CoCA's “Resident Alien” Artist Wins Suit Against Washington State Arts Commission

After a lengthy and exhausting process, artist Simon Kogan recently won a hearing against the Washington State Arts Commission for removal of his name on the “Public Artist Roster.” Kogan, in addition to numerous other artists, had been removed for various reasons in 2008 when the Commission decided to “clean house,” finding Kogan’s work lacked “cohesiveness,” an attribute that was not among the criteria that the Commission was attempting to define. Kohan appealed his rejection in 2009 but was denied; he appealed again and was again denied at a hearing with the Chair of the Commission. Finally he filed suit at his own expense. After various procedures, filings, and extensions, the case was heard in February, 2010. Thurston County Judge Richard Hicks awarded Kogan all attorney fees plus reinstatement, granting his petition and recommending that the Commission operate with greater transparency, including precisely defining the criteria and keeping artists on the roster once they meet them.

To browse Judge Hicks’ full “Opinion and Ruling” (sprinkled throughout with poetry as is Hicks’ habit), click here.

The 2009 CoCA Art Marathon and Auction

CoCA will hold its 17th annual Art Marathon and Auction December 4 and 5 at the Fremont Abbey Arts Center, on 4272 Fremont Ave N. CoCA pioneered the concept of the 'endurance' art event beginning in 1992 and has gradually opened the Marathon to include a variety of media in addition to the usual painting. The event remains the region's only 24-hour extravaganza, a spectacle that over the years has come to define CoCA's edgy mix of emerging and established artists.

For 24 hours, from 9am Friday to 9am Saturday, 20 artists are locked in a room with nothing but their art supplies. Sure, we bring in a trough of gruel and a barrel of grog every so often, but the art is what it's all about. Drawing, Painting, Sculpting, Hot Waxing (Encaustic), Photographing, Video-Taping, Versifying, Editing, and who knows what for sure. Over 100 works of art will be spontaneously created, with some of the artists engaging in impromptu collaborations and improvisations with each other's materials. Proceeds are split between the artists and CoCA.

The 2009 lineup features artists...

Marc Lindsay, mixed-media, Patti Bowman, encaustic, Seb Barnett, mixed-media, Geoff Garza, mixed media collage, Lorna Nakell, painting, Wesley Wozniak, painting, Irene Wood, painting, Pedro Valdivia, painting, Aaron Haba, sculpture, Thomas Hurley III, painting, Miguel Edwards, painting, Waldo Vega, painting, Zak Alexander, painting, David Francis, mixed media, Craig Vandenbosch, Adam Spencer, Derin Smith, Jill Levine, and William Brody.

You, too, can be a part of this pandemonium. Come down to the Fremont Abbey on Friday and watch the artists make art. Then come back at 6pm on Saturday night and buy it at three silent auctions followed by a live auction.. It's that simple. We'll give you some gruel too, although you'll have to buy the grog from us (it IS a fund-raiser, after all). Tickets are $10 for the Saturday portion; Friday’s 24 hour insanity is, of course, free of charge; for more information, see www.cocaseattle.org.

Preparing to enter its 30th year, CoCA serves as a catalyst and forum for the advancement, development and understanding of contemporary art.

Haris Purnomo, the perfect Halloween pre funk

More photos available on Flickr

Hey all you goblins and ghouls, taking in the Haris Purnomo exhibition at CoCA Belltown is the perfect pre funk event before all your Halloween parties. Its beautifully eerie. Check out what people are saying in local blogs.

http://designllama.blogspot.com/2009/10/haris-purnomo-babies-in-cocoons.html

http://feeds.designcollector.net/node/76392

http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/baby-webs-haris-purnomo1

http://blog.seattlepi.com/insidebelltown/archives/181530.asp

http://www.belltownpeople.com/2009/10/17/the-babies-allegory-of-disciplined-bodies



CoCA Belltown is located in Belltown on Clay St, between 1st Ave and Western.

Haris Purnomo at CoCA Belltown

CoCA Belltown: Haris Purnomo


Next time you are down in Belltown swing by CoCA Belltown and check out Haris Purnomo's sword babies. The gallery is located at the Avenue One condos on the corner of First and Clay. The gallery is located on Clay Street as you walk down the hill. The artist reception was Tuesday the 13th. Its an amazing show!

Photos from CoCA Belltown available now on Flickr.

Save the Date: The CoCA Art Marathon and Auction, Dec 4th and 5th at the Fremont Abbey

The 17th Annual CoCA Art Marathon and Auction is coming this December 4th and 5th at the Fremont Abbey. The artist call will be going out shortly.

