ArtsWest Gallery January 2009

Baggage, Janet Geib Pretti and Roja, Christopher Martinez-Luna

What: La Raza Janet Geib Pretti, Terra Fine, Christopher Martinez-Luna

When: January 4 – 31Noon to 7:00 PM, Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free. Wine and Cheese Artist Reception: Thursday, January 8th from 6-9pm

Where: ArtsWest Playhouse and Gallery4711 California Avenue SWSeattle, WA 98116http://www.artswest.org/

Janet Geib Pretti, Terra Fine and Christopher Martinez-Luna recognize the stability and strength found in family and the bonds of community in ArtsWest’s exhibition, La Raza, from January 4 – January 31, 2009. La Raza was curated specifically to complement the concurrent stage production at ArtsWest, Well (Jan 21 – Feb 15) and its exploration of the dynamics of health, family and community. Geib Pretti’s adept use of wood and bronze gives shape not only to objects, but also her perceptive ideas on family and friendship. Each painted wood and bronze sculpture is exquisitely crafted into cherished treasures everyone can enjoy. Fine’s current series of work, Worth Remembering, is based on the life lessons spoken by seven women she met volunteering at a nursing home and assisted living facilities. Her flawless charcoal portraits in this series display an insightful use of line and shadow that explore the questions of what in our lives is truly worth remembering and who will listen? Martinez-Luna refers to himself as a “Chicano Artist.” He cleverly uses advertisements and found objects taken from or influenced by Hispanic culture and juxtaposes them with portraits of family thoughtfully made in charcoal. His well crafted works of art utilize found materials to collage ideas that address some of the stereotypes and realities of the Hispanic-American experience while evoking a powerful familial bond. Our community of artists reaches out every month during the 2nd Thursday art walk. For the new year, join the ArtsWest community to discuss these artists’ works with them at their wine and cheese reception on January 8th from 6-9pm. The ArtsWest Gallery is always free, handicap accessible, and continually enhancing the total “ArtsWest experience” by combining stimulating visual art alongside compelling performances. Dates and artists subject to change. About ArtsWest: ArtsWest produces artistic events so fiercely compelling that they require conversation, improve the imagination, and promote cultural vibrancy as a core value for the communities of West Seattle. Utilizing a 149-seat, 3/4 thrust theater and visual art gallery, ArtsWest has presented over 400 different performing arts productions and gallery exhibitions to over 200,000 visitors since 1999.