Gallery B612 05. Animal

Gallery B612

Animal Art Exhibition

Casey Ailes

2023

Issue 05

Gallery B612's Story Initially founded in mid 2020 under Prince and Fox, LLC, Gallery B612 aspires to be a gathering place for artists, dancers, fashion designers and creatives from all walks of life. To this date, the gallery has featured a Solo Exhibition from founder and curator, MiYoung Margolis and served as a gathering place and rehearsal space for MMDC and Dare to Dance.

Gallery B612 is a literary reference to Asteroid B612 in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's book titled, The Little Prince. Gallery B612 is our "art planet," our gallery and studio, in the Seattle SODO neighborhood.

We believe it's important to provide space for artist to share their voice in a physical representation where others can view and discuss the pieces as well as mingle with others in our community. In our modern American world, there are less and less public spaces for people to spend their free time. Here, we will hope to provide safety and connection for the Seattle community.

At Gallery B612, you can find original works of MiYoung Margolis, as well as juried exhibitions of work by local and international artists.

Gallery Founder Co-Founder & Curator Assistant Curator

Jeffrey Margolis MiYoung Margolis Aleen Caeli

Artists 1

Casey Ailes

2

Lindsey Bishop

3

Henry Caserotti

4

Nicholas Chamberlain

5

AnnaLisa Gosar

6

Gretchen V. Hansen

7

Elisha Harteis

8

Yuliya Helgesen-Thompson

9

Leslie Horton

10

Kirsty Innis

11

Steve Jensen

12

TyResha Jones-Smith

13

Lisa Kurt

14

Janice Lyons

15

Tom McIntire

16

James Wallace Repton

17

Hee Seo

18

David Orrin Smith

19

Elvina Taylor

20

James Tilley

21

Randall Vemer

22

NL Walsh

23

Ryan Weimer

Performing Artists 24

Kim Maguire

25

HyunJung Jin (Rachel)

Animal Art Exhibition November 9th - December 16th, 2023 On November 9th, 2023, Gallery B612 held their fifth Artist Reception celebrating the works of 23 artists totaling 42 art pieces, and featuring 2 performing artists.

The artists were able to attend the reception and connect with the fellow art community of local artists, art collectors, and friends alike while simultaneously showing the Youth Art Competition.

The works seen in here in Issue 05 are available at Gallery B612. If you would like to get in touch with any of the art pieces seen here, please contact the Gallery B612 Team.

1915 1st Ave S Seattle, WA 98134

Email: info@galleryb612.com Phone: (206) 476 - 7385 www.GalleryB612.com

Seattle-based artist Casey Ailes has been honing her skills in creating works based on the environmental concerns that live at the top of her consciousness. Originally trained as a fine art photographer at John Herron School of Art in Indianapolis, she received her Bachelor's of Fine Art. Casey works as a multidisciplinary artist; her focus continues to bring awareness to human activity's environmental impact on animals, especially penguins.

Casey's abstract paintings have found their way into national collectors, including the Irwin Bank Art Collection. Her photography has been published in the New York Times, and Photographer's Forum and she won first prize at the Midwest National Abstract Exhibition for her painting, "Not Polar Bear Food". Casey's evolution into combining her work began as she returned to the academic world for her master's in fine art in painting at Savannah College of Art and Design. Casey uses her love of abstract painting, detailed photography skills, and innovative sculptures to create her environmental-based work.

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Casey Ailes

Taxidermic Landscape #4 8 x 8 inches mixed media Casey’s work is a literal deep dive into the world of a singular penguin forever trapped behind glass. Her environmental work sheds light on the reality of the disappearing penguin from our planet. Casey melds together photography, painting, and sculptures to create the ‘Behind the Glass’ series.

Artist Statement I have hope for the penguin and our planet that animals will not exist only behind glass in the future. In my practice, layers of mixed materials create a repetitive taxidermic landscape. This process of preserving the penguin is protecting it from man's environmental destruction. My methodology is through repetition and patterns with a hyper-focus on a single penguin. The penguin is pivotal in my practice as it represents the epitome of climate change and destruction, which is at the forefront of my mind.

This series depicts the life of the penguin through the thick aquarium glass. The penguin has found himself stuck deep in ever-changing waters. The penguin is solitary when Mother Nature tells us differently. The bird is not only stuck but slowly fading from our existence. I use repetition in patterns with my images on the surface of my work to infiltrate the desensitized mind that becomes the viewer.

I push the medium using subtractive painting techniques until the penguin's presence is no longer intact. Acrylic paint melds with photo transfers on large-scale substrates and allows for a world where the penguin is visible, but the destruction from the transfers and paint engulfs the world around the penguin.

I am a Pacific Northwest born and raised artist. The endlessly beautiful Pacific Northwest scenery is a great inspiration in my works. Fairy tales, black and white movies, and old book illustrations are among my favorite experiences. These inform my work along with my love of details.

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Lindsey Bishop

Dusk Managerie (2023) Pyrography and mixed media 13 x 12 Original pyrography (wood burning) with acrylic and watercolor on maple panel. The forest animals are on full parade at dusk.

Artist Statement My art is ever evolving. I enjoy combining different mediums and techniques to create new and vibrant pieces and explore different themes. I like to lose myself in my work and create with wild abandon.

