MARK TOBEY made some incredible prints in his time, but I've never seen one quite like "Awakening Dawn" - the surface quality is as if someone "Jackson Pollacked" orange and yellow sewing thread upon a soft grey background. It is truly impossible to detail here....truly an incredible print.

For those of you waiting for an extremely colorful ALDEN MASON painting from his "squeeze bottle" period - it's just come in! When standing before this larger work, you'll swear its moving - almost kaleidoscopic in appearance. If you need a larger work to brighten up a dim room, you might come by and take a look at this one. A classic example of Mason's late 1970s technique.

Almost tribal and mask-like, this small GUY ANDERSON woodblock is a gem in its simplicity. Framed in a silver metal leaf wood molding, this one's ready to hang! 

We were lucky to consign several pieces by the late, great MICHAEL EHLE. A master at figurative imagery, Ehle keeps almost a cult following in Seattle. Finding Ehle's gouache paintings on the secondary market is becoming more and more difficult.
(Far left image was chosen as a past cover for Pacific Magazine)

We are happy to offer not only two new gouache works (top row), but also three of his better print works (second row). For those who knew Michael personally, you'll appreciate the introspective self-portrait in the far left image.

For those of you who enjoy a more erotic angle in your art, we have two new pieces that should fit the bill. JEFFRY MITCHELL is know for not only his delicate flowers, but also his occasionally sexual, yet soft imagery. The set of two unique prints at left are a variation of the "God" print we had earlier in the year. On the right is a subtle silkscreen by ROGER SHIMOMURA.

ANDREW KEATING is another artist most Seattle collectors will know. From a wonderful private collection, we offer two of his print works  published by Centrum.

(The one at far left might be a great tongue-in-cheek purchase for any of those liberal "tree huggers" you might know..)

ROSS PALMER BEECHER has been a staple of Seattle for years now. Her biting political humor and ability to easily combine recycled found objects with traditional fine art media makes for a magical final product! This piece is rare due to its size - very small and easy to place anywhere in your home.

Sean Elwood (SEEDITIONS) published the wonderful portfolio REISSUE by JEFFRY MITCHELL. A suite of 6 etchings, it offers a variety of Mitchell's signature motifs. Along with the two at left, are "Alphabet," "Hydrangea," "Patterned Rabbit," and an untitled image of two fu dogs - a cheeky homage to Belgian painter James Ensor & their shared  Chinoiserie influence.

If you are a fan of figurative work, then you are probably familiar with the work of T. MICHAEL GARDINER. His colorful and raw imagery never fails to entertain. The image at left was reproduced in The New Yorker in 1986.

In case you don't know him, CHARLES KRAFFT is that talented artist who made those devine delft ceramic weapons: a Smith & Wesson, AK-47, hand grenade, etc. Seldom do you have an opportunity to see his painted work, so I'm happy to present this strange, yet lovely painting featuring a Chinese New Year monkey card.

In Chinese tradition, the monkey symbolizes intelligence and resourcefulness combined with irreverence and mischief-making. Those born in the Year of the Monkey are said to be "clever and quick-witted, skillful, and versatile...inventive and possess good humor, and are said to be very entertaining and mischievous." With virtues like that, something tells me Krafft MUST have been born in the Year of the Monkey.

MAX BENJAMIN moved to the Northwest from San Diego in the early '50s and began classes at the University of Washington. While there he studied with the renowned Walter Isaacs, but in 1959, moved with his family to Guemes Island.

Benjamin, along with WILLIAM IVEY, CARL MORRIS and GEORGE JOHANSON, were the few artists of the mid-century NW collective who didn't feel drawn to the popular vision of a mythical or Asian-influenced style. Benjamin focused his career on line, shape, surface, land, sea and sky - a true "visual biographer" - he creates representations of the landscape surrounding him.

This dark, brooding jewel of a painting is a great example of his focus on land and surface.

Photographer FRITZ DENT captured a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on film with this image. While traveling in New Guinea, he spied a tabletop adorned with beads and what looked like fake skulls.

The tribesmen informed Dent that what he was viewing was a basket filled with the skulls of their most important fathers and grandfathers.

The artist was so intrigued and moved by the altarpiece that he decided gamble on stealing a shot. His one and only exposure was a success, capturing the eerie reliquary, complete with the skull's adornments of beads, carved horn and feathers.

