Author: the grocery

As part of COLOR, a joint exhibition with our sister gallery, Fresh Mochi, we’re pleased to exhibit video works by Seattle-based artist Barbara Robertson in our Walk Up Gallery (WUG) windows April 1 – 30, 2023.

Join us for an opening reception for COLOR – Saturday, April 1st, 5-8:00pm at The Grocery Studios and at Fresh Mochi across the street. View Barbara’s installation in the windows at WUG, come inside to meet the artist, and hear a live DJ set with upbeat electronic and house by Randy Jones (Instagram, Twitch). Beverages and snacks provided! Then head over to Fresh Mochi for the opening party for COLOR!

Artist Talk: Sunday April 16, 4-6:00pm Please join us for an informal artist talk, cake and tea at Fresh Mochi, 2900 21st Ave S, across the street from The Grocery Studios.

About the installation

The two windows of WUG will feature Barbara Robertson’s animated videos, “Plywood Graffiti” and “Flip.” 

Each video is a three minute loop, composed of drawings, collages and photographs created  by the artist. They were inspired by her response to living in a rapidly changing urban environment and her hopes for a more humane space to nurture our community.

About the artist

Barbara Robertson is primarily known for her work in experimental printmaking and animation.  Recently she has expanded her work to include abstract painting. Her ongoing series of paintings explores ideas about structure and environment in a time of accelerating urban change.  She has received awards for her work from 4Culture, the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture, KALA Art Institute and the received the Neddy Award from Behnke Foundation. She is the founder and past president of Seattle Print Arts and works for the conservation department at the Seattle Art Museum.

COLOR at Fresh Mochi artist lineup

Mugi Takei

Alithea O’Dell

Mark Sullo

Lisa Buchanan

Paul Komada

Sonja Peterson

Please join us at The Grocery Studios for an evening dedicated to the celebration of art, life and culture, hosted by visual and performing artist Jaiden Grayson.

Saturday, January 28, 6:00-9:00pm
3001 21st Ave S, Seattle 98144, on Beacon Hill in Seattle

Tickets required for entry – sliding scale $5-$25 at Eventbrite.

The evening will feature visual art, words, and music by Jaiden. Original paintings will be available for purchase; hors d’oeuvres and beverages provided. See and hear Jaiden’s art on instagram.

COVID protocols:

• Masks & sanitizer will be provided & are strongly encouraged.
• Please take a COVID test within 24 hours of attendance

About the artist’s work

Large, bold, distorted faces look back at the viewer. This may create some sense of discomfort after a while, which is the purpose of Jaiden’s work. The sensation of being watched—intentional, art-integrated commentary on everyday societal pressure. The themes presented in Jaiden’s art are executed through repetition, abstraction, and bold colorways. Influenced by their experience as a Black person growing up in a complex political climate, always feeling as though they are on the fringes of society looking in, but never fully included. Some of Jaiden’s work speaks to how it feels to be watched, others on how it feels to watch the world. The collections are celebratory, existing whether they are appreciated by society or not, referencing Jaiden’s own lived experience.

About the artist

Jaiden Grayson is an old soul with young faith in humanity. Through their art, Jaiden reaches into core memories of generational truths to unpack and redefine perceptions around Black culture. Jaiden’s art is a statement to their multifaceted truth as a queer, non binary Black person and mother. In addition to their painting, Jaiden’s debut EP releases spring of 2023, following their 2022 single ‘MaMa’ which created controversy for its strong lyricism and unapologetic tone. In Jaiden Grayson’s art, you get a timeless experience and are initiated into their world of constant development. Safe to say, this artist is on the rise and we have yet to experience all the layers, talent, and vision of Jaiden Grayson.

Installation on view Saturday January 21 – Sunday February 26, 2023
In the windows of The Grocery Studios (Walk Up Gallery).

Opening reception: Sat January 21, 4-6PM, eve of the Lunar New Year
View the installation in the windows; meet the artist. Beverages and snacks provided! Live performance by CHamoru queer art collective Guma’ Gela’ 4-5pm.

About the work

Monyee Chau’s site-specific installation in the Walk Up Gallery windows, “Monyee Chau and Tu’er Shen” celebrates the lunar new year of 2023 by shining a light on the story of the Rabbit Deity Tu’er Shen, patron and protector of same sex affairs. The artwork originates in Chau’s research for their upcoming zine.

About the artist

Monyee Chau (they/them) is an artist with a BFA from Cornish College of the Arts, based in Seattle, WA. Monyee explores a journey of personal and collective healing through means of labor, through intersectional lenses of being queer and Taiwanese/Chinese. They believe in the power of storytelling and breaking bread as a means of community building for the path to justice and liberation. They have exhibited and curated in spaces both locally in Seattle and internationally, including the Wing Luke Museum, Bellevue Arts Museum, SOIL gallery, Museum of Northwest Art, California College of Arts and Crafts. They have been a speaker for Harvard Graduate School of Design, the University of Washington, New York University, Highline College, and Bellevue School District. They have been a recipient of the 100 Changemakers award from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Arc Artist Fellowship from 4Culture.

