shores of the Columbia River.
He graduated from the University of Portland with a degree in English Literature. Smith began drawing and sculpting at the age of two, after an interlude of baseball, he became a serious full-time artist at the age of twenty-five. He supported himself doing graphic design and other commercial art endeavors while pursuing his fine art career.
He has tried to abandon any "school" of painting and uses an autobiographical approach. His subjects are mostly found in his backyard or around the neighborhood in which he lives. His dogs, the cat, his rowboat, and ducks in his pond, are all included in the bright watercolors of his paintings. He also sculpts in bronze, paints in oils and does silk screen prints. Smith says, "People always want to know the meaning of my work and where I get my ideas from. My work is simply about the people and places and animals I love. Images, unlike the written word, do not dictate to you. After twenty-five years of painting almost every day, it has become my world." It is fun-filled, colorful, and full of life. Over the years, Smith has had more than 100 one-man shows. The media he uses includes watercolor, pastel, bronze (cast and fabricated), oil, ceramic, wood, and several printmaking techniques. New work this year by Smith revolves around the garden and his love of flowers and pastels of mythical horses galloping and playing.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to exhibit new paintings by Kathleen Hooks. Hooks resides in Yakima and paints moody, lush and romantic landscapes not only reminiscent of Eastern Washington, but also of the lush and deserted land found west of the mountains. Hooks' works are some of the best landscape paintings available and worth a visit to view this exhibition.
Kathleen Hooks along with her husband John live in the rural farmlands east of Pasco, Washington. In 1996, after a lifelong interest in pursuing a career in art, Kathleen built a studio next to her home. With her husband's encouragement and construction complete, she studied artist's techniques and made a commitment to painting full-time. After studying and painting in watercolor nearly every day for one year, Kathleen entered her first national art show and won an honorable mention. By the end of the year 2002, she had work included in 30 national juried shows, had won 8 awards, and earned signature status in both the Northwest Watercolor Society and the Eastern Washington Watercolor Society.
In the fall of 2001, wanting to continue learning and growing as an artist, Kathleen began working in oils as well. She traveled and painted the rural landscapes of Eastern Washington. Since that time, one of Kathleen's oil paintings was chosen to be included in the Oil Painters of America National Juried Exhibition taking place in Taos, New Mexico - May 2003.
Included in this years exhibition are new encaustic on board paintings as Hooks revisits an age old technique of painting with pigment and wax.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
With our new location in Bellevue, we are evolving and acclimating ourselves every day as we settle into this friendly and unimposing gallery that will suit us and our collectors needs long into the future.
Each month on the second Wednesday we open a new exhibit. Our center gallery we will feature our "Meet the Artist Series" with one artist for a solo exhibit or on occasion a two person exhibit. The additional gallery space will rotate also with new works by gallery artists and personal gallery inventory for your collecting interests. There is always a good chance that your favorite artist will be in attendence for the opening even if they are not the featured exhibit.
This month we have added a few new Charlie Barr cement and acrylic works, some lovely Japanese prints by Toko Shinoda and Shinichi Nakazawa as well as German printmakers, Jurgen Gorg and Willi Kissmer and French Mezzotint artist Laurent Schkolnyk. Other works by gallery artists are also on exhibit and waiting to be added to your collection.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to open its new location in Bellevue within Kemper Development's Bellevue Collection at Bellevue Place. Our new gallery space sits on the courtyard of the Hyatt Hotel and next to Joey's Restaurant where it is surrounded by other exciting restaurants, abundant occupied office space and specialty retail stores. The Bellevue Collection offers a variety of retail experiences, dining, entertainment and free parking.
We will be continuing our vision of exhibiting and offering collectable artwork for sale at good values while staying true to our playful and whimsical direction.
This Holiday Exhibit will be a great way to introduce our long standing stable of artists to a new environment and offering works to a new group of collectors as well as our loyal clients from the past 23 years.
Rich Klopfer and Liang Wei - Landscapes of the West
November 12, 2008
- December 6, 2008
6:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer for it's last exhibit in Kirkland before moving to a new location in Bellevue, the new works by Northwest painters, Rich Klopfer and Liang Wei.
Rich Klopfer was born in Los Angeles and studied painting with his father, a professional painter and sculptor for more than 50 years. He now lives in the fertile Willamette Valley of Oregon were much of his subject matter is derived from.
For many years Rich Klopfer has shown Fauvist Landscapes with painting partner Trim Bissell. Their exploration of fauvist technique and constant evaluation of each other's work was instrumental in Klopfer's development as a painter.
With Bissell's passing four years ago, Rich Klopfer continues to explore and paint feverishly with fond memories of his longtime friend, historic activist Trim Bissell.
Moody, thoughtful and alluring are a few words that are frequently used to describe the paintings of Liang Wei. Born in China, Liang Wei was trained as a traditional portrait artist and landscape painter before moving to the Northwest more than 20 years ago.
Highly educated and well respected in his career as a painter there, he was able to respond to the influences of the Western World and American painters upon his move to the US.
Influenced by Edward Hopper, Grant Wood and Northwest Contemporary Susan Bennerstrom, Liang Wei's landscapes reflect a style that is moody, provocative and thought provoking all combined with an excellent foundation in composition, design and technique.
While exploring landscape painting primarily over the past twenty years, Liang Wei still manages to do commissioned portraits in traditional settings for corporate executives and various private individuals throughout the northwest.
Liang Wei has recently been exhibited in both Shenzhen China and in Beijing with a fabulous reception to his new work. His new book "Paintings by Liang Wei - My 20 year Romance with the American landscape" will be on sale and available for signing.
Holly Ballard Martz and Valaree Cox - New Paintings
October 8, 2008
- November 9, 2008
6:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer new paintings by two northwest artists.
Holly Ballard Martz of Bremerton paints thoughtful and lyrical images with messages in collage and iconography. These new images revolve around redundant figures juxtaposed to each other in interesting and thoughtful placement. At first glance you are haunted by the target symbolism, but lead quickly to being at ease as Martz allows the target to be more than an a paper object for an accurate shot. Martz has become a gallery favorite since her first exhibit in 2003.
Valaree Cox after 12 years of working in metal as a jeweler and several more doing assemblage art, has now turned to painting. "It is fulfilling for me to land in a place where I can combine those mediums on a 2-dimensional surface." "I love the process of building up on a surface starting with plaster, then paint and paper and using found objects to make my art. It makes for an interesting look, feel and the question, why is she using an old fishing lure in a painting?"
Every single element in one of her paintings has a very specific significance to her. "I love the viewer to find there own meaning or just an emotional feeling from each piece of artwork. One they can love to look at over and over again."
The work this year by Cox is all about 'Transition'. Transition is a part of life that happens constantly, yet for many of us it is still something that is hard to adjust to.
"The past year has been full of change for my family and me. There were big shifts on many fronts that have profoundly affected the rest of my life and the best way I express my feelings about it is through my art. Each piece in this exhibit relates to a person or an event that has been part of that change, from a parent with physical issues to one with mental ones. I used my own photographs taken over the years on each piece. That was a satisfying media to combine with other elements that I like to use in the 'collage' and painting method I use in my mixed media work. The art was a transition for me and so it goes on and on…"
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer the new paintings by Northwest painter, Jaime Ellsworth.
Simple forms are consistent in all her artwork and she enjoys working in series offering relationships, discovery and contrasts. She creates visual situations from everyday experiences and observations. One of those situations is a series of paintings based on Pagau, the dog they adopted from China and his experiences in the Western World.
Ellsworth's paintings are built of many thin layers of oil and oil bar starting with a limited palette of bold colors on large canvases or wood panels. Subsequent layers allow the under paint to peek through and transparent glazes give the final surface a subtle tint.
With each work, she invites the viewer to first look at either the simplicity of the image or it's complexity, opening the door to the imagination.
Thom Ross - Buffalo Bill and the Indians on the Beach
Thom Ross
Exhibition Ended
- Click on the text and see what you missed
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
All Sculptures for Sale
In 1902 "Buffalo Bill" Cody and his Wild West show came to San Francisco for a week-long performance. During their stay a photographer posed Cody (mounted, front center) and over 100 members of his troupe on San Francisco's Ocean Beach. (The Cliff House in the far right background burned down in 1907.)