Check out this great video by 2007 Marathon artist Peter Bill

“Heaven and Earth” Sculpture Exhibit at Carkeek Park, Seattle

Seattle, Washington, June 1, 2009

In an unprecedented collaboration between a non-profit art gallery and a neighborhood advisory council, CoCA will present an exhibition of temporary, outdoor sculptural installations in Carkeek Park organized around the theme of “Heaven and Earth,” from June 26 – August 10, 2009.

While Carkeek’s reputation rests on its forest-trail system and the salmon in Piper’s Creek, “Heaven and Earth” is the first major art exhibition held in a city park outside of downtown since Magnuson Park last hosted the “HorseHead” sculpture exhibit in 1998. In 2008, Sunset magazine named Carkeek #3 among America’s top 10 urban parks.

The show’s title emphasizes the ways in which our parks are implicitly havens (“heavens”) where nature is ‘preserved’ and kept as intact as possible. The sculptures at Carkeek evoke themes of art and nature, of sustainability and re-use in a world of rapid environmental change.

While most of the 11 artists reside in Seattle (Vaughn Bell and Meredith Hall, Miguel Edwards, Todd Lawson, Julie Lindell, Peppé, Stephen Rock, Sylwia Tur), others come from Bainbridge Island (Kristin Tollefson), Camano Island (Aaron Haba), Shelton (Barbara De Pirro), and as far away as Caracas, Venezuela via Miami Beach (Gerry Stecca).

Supported by a nearly $10,000 Neighborhood Matching Fund Small and Simple grant from the City of Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, the project also brings together City of Seattle Parks and Recreation and Associated Recreation Councils. Besides plans for its own web-site, the sponsors will also publish a book with images from the exhibit, letterpress binding & cover, and written statements on the show’s themes from all the artists.

The opening reception, with free maps of the “Heaven and Earth” sculpture trail, events commemorating the 80^th anniversary of the founding of the park, kids activities and guided tours, occurs on Saturday, June 27, from 1:00 – 5:00 at the Environmental Learning Center in Carkeek Park, 950 NW Carkeek Park Road. Free entry and parking are provided.

Made possible by support from

CoCA Ballard: Tracy Boyd

Tracy Boyd, © 2009, “Kangas”, o/c 36” x 36”

Tracy Boyd: Seattle Sketches

DATES: May 26 – July 6, 2009

RECEPTION: Thursday, June 11, 2009, 6-9p

Like many emerging artists, Seattle figurative painter, Tracy Boyd, longs to understand key “art scene” people. Who are they, really? What do they do, and what motivates them? She seeks this understanding because she feels these people are in the way of her artistic journey.

In this series, Boyd depicts Northwest art figures in a manner she imagines will expose aspects of the person beneath the persona. Sometimes using unlikely tools, Boyd loosely applies heavy oil paint in a manner that seems to sculpt her subjects. She often adds graphic elements to the canvas that leave the viewer with more questions than answers. She does this to leave –or perhaps create- ambiguity that emulates people’s lives.

Daddy's got a brand new pair of shoes...

On behalf of the entire board of directors at CoCA I'd like to give a big shout out to Jessie Orvidas and Peter Noonan two amazingly talented and creative people for their time and efforts in designing CoCA a brand new web site. Check out our new site, cocaseatttle.org

Bird Control by David Francis

At the meat processing factory
a mechanical screech
frightens seagulls away.



On the statue's head, a wig of pins
keeps pigeons at bay. Downtown in the park
the starlings deposit enough excrement



in one afternoon to attract the attention
of the mayor. Proposals vary:
perhaps a large net. A cloud of poison.



In the garden a scarecrow looks drunk,
head resting on his chest. Here and there
in the orchard, a shiny piece of foil dangles



like a Christmas ornament. The hole in the birdhouse:
too small for anything larger than a wren.
Where do they go then, those who are unwelcome,



those whose removal is desired?
How far must they travel? As they reach the ends
of the earth they discover a city



where their depredations are unknown:
they flock to the landfill, the sewer outfall,
to the grain spilled along the railroad.



In the city at the ends of the earth,
statues once again exhibit wisdom,
their heads streaked with white.


By David Francis David is a Board member of CoCA, visual artist and poet living in Seattle. David's poem was originally posted on Art Access along with works by Paul Hunter and Mary Lou Sanelli. Click here to find out more.

2008 CoCA Annual: Hybrid

Call for Artists

From December 8 – January 30, CoCA will present the 2008 CoCA Annual, a juried exhibition, asking artist to respond to “hybrid”:

The elements of the world we live in are increasingly becoming synthesized, mixed and reorganized. New ideas are being combined with existing ones. From cars to food, politics and religion, biochemistry, new technologies and art, we are all experiencing the “hybrid”.