I want my art to to pull others in, to get lost with me. Art allows me to create the world I want to inhabit, a world I want for my children, a world I want to transport people to. Somewhere beautiful, strong, comforting, and uniquely mine to share.

Henry Caserotti is an artist based in the Pacific Northwest. He has lived and worked in many places which has given him many wonderful opportunities, including designing the cover of a Playbill for an offBroadway production in New York City to installing a life size painted fiberglass horse in the Outer Banks, NC. For the last several years he has found his inspiration in the mountains and rivers of the western United States. After moving to Idaho in 2013, and doing a fair amount of hiking and rafting, he soon began thinking about how he could capture in paint the rugged and vast terrain he was quickly becoming enamored of.

Over time Caserotti developed a process using the same elements that had created the geography itself, water, wind and gravity, to create work with great depth of detail without losing a sense of immediacy.

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Henry Caserotti

Adam (2010) Oil on Canvas 30 x 40 It is certainly spring in this scene with the robins and butterflies actively doing what robins and butterflies do. Adam seems unsure about what exactly to do with Eve, but his body looks like it will have a mind of it's own. Adam's body appears to be made of earth, Eve's of something botanical. Together life is bound to bloom. There is no separation from anything good. They are one with life and the birds and bees will show them the way.

As long as I’ve known what art was I’ve known that it is what I’ve wanted to do. I spent the majority of my life sketching periodically but I didn’t begin taking art seriously as a career path until I was in my mid 20’s, living in Seattle and attended ECCC where I met an artist that really inspired me to take my goals seriously. Over the last 12 years or so since then I’ve really pushed myself to expand my creativity and abilities while trying to create a body of work that feels authentically me.

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Nicholas Chamberlain

Francis (2023)

Deer (2023)

Acrylic 28 x 22 x 3/4

Acrylic 24 x 18 x 1/2

Francis is my animal companion. A large portion of my work is commissioned pet portraits and I realized that I don’t paint Francis as much as I would like so I wanted to paint a really amazing portrait of him for this show. I could carry on about how awesome of a cat he really is but instead I will just say that my goal was achieved with this painting. It truly captures him.

On our most recent trip to Port Townsend my wife and were walking to our car late at night and when the headlights of the car turned on we saw a small herd of deer standing on the hill a few feet in front of us. The following morning only one deer remained on the hill by our car and this is that deer. With this piece I really just let it flow and I think it captures the PNW feel while staying true to myself.

Artist Statement My biggest artistic influences in life (beyond specific artists) have been cartoons, comic books, pop culture, grunge music and street art. I aim to make these influences apparent with each piece I create. I like to imagine that each painting could be a piece of street art cut straight out of a wall.

Married for almost 16 years, AnnaLisa has lived in various parts of Washington throughout her life. She is currently raising her four children in the Tacoma area.

She currently homeschools two of her children and is working on her new art business. She has spent countless hours honing her art skills and sharing her knowledge of art with her students and family. She has a BA in Art Education from BYU-Idaho. She has been creating art for as long as she can remember, studying at museums in Europe and practicing while she is out and about. She loves traveling, good food and incorporating her experiences into her artwork.

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AnnaLisa Gosar

Lazuli Bunting 1 (2023) Acrylic on 140lb cold pressed watercolor paper 5x7

Lazuli Bunting started with a warm grassy background. Bunting is playfully calling the viewer to come and frolic in the autumn sunshine. Warm oranges and reds are balanced by a sea of yellow and a dash of blue. The lines of grass create a feeling of containment in this lighthearted composition.

Bluejay Beckons (2023)

Chickadee 1 (2023)

Acrylic on 140lb cold pressed watercolor paper 5x7

Acrylic on 140lb cold pressed watercolor paper 5x7

Blue Jay Beckons the viewer to come hop from birch branch to branch. The warm winter sun is setting turning the surrounds in to lovely blue and red violets. I enjoyed using cool intense blues in the shadows to bring life to the birch trees. I love looking for the colors during the golden hours of the day. This piece captures these lovely mid tones.

Lazuli Bunting started with a warm grassy background. Bunting is playfully calling the viewer to come and frolic in the autumn sunshine. Warm oranges and reds are balanced by a sea of yellow and a dash of blue. The lines of grass create a feeling of containment in this lighthearted composition.

Artist Statement I utilize a variety of techniques and methods when making my paintings. I work on multiple pieces at a time to keep the work fresh. Working with watercolor, oil and acrylic makes this possible. Inspired by impressionism and the focus of light and color, I create works from nature. I love using a triadic closed palette in my works.

In this series, I chose birds because I love their whimsy and action. They fit perfectly in a small composition and add so much life to the work. I began with a jelly plate to create a cohesive set of backgrounds with a narrowed color palette. Each uses a sense of humor to invite the viewer into the scene.

Born in the spring rain of Seattle, I still walk in the enchanted woods. I am grateful to have witnessed with my son two barred owlets perched beside each other, responding to their parent calls in late spring. On an evening walk through Central Park with my daughter, I was delighted to discover fireflies lighting up, luminous lime-green among wild oregano leaves. All sizes of rabbits nibble through the home garden, avoiding the cat-prowling hours. Situated between the Salish Sea (Puget Sound) and the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is just right for my real, as well as imagined flights.