Learn more about Monyee and their projects at https://linktr.ee/monyeechau.

About Guma’ Gela’
Part Land, Part Sea, All Ancestry

Guma’ Gela’ is a queer and trans art collective representing Laguas & Gani (the Mariana Islands). Guma’ Gela’ is an inclusive collective with a mission to cultivate and innovate the CHamoru culture through interdisciplinary artistic expression. They are storytellers made up of illustrators, make-up artists, poets, performers, photographers, singers, weavers and designers! Through their collaborative work, they amplify each others’ voice and bring fantasy into reality. Effectively granting people permission to exist in their entirety while building community.

A note from the collective: “The word gela’ roughly translates to different, and is a pejorative used to describe queer and trans CHamoru people. Here, as a collective made up of gela’ people, we are using the word to also mean existence as well. In a way, we exist because of our difference and wanted to create a guma’ (house) where we are able to do that.”

Please join us at Fresh Mochi and The Grocery Studios for a combined holiday pop-up sale! Featuring handmade and handcrafted art, jewelry, chocolates, baked goods, plants, cards, papercrafts, ceramics, and more! 

Two days only:
Saturday Dec 10, 6-9pm
Sunday Dec 11, 2-5pm

At Fresh Mochi – 2900 21st Ave S
And across the street at The Grocery – 3001 21st Ave S

A festive and creative atmosphere with music, refreshments, and treasures awaits you. All proceeds go to the artists and sellers — support your local creative ecosystem!

Artists and sellers include

@ The Grocery
Kitschy Delish (Kelly Jackson)
Modern Glaze (Laura Brodax)
Angelina Tolentino 
Meg Maggie Margaret Artisan Chocolates
Plant Baby, Bird Berry Nursery, and Okean Plants
Essential Elementals (Linley Storm-Boyette)
Christian French
Day Moon Press 
Debora Spencer
Carolyn Hitt (Blue Cone Studios)
WATO Soap
Janet Galore (The Grocery Studios)

@ Fresh Mochi
Elizabeth Jameson
Stephen DeWilliam
Marlow Harris
Sonja Peterson
Jen McNeely
Connie Ostrowski
Alice Kinnier
Jenny Heishman

and more!

Kick off the Short Run Comix & Arts Festival with readings and performance by Claudia Chinyere Akole, Anna Haifisch, and Natalia Novia.

About this event

Short Run Comix & Arts Festival returns for their (twice postponed) 10th year anniversary!

Join us for an intimate night of readings from three of Short Run’s international special guests: Claudia Chinyere Akole from Australia, Anna Haifisch from Germany, and Natalia Novia from Argentina. All three of these incredible artists have radically different storytelling and drawing styles. Get to know them outside of the bustle of a busy festival!

Thursday November 3, 7:00p – 9:00p
Doors at 7, program begins at 7:30
Free!
Light refreshments

The Grocery Studios is at 3001 21st Ave S, Seattle 98144
Carpool, ride share, or light rail is strongly encouraged. We are an 8 minute walk from Beacon Hill light rail station.

• Indoor masking encouraged
• Limited seating
• Please register today for this free event
  

About the guest artists

Claudia Chinyere Akole is an exhibiting artist, illustrator, cartoonist, designer, animator, and educator based in Sydney, Australia. Claudia has taught design, comics, and animation workshops at various levels including high school, university, and professional settings. Claudia has established the “Tracing Paper Comix” style, which involves creating final comic art traditionally using paint markers on multiple layers of tracing paper. Her visual signature consists of bold block color and abstract line work rendered by hand predominantly in paint and marker mediums. https://claudinsky.com/

Anna Haifisch is a working artist, cartoonist, and illustrator in Leipzig, Germany. She studied printmaking and illustration at the Academy of Visual Arts in Leipzig. She is a co-founder of the German comics and graphics festival, The Millionaires Club. In 2020, she was awarded the prestigious Max and Moritz Prize as best German comic artist. Her most recent graphic novel is Chez Schnabel published by Spector Books. https://www.hai-life.com/

Natalia Novia is a comic and zine artist, animation producer, and creature of strange habits living in Buenos Aires, where she was born. Her work appears in the translation of The Confessions by Fabián Iriarte, published by Entre Ríos Books (who are hosting her visit to Seattle). Her first graphic novel, L’ORGANISME, was published in France by Éditions Insula in 2018. And it was presented at the Festival de la Bande Dessinée d’Angoulême that same year. She is currently working on a new graphic novel called Extraña (she’s strange), a new story of gender diversity. In March 2023, she published an experimental comic in NOW #11 published by Fantagraphics Books with the comic artist Ariel Lòpez V. https://natalianoviaart.wordpress.com/

Please join us for an afternoon with Vibrant Palette! Explore artwork by artists participating in the Vibrant Palette arts programs and get to know some of the artists and their work. Enjoy refreshments and pick up an artist-designed tote bag and support this important organization empowering artists with disabilities. All donations go directly to Vibrant Palette Arts Center programs and artists. Free!