Cody and his "show" traveled extensively across America and Europe during the late 1880's, performing from Madison Square Gardens in New York, to setting up their tipis in Rome's Coliseum and performing for the crowned heads of many European countries.
Now noted western artist, Thom Ross, in his distinctive style, is going to recreate this famous 1902 photograph on the exact site where the photograph was taken 106 years ago. Using life- size plywood cutouts, painted in a rainbow of colors, Ross will install over 100 figures on the morning of September 5, 2008.
Twice voted "Best Living Contemporary Western Artist" by TRUE WEST Magazine (2005, 2008) Ross has done similar environmental installations of Willie Mays making his famous catch in the 1954 World Series (mounted on the exact spot where he had caught the ball 50 years ago to the day,) and "Custer's Last Stand" which included 200 life-size figures of soldiers and Indians locked in mortal combat and mounted at Medicine Tail Coulee on the actual Little Bighorn Battlefield.
Born in San Francisco and raised in Sausalito, Ross, who now makes his home in Seattle, shows in various galleries throughout the West and with Gunnar Nordstrom in Kirkland.
Charlie Barr and Don Dahlke - New Paintings and Prints with Additional Gallery Inventory
August 13, 2008
- September 7, 2008
6:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to introduce Seattle painter, Charlie Barr and Oregon native, Don Dahlke.
Charlie Barr is a Seattle painter whose paintings are meant to set a mood or evoke emotion and his new landscapes, painted in both oil and acrylic do just that.
In these new landscapes, Barr appreciates the timelessness and tradition of oil as a medium and explores it as a welcome departure from the technology that has become a part of our daily lives. Strong composition holds the viewers interest and every inch of the canvas has movement without sacrificing the overall composition.
Dahlke's painting style of capturing the romance and lazy days of the Caribbean can be found in his trademark of island shadows. Absent palm trees cast darkened and playful shapes upon a cottage wall as dimly lit interiors beckon a closer inspection. As you enter the house from an open window or door you discover a book or some other articles left behind momentarily adding a very human element, yet absent of any figure. Directly ahead is often the back porch window where a sun-drenched ocean is revealed provoking a warm and calming experience.
Those human details within each image are often objects of significance to Dahlke's life through the years. The stories of which we can only imagine.
Additional works this month are the extended exhibit of Bill Braun's Trompe L'Oeil paintings of incredible deception and a variety of additional works from the Gallery's inventory.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to extend the spectacular works by Northwest Trompe l'Oeil painter Bill Braun.
The paintings by Braun are amazing feats of illusion. What initially appears to be the art project constructed by a third grader is in reality a masterful painting of acrylic on canvas. The subject matter of cut out construction paper flowers and paper doll trees appear to be adhered by masking tape and staples to a crinkled background of brown kraft paper. These are the tease that invites the viewer further.
Upon seeing the work for the first time, the viewer can easily and immediately dismiss what he sees as what it "probably" is. "Of course it's not a painting, because why would you paint it" The definition of the work is superb and the likeness to real imagery is second only to the material itself. A second, third and frequently a fourth look is required to reassure ones self that what they are looking at isn't really a collage.
This years show revolves around garden scenes and landscapes that continue to trick the eye not to mention the mind.
It is difficult to explain the success of good Trompe l'Oeil and it takes an actual face to face experience to completely understand these magnificent paintings. YES, THEY ARE PAINTINGS!
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is again pleased to offer the spectacular works by Northwest Trompe l'Oeil painter Bill Braun.
The paintings by Braun are amazing feats of illusion. What initially appears to be the art project constructed by a third grader is in reality a masterful painting of acrylic on canvas. The subject matter of cut out construction paper flowers and paper doll trees appear to be adhered by masking tape and staples to a crinkled background of brown kraft paper. These are the tease that invites the viewer further.
Upon seeing the work for the first time, the viewer can easily and immediately dismiss what he sees as what it "probably" is. "Of course it's not a painting, because why would you paint it" The definition of the work is superb and the likeness to real imagery is second only to the material itself. A second, third and frequently a fourth look is required to reassure ones self that what they are looking at isn't really a collage.
This years show revolves around garden scenes and landscapes that continue to trick the eye not to mention the mind.
It is difficult to explain the success of good Trompe l'Oeil and it takes an actual face to face experience to completely understand these magnificent paintings. YES, THEY ARE PAINTINGS!
R. John Ichter "Following the Light" - New Pastels
R. John (Bob) Ichter
June 11, 2008
- July 6, 2008
6:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to exhibit new pastels by Atlanta artist Bob Ichter
R.John Ichter is an award-winning artist residing in Atlanta Georgia who is quickly captivating the art scene wherever his work is shown. Also known as "Bob" to his friends, Ichter's romantic pastels are richly colored and hand-rubbed onto lushly textured black suede archival board. The strengths of Ichter's pastels include vibrant, saturated colors and strong compositions. According to Ichter, each piece is designed to evoke a certain time of day and to transport the viewer to another place.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
A one month of rotation for artwork is not nearly enough time for everyone to get a chance to view a particular show, so we have extended select pastels by Atlanta artist Bob Ichter for your continued interest.
R.John Ichter is an award-winning artist residing in Atlanta Georgia who is quickly captivating the art scene wherever his work is shown. Also known as "Bob" to his friends, Ichter's romantic pastels are richly colored and hand-rubbed onto lushly textured black suede archival board. The strengths of Ichter's pastels include vibrant, saturated colors and strong compositions. According to Ichter, each piece is designed to evoke a certain time of day and to transport the viewer to another place.
Try to come in in person and view these very popular pastels and see why Ichter is becoming a very sought after artist across the USA.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer new works by northwest artists, Mike Smith and Pat Tolle.
Mike Smith was born in 1942 in Portland, Oregon, and spent his childhood growing up in Vancouver, Washington, and the Puget Sound area. He now resides in S.W. Washington near the shores of the Columbia River.
Smith has tried to abandon any "school" of painting and uses an autobiographical approach. His subjects are mostly found in his backyard or around the neighborhood in which he lives. His dogs, the cat, his rowboat, and ducks in his pond, are all included in the bright watercolors of his paintings. He also sculpts in bronze, paints in oils and does silk screen prints.
Smith says, "People always want to know the meaning of my work and where I get my ideas from. My work is simply about the people and places and animals I love. Images, unlike the written word, do not dictate to you. After twenty-five years of painting almost every day, it has become my world." It is fun-filled, colorful, and full of life. Over the years, Smith has had more than 70 one-man shows.
New work this year by Smith revolves around the garden and his love of flowers, horses galloping and a recent vacation to Hawaii that will pair his paintings nicely with Tolle's tropical adventures.
Tolle has been a regular gallery participant since her first show with us in 1993. These new works represent the direction her art has taken since the Aerial views of Washington's landscape. The new works are landscapes and seascapes that are luscious and rich in color from various vacation destinations, especially Hawaii.
Tolle not only has a passion for painting, but also a wanderlust and fascination for travel and she is fortunate enough to act upon her passions. These new paintings will allow us to travel visually with her to some wonderful tropical vacation locations.
Jane Aukshunas
Jane Aukshunas will be in attendance
Jane Aukshunas and Don Tiller - "Roads Less Traveled"
April 9
- May 4
6:00 p.m - 9:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to introduce the new works by Northwest Painters Jane Aukshunas and Don Tiller.
Staying true to our gallery's direction of playful and whimsical work, Aukshunas and Tiller are natural participants.
The soothing and regenerative power of nature has had a profound influence in the work of Aukshunas throughout her life. She finds a deep sense of serenity in the natural world and as an artist, she attempts to convey that by capturing the serenity that is so often lacking in our frantic mobile phone and email culture. Many of her works are displayed in hospitals and the offices of health professionals which leads one to believe that she has captured that essence of tranquility and that the feeling tones in her art help to soothe people's emotions.
New to the Gallery, Aukshunas lives in the Northwest in a region with diverse terrain that is rich with what may be the widest variety of crops in the world. Consequently, there is much in her environment to inspire the landscapes she creates.
Imbued at once with both a lush sensuality and an edgy geometry, her colorful, graphic landscapes hearken back to the 1930s' mid western regionalist style of such artists as Thomas Hart Benton and Grant Wood. Her work has been likened to "Grant Wood on acid." In her use of color, and she identifies with the early 1900s European artists who were dubbed the Fauves (wild beasts) whose leading member was Henri Matisse. Other artists who influence her on an ongoing basis include Georgia O'Keeffe, Emily Carr, Paul Gauguin, Henri Rousseau, Wanda Ga'g, and Northwest contemporary Susan Bennerstrom.