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Gretchen V. Hansen

A Gold Finch Appears (2019) Acrylic on collage 11 x 7 1/2 x 1/2 The goldfinch appears like a song in the garden when it discovers seeds from the remains of an artichoke of the last summer. I scattered old sheet music, and faded clothing pattern tissue with torn remnants of a sandalwood Bee & Flower Chinese soap wrapper, a bit of violet gift tissue and bits of a map-printed wrapping paper, as well as some shreds of sugar crystal photos to create a bittersweet environment for the bird.

Artist Statement Drawing with Blackwing, or Derwent sepia pencils, and painting with watercolors or acrylics on Fabriano Artistico paper, canvas or upon collaged bits of recycled papers, I gather by hand my impressions. My illustrations are my attempt to distill my observations of the wonders of life.

A Couple of Bushtits (2019) Acrylic on 140lb cold pressed watercolor paper 11 x 7 1/2 x 5/8 A couple of Bushtits momentarily light upon the bare plum branches before flitting off to join their flock against the violetblue sky of a sunny late winter afternoon. I painted the tiny birds atop branches torn from brown packing paper amid the amber and fragrant sandalwood Bee & Flower Chinese soap wrapper, and a golden floral toilet tissue wrapper from the New York hotel where the 2019 SCBWI winter conference was held.

Elisha Harteis was born in Montana. After developing skills in photography and drawing during high school, she received her BFA in Ceramics from the University of Montana. She continued her education in ceramics by completing a short term residency in Red Lodge MT, at Red Lodge Clay Center, a studio assistantship at the Arrowmount School of Arts and Crafts in Tennessee, and a short-term residency at the Clay Studio of Missoula.

Elisha is currently teaching ceramics in her own business, Mud Bunneh Ceramics, and also enjoys teaching after-school programs with elementary and middleschool age kids in the Public Schools, the Missoula Art Museum, and the Clay Studio of Missoula.

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Elisha Harteis

Mischievous Delight (2023) white earthenware, glaze and oxide washes, and luster 12 x 6 x 9 This new series of mischievous and cute, yet sometimes dark, bunnies at play are representation of her life’s moments and relationships, frolicking amongst bright rainbows and clouds on the verge of a storm or in twisted little piles.

Artist Statement The work that I am most passionate about focuses on depictions of children and animals. In this work, I address the social issues of child abuse by juxtaposing the quiet brutality of abuse against the perceived, inherent innocence of children.

The familiarity of the narrative context challenges the viewer, creating an unsettling relationship between the audience and the figures. The space between the viewer and figure directly challenges the silence about such issues and hopefully, calls attention to the myriad of societal issues that we tend not to acknowledge in our daily lives.

Every art work, in one way or another, is my expression of negotiating my own history with the world. My art is a subjective dance between the fissures of expectation and experience. My articulations, while pointed toward something that is not collectively experienced, strives to seek out moments when & where we can find opportunities to communicate. I attempt to convey moments where and when personal experience endeavors to participate in forming our interpretations of the world.

Clouds In My Coffee (2023) white earthenware, glaze and oxide washes, and luster 13 x 5 x 6

Elisha Harteis was born in Montana. After developing skills in photography and drawing during high school, she received her BFA in Ceramics from the University of Montana. She continued her education in ceramics by completing a short term residency in Red Lodge MT, at Red Lodge Clay Center, a studio assistantship at the Arrowmount School of Arts and Crafts in Tennessee, and a short-term residency at the Clay Studio of Missoula.

Elisha is currently teaching ceramics in her own business, Mud Bunneh Ceramics, and also enjoys teaching after-school programs with elementary and middleschool age kids in the Public Schools, the Missoula Art Museum, and the Clay Studio of Missoula.

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Yuliya Helgesen-Thompson

Mischievous Delight (2023) white earthenware, glaze and oxide washes, and luster 12 x 6 x 9 This new series of mischievous and cute, yet sometimes dark, bunnies at play are representation of her life’s moments and relationships, frolicking amongst bright rainbows and clouds on the verge of a storm or in twisted little piles.

Artist Statement The work that I am most passionate about focuses on depictions of children and animals. In this work, I address the social issues of child abuse by juxtaposing the quiet brutality of abuse against the perceived, inherent innocence of children.

The familiarity of the narrative context challenges the viewer, creating an unsettling relationship between the audience and the figures. The space between the viewer and figure directly challenges the silence about such issues and hopefully, calls attention to the myriad of societal issues that we tend not to acknowledge in our daily lives.

Every art work, in one way or another, is my expression of negotiating my own history with the world. My art is a subjective dance between the fissures of expectation and experience. My articulations, while pointed toward something that is not collectively experienced, strives to seek out moments when & where we can find opportunities to communicate. I attempt to convey moments where and when personal experience endeavors to participate in forming our interpretations of the world.

Indigo Thrill Acrylic on Canvas 15 x 28

Leslie Horton has been a mixed media artist since 2010. She has had a love of color since she was a small child, turning her family living room into an art gallery filled with color and whimsy. Ms. Horton specializes in printmaking and is known for the vibrant hues that she incorporates into many of her works of art.

Ms. Horton resides in Seattle, Washington. She has worked for the past 20 years in social services supporting youth and young adults experiencing homelessness, with a specialization in workforce development.

