WHAT’S NEW

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!

In the walk up gallery (WUG), Saya Moriyasu’s Lunar New Year installation
is up through March 18. Come by before it’s gone!

Next up, we’re excited to collaborate on an opening celebration with our sister art space, Fresh Mochi, across the street.

March 19, 6-8:00pm: Opening celebration!

• Tim Marsden’s installation O Sweet Spontaneous in the WUG windows
• Inside The Grocery: silkscreened apparel by DBD TS Studio for sale
• Live music & disco dance party by Bijoux
• PINK group show at Fresh Mochi across the street

Tim Marsden: O Sweet Spontaneous will be up at WUG from March 19 through April 24 .

We’re excited to announce our first public in-person event in the newly refurbished space, plus a few other announcements.

Winter Fair at The Grocery December 17 and 18

When Beacon Artswith South End Public Market reached out to us to host their Winter Fair, it was a perfect match. Stop by for two days of live music, spoken word, and unique creations to purchase from local artists Friday (12/17) from 5-9pm and ​​Saturday (12/18) from 11am-7pm.

Featuring wood carvings by Rick Williams, engraved maps by Yes Segura, locally made soaps, candles and body butter, wearables by Babe of Belltown and Debora Spencer, greeting cards, jewelry and more.

Winter Fair
At The Grocery Studios
3001 21st Ave S, Seattle
Dec 17th 5p – 9p & Dec 18th 11a – 7p

Parking: We’re in a residential neighborhood and street parking is limited. Please be kind to our neighbors so we can continue doing events! Consider a ride share or a short walk from bus and light rail.

COVID safety: Artist vendors will be indoors, so masks are required and we will be staggering entrances to make sure everyone stays safe.

Pop-up at Fresh Mochi

While you’re visiting the Winter Fair, check out the holiday pop-up sale at Elizabeth’s Jameson’s new art space Fresh Mochi, just across the street from The Grocery, at 2900 21st Ave S, Seattle.

Same dates and times!
Dec 17th 5p – 9p & Dec 18th 11a – 7p

With art and crafts from: Laura Brodax, Kelly Lyles, Erin Shafkind, Mandy Greer, Lauren Grossman, Jonelle Lind, Marlow Harris, Stephen DeWilliam, Annabella Kirby, Elizabeth Jameson, Jesse Lloyd Proebstel, Diane Tchakirides, Eve Cohen, Eroyn Franklin, Trevor Johnson, and more.

Holiday show at Modern Glaze

Meanwhile in the north end, check out the holiday art sale at Modern Glaze, friend and collaborator of The Grocery Studios.

Modern Glaze is at
14800 Westminster Way N Shoreline, WA, 98133Holiday hours through December 23rd
Thursday, Friday, & Saturday 12:00-5:00
and by appointment.

Featuring work by Janet Galore, Laura Brodax, Liang-yin Chen, Eve Cohen, Mercer Hanau, Angel O’ Leary, Sonja Peterson, Amanda Salov, Linley Storm, Christine Westergaard

Studios renovation update

Since the summer, we passed inspections, closed out our permit with the City of Seattle, and are now officially a residential building. We’re still doing finish work, but we’re now able to use the studio for art making and lightweight gatherings as COVID protocols permit. The studio is our personal living room and we use it for our own artwork, so we will continue to balance private use with occasional pop-ups and creative activities. We also want to ensure we are respectful to our neighbors and the vibe of the neighborhood.

You can read more about how we share the space at our homepage.

Friends! Please join us to help write and edit Wikipedia pages highlighting Black artists from our region.

Wa Na Wari and The Grocery are partnering with The Black Lunch Table to increase the visibility of Black artists from the PNW on Wikipedia.

The Seattle Wikipedia Edit-a-thon is happening online Saturday, July 31st 12pm PST

12pm-1pm: Online Training on how to edit and create Wikipedia pages
1pm-3pm: Drop-In Online Wikipedia Editing

Register at bit.ly/BLTEditSeattle

The Black Lunch Table (BLT) is an oral-history archiving project focused on the lives and work of black artists. The work of the Black Lunch Table includes oral archiving, salons, peer teaching workshops, meetups, and Wikipedia edit-a-thons. The BLT brings people together to engage in dialogues about the writing, recording, and promoting inclusive art history. One aim of the Black Lunch Table project is to address the racial and gender bias on Wikipedia by encouraging Wikipedia articles about African American artists.

We’re getting closer to getting final inspections for the renovation, and it’s hard to believe we’re nearly there. You know those renovation reality shows, where the owners say, “Oh, we have a schedule and we’ll be done in a year,” and then it always takes twice as long and costs twice as much as they planned…? Well, that’s a real thing. The last event we hosted was July 27, 2018 (More Serenades for Science), almost exactly three years ago. We had one last goodbye party with friends in August 2018, and then the whole lower floor was stripped bare to the studs and the dirt, with plywood where the windows once were.

After completely rebuilding the electrical and plumbing, pouring 2400 square feet of smooth and level concrete floors, adding gallons of spray foam insulation (it’s pretty much a picnic cooler), putting in efficient casement windows, new exterior doors, efficient mini-splits that heat and cool the air, who knows how many square feet of drywall, a spacious and accessible studio powder room, the beginnings of a kitchen ready for dinners and drinks, and yes, even room to make art and have big ideas, she’s starting to look like a useful space again.

There will still be much more to do after final inspection, but we can’t wait to share it with artists, makers, dreamers, and the neighborhood again. Do we have a date to open? No. Schedule? No. We’re just plugging along, and it looks like fall might be a time for things to start happening again.

It’s hard to say what in-person gatherings will look like with COVID variants and masks and all, but as it’s safe to gather, we’ll be ready.

It’s been a long while since our last update, and we wanted to let you know that we’re still working on the renovation, and we are in the home stretch! We anticipate being able to host occasional events again before the end of the year, once we are able to gather again.

Like everyone in Seattle in early February, we had a lovely snowstorm for a few days. You can see the updated building exterior.

While we are waiting to have pandemic restrictions lifted, we are working on finishing up our gallery windows, so we can show art to passers-by. For now, neighborhood kids seem to enjoy the collection of maneki neko. When it’s done, there will be lighting and space to display 2D art, 3D art and small sculpture, or video.

Thanks for your continued support and patience. We look forward to gathering again later this year.