Recently, ANNE HIRONDELLE presented a  beautiful exhibition of recent wall sculpture at Francine Seders Gallery. We just consigned a more traditional vessel by this ceramicist. The artist uses flat strips of clay to embellish the cylindrical work and applied a matte glaze making it seem almost made of metal. What I can best describe as "fish gills" protrude from both sides of the work. Arcs reach across its opening to bridge the sides, creating an strong, sculptural piece.

DAVID KANE's work always causes me to do a "visual rubberneck." What initially seems like a calm, bucolic scene, is never just that. Closer inspection reveals a clue offered up by Kane as proof that you have just missed seeing what the picture was all about...sort of like fumbling to grab your camera to photograph Bigfoot - and the shutter clicks just after he's walked out of the frame, leaving you with a sad snapshot of just his shadow.

In this painting titled "Take Off" we see a typical Kane view of formal uninhabited buildings, but no reference to the title. At second glance, you eventually see a rocket's tail of smoke blended into the cloudy sky - at which point you realize you've just missed the big launch.

I am always offered strange items I can't take into inventory, so finding the perfect oddity that DOES seem to be something our clients would truly enjoy is a rarity. This set of paintings is a good example of when offerings are successful!

These are "mystical" paintings by JOHN FORD, dated 1969. Ford is probably not be a name that is familiar to you, but one of his biggest collectors is: MARK TOBEY. Ford was a student of the NW Master, and over the years, became his good friend. Tobey so enjoyed the artist's work that he collected several pieces. This set of meticulously painted works are from Mark Tobey's personal collection by way of the Seattle Art Museum.

The photos do not do them justice - come see the mathematical detailing in person...

When I see a piece that evokes strong, mid-century zeitgeist, I get excited. This collagraph by GLEN ALPS catches that spirit - you can just picture this in a 1950 architectural home, adorning a library wall, beside a classic black leather Eames chair.

Alps may not be as well known as his fellow printmaker ROBERT MOTHERWELL, but he made several important contributions to the art world. He was the creator of the "collagraph" process (printmaking based on traditional collage), and gave credence to silkscreen printing, long regarded only worthy of commercial graphics. His work is in the collections of Whitney Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, Los Angeles County Museum and many other international public collections.

INEXPENSIVE + UNIQUE
HOLIDAY GIFTS

We have many items under $500, so don't forget to stop by when doing your holiday shopping this year.

On this page are a few examples: At left is an antique gravure of Bacchus as an infant, and a vibrant vintage French exhibition poster for JOAN MIRO...

Next, a punchy ALEXANDER CALDER lithograph and a JAMES STEENSMA color woodcut image of himself...

And finally a sweet, yet eerie, perforated and painted photograph by JULIE BLANKENSHIP. Near left is just one of the many drawing studies found in an old Mid-west art portfolio from the 1920s. 

ALEXANDER CALDER's interpretation of the constellations, at left, is punchy and vibrant. The sun glows and the planets spin in this signed impression. His graphic work is immediately recognizable to most people, thanks to his creation of the mobile - and the popularity of the Boeing 727 he painted for Braniff Airways in 1975. (You may have been lucky enough to have flown on this jet during its 4 years of service for Braniff.)

If you like the look of primary colors and strong line, Calder is a great, affordable option. In excellent condition and framed, this lithograph is a fine example of work from this acclaimed and influential artist.

JIM RITTIMAN is known for collecting animal bones and organic material to create skeletal sculptures of creatures that don't exist. (You may have seen his show of insect drawings last year at Howard House?)  His delicate "Frankensteined" insects are beautiful objects - an intricate weave of tiny bone fragments which seem impossible not to fumble. It wouldn't take much to destroy the construction if you didn't pay attention. Luckily, Rittiman's day job is that of Exhibition Designer + Head Preparator at Henry Art Gallery, so you know he puts a lot of thought into care and detail!

This mixed media painting on paper gives us a look of one of his creatures. A bird skull looks as if it's been set to rest on a sheet of paper. Its features are very realistic - visually plausible, yet physically impossible.

It's official! JOAN MIRÓ is now a "famous artist." Why? Because Nike finally added him to the list of artists whose designs grace their trainers, bringing Miro into the Pop Culture realm! (The Air Jordan 7 shoe is covered with Miro patterns taken from his "Woman and Bird" sculpture.)

Sarcasm aside, Miro will stand as one of the greats of Surrealism. His influence upon fellow artists in the Surrealist - as well as Expressionist and Color Field arenas - is impressive. Now you have an opportunity to own one of his large-format prints from the infamous "Barcelona" suite.

We initially consigned this etching at the market value of $20,000, but the owner requested we reduced it to $17,000 this week - in hope of a holiday sale.