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Leslie Horton

Cat (2023) linoleum block print 10"x11" unframed; actual print size is 6"x8; 11"x14" framed I have come to see myself as a peaceful and inspirational artist. I engage in many different types of art and I love to change directions as I feel the inspiration. However, my main works can be split into two main categories: linoleum block prints and mixed media designs.

My work is as much about the process as it is about the final product. Printmaking, specifically, can be a difficult and time consuming process; despite this, I truly enjoy the labor that goes into creating a series of prints. For me, each individual print series takes months of planning, with revisions of drafts, meticulous carving of blocks, and painstakingly accurate printing using multiple plates. To date, all of my linoleum block prints are printed by hand. For me, my work feels more personal when I know that I printed each and every image by hand; I appreciate the physical and emotional exertion of printing by hand.

Born in England, Kirsty Smith Innis emigrated to America at the age of 3, spending much of her childhood shadowing her artist-craftsman father. Armed with sketchpads, the two of them spent hours wandering a preserve's scrubby flatwoods and natural communities. Through her website, she has been commissioned to paint pets, people portraits and all things wildlife. Her distinctive personal style expresses a vibrant spirit and, as one of her clients observed, "seems to look into the soul." She works primarily in pencil, pastel, watercolor and acrylic. Recently in 2021 she decided to focus more on her love for art and spends all of her free time realizing her dream of making these beautiful wildlife scenes come to life.

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Kirsty Innis

Night Sovereign (2023) Acrylic on Canvas, 11 x 14 The King of the Jungle, Sovereign of the Night, the lion.

A majestic creature looking out and reigning his world, day and night.

Artist Statement I have considered myself an artist my entire life. Beginning to draw as soon as I could hold a crayon in my hand, while always having a special interest in capturing the essence of wildlife and nature. I was very lucky in that my father was also an incredible artist and was able to show and guide me with how I can use my talent to show the world the beauty and souls of these wildlife, pets, and just nature as well. My specialty is wildlife/pets but I also love being able to help families capture their loved ones thru portraits.

Steve Jensen has been a working artist for over 40 years. His current body of work, “VOYAGER” are boats that are meant to symbolize a voyage or journey, perhaps it is the voyage to the other side, or the journey into the unknown.

Steve comes from a long tradition of Scandinavian fisherman and boat builders.

He grew up on and around his father and grandfather’s fishing boats in the Seattle shipyards.

From 2015 through 2022, Steve has solo exhibited at “SAM” Gallery, at the Seattle Art Museum, The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Foss Seaport Museum, Tacoma, WA, Vashon Center for the Arts, Northwind Arts Center, Port Townsend, WA, Schack Art Center, Everett, WA, San Juan Island Museum of Art, Friday Harbor, WA, Gallery at the Park, Richland, WA and The Larson Gallery, Yakima, WA. This work was featured by Channel 9 “Art as Voyage” Steve Jensen’s Nordic Heritage and Amazon Prime, “The Story of Art in America,” episode 10 Steve Jensen 2023

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Steve Jensen

Frozen Fish Boat resin and founf beach steel, 13 x 12 x 4

Eat or Be Eaten Wood block, 22 x 20 x 5 inch

As a local Seattle artist and Interior designer, the creative world has always been my passion and muse. With every year coming and going, my niche and style constantly evolves as I love exploring vast ideas and techniques when working with mixed media. With my art, I specialize in creating a designing collectable art piece or as I refer to as “family series”. What influences me is my pure curiosity in that there is no such thing as “one” great idea as there are endless possibilities to final product of an idea.

What I love most about being a creative spirit is that art is limitless as I blend my design habits into my niche as a designer by blending both my skills and creative vision to customizing original works of art to tailored interior spaces.

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TyResha Jones-Smith

The Dawning Orion (2022) 30 x 48 inch Canvas cloth, black 3.0 acrylic paint, metallic ink, poster bamboo bracket clips This lovely diptych painting is a part of a dynamic and growing collection series, the “Safari Series”. This piece is elegant and timeless as it comes to life with its metallic ink pattern from direct and indirect lighting.

What makes this piece truly unique as a diptych is that it gives viewers / owners the opportunity to reverse the paintings arrangement to even splitting the paintings apart as art / décor accent pieces within a room. Each side is hand crafted and has a unique balance of symmetry and asymmetry thus giving both sides their unique characters.

Artist Statement "As a creative designer and artist, I am a firm believer that there is no such thing as one great idea as the possibilities sparked from one idea / inspiration are endless. As my art niche, I dive and immerse myself in challenging myself to leave no rock unturned thus sparking my signature habit for producing collectable series or a “family collection” of art that was sparked by a focused idea at the time.

In taking a step further, I had opened my skill and niche to as a service of making custom art pieces for clients and interior spaces that would be elevated by elegant works of art. In return, I get to experiment with idea inputs from others, grow my mark in the Seattle artist community and best of all, knowing that viewers who have my art are happy that they have a collectable item that belongs to a growing movement."

The Gentle Sage (2023)

Mother of Matriarchs (2022)

30 x 36 inch inch Canvas cloth, black 3.0 acrylic paint, metallic ink, poster bamboo bracket clips

Canvas cloth, black 3.0 acrylic paint, metallic ink, hand crafted cotton rope tassels, poster bamboo bracket clips

Get lost in the stripes. This lovely diptych painting is a part of a dynamic and growing collection series, the “Safari Series”. This piece is elegant and timeless as it comes to life with its metallic ink pattern from direct and indirect lighting.