Residing on the Olympic Peninsula, Don Tiller is intrigued with the imprint left on the landscape when touched by mankind. With bold colors and simple shapes, he has given this new group of paintings his interpretation of man's attempt to initiate order in nature. Natural chaos provides interest balanced with geometric repetition.
This recent body of work is primarily composed of interesting shapes and bold colors of sensual landscapes and new forms in Urban Life. The paintings are snippets of warped remembrances allowing you a glimpse of the things he has seen and the places he has been. When someone quips "I think I've been there" or "I know where that is" he knows the connection between creator and viewer has been made.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Prelude to an Installation:
Thom Ross is currently working 24/7 on his next monumental installation. This new outdoor installation will consist of 120 life sized painted sculptures placed in the sand at the Pacific Ocean depicting a 1902 photograph of Buffalo Bill Cody's "Indians on the Beach". The location is just below the Cliff House in San Francisco.
Many of you may remember this artist's 200 life sized sculptures he created 3 years ago based on the battle of the Little Big Horn and positioned on the battlefield in Montana. Press and public viewing was limited in the sparsely populated area of the National Park, but this new project is surely to draw not only regional crowds, but national attention to Ross and his passion for portraying the Wild West. Look for this project to take place the first week in September 2008.
Ross has recently and for the second year in a row, been named by True West Magazine as the best living contemporary western painter in the country.
For "Invitation to a Pow-Wow", Ross has transferred some of the techniques he has been using on his large plywood figures to the canvas, thus creating a mixed-media appearance to his work. Construction and adornment reach past the canvas with unusual edges, sparkles and wispy feathers.
"Hoka Hey! It will be a great night for an opening!"
("Hoka hey" was a proud Lakota war cry, appearing most frequently as: "Hoka Hey! It is a good day to die!")
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Brad Caplis, a native of Michigan uses remembrances of his childhood as a source of inspiration for his paintings. Growing up in rural Michigan, he was always in or around the woods. There he dreamt of spotting flying saucers in a patch of sky just above the pine trees, or stumbling upon a clearing to witness some kind of bucolic supernatural ceremony. He never did witness such events however, but was always on the lookout for the extraordinary in nature.
As his paintings continued, images began to surface that best represented these more mystical yearnings. Before adolescence He was often sick with flu and high fevers which invariably let to hallucinations, some of which were terrifying and quite bizarre. There were times when he would lash out at them or run around the house in hopes of escaping. His mother would let him stay in his brother's room during these episodes. It seemed to make him feel safer.
In his brother's room, along with all the cool stuff an older brother has, was a vintage 1940's radio. As he lay in bed in a delusional state, he would watch the radio rise up or grow and become speaking. It's voice (he assumed it was God's voice) would announce all kinds of catastrophe and miracles alike. Sometimes a crackling panicked voice like that of an on the street reporter and other times a booming great almighty voice from above, the radio belted out cryptic messages and spectacular occurrences. I was entirely hypnotic and at the time, he believed to be the most important discovery of his young life.
Age, maturity and better health eased the delusions and his education at the University of Virginia transformed many of these images of the past into whimsical and playful paintings of landscapes, seascapes and timeless memorabilia.
This current exhibit pays close attention to tranquil times, vaction memories and remembrances that we all share while relaxing away from home and dreaming out a window with a view.
Brad Caplis currently resides with his wife in the Pacific Northwest where he continues to pursue his painting.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
We had such a good response to the new work by Dan Larsen in January, we are pleased to hold over some select paintings for the month of February.
Larsen is a regional abstract artist using "paint in motion" as he calls it to express a feeling as the viewer contemplates his work. Loose and fluid, Larsen takes Pollock to another level by letting the paint and its unique reaction to its counterparts define some of the process. Close up views of his work are as interesting as viewed from a distance as one tries to determine just how he did it.
"Deliberately Organic" is a direction that Larsen continues to explore where he views much of his work as organic interludes in nature. The beginning, the end and the process in between allow you to see process and formation.
His multiple applications of paint and the manipulation of the medium creates an interesting and contemplative canvas that holds the viewer's attention and allows for a visual experience traveling back in time or far into the future.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer a Holiday Exhibit by gallery artists for our 22nd Anniversary.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is a small and intimate space located in the heart of Kirkland's waterfront district on Lake Street South. Opening first in Bellevue in 1985 as a resource for collectors looking to purchase original prints by International artists such as Chagall, Miro, Motherwell, and Warhol from a competent and honest art dealer it moved to it's current location in Kirkland in 1991. Since then, it has become one of Kirkland's oldest galleries. With an emphasis on whimsical and expressionist work, local patrons frequently choose the Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery as Kirkland's favorite gallery.
The family of artists that continue to show at the gallery are innovative, thoughtful, proficient and immensely talented. While the gallery continues to add new artists to its stable, many of the artists have been in association with the gallery since its beginning where loyalty continues to last and flourish.
One such artist is the regional painter, Bill Braun. Mr. Braun's Trompe l'Oeil paintings are amazing feats of hyperrealism that have been a constant source of conversation and amazement in the gallery for many years. Many bets for dinner have been lost at the gallery's window on a warm evening or a rainy afternoon as a gallery regular sucks in an unknowing victim. Braun's paintings of crinkled brown craft paper, with the illusion of brightly colored construction paper stapled and taped to it in shapes of flowers, crows and a variety of pedestrian images suitable for any third grade classroom wall project, it leaves no impression as to what it is other than just that. Shadows, wrinkles and a precise technical ability with paint leave the new and sometimes even experienced viewer to believe that they are looking at a three dimensional paper construction and not a painting. Your eyes see believable three dimension without fault and your mind agrees…. of course it is a child's construction project, why would you paint it? Trompe l'Oeil at its very very best.
Quality, playfulness and a good sense of value have always been an important aspect of work exhibited in the gallery and each artist that is represented has their own quality that we believe in.
Come visit the Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery, it is a friendly and unimposing gallery of contemporary artwork and a must see while shopping for art in the Seattle area. Come in and let us meet your needs while making new friends.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer another combined exhibit of new paintings by two friends and noted northwest artists.
Holly Ballard Martz of Bremerton paints thoughtful and lyrical landscapes with messages in collage and iconography. These landscapes revolve around, trees, birds and structures that are juxtaposed in interesting and thoughtful placement. Martz has become a gallery favorite since her first exhibit in 2003.
Valaree Cox after 12 years of working in metal as a jeweler and several more doing assemblage art, has now turned to painting. "It is fulfilling for me to land in a place where I can combine those mediums on a 2-dimensional surface." "I love the process of building up on a surface starting with plaster, then paint and paper and using found objects to make my art. It makes for an interesting look, feel and the question, why is she using a rusty washer on a painting?"
Every single element in one of her paintings has a very specific significance to her. "I love the viewer to find there own meaning or just an emotional feeling from each piece of artwork. One they can love to look at over and over again."
We also wanted to include three new ceramic teapots by Seattle artist Randolph Sill. These amazing ceramic works are technically superior with tiny and intricate detail and a glaze that mimics the rust of Gas Works Park. Any of these are a must for any serious teapot collector.
Kathleen Hooks and David Stevenson - New Paintings
October 10, 2007
- November 4, 2007
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer new paintings by Eastern Washington artist Kathleen Hooks and Seattle painter David Stevenson.
Kathleen Hooks resides in Pasco and paints moody, lush and romantic landscapes not only reminiscent of Eastern Washington, but also of the lush and deserted land found west of the mountains. Kathleen Hooks resides with her husband John and 2 children in the rural farmland east of Pasco, Washington. In 1996, after a lifelong interest in pursuing a career in art, Kathleen built a studio next to their home. With her husband's encouragement and construction complete, she studied artist's techniques and made a commitment to painting full-time Her lovely landscapes and skyscapes have become a gallery favorite.
David Stevenson is new to the gallery and lives in Seattle, WA. His richly textured still-life paintings are bold but quiet representations of everyday objects: the classically beautiful, the unusual, and subjects whose appeal are less obvious and more nuanced.