CoCA has presented the Annual since 1989, each time bringing in an independent juror to select the work from among the entries received. This year’s juror is Riko Nakasone.

Riko Nakasone has been the director and curator of the Bau-Xi Gallery (http://www.bau-xi.com) in Vancouver, British Columbia for over 8 years. The Bau-Xi Gallery represents a broad range of emerging and senior artists creating both representational and abstract work in diverse media.

There will be a reception for the artists, the work, and the juror on Thursday December 11, from 6-9pm, at CoCA’s Ballard Gallery inside the Shilshole Bay Beach Club at 6413 Seaview Ave NW Seattle, WA 98107. Free entry and parking provided.

A $500 first prize and a $250 second prize will be awarded by the juror.

Submissions are by email with the following requirements:

• Up to five digital images of each piece, jpg file format, maximum dimension of 800 pixels in either direction. If the work is multi-media (film, video, electronic media, etc.), tailor your submission appropriately. Links are acceptable in this case.
• A description of the images (artwork title, dimensions, medium and year of creation)
• Artist’s statement (Send as an attachment not in the body of your email).
• Resume/CV (Send as an attachment not in the body of your email)
• Contact info (address, phone, email)
• Artist web site link (if available)
• $25 entry fee for first piece, $10 each additional piece. You may submit up to five images for each piece for the same fee.

Entry deadline is October 23, and winners will be notified by November 20. Selected work must be shipped to the gallery by December 1. Artists are responsible for packing, shipping & transit insurance costs to & from CoCA.

Call (206) 728-1980 or visit http://www.cocaseattle.org/2008annual.html for more information.

Send proposals to: submissions@cocaseattle.org

Check may be made out to Center on Contemporary Art, and sent to:

Center on Contemporary Art
6413 Seaview Ave. N.W. Seattle, WA 98107

Note: Two-dimensional, three-dimensional and multi-media work will be considered. If there are special requirements associated with the display of your work (including budgetary and/or time constraints), please indicate these in your email submission.

The 16th Annual Art Marathon

Sorry for the hiatus but things have been busy at CoCA. Most notable was the recent 16th Annual Marathon which was hosted at the Engine Room of the old rainier Brewery in Georgetown. The event rocked, the artists were great, the art was amazing and Georgetown as usual was the place to be.

If you missed it, here is the link to our Flickr site where you can find photos of the event. Paul Swortz of HonuPhoto pitched in and helped photograph the event, here's a link to the photos on his Flickr site.

Call for artists: The 2008 CoCA Painting Marathon

The 2008 CoCA Painting Marathon Selection Committee is requesting artists to participate in the 16th Annual CoCA Painting Marathon. The Painting Marathon is a 2 day event where artist create art for 24hrs straight (that's the marathon part), the marathon is followed by a series of silent and live auctions to benefit Seattle’s Center on Contemporary Art (CoCA) on the 2nd day. We wrap the event up with a rocking after party. Last year's event was a smashing success and then years will be even better.

Art sales are split 50/50.

FYI, here are a few links to last year’s event.

http://www.cocaseattle.org/marathon2007.html

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocaseattle/collections/72157603079022547/

There are several spots still open at this time. The deadline for submissions is June 25th 2008. Please submit the following to be considered for the Marathon.

• No more than 3 images of work (we need to see the type of work you create)
• A description of the 3 images
• Max dimension 500 pixels @ 72dpi
• Resume/CV (Send as an attachment not in the body of your email)
• Contact info
• Web site link (if available)

This year's Marathon will be on Friday August 8th and Saturday August 9th at the original Rainier Brewery in the Georgetown neighborhood of Seattle. You must be available and on site from 9am Friday 8/8 through to 9am Sat 8/9 for the marathon. You need not be available for the auction or after party but ideally you can make those events too.

Artists accepted into this year's marathon will be contacted in early July 2008.

Questions? Email us at submissions@cocaseattle.org or call (206) 728-1980

Call to artists: Seafair Ball: Bollywood Invitational

Artwork details:

• Respond to Indian/Bollywood imagery or concepts* relating to these traditions. *Please contact us at email address listed below to receive document.

• New work or work currently ready for exhibition
• 1 work, possibly more
• 2 dimensional or can be affixed to the wall
• Suggested max size: 36" x 36"
• 60% Artist, 40% CoCA
• Please deliver to the Shilshole Bay Beach Club (6413 Seaview Ave NW, Seattle) on Tuesday, July 22nd, 9 am and 5 pm.