This lovely diptych painting is a part of a dynamic and growing collection series, the “Safari Series”. This piece is elegant and timeless as it comes to life with its metallic ink pattern from direct and indirect lighting.

What makes this piece truly unique as a diptych is that it gives viewers / owners the opportunity to reverse the paintings arrangement to even splitting the paintings apart as art / décor accent pieces within a room. Each side is hand crafted and has a unique balance of symmetry and asymmetry thus giving both sides their unique characters.

What makes this piece truly unique as a diptych is that it gives viewers / owners the opportunity to reverse the paintings arrangement to even splitting the paintings apart as art / décor accent pieces within a room. Each side is hand crafted and has a unique balance of symmetry and asymmetry thus giving both sides their unique characters.

Lisa Kurt is an artist and illustrator living and working in Seattle, WA. Originally from Massachusetts, she received her BFA in Illustration from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design and an MS in Library and Information Science from Simmons College. Up until 2013, Lisa worked as a librarian before leaving the library field to pursue her art and illustration career full time. She has also taught as faculty at the Nevada Museum of Art. She has shown her work in Austin, Reno, New York City, Boston, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, and Los Angeles and illustrated the children’s book, Sarla in the Sky. www.lisakurt.com

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Lisa Kurt

The Mind Garden 11 x 14 inch mixed media This is a piece where I am reckoning with the state of my own mental health and the various ideas, thoughts, beliefs that surround me daily. The idea behind this is that the cosmic rabbit is a higher version of myself and a wise and knowing being that can hold all of the pieces of my inner world together. The map represents that I am a seeker of knowledge.

Artist Statement In her latest paintings, Lisa Kurt continues to develop her own world that expresses the fragility, vulnerability, and personality of life. Inspired by the New England woods of her childhood, the wooded and damp world of the Pacific Northwest where she currently resides with her son, and her previous home in the high desert mountains of Nevada, she integrates elements of these landscapes into her works in various ways.

There is a deep focus within her work on the relationships and/or emotions of the characters within this world. Many of the characters within this work are an allegory; they often represent a secondary meaning such as a childhood memory, a story, an emotion, or a dream.

Lisa works primarily with acrylics and mixed media on canvas or wood panels; her work integrates maps and other ephemera within her paintings. Her work entails traces of nostalgia and melancholy.

Something I Wait For

All Around Me

11 x 14 inch mixed media

11 x 14 inch mixed media

This is a piece where I am reckoning with the state of my own mental health and the various ideas, thoughts, beliefs that surround me daily. The bear represents a part of myself that is calm, wise, and holds the key to making sense out of all of the information surrounding me. The map represents that I am a seeker of knowledge.

This is a piece where I am reckoning with the state of my own mental health and the various ideas, thoughts, beliefs that surround me daily. The fox represents a part of myself that is intelligent and aware and adaptable and is able to make something bloom out of all of the information surrounding me. The map represents that I am a seeker of knowledge.

I grew up in Southern California, loved to draw my entire childhood, and ultimately studied fine art and communications in college. An early influence in my life led me to a career in advertising and design. My father was a design engineer for the space industry, and back in the day had a drafting table at home that he worked on. For some reason I found that table and his drafting tools extremely intriguing and longed to work at such a table someday.

In college when I took an advertising class and got to actually work at a drafting table, I fell in love with graphic design. I have worked as a graphic designer for the last 35+ years, partially in California, and then for the last 30 years in Thurston County, WA. I co-owned a graphic design studio in Lacey and Tumwater and the sense of design I developed over the years definitely influences my painting today.

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Janice Lyons

Still (2022) 36 x 48 inch acrylic on canvas Represents the state of calm felt when you let go

Artist Statement The pandemic made creating art much more important in my life. The world seemed so chaotic and I wanted to come back to some level of peace, understanding, and love. I found abstract painting was the best way to break out of my structured past as a graphic designer; a journey to the unknown. I found forgiveness in painting with acrylics and also second chances. It has all correlated with my personal life, and has offered me a new way to express my feelings.

I embed a message in each of my paintings to myself and whoever views it. The communication is either written clearly on the canvas or hidden beneath layers of paint, sometimes using type I have set and printed for the piece. The message is almost always uplifting, and hopefully visually interesting to the viewer as well. This is a journey I hope to travel for the rest of my life, always willing to learn and take the next step.

Raised on the East Coast of the United States, Tom lived in the Desert Southwest for nearly a decade but has spent most of his life in the Pacific Northwest. He studied painting in Arizona and is a painter and filmmaker. Tom lives in Seattle with his husband Kurt and their two chihuahuas, Crouton and Macaron.

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Tom McIntire

Pollinator and Beach Ball (2022) Acrylic on cradled wood panel This tongue-in-cheek piece was inspired by the hummingbirds that came after me when I sat beneath our red umbrella or wore a red shirt. These fearless pollinators inspire me to be strong.

Beach 39: Censored Corvid Victory (2023) Acrylic on cradled wood panel This piece imagines the story of nature's victory over man, documented in a piece of art that is hidden in plain sight.