For over ten years David has worked in the video game industry creating artwork for popular adventure titles such as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Lemony Snicket's a Series of Unfortunate Events and most recently Mystery Case Files: Madame Fate.
His true passion, however, lies in the more tactile medium of oil on canvas. "Among the things I enjoy most about painting a still life is the challenge of creating the illusion of texture and depth. For me, to successfully bring out the texture and shape of an orange is about as good as it gets".
His inspiration comes from what he sees in his neighborhood, from his wife's garden, and afternoons spent digging through the dusty, cramped shelves of the local junk shop in West Seattle. Not to mention his love of pastries, which is his most recent and exuberant endeavor.
He especially admires and is drawn to the work of old Dutch masters, as well as the greats from the Italian renaissance. His continuing search for knowledge has recently led him to Florence Italy where he participated in an extensive summer workshop at the Angel Academy.
Jaime Ellsworth - Made in China The Story of Pagau
Jaime Ellsworth
September 12, 2007
- October 7. 2007
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
"Made in China" The story of Pagau.
Playful and whimsical, Ellsworth's paintings of Pagau are views of this rescued puppy as it discovers life in America.
Pagau was born in China and was rescued as a tiny puppy by Jaime's daughter who was teaching in a poor, rural area of HunanProvince. To spare his life, she purchased him for several Yuan or two American dollars and found herself the owner of a puppy in an area with no veterinarians, pet shops or even pet food for hundreds of miles. After many suggestions, her students named him Pagau which means black dog in Mandarin Chinese. She raised him on pork, vegetables and rice and a few care packages from family.
Over the next few months it became apparent that getting him home to the US would not be easy but Nicky took on the challenge and after traveling hundreds of miles and zigzagging all around China for official papers to be stamped, Pagau and Nicky finally made it to Beijing for his final agricultural inspection with just hours to spare before their flight home. After 60 hours of traveling on buses, trains, airplanes, taxis and finally a ferry to the San Juan Islands in Washington State, he arrived home at last with his head held high and tail wagging and was then just five months old.
He happily settled into his new home and it wasn't long before they noticed he was growing up to look exactly like an imaginary dog she had been painting for about a year. Jaime began to observe and paint Pagau's moments of contemplation and his story now unfolds visually through his discoveries and adventures. There are now over sixty paintings in the series and Pagau is two years old and rice is still his favorite food.
Additional works by Ellsworth are lovely little encaustics of more dogs and large oils of horses.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Group exhibits often are methotically thought out with works paired for one reason or another to offer the patron a visual or intellectual journey. This August's group exhibit "Show me Again" couldn't be much further from that premise.
We have 20 artists that we regularly represent and support on an on going basis and sometimes their individual exhibits are stretched as far as a year and a half apart. With such a great amount of time between showings, it is important for us to find time during the year to concentrate on group exhibits and review some of their past works as we strive to support them as much as offer the collector always something new. Art isn't old after it's debut and has an on going appeal long after it is completed. We also purchase artwork all year long from various artists that we don't reguarly represent and inventory works are an important part of the gallery as well.
August is our slowest month in sales from our regular collectors who are vactioning elsewhere or preoccupied with summer, but Kirkland with it's charm and lakeside community has become a great draw and we are seeing more and more toursits come through during the summer months. Hopefully those visiting will get a glimpse of our gallery's direction and find something special to take home with them.
R. John (Bob) Ichter
R. John (Bob) Ichter will be in attendance
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
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The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer new works by two of our newest gallery artists.
R.John Ichter is an award-winning artist residing in AtlantaGeorgia who is quickly captivating the art scene wherever his work is shown. Also known as "Bob" to his friends, Ichter's romantic pastels are richly colored and hand-rubbed onto lushly textured black suede archival board. The strengths of Ichter's pastels include vibrant, saturated colors and strong compositions. According to Ichter, each piece is designed to evoke a certain time of day and to transport the viewer to another place.
Dan Larsen is a regional abstract artist using "paint in motion" as he calls it to express a feeling as the viewer contemplates his work. Loose and fluid, Larsen takes Pollock to another level by letting the paint and its chemical reaction to its counterparts define some of the process.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to introduce the new works by Northwest Painter Don Tiller. Staying true to our gallery's direction of playful and whimsical work, Tiller is a natural participant.
Residing on the Olympic Peninsula, Tiller is intrigued with the imprint left on the landscape when touched by mankind. With bold colors and simple shapes, he has given this new group of paintings his interpretation of man's attempt to initiate order in nature. Natural chaos provides interest balanced with geometric repetition.
This recent body of work is primarily composed of interesting shapes and bold colors. The paintings are snippets of warped remembrances allowing you a glimpse of the things he has seen and the places he has been. When someone quips "I think I've been there" or "I know where that is" he knows the connection between creator and viewer has been made.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Jaime Ellsworth is our newest addition to the gallery and we wanted you to have a preview of some of her works before the Summer gets here.
Simple forms are consistent in all her artwork and she enjoys working in series offering relationships, discovery and contrasts. "I create visual situations from everyday experiences and observations. Although I begin with a clear idea of what I am trying to achieve the paintings actually emerge from what I already know and what I learn along the way. Each new series directs the path I take and the journey is welcomed."
Look for a Fall show of addtional works by Jaime Ellsworth
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is again pleased to offer the spectacular works by Northwest Trompe l'Oeil painter Bill Braun.
The paintings by Braun are amazing feats of illusion. What initially appears to be the art project constructed by a third grader is in reality a masterful painting of acrylic on canvas.The subject matter of cut out construction paper flowers and paper doll trees appear to be adhered by masking tape and staples to a crinkled background of brown kraft paper. These are the tease that invites the viewer further.
Upon seeing the work for the first time, the viewer can easily and immediately dismiss what he sees as what it "probably" is. "Of course it's not a painting, because why would you paint it" The definition of the work is superb and the likeness to real imagery is second only to the material itself. A second, third and frequently a fourth look is required to reassure ones self that what they are looking at isn't really a collage.
This years show revolves around a variety of subject matter from churches to flower gardens.
It is difficult to explain the success of good Trompe l'Oeil and it takes an actual face to face experience to completely understand these magnificent paintings. YES, THEY ARE PAINTINGS!
Not to be Forgotten - A Review of Past Works and Intoducing Kim Starr
April 11, 2007
- May 6, 2007
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
This is an review of past works shown in the gallery that are too good to be put away and forgotten. It has always been our philosophy to steadily support our artists and one exhibit a year just isn't enough for everyone to see some of these great works. This exhibit allows us to revisit some favorite works and support those that continually produce quality and collectable works.
To add more flavor and interest to this annual exhibit, it is also common for us to introduce a new artist to our gallery patrons. Kim Starr is new to the gallery and is a refreshing addition. While she is not new to the art world having shown her work for 25 years in Hawaii, she is now a Northwest artist living locally. It is our pleasure to offer the paintings by Kim Starr in Kirkland.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is again pleased to offer for the 14th year, the new paintings by well known western artist Thom Ross.
Ross is best known for his accurate and extremely whimsical portrayal of events taken from the Wild West era. His paintings are bright, bold and refreshing in their style, yet accurate in their history. Little known events or happenings are transformed into whimsical stories told by Ross in playful paint.
This year's exhibit reflects images of the west that don't specifically have a historical significance, but nonetheless are a part of history. Dogs roaming the range and a Murder of Crows are included in this exhibit along with some important events and individuals.
Ross is a master at research and thrives on finding little known events and adventures of the Wild West to revisit as paintings. He is frequently asked to speak at colleges on history of the Wild West and act in a variety of made for T.V. movies dealing with the west.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer a fun group exhibit revolving around the world of Fly Fishing. While, not a new sport by any means, Fly Fishing however has become a very popular activity that includes both men and women. From secret sepes to the Yakima River, WashingtonState has some of the best Fly Fishing spots around as well as an abundance of participants.
"Tie my Fly" includes some gallery favorites as well as some new comers as they explore their world as it relates to Fly Fishing and their art.
Artists included are: Bill Braun, Holly Ballard Martz, Milo Duke, Kathleen Hooks, Robert Ichter, John Moilanen, Ray Pelley, Thom Ross, Julia Ross, Mike Smith, Kelly Staton, Pat Tolle, Ken Thomas, Liang Wei and Catherine Young.