If you can’t make the event, you can still contribute here:
https://bit.ly/vibrant-donate

Sunday October 16, 2-5pm
Artists in attendance

Free!
Refreshments provided
Entrance and restroom are accessible
Masks required in respect for at-risk guests and hosts

At The Grocery Studios
3001 21st Ave S, Seattle 98144

Ride share, carpool, or light rail are encouraged as we are in a residential neighborhood
An 8 minute walk from the Beacon Hill light rail station

About Vibrant Palette:
Vibrant Palette Arts Center empowers artists with disabilities and raises the visibility of their work, to build a more inclusive arts community reflecting the talents of Seattle’s diverse population.
We provide a structured day program, including activities such as studio time for painting and clay mediums, guest art teachers, and community outings to local galleries/museums to have our artists learn about the creative processes and experiences of other creators. We have partnered with Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle’s Central District to provide studio space for our artists. VPAC hosts three art shows per year showcasing and selling our artists’ work with a 50% commission that is funded back into our organization.
https://vibrantpalette.org/

Participating Artists: David Bishop, Lupita Cano, Brette Flora, John Gregory, Joey Joseph, Chris Koesema, Marisa Owens, Pixie, Elizabeth Rogers, Nathan Runge, Keith Shuman, Marie Smith, Edward Swanson, Derek Thomas, Matt Whittaker, Kristy Yawman

Sunflower on Fire, Ukraine: Russia’s War on Liberty, Sovereignty and Democracy

Please join us for Sunflower on Fire – a guided exhibit tour, lecture, and hands-on workshops exploring the art, photography, music, literature, crafts, and culture of Ukraine. This immersive experience is available for two days only: June 25 and 26. Presented by TYPONEXUS, the afternoon starts at The Grocery Studios, continues at Fresh Mochi gallery across the street, closing in mingling and discussion with artists from the Ukrainian diaspora.

Tickets are limited and required for entry – get yours here:

Saturday tix: https://sunflower-on-fire-june-25.eventbrite.com/
Sunday tix: https://sunflower-on-fire-june-26.eventbrite.com

On the heels of renowned photojournalists risking their lives on the frontlines to document current events, we venture into the epicenter of what is now the largest war in Europe since WWII. Interspersed in juxtaposition are enchanting depictions of the prewar country. As the “Nuclear Recitals” soundscape reverberates in the background, visceral personal stories of immigrants and diaspora intersect with inspiring visual and literary works of displaced artists and intelligentsia. The “rEvolution, Ukraine” exhibit photos foreshadow the 2014 inception of Russia’s most recent invasion. We then traverse across centuries and millennia, immersing into vibrant ethnic traditions via educational, hands-on music and crafts master classes of bandura (68-string chordophone) and pysanky (Easter egg decoration). Public discussion concludes the excursion.

Note: the exhibition includes images and discussion of war and painful circumstances.

Ticket prices are tiered based on activities. Selected photographs and artwork will be available for purchase. All art proceeds will be donated to The Sunflower Project, a nonprofit providing humanitarian aid for Ukraine (gofundme). Admission and concession proceeds will help offset costs of the “Sunflower on Fire” project and support subsequent presentations.

Crosscut published a lovely write up of our upcoming afternoon with Philippe Hyojung Kim and Nat Evans at The Grocery on May 21st.

“If you’re heading to The Grocery Studios this weekend to hear more about the stories your data can tell, you’ll see and feast on “Jelly jelly jolly jealy jello jellies,” a scrumptious site-specific installation by local artist Philippe Hyojung Kim. The installation, on view in The Grocery’s new window gallery WUG (through June 4), consists of plastic multichromatic blobs and polyhedrons and has the mesmerizing allure of a lava lamp. (Note: The artist talk is on Saturday, May 21, 1-3 p.m. and will include a DJ set of “mellow psychedelia to help elevate your consciousness” by Seattle composer/ambient sound artist Nat Evans.)”

Crosscut gave a nice overview of the Data Epics project, premiering at The Grocery on Saturday May 14 2022 in the evening. We’re proud to host this event, which features authors reading excerpts from short stories they wrote using data from home devices as input. Read more about the evening at Eventbrite, and see the article below!

https://crosscut.com/culture/2022/05/artsea-seattle-writers-take-data-mining

Please join us!

Tim Marsden will be at The Grocery to chat about his installation
“O Sweet Spontaneous” now showing in the WUG windows through April 24.

What: Reception & hang out⁣, artist talk at 2pm⁣. We’ll have refreshments and bunches of spring flowers that you can take home.

Where: The Grocery Studios 3001 21st Ave S, Seattle⁣ 98144

When: Sunday April 3, 1-3pm⁣ — Artist talk at 2:00pm

Free!