Artist Statement With backgrounds in film and painting, I overlay characters, locations and vibrant color in serious and absurd narratives. I manipulate place, time and repetition to present a filmic journey in a single frame.

James Wallace Repton (1976 - ) brings decades of drawing and painting experience to a lifetime of curiosity for the natural world. He began drawing and painting at earliest memory and never stopped. His family encouraged his early interest in Kingdom Animalia with SCUBA certification, enabling access at age 12 to a wealth of underwater magic.

Classically trained in visual art starting in primary school, he also holds a BA in Romance Languages and Literature and a Master’s in Design, both Ivy League.

Repton currently works and resides in Seattle, Washington, although his journey has taken him to Italy, France, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Korea, Russia, the Netherlands, Portugal, up and down both Coasts and to the heart of the USA. His process is inspired by direct experience with his subjects, augmented by reference, and often completed in the studio.

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James Wallace Repton

Eagle Ray Swimming Diptych (2021) 8.5 x 11 inch, ink and white chalk on indigo blue paper This diptych is two original paintings of an Eagle ray swimming, both made using identical media, Sumi ink and white chalk on indigo blue paper, by artist and animal-lover James Repton. Both works are signed “JR ’21” on the front.

3 Bannerfish Diptych (2021) 8.5 x 11 inch, ink and white chalk on indigo blue paper This diptych is two original paintings of three Bannerfish, both made using identical media, Sumi ink, white chalk, colored pencil on indigo blue paper, by artist and animal-lover James Repton. Both works are signed “JR ’21” on the front.

Artist Statement I love to paint, draw, sketch, and otherwise aesthetically study animals both from life and from reference in the studio. Their personalities, curiosities, and wonders open up with close observation over time. In my work, I experiment with various drawing and painting media, often working in series, creating standalone works, diptychs and triptychs, from larger-than-life scale to sketchbook size.

These works are highly enjoyable for me to make as well as to share, as I think we all share an affinity for seeing animals in art, as did our earliest Paleolithic ancestors, painting animals from memory on cave walls tens of thousands of years ago. Then, as now, we humans resonate with handmade images of animals in our artwork. Please enjoy these works as much as I enjoyed creating them!

Following her major in painting in Korea, she relocated to the United States to raise two children while diligently maintaining her artistic practice, which prominently features the utilization of traditional Korean materials.

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Hee Seo

Welsh Corgi's dream (2023) 24 x 20 inch mixed media A joyful Welsh corgi's emotions are depicted on traditional Korean paper (Han Ji) using pigments and acrylic paint.

Artist Statement There are moments when I perceive my life as lacking in happiness. Nevertheless, I've found solace in capturing and illustrating the emotional experiences of the endearing animals I depict, and it's these very moments that have fueled my perseverance in pursuing my dream of becoming an artist. My heartfelt desire is to share the comfort I've gleaned through my art with others.

David Orrin Smith (1986 - ) has been drawing and painting his entire life. His development was encouraged and inspired by mentorship and study under artists Gary Faigin (co-founder of Gage Academy of Art in Seattle), and Tony Ryder (author of The Artist’s Complete Guide to Figure Drawing, co-founder of The Ryder Studio in Santa Fe). At age 13 David was admitted to adult life drawing sessions at the Seattle Academy of Fine Art (now Gage) under Gary, a formative experience and establishing figure work as a fixture in his creative production.

He continued his art study at Dartmouth College and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. Working in portraiture, figure, and landscape primarily, he often works from life or plein air - painting landscape directly from life, outside, with no photos or other reference. His work has won numerous awards and recognitions and can be found in museums, galleries, commercial and private collections.

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David Orrin Smith

Fisherman (2020) 8.5 x 12 inch, colored pencil, ink, and white chalk on orange ink-toned paper This drawing is inspired, in part, by the work of Utagawa Kuniyoshi, master of ukiyo-e style of Japanese woodblock printing. I made it from imagination, first laying down orange ink on the paper, letting it dry in patterns of random pools.

Out of the pattern, I let imagination guide me, drawing what emerged, purely for fun.

Owl (2020) 8.5 x 12 inch, graphite, red pencil, white chalk on orange ink-toned paper This drawing of an owl is from pure imagination, just for fun. The ink on the paper was the first step, and led to random pooling patterns. Looking at the patterns when the ink had dried, I let imagination be my guide and drew whatever those marks inspired. Within them I saw this owl.

Artist Statement I use watercolor, graphite, pen and ink, acrylic paint marker, marker, colored pencil and other media to record optical experiences. I do not typically use photos or reference, working on-site in the changing light, taking in observations.

Occasionally I’ll draw, paint, and sketch from imagination and memory.

I am drawn to scenes that are difficult to see, such as moving water, the glare of the sun, elusive morning and evening atmospheres, live wildlife. Except for a few fantasies from imagination, these animal studies were made from life, watching the animals move, returning to similar poses over and over. I love studying living things directly.

Plein air pieces from life are a record of a passage of time, a collection of observations communicating what I see and experience. I believe a skillful handmade image is reassuring and empathic, a validation of nature's realities, cultivating our capacity to behold, absorb, and understand.

Elvina, born in Portland, Oregon, and raised on the Oregon coast with a backyard that stretched along the shores of Siletz Bay, was deeply influenced by the rhythmic tides and natural beauty of her surroundings.