Dan Larsen - Abstracts and Mike Smith - Watercolors and Pastels
January 10th
- February 4th
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to introduce and offer new works by Seattle painter, Dan Larsen and veteran northwest Watercolorist, Mike Smith.
Dan Larsen is a regional abstract artist using "paint in motion" as he calls it to express a feeling as the viewer contemplates his work. Loose and fluid, Larsen takes Pollock to another level by letting the paint and its reaction to its counterparts define some of the process, thus creating an often serendipitous outcome. He uses a variety of methods in conjunction with fate; brush, air brush, flinging and dripping- anything that feels right at that given moment. Close examination of Larsen's work reveals a new appreciation for the effort and talent that goes into each and every painting. Viewers often use a magnifying glass to get a better view at all the intracacies and movement of paint.
New work this year by Smith revolves around the garden and his love of flowers and pastels of mythical horses galloping and playing.
Smith continues to have a never ending imagination capturing his favorite subjects at play or rest.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer a group exhibit by gallery artists in celebration of the Holidays and our 21st Anniversary. Can you believe it...We are finally 21!
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is a small and intimate space located in the heart of Kirkland's waterfront district on Lake Street South. Opening first in Bellevue in 1985 as a resource for collectors looking to purchase original prints by International artists such as Chagall, Miro, Motherwell, and Warhol from a competent and honest art dealer it moved to it's current location in Kirkland in 1991. Since then, it has become one of Kirkland's oldest galleries. With an emphasis on whimsical and expressionist work., local patrons frequently choose the Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery as Kirkland's favorite gallery.
The families of artists that continue to show at the gallery are innovative, thoughtful, proficient and immensely talented. While the gallery continues to add new artists to its stable, many of the artists have been in association with the gallery since its beginning where loyalty continues to last and flourish.
One such artist is the regional painter, Bill Braun. Mr. Braun's Trompe l'Oeil paintings are amazing feats of hyperrealism that have been a constant source of conversation and amazement in the gallery for many years. Many bets for dinner have been lost at the gallery's window on a warm evening or a rainy afternoon as a gallery regular sucks in an unknowing victim. Braun's paintings of crinkled brown craft paper, with the illusion of brightly colored construction paper stapled and taped to it in shapes of flowers, crows and a variety of pedestrian images suitable for any third grade classroom wall project, it leaves no impression as to what it is other than just that. Shadows, wrinkles and a precise technical ability with paint leave the new and sometimes even experienced viewer to believe that they are looking at a three dimensional paper construction and not a painting. Your eyes see believable three dimension without fault and your mind agrees…. of course it is a child's construction project, why would you paint it? Trompe l'Oeil at its very very best.
Quality, playfulness and a good sense of value have always been an important aspect of work exhibited in the gallery and each artist that is represented has their own quality that we believe in.
Come visit the Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery, it is a friendly and unimposing gallery of contemporary artwork and a must see while shopping for art in the Seattle area. Come in and let us meet your needs while making new friends.
Previous Exhibit by Holly Ballard Martz and Valaree Cox
November 8, 2006
- December 10, 2006
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Our Previous month's exhibit of works by Gallery artist Holly Ballard Martz and new addition Valaree Cox were very well received and we have several works up for the current month's show.
Holly Ballard Martz of Bremerton paints thoughtful and lyrical landscapes with messages in collage and iconography. These landscapes revolve around, trees, birds and structures that are juxtaposed in interesting and thoughtful placement. Martz has become a gallery favorite since her first exhibit in 2003.
Valaree Cox after 12 years of working in metal as a jeweler and several more doing assemblage art, has now turned to painting. "It is fulfilling for me to land in a place where I can combine those mediums on a 2-dimensional surface." "I love the process of building up on a surface starting with plaster, then paint and paper and using found objects to make my art.It makes for an interesting look, feel and the question, why is she using a rusty washer on a painting?"
Every single element in one of her paintings has a very specific significance to her. "I love the viewer to find there own meaning or just an emotional feeling from each piece of artwork.One they can love to look at over and over again."
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to exhibit new paintings by Southern artist Bob Ichter and Northwest painter Liang Wei.
R.John Ichter is an award-winning artist who is quickly captivating the art scene wherever his work is shown. Also known as "Bob" to his friends, Ichter's romantic pastels are richly colored and hand-rubbed onto lushly textured black suede archival board. The strengths of Ichter's pastels include vibrant, saturated colors and strong compositions. According to Ichter, each piece is designed to evoke a certain time of day and to transport the viewer to another place.
Moody, thoughtful and alluring are a few words that are frequently used to describe the paintings of Liang Wei.
Born in China, Liang Wei was trained as a traditional portrait artist and landscape painter before moving to the Northwest more than 20 years ago.Highly educated and well respected in his career as a painter in China, Liang Wei was able to respond to the influences of the Western World and American painters upon his move to the US.
Influenced by Edward Hopper, Grant Wood and Northwest Contemporary Susan Bennerstrom, Liang Wei's landscapes reflect a style that is moody, provocative and thought provoking all combined with an excellent foundation in composition, design and technique.
Holly Ballard Martz
Holly Ballard Martz will be in attendance
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
We are pleased to offer for the month of October, new paintings by two northwest artists.
Holly Ballard Martz of Bremerton paints thoughtful and lyrical landscapes with messages in collage and iconography. These landscapes revolve around, trees, birds and structures that are juxtaposed in interesting and thoughtful placement. Martz has become a gallery favorite since her first exhibit in 2003.
Valaree Cox after 12 years of working in metal as a jeweler and several more doing assemblage art, has now turned to painting. "It is fulfilling for me to land in a place where I can combine those mediums on a 2-dimensional surface." "I love the process of building up on a surface starting with plaster, then paint and paper and using found objects to make my art.It makes for an interesting look, feel and the question, why is she using a rusty washer on a painting?"
Every single element in one of her paintings has a very specific significance to her. "I love the viewer to find there own meaning or just an emotional feeling from each piece of artwork.One they can love to look at over and over again."
Robert Cerins and Chrissandra Neustaedter - Oh Canada!
Robert Cerins
September 13, 2006
- October 8, 2005
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to introduce two artists from British Columbia who not only relate to each other well, but also to the gallery’s direction.
While neither artist knows each other, both Robert Cerins and Chrissanda Neustaedter have a playful and carefree style that works well together.
Cerins, a musician, jewelry designer and painter exhibits widely in the USA and Canada focusing on his acrylic landscape paintings, both in fantasy and playful representation. Loose and colorful, Cerins takes you on a journey that leaves you smiling along the way.
Chrissandra Neustaedter also has a playful approach to her interiors and landscapes, but her use of mixed media and very interesting application of texture first makes you wonder as to what she has done to create such an interesting surface appearance and then takes you on the journey.
She uses “secret” ingredients and manipulates the wet application as she moulds a scene and then goes through a laborious process to finish the surface, creating a unique and interesting finished painting.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer a two person exhibit by Northwest photo realist painters, Misty Martin and Ray Pelley.
Misty Martin is the newest member of our gallery of artists and fits a complimentary niche to the playful and whimsical paintings that we typically show. Her work has been seen for years at the now closed Kimzey Miller Gallery and is a regional favorite.
Martin uses her photo real painting ability to capture images of regional icons and other glamorous destinations such as Las Vegas neon and back alleys of a Bavarian village.
Ray Pelley has shown with the gallery since the early 90's and has matured into a master of realism. His early surreal paintings and silkscreens were tight and technically superb, but off beat as surreal work often is. As Pelley continued to paint for the gallery, his work matured into amazing paintings that take on a photo real quality with a bit of a twist to satisfy his own artistic surreal nature. His new paintings of trendy cocktails, collectable wine, poker with scotch and cigars are wonderful examples of his painting excellence.
Both Martin and Pelley capture objects and icons in similar ways with interesting perspectives and unique views or objects seen in our daily lives.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to exhibit the new paintings by Northwest artist, Pat Tolle. Tolle has been a regular gallery participant since her first show with us in 1993.
These new paintings represent the direction her art has taken: Aerial views of Washington's landscape and various vacation destinations.Just as artists portrayed motion from train travel, Tolle envisions seeing this earth from space.
She has traveled by helicopter over the state and vacation spots for inspiration, from the islands of ThePuget Sound and Hawaii to the tulip fields of the SkagitValley and the rolling wheat fields of the Palouse.