CoCA provides:

• Artists submitting will receive 2 Seafair Ball general admission tickets valued at $25 each

(We expect that all work submitted will be in the show!)

• Those in the show will receive 2 Seafair Ball VIP tickets, which includes dinner and wine for two, valued at approx. $40 each
• Installation (please provide hardware for unusual items)
• Color postcards
• Posting on CoCA's web site
• Show listing in Art Access

Artists are asked to create a [wall hanging] piece of artwork in response to Indian/Bollywood imagery or concepts relating to these traditions. Work already in existence will also be considered.

Please email me to receive text and photos that we are offering artists as response material. Subject matter is entirely open. You can use these concepts and photos or go in an entirely different direction. If the word 'Bollywood' inspires you, like it does me, go with that!

There is available space for larger work. Let us know if you'd like to submit something larger or if you have multiple pieces.

Thanks for your time and interest in working with CoCA!

Rachelle Taylor

rachelle@cocaseattle.org

206-706-0257

CoCA Ballard Gallery: Artist Richard Kehl

CoCA Ballard Gallery: Richard Kehl

"Kehlages", like visual poetry with images existing side by side are far from traditional collage. These compelling, original works ignite the imagination and evoke mystery.

Artist Reception: This Thursday June 12, 7-9 PM
Show run: June 12 - July 18, 2008

"The Innocent Eye" A slide show by artist Richard Kehl will happen after the reception at 9 PM.

SlideLuck + CoCA = The SlideLuck CoCAShow

Slideluck Potshow Seattle and CoCA, the Center on Contemporary Art, are excited to partner to announce the upcoming Slideluck CoCAshow!

This will be an extra special Slideluck with a month long exhibition of works by selected artists in September at CoCA's Ballard gallery space inside the Shilshole Bay Beach Club. There will be an opening reception on Thursday, September 4, 2008, as well as a separate potluck and slide show the following week (date tbd).

How do you get involved?

Call for Submissions:
This will be a juried show. Since this is a physical art show as well as a slide show, the submission deadline is FIRM.

The submission deadline is JULY 26, 2008. Artists will be notified of acceptance by August 4th. Only themed work will be considered for the CoCA art show. Further details are TBA.

THEME: GENERATION(S)
Be creative with the theme. It can lead down varied paths of history, change, future, creation, cycles, technology, family, society, etc. Collaborations are always encouraged. Consider adding a narrative element to your work and don't forget to edit!
Feel free to contact me with any questions you might have about submissions and creative possibilities. We want to make this show an excellent one!

Please follow the digital submission guidelines found here: http://www.slideluckpotshow.com/index2.php?PageName=submissions
If you want to go analog, we will have a slide projector as well.

You can ftp your submissions here:
host/url: ivan.dreamhost.com
username: seattleslideluck
password: ogslps

If that route doesn't work, try sending your file via http://www.yousendit.com
Or you can mail me a cd. Contact me for the address.

The submission deadline is July 26, 2008.

cheers,
shannon welles
slideluckseattle@gmail.com

http://www.slideluckpotshow.com/
http://www.cocaseattle.org/

Geeks & Freaks...

Each Thursday between May and September, CoCA is pleased to present a varied and eclectic array of After Dark events, at our ballard gallery, located inside the Shilshole Bay Beach Club at 6413 Shilshole Ave NW. All After Dark events commence at 9pm, and our cash bar will be open until 1am. We’re raising the bar!

CoCA Events After Dark presents…

WHAT: The Geek & Freak Show—a forum for talent, expression, and performance. Hosted by MC Waldo Vega & live grooves by Tommy Long (206blend.com)

WHO: Calling all Musicians (but take your lame acoustic guitar solos elsewhere), Dancers and Performers (we encourage the bizarre), and otherwise Self-labeled Freaks and/or Geeks with an obscure Talent!

We’re seeking six performances and will limit you to 10 minutes of guaranteed fame. The rest is up to the audience—because after we cut the dead weight, if you’re one of the crowd favorites you get an encore onstage performance!

WHERE: CoCA Ballard lives @ 6413 Seaview Ave NW, Seattle WA 98107 inside the Shilshole Bay Beach Club.

WHEN: May 1 and May 8. If the Geek & Freak Show returns, we will let you know.

8pm doors open, and limited walk-in signups will be considered until 8:45pm. Performances commence at 9pm. Entertainment continues thru midnight.

WHY: Here at CoCA we believe that creative license is everything. We want you to bring your funk, your talent, your energy, and your fans! If you need to dust off your accordion, assemble your esoteric poetry, or swing from our rafters with fire, let us know!