Her professional journey led her from nursing to becoming an Occupational Therapist at a state hospital, where she pioneered therapeutic groups to help individuals express and navigate their emotions, often shrouded in confusion, while also honing their basic problem-solving and social skills through various artistic mediums, with clay being a particular favorite. Her artistic talents earned her awards in sculpture and two-dimensional art, and she remained an active member of various art organizations in Washington and Oregon, including the Colored Pencil Society of America. Currently, she contributes as a board member to the Creative Arts Community, which annually hosts a two-week residential art camp amidst the scenic wonders of the Columbia Gorge at Menucha.

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Elvina Taylor Goat (2023) 6H x 6W x 4D inch, ceramic We had many goats on our farm. We found out quickly that they were smarter than us, always escaping and wreaking havoc. Their constant forays, including, but not limited to: standing on top of the neighbor's car, climbing in my car and tearing out the other neighbor's garden. Our friend came and was the “ goat whisperer “. She bred them for years there.

The sheer joy and exuberance of a kid! Every being a different personality.

Fox (2023) 6H x 5W x 3.5D inch, ceramic Seeing a fox, I feel it’s spirit intuitively much different than other creatures in the woods. It’s no wonder it has been considered a cunning trickster in many cultures. Its ability to vanish and reappear give it the quality of a shape shifter.

Sionna in Celtic lore was a shape shifting fox.

This role has been attributed as far away as China. Sometimes an immortal, guardian or something malevolent. Fox is often an omen. Its up to the viewer to decide what its sighting foretells.

Shagpoke (2023) 8H x 4W x 6D inch, ceramic Great blue herons were ever present during my childhood on the Oregon coast. My father would make up stories about them to amuse me.

These herons have a special place in my heart. Whenever I think about him, even now a “ShagPoke” shows up.

Rooster (2023) 7.5H x 3.5W x 4.5D inch, ceramic Roosters have always interested me.

We had a banty rooster when I was a kid that was downright scary. It was in love with my dad and always wanted to fight me.

Most of them have an aggressive edge, but generally they're just protecting their flock. I love their showy plumage and coloring. The best thing though is that predictable 5:00 a.m. alarm.

Artist Statement I was just 14 years old when I made the move from Portland, Oregon to a small town. The cottage I called home was a cozy one, adorned with old knotty pine paneling and French windows that gave me a splendid view of the bay. It truly had its own unique charm. In no time, I found myself immersed in the close-knit community, forming friendships that would last a lifetime.

My first job in that town was at the Chowder House, and after my shift, you could bet your bottom dollar I'd rendezvous with my friends on the beach. We had this classic coastal routine of crabbing off the dock and then boiling our catch over a blazing bonfire. On weekends, we'd take it a step further, sometimes staying up all night to crab. It was there that I got my first real taste of independence. Those nights on the beach, with the bonfire crackling and the waves crashing, created some of the most cherished memories of my life.

James Tilley’s photography provides an artistic, creative outlet to an otherwise structured, technical life. Designing electronics and instrumentation for oceanographic research as his main career, James brings the rigorous, detailed, technical nature of an engineer to the organic, natural, world of wildlife and landscape photography. Initially using film and processing his images and prints in a home-made darkroom, James has fully embraced the digital world, and leverages the technical advancements to help create his artistic vision.

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James Tilley

Bald Eagle Splashdown (2023) 30 x 20 x 1 inch, Print face-mounted on 1/8" Acrylic A bald eagle splashes down into the tide flats off of Alki Beach in search of its next meal.

Artist Statement With my photography, I seek to share unique moments in nature, documenting the power, beauty and fragility of the animals and environment we all share. I have always been one to be out exploring nature, enjoying the respite it provides from the burdens daily life seems to impose on us.

More recently, I have been focusing on bird photography. In capturing a moment in time, I am able to share views into the lives of these amazing animals that is difficult to appreciate in real time. I hope that my work improves awareness of the natural world around us and inspires others to appreciate, understand, and preserve that environment.

Randall Vemer has been a professional violinist/violist for 20 years; playing in orchestras around the world. He was Principal Viola of The Oregon Symphony for 20 years playing with the greatest soloists of our time. He transitioned from Classical Music to Classical Painting; culminating in the multimedia project MusArt exhibited in Portland, Seattle, Napa, and Aspen. It is an exhibition of 40 oil paintings of musicians around the world combining live music, Haiku poetry, film with original music by Grammy winning composer, and a published book. The Art film has won documentary film festival awards in London, Paris, Rome, St. Petersburg, Tokyo, Berlin, New York, and Los Angeles among others.

Randall Vemer

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Feibe

Nugget the Duchess of Nottingham

11 x 14 inch

24 x 18 inch

This is a small painting of a small "Wild Boar" breed of Dachshund named Feibe. I approached the painting as a classical portrait in terms of composition, eyes on viewer, and layers of color on top of an underpainting.

The color scheme is triadic with yelloworange, violet, and blue green.

This is a bird's eye view of a long haired Dachshund named Lady Nugget the Duchess of Nottingham. She gazes at the viewer with her blue eyes contrasting with the complimentary color of her orange fur. Her white tuxedo on her chest along with the diamond shape on her head demand the attention she merits!