These new paintings are thickly painted oils with overlapping vivid colors. Her goal is the marriage of recognizable actuality to abstract wonder.
The joy she experience while flying is what she would wish to convey to the viewer. It's almost a childlike reaction seeing live-action dinky-toy cars for the first time, cultivated farmlands and water-borne traffic.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer an extended exhibition of the spectacular works by Northwest Trompe L'Oeil painter Bill Braun. Braun has been an active participant and successful painter for the gallery during the past 14 years.
The paintings by Braun are amazing feats of illusion and totally will trick the eye. What initially appears to be the art project constructed by a third grader for a present to be taken home is in reality a masterful painting of acrylic on canvas.
The subject matter of cut out construction paper flowers and paper doll trees appear to be adhered by masking tape and staples to a crinkled background of brown kraft paper. These are the tease that invites the viewer further.
Upon seeing the work for the first time, the viewer can easily and immediately dismiss what he sees as what it "probably" is. "Of course it's not a painting, because why would you paint it" The definition of the work is superb and the likeness to real imagery is second only to the material itself. A second, third and frequently a fourth look is required to reassure ones self that what they are looking at isn't really a collage.
Every year, Braun comes up with something new to add to his "trick of the eye" repertoire and like everyone else we are eager to see them on opening night.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is again pleased to offer the spectacular works by Northwest Trompe L'Oeil painter Bill Braun. Braun has been an active participant and successful painter for the gallery during the past 14 years.
The paintings by Braun are amazing feats of illusion and totally will trick the eye. What initially appears to be the art project constructed by a third grader for a present to be taken home is in reality a masterful painting of acrylic on canvas.The subject matter of cut out construction paper flowers and paper doll trees appear to be adhered by masking tape and staples to a crinkled background of brown kraft paper. These are the tease that invites the viewer further.
Upon seeing the work for the first time, the viewer can easily and immediately dismiss what he sees as what it "probably" is. "Of course it's not a painting, because why would you paint it" The definition of the work is superb and the likeness to real imagery is second only to the material itself. A second, third and frequently a fourth look is required to reassure ones self that what they are looking at isn't really a collage.
Every year, Braun comes up with something new to add to his "trick of the eye" repertoire and like everyone else we are eager to see them on opening night.
Mike Smith - Paintings and Lee Bogle - Prints and Paintings
May 10
- June 4
6:00 - 9:00 pm
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer the new paintings by two well known Northwest painters Mike Smith and Lee Bogle.
Mike Smith was born in 1942 in Portland, Oregon, and spent his childhood growing up in Vancouver,Washington, and the Puget Sound area. He now resides in Camas Washington, a small pulp and paper community located on the shores of the Columbia River.
He graduated from the University of Portland with a degree in English Literature. Smith began drawing and sculpting at the age of two, after an interlude of baseball, he became a serious full-time artist at the age of twenty-five. He supported himself doing graphic design and other commercial art endeavors while pursuing his fine art career.
He has tried to abandon any "school" of painting and uses an autobiographical approach. His subjects are mostly found in his backyard or around the neighborhood in which he lives. His dogs, the cat, his rowboat, and ducks in his pond, are all included in the bright watercolors of his paintings. He also sculpts in bronze, paints in oils and does silk screen prints.
Smith says, "People always want to know the meaning of my work and where I get my ideas from. My work is simply about the people and places and animals I love. Images, unlike the written word, do not dictate to you. After twenty-five years of painting almost every day, it has become my world." It is fun-filled, colorful, and full of life.
Lee Bogle is a Kirkland resident, but don't let the close proximity to this gallery be any less meaningful than if he lived thousands of miles away. Bogle is a successful painter in the art industry and shows his work though out the US and Canada and has been printed, published and branded on a variety of products that use his romantic and beautiful figures. Whether it be Native Americans, or an elegant Heron stepping into a marsh, Bogle's images are delicate and thoughtful in their rendering and unique painting style.
Bogle's technical skills as a draftsman are evident in his renderings of the human figure. He combines vivid realistic detail with the expressive qualities of abstraction. One of Bogle's hallmarks is the serenity he instills in each of his images. Another is the intricacies he manages with his medium, whether it be watercolor, oil or pastel.
Bogle enjoys creating many of his images with pastels on a handmade bark paper. The paper has very textured surface which portrays an aged and primitive quality and lends itself well to Bogle's style.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Group exhibits are often significant on how the work shown relates to each other. Imagery, theme, statement, color or a variety of reasons can create an interesting and thoughtful group exhibit. This month's group exhibit however has only slim ties to each other and the purpose wasn't specifically thoughtful towards any similarities at all.
April's exhibit is really an extension of March's Thom Ross show as a way to offer his unique historically accurate wild west paintings for another month. The work is too good not to be seen by more patrons.
The additional works shown are all inventory works owned by the gallery and rarely get seen.
Le Thiet Cuong resides in Vietnam and has never had a show in the USA, but his abstract rice bowls and chopsticks have been a favorite subject matter in Asia and Europe. The sophistication of his abstract impressionism are very memorable and well done.
Jurgen Gorg is a German printmaker and painter who has been shown by the gallery 20 years and our inventory of his etchings is healthy. His work is done both in etching and lithography with the subject matter relating to dance, music and beautiful women in movement and pose.
Yoko Hara is a young Japanese printmaker living in Japan who produces interesting, loose and colorful abstract etchings and has been with the gallery for 6 years.
Noe Katz has been a friend of the gallery for 20 years and while we have brokered his prints and paintings in the past we never have included him in a show. He is one of Mexico's most important living painters and sculptors and has a very strong International reputation. These four pastels are a treat and worth taking a look at.
Willi Kissmer is a friend of Jurgen Gorg also living in Germany creates amazing realistic and stylized women draped and undraped in shear fabric all done by the copper plate etching process.
Thom Ross "Cowboy and Indian Stories" New Paintings
Thom Ross
March 8, 2006
- April 9, 2006
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is again pleased to offer for the 12th year, new paintings by well known western artist Thom Ross.
Ross is best known for his accurate and extremely whimsical portrayal of events taken from the Wild West era. His paintings are bright, bold and refreshing in their style, yet accurate in their history. Little known events or happenings are transformed into whimsical stories told by Ross in playful paint.
This year's exhibit reflects stories of Cowboy and Indians and their place in history. There will be varied images from many of the stories we know and some we don't.
Ross is a master at research and thrives on finding little known events and adventures of the Wild West to revisit as paintings. He is frequently asked to speak at colleges on history of the Wild West and act in a variety of made for T.V. movies dealing with the west. Most recently, Ross has been noted by True West Magazine as the best living contemporary western painter in the country.
Debbie Tomassi
Debbie Tomassi will be in attendance
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
Welcome to "Home is where the Art is" and new work by Debbie Tomassi. Tomassi's playful greeting cards and humorous writings are easily translated to canvas as we have seen in the past, but in this body of work she explores new mediums and subject matter that take her work to a new level. While still playful, Tomassi captures the happy side of homelife with bold colors, sentiment and art that plays an important role in the home.
Tomassi's commercial art has adorned hundreds of greeting cards and many other social-expression products. Her cards can be found anywhere Recycled Paper Greetings are sold. Her book, Paint Box, a Colorful Romance, was published by Little, Brown and Company, and is available anywhere fine books are sold.
Over the years she has established a substantial list of clients, both public and private. Most notable among them are: American Greetings, Cost Plus, Fisher-Price, Kinko's, Madison Park Greetings, Microsoft, Recycled Paper Greetings, The Seattle Times, Sony Pictures, Target, and Walgreen's.
Kathleen Hooks
Kathleen Hooks will be in attendance
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to exhibit new paintings by Kathleen Hooks. A Washington resident, Hooks resides in Yakima and paints moody, lush and romantic landscapes of Eastern Washington. This years exhibit takes us south as well with beautiful landscapes of the wine country in California and some of the rolling hills and oak trees of the Santa Ynez Valley.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to conclude a two month celebration of our being in business for 20 years with a selection of artwork from 20 different artists represented by the gallery.
We are pleased to have survived the ups and downs of the art market in the Seattle area and to have been able to offer collectable artwork at good values to the community for 20 years. This celebration "20/20 Vision" is not only a reflection of the past, but also a vision for the future as we look forward to the next 20 years. We have always cared about our artists and that in turn has spawned loyalty and exceptional ongoing work by a great stable.
We would also like to thank all of our collectors who have supported us thoughtfully throughtout the years and all of those who visit the gallery regularly. It is a pleasure to know each and every one of you and we look forward to meeting many new friends in the years to come.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to begin a two month celebration of 20 years in business by opening November's Exhibit with our longest standing artist in representation, Loren Salazar.
Loren Salazar has been represented by Gunnar Nordstrom Fine Arts since 1985 and has the distinction of being the artist with the longest representation in the gallery. Salazar has continued to be an integral element in the success of the gallery and has enjoyed it as a venue for many changes in his artwork.
Born in California in 1951, he was raised and educated in the State of Washington and now calls Costa Rica home. Salazar's paintings have all had elements of water in them, flowing, dripping, ebbing and moving with transference. His dreamlike images flow from one thought to another and transcend states, continents and far corners of the globe while trying to keep a single thought, memory or idea alive. He has a unique ability to capture an entire dream sequence with a variety of locations all within one canvas. His work is spectacular, inviting and entrancing, transporting the viewer to destinations of the past, present and future, all the while maintaining the surrealism structure that has been the mainstay of his work for the past 30 years.
Salazar constantly experiments, manipulates and expresses his ability by using a variety of materials and mediums. Acrylic on board, acrylic on paper, dry pigment and watercolor, acrylic on aluminum and acrylic on canvas are just a few of the varieties that he uses often.
The new exhibit, "Roads leaving Rome" are newworks on canvas relating to Rome and Italian landscapes.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to exhibit new paintings by Northwest artist Liang Wei and preview new water colors, pastels and oils by Mike Smith.
Moody, thoughtful and alluring are a few words that are frequently used to describe the paintings of Liang Wei.
Born in China, Liang Wei was trained as a traditional portrait artist and landscape painter before moving to the Northwest more than 15 years ago.Highly educated and well respected in his career as a painter there, he was able to respond to the influences of the Western World and American painters upon his move to the US.
Influenced by Edward Hopper, Grant Wood and Northwest Contemporary Susan Bennerstrom, Liang Wei's landscapes reflect a style that is moody, provocative and thought provoking all combined with an excellent foundation in composition, design and technique.
While exploring landscape painting primarily the fifteen years, Liang Wei still manages to do commissioned portraits in traditional settings for corporate executives and various private individuals throughout the northwest.
Mike Smith was born in 1942 in Portland, Oregon, and spent his childhood growing up in Vancouver, Washington, and the Puget Sound area. He now resides in Camas Washington, a small pulp and paper community located on the shores of the Columbia River.
He graduated from the University of Portland with a degree in English Literature. Smith began drawing and sculpting at the age of two, after an interlude of baseball, he became a serious full-time artist at the age of twenty-five. He supported himself doing graphic design and other commercial art endeavors while pursuing his fine art career.
He has tried to abandon any "school" of painting and uses an autobiographical approach. His subjects are mostly found in his backyard or around the neighborhood in which he lives. His dogs, the cat, his rowboat, and ducks in his pond, are all included in the bright watercolors of his paintings. He also sculpts in bronze, paints in oils and does silk screen prints.
Smith says, "People always want to know the meaning of my work and where I get my ideas from.My work is simply about the people and places and animals I love. Images, unlike the written word, do not dictate to you. After twenty-five years of painting almost every day, it has become my world." It is fun-filled, colorful, and full of life.
Holly Ballard Martz
Holly Ballard Martz will be in attendance
Holly Ballard Martz and Susan Webster - New Paintings
Holly Ballard Martz
September 7, 2005
- October 9, 2005
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
We are pleased to offer new works by east coast artist Susan Webster and regional favorite, Holly Ballard Martz. Both painters have shown with the gallery in the past and continually have interesting and well received work. Webster's playful 3-D canvases are a pleasant and easy companion to Ballard Martz's stong iconographic paintings that take you a step further with imagination and thought.
A Family Affair - Jack Dorsey - April Dorsey Nelson - Jed Dorsey
August 10, 2005
- September 4, 2005
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to exhibit again the watercolors of Northwest Painter, Jack Dorsey. This year there is a twist however and joining Mr. Dorsey will be his two children, April and Jed, creating "A Family Affair."
Coming from a long line of painters, the Dorsey's newest generation share not only talent with their ancestors, but also a passion and commitment to the arts. This new exhibit will be a family reunion of past and present, new and old and above all, a consistence of ongoing talent within the same family.
Jack Dorsey
"Painting has always been my passion, watercolors in particular, and so my work objective is to create quality paintings that evoke positive responses from viewers. To achieve this goal I'm always looking for interesting subjects that I think would make a dramatic study, especially things common to experience but uncommon to expression. I try to achieve impressionistic realism with strong contrasts in value highlighting the main subject. In a sense, my style is about who I am and my experiences, which at times adapts to various themes."
April Dorsey Nelson
April comes from a long heritage of artists. Her great-grandmother was one of the first nationally known women artists in the early 1900's. She began painting at an early age and started selling her work at family art displays at age 15. She complimented her home environment by studying under various renowned artists. Since then, she has taught a variety of classes to both children and adults.
April enjoys using the spectacular natural surroundings of her island home as the subject matter for her artwork. From lowland marshes to the rising Cascades, from golden fields to tall cedars, the region offers an inexhaustible array of inspiration. Her work has won many awards and commendations including many purchase prizes, best of shows, and people's choice awards. Her work has been widely collected for both private and corporate collections. She hopes that her work leaves an uplifting impression on the viewer. Her desire, as Monet said, is to paint as the birds sing.
Jed Dorsey
Jed Dorsey is a young and emerging artist who was born into this very artistic family. Sketch pads and paint brushes were always within reach. In fact, much of his artistic training has come from his father, who is not only a renowned watercolor artist, but also a teacher. Now, Jed is carving out his own style with acrylics.
He has studied oils and acrylics under the teaching of Mike Svob and Robert Genn, both noted Canadian artists. He is an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and his paintings have been collected in both the U.S. and Canada.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer a one person exhibit by Northwest photo realist painter Ray Pelley. Pelley has shown with the gallery for a number of years and has matured into a master of realism. His early surreal paintings and silkscreens were tight and technically superb, but off beat as surreal work often is. As Pelley continued to paint for the gallery, his work matured into amazing paintings that take on a photo real quality with a bit of a twist to satisfy his own artistic surreal nature.
These new paintings of trendy cocktails, collectable wine, poker with scotch and cigars are wonderful examples of his painting excellence.
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The paintings by Braun are amazing feats of illusion. What initially appears to be the art project constructed by a third grader is in reality a masterful painting of acrylic on canvas.The subject matter of cut out construction paper flowers and paper doll trees appear to be adhered by masking tape and staples to a crinkled background of brown kraft paper. These are the tease that invites the viewer further.
Upon seeing the work for the first time, the viewer can easily and immediately dismiss what he sees as what it "probably" is. "Of course it's not a painting, because why would you paint it" The definition of the work is superb and the likeness to real imagery is second only to the material itself. A second, third and frequently a fourth look is required to reassure ones self that what they are looking at isn't really a collage.
This years show revolves around flower pots, fields of flowers, pastures with horses and deer and a couple new plywood images.
It is difficult to explain the success of good Trompe l'Oeil and it takes an actual face to face experience to completely understand these magnificent paintings. YES, THEY ARE PAINTINGS!
Visions of the Little Bighorn and other Cowboy Stories
Thom Ross
May 11, 2005
- June 5, 2005
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
To view more artwork from
the exhibition, click on image.
The Wild West as seen through the eyes of Thom Ross encompasses a wide range of events and occurances. From Bank Robbers and Soldiers to Explorers and Showmen to Indians and Daily western life. His world is filled with passion and historical content layed playfully to canvas that captures the attention and interest of old and young alike.
This Years show revoles around two aspects of the Wild West. "The Battle at the Little Bighorn" and Reoccuring Stories of the Wild West. Custer, his men and Sitting Bull are all interwoven with Ross' continuing passion for the events of the past. Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett, Roy Chapman Andrews and Doc Holiday are all participants this year. Come and be a part of history.