Artist Statement Making the transition from classical music to classical painting was not such a big conceptual leap for me. Both art forms demand years of serious training and analysis. After doing AllaPrima painting (direct painting) I became interested in the classical method of constructing a painting in layers. After the design stage of several drawings, an ‘under-painting’ in monochromatic tones is created; over which layers of color glazes and impasto in the lights are added. This way I’m able to create the desired luminosity and rich effects that hopefully result. Bringing the Old Master approach to contemporary subjects I find interesting.

Nancy L (NL) Walsh is an artist in photography-based digital art and fine art photography. She grew up in Roanoke, Virginia. She received her B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, where she took her first photography classes. She graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law, practiced law, then became a stay-at-home mom, throughout which her photography and art have been a constant. She also performed with improv comedy troupes for many years, which infuses her point of view with humor and whimsy. Her work is ever-evolving, with new technologies in photo editing and digital art that enable her to continually expand and refine her artistic style. Her images have appeared in numerous gallery exhibits, publications and art shows, and hang in many private collections throughout the U.S. and internationally.

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NL Walsh

Prism Gator 24 x 18 inch, Mixed media Photography Alligators are iconic animals in the southern and southeastern U.S. These solitary animals have been around for eons. These reptiles inhabit freshwater wetlands, but can also survive for short periods in salt water, and are occasionally seen coming out of the surf onto beaches. Despite that they're feared apex predators, and attacks on humans often make headlines, they'd prefer not to interact with people, and don't seek out humans as prey. They're smart enough to balance sticks and branches on their head to lure birds looking for nesting materials. They are very vocal, and make a variety of different calls and sounds. In this image of a (usually dark gray-brown) gator lurking just above the surface in a still lagoon, I gave it colors as interesting as the animal itself.

This is Dingle, a Eurasian eagle owl who lives at Ashford Castle in Cong, Ireland. It’s the largest species of owl in the world. They are fierce and very powerful hunters, and are strong enough to crush a rabbit skull in one claw. They successfully hunt prey as large as foxes, and the females, which are larger, can even catch small roe deer. This portrait of Dingle captures the intensity and power of this magnificent raptor.

Stern Look (2023) 11 x 14 inch, Mixed media Photography

Artist Statement I make my art to capture moments or glimpses of beauty, interest, or emotion that stand out as worthy of remembering, so they aren’t lost in time. I photograph people, places, happenings, and things that stand out, resonate with and inspire me. The subject matter may be everyday or exotic.

My digital photos are the starting point. Sometimes what I see and photograph represents just the seed of an idea, or the broad outlines of a composition I want to complete. For that reason the final image may not end up resembling the original photo. The process incorporates a wide range of digital editing technology.

I may also employ printmaking techniques, collage, and drawing by hand. I love to experiment with composition, abstraction, color and balance. There's not an easy one-word description for my genre – I describe it as mixed media photography-based digital art. My goal is to create soulful, memorable, unique images that elicit the viewer’s emotions, engage their imagination, and intrigue their eye.

Ryan is a visual artist who started drawing at a young age and eventually went into college and studied graphic design. He designed with and for multiple clothing brands and has been doing logo design and branding freelance since. In 2013 he first started painting and making gifts for friends and family, that snowballed into more and more work and exploration. The year 2021 fresh out of the pandemic he gave his shot at showing his work publicly and getting involved with art events.

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Ryan Weimer

Koala Cry (2020) Acrylic on Canvas, 20 x 30 inches Based on the 2019-2020 Australian Wildfires, this piece shows the relationship between humanity and wildlife in horrific times.

Artist Statement I hope to bring my energy to the paintings I make, with my color choices, movement, composition, and subject matter.

Kim Maguire has been a professional performer, educator, director, and producer for the past 30 years. A 2017 Seattle/Kobe Female Jazz Vocalist finalist, Kim is a mainstay in the vocal Seattle jazz scene. Kim Maguire is known for her solid swing and elegantly nuanced ballads. Her vocal background allows her to move effortlessly from jazz to folk/rock and can often be found at the keys, accompanying herself.

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Kim Maguire

On the Animal Art Exhibition Artist Reception, Kim delivered a handful of lovely songs in a jazz styling. After a break in her performances followed by HyunJung Jin, Kim was moved to switch up her final line up of songs to sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as she felt moved by the energy in the room and the current events of November 2023.

Overall, it was a marvelous night indeed. Kim brought heart and love to everyone at the event with her genuine presence.

HyunJung Jin (Rachel) has a Master's degree in Korean Traditional Composition from Han-Yang University. She plays multiple Korean traditional instruments, including: GaYaGeum, KoMoonGo (Korean lute), JangGu and NanTa. She is an active member of both MMDC and Morado, a Korean Traditional Dance Group.

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HyunJung Jin

On the evening of the Animal Art Exhibition Artist Reception, HyunJung Jin joined Gallery B612 once again for a heartwarming traditional Korean folk performance. Ending her line up with a group audience singalong that everyone enjoyed.

Gallery B612 Prince and Fox, LLC.

This artist issue was created for Gallery B612's Animal Art Exhibition for the days of November 9th - December 16th, 2023.

Located at 1915 1st Ave South, Seattle, Washington 98134

Designed by Aleen Caeli

www.galleryb612.com