The Battle of the Little Bighorn, more popularly known by its sobriquet "Custer's Last Stand," was fought along the ridges, gentle sloping hills, and ravines above the Little Bighorn River on June 25, 1876. The conbatants were the combined forces of Teton (Western) Sioux, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians, pitted against the 7th regiment of the U.S. Cavalry. The battle is remembered today as being a successful armed attempt by the Sioux and Cheyenne to preserve traditional ways in the face of inevitable cultural change brought about by the expansion of European Americans. After more than a century, Little Bighorn has come to symbolize the clash of these two vastly dissimilar cultures, both struggling for widely differing things from the same resources.
This battle was not an isolated tactical confrontation. It was one portion of a much larger strategic level campaign, designed to force the capitulation of non-reservation Lakota Sioux and Cheyanne.
In 1868, some Lakota Sioux leaders had agreed to a treaty that created a large reservation in South Dakota and Nebraska. The Lakota further agreed to cease raids against settlers, survey crews, and other enemy tribes in favor of settling on the reservation and accepting goverment subsidies. It was hoped that this so-called "Peace Policy" of President Grant's administration would help ease the cultural transition for the Sioux.
Lakota Sioux leaders such as Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse opposed this policy. They feared becoming too dependent on the government, preferring to remain out on the plains as they had always done, far away from the treaty-reservation system. These roving bands of hunters and warriors had not signed the 1868 treaty and consequently felt no obligation to conform to its restrictions. They did not limit their hunting activities to the unceded land assigned to the reservation Lakota for that purpose and made sporadic forays against white settlers and enemy tribes on the fringes of the frontier. These non-reservation Lakota were reinforced during the summer months by groups known as summer roamers. These Indians had left the reservation temporarily to join hunting and raiding parties. The first snow fall usually saw these bands back on the reservation for the winter.
Problems were further complicated in 1874 when Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer was ordered to make an exploration of the Black Hills in the heart of the Lakota Sioux reservation. Fearing that intimidation by the summer roamers was jeopardizing the process of assimilating others on the reservation, General Philip H. Sheridan recommended a fort be constructed and garrisoned in the Black Hills, so that the army could repond to trouble quickly. Custer was to map the area and locate several suitable locations for future military posts. During the expedition, professional geologists discovered deposits of gold in paying quantities, and the resultant rush of entrepreneurs to the Black Hills was met with violence by the Sioux, who considered the whites as unwelcome interlopers on sacred ground.
All of these issues finally climaxed in the winter of 1875 when the Commissioner of Indian Affairs issued an ultimatum requiring all of the non-reservation Sioux to report to a reservation by the end of January, 1876. The deadline came and went with virtually no reponse, and matters were handed over to the military.
The campaign of 1876 called for three columns of troops to converge simultaneously on the Powder River country in southeastern Montana and northeastern Wyoming. Contrary to myth, these troops were not expected to launch a combined attack on any specific Indian village at a pre-designed time and location. Inadequate, slow, and often unpredicable communication prevented the army from coordinating march routes, distances, and timing. Furthermore, it must be remembered that the Lakota Sioux and their Cheyenne allies were nomadic hunters, constantly on the move. No officer or scout could be certain how long a village would remain stationary, or which way the tribes might go in search of food, water, and grazing areas for their horses. These unpredictable factors of Plains Indian culture played a major part in the strategy of this campaign.
The first military force moved eastward from Fort Ellis near present day Bozeman, Montana and was composed of about 450 men led by Colonel John Gibbons. The second column, about 1,000 strong came from Fort Fetterman in central Wyoming, and was commanded by General George Crook. The third column was lead by General Alfred H. Terry and marched westward from Fort Lincloln, near present day Bismarck, North Dakota. It was expected that any one of these three forces would be able to defeat the 800 to 1,000 warriors that hey were likely to encounter.
Just eight days before the Battle of the Little Bighorn, General Crook and his Wyoming Column found out first hand that the army had drastically underestimated the number of warriors. On June 17, Crazy Horse and 1,300 to 1,500 warriors rode out of their village to attack Crook. In six hours of fighting, Crook suffered about 30 casualties, the Indian warriors about 20. This was a shocking and enexpected reversal of warfare against Plains Indians. The summer's campaign was to hold many unexpected surprises for other troops also.
Believing he did not have the manpower or supplies neccessary to continue on campaign, Crook withdrew to Goose Creek in northern Wyoming near present day Sheridan, to await supplies and reinforcements. The Indians meanwhile, moved their village west, following antelope herds, until June 23 or 24. They came to rest in the valley of the Little Bighorn.
These Indians had come together for a variety of reasons. This well-watered region of the Powder, Rosebud, Bighorn, and Yellowstone Rivers had always been good hunting grounds and there was plenty of grass to nourish their horses. The tribes always gathered together in large numbers for a few weeks in the spring to celebrate their annual Sun-Dance ceremony. The most recent Sun-Dance had occurred about two weeks earlier near present day Lame Deer, Montana. Hunkpapa Sioux, spiritual leader, Sitting Bull, had sacrificed 50 pieces of flesh from each arm, and recieved a vision of the future. He claimed to have seen soldiers riding upside down into camp. He prophesied there would soon be a great victory for his poeple. On the morning of June 25, the camp was ripe with rumors about soldiers on the other side of the Wolf Mountains, 20 miles to the east. Few paid any atttention. In the words of Low Dog, an Oglala Sioux, "I did not think anyone would come and attack us as strong as we were."
The Indians apparently were unaware that Terry's Colunm had despatched Custer and the 7th Cavalry to make a wide flanking march in order to come up on the Indians from the south. Terry and Gibbon, with the slowly moving infantry would approach from the north, and the Indians, who were supposedly encamped somewhere along the Little Bighorn, would be so completely enclosed as to make their escape virtually impossible.
Fifteen miles east of Little Bighorn Battlefield are the Wolf Mountains. Custer's initial plan had been to conceal his regiment in those mountains throughout June 25. This would allow his Crow and Arikara scouts to locate the Sioux and Cheyenne village. Custer planned on making a night march on June 25, and launching an attack at dawn on June 26. However, when Custer's scouts reported that the regiment had been spotted by the Lakota, he judged that the element of suprise was lost, and that the village would flee, the inhabitants scattering into the rugged landscape, and bring dismal failure to an expensive and physically grueling campaign. Custer ordered in immediate advance.
At noon, Captain Frederick W. Benteen was ordered to march southwest, along the foot of the Wolf Mountains with three companies, approximately125 men. His objective was to locate any Indians, to "pitch into anything" he found and send word to Custer. The remainder of the 7th advanced toward the valley until just past 2:00 p.m., when a party of warriors suddenly broke from cover and raced toward the Little Bighorn River. Custer ordered Major Marcus A. Reno to take his 140 man battalion consisting of three companies of Arikara scouts and to charge the village, and that he would "be supported by the whole outfit."
The Indian village lay in the broad valley bottom west of the Little Bighorn. Reno crossed the river about two miles above the village and began advancing downstream toward the southern end of the village.
Though initially seized with confusion, the warriors overcame their surprise and quickly rushed out to fight Reno. Seeing no sign of Custer's support, Reno did not continue the charge on the village, but halted, dismounted his men, formed them into a skirmish line. They began shooting into the warriors who were riding out of the village by the hundreds. Before long, Reno withdrew to a stand of timber beside the river which offered additional protection. Eventually, Reno decided on a second retreat, this time to the bluffs across the river. The Sioux and Cheyenne later compared the resulting chase to the excitment of a good buffalo hunt. Soldiers at the rear of Reno's fleeing command took heavy casualties as warriors galloped along side to empty their rifles into the troops, or physically knock them out of their saddles. After ordering Reno to charge the village, Custer rode northward along the bluffs until he reached a broad gulch know as Medicine Tail Coulee, a natural route down to the river and into the village. Relic later found indicate a short, sharp skirmish occurred at the ford. After defeating Major Reno, the warriors learned that another group of soldiers was attacking the village further north. Before long, Custer's two battalions were deploying on "battle ridge" where the monument stands today.
By 4:20 p.m., Reno's shattered command reached the bluffs and was joind by Captain Benteen's command. Benteen had found no Indians to the south and had returned to the main trail just in time to meet Reno's demoralized survivors. He bore a message from Custer to "Come On. Big Village. Be Quick. Bring Packs." An effort was made to locate Custer after heavy gunfire was heard downstream. Led by Captain Weir's D company, the troops mo