We believe the terms “geek” and “freak” are “empowering”, not “derogatory”. As adapted from our friends at urbandictionary.com, a “freak” is commonly regarded as a 'catch-all' term for mainstream society to use to describe anyone who they may believe isn't mainstream. Such as mallgoths, punks, hardcore kids, emos, metalheads, goths and whatnot. We’re all a little freaky, right? Or at least geeky. The “geeks” were those people you picked on in high school and now work for. They tend to have brilliant ideas and often need obligatory prodding to showcase their talents.

CONTACT: CoCA at 206.728.1980 or email freakshow@cocaseattle.org! But please be forewarned: you must be able to cogently explain to us what the hell you’re attempting.

CoCA's Annual Member's Meeting this Tuesday March 4th at 7:30pm

CoCA encourages all members and supporters to join us on Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at 7:30PM for our Annual Member's Meeting. Our primary business will be to elect board members and discuss the state of CoCA. Anyone wishing to join the board or wishing to nominate someone else for the board is encouraged to sent their nominations to Rachelle Taylor (rachelle@cocaseattle.org)

The meeting will be at the Shilshole Bay Beach Club.

Click here for driving directions and information on Metro bus service.

CoCA Belltown: Black History Month Artist Reception for Ronald Hall Weds Feb 13th 7 to 9 pm

Center on Contemporary Art is pleased to present two exhibitions in honor of Black History Month. Prominent independent art critic and curator, Matthew Kangas, organized both exhibitions drawn from his own art collection and those of other local collectors for Black History Month


"Missing" Ronald Hall, 2007, Oil, mixed media and collaged elements on canvas

Ronald Hall: Three Paintings, in cooperation with Pacini-Lubell Gallery of Seattle, focuses on African-American history and current events. Amistad (2006) proposes a plantation takeover in the aftermath of the slave ship mutiny aboard the S. S. Amistad in 1839. Missing (2007) deals with missing African-American children. The Martyr of Death Row (2007) is a memorial tribute to the musician Tupak Shakur.

Learn more about Ronald Hall by visiting his web site

Show runs from Jan. 31 through March. 5, 2008

Artist Reception: February 13th 7 to 9pm

Location: Reception is above the gallery in the Avenue One condos on the corner of First & Clay (Belltown)

Click here to see photos from the reception.

Click here if you want to read Regina Hackett's blog about the exhibition

We're kicking off the 2008 with 2 new shows...

Thursday Jan 10th: Darin Shuler Reception from 5 to 7pm


"Time Tear" 24" X 36" digital print


"Time Elastic" A show of new digital prints by Darin Shuler.

Can two moments in time coexist? A collection of digital prints, Time Elastic is a science fiction daydream about breaking the rules of Time. With a mod twist, this work is reminiscent of surrealist and 60’s psychedelic art.

Learn more about Darin by visiting his web site

Location: The Shilshole Bay Beach Club 6413 Seaview Ave NW (Ballard)

Show runs from Jan. 10 through Feb. 21, 2008



Friday Jan 11th: David Chula Tupper Reception from 7 to 9pm



"By Another Hand " 30" X 40" Acrylic


"Tales from the Shore"
A show of new work by David Chula Tupper

A 2007 participant of CoCA's annual Painting marathon, as well as a veteran of many CoCA events, David has participated in numerous solo shows and group and juried exhibitions.

Most recent solo venues include the Debra Owens Gallery in San Diego, CA, and a show at the Friesen Gallery in Seattle, entitled "You're Innocent When You Dream".

Learn more about David by visiting his web site

Location: Reception is above the gallery in the Avenue One condos on the corner of First & Clay (Belltown)

Show runs from Jan. 11 through Feb. 21, 2008

15th Annual Painting Marathon & Auction: November 8th, 9th, 2007

Marathon and Auction at:

The Place: Shileshole Bay Beach Club

Address: 6513 Seaview Ave NW, Seattle, WA 98107

• Painting Marathon: Begins Thursday, November 8th, at 9 am and goes through Friday, November 9th, at 9 am (24 hours). Admission is Free.
  
• Auction: Begins Friday November 9th, at 6 pm. There will be 2 Silent Auctions and 2 Live Auctions.
  
• Tickets: buy them for the auctions at brownpapertickets.com
  
• Prices: $20.00, General Admission Seat; $50.00 VIP Admission includes table seating, wine, hors d' oeuvres and a CoCA membership! $500.00 VIP Admission includes reservation of a full Table (seats 10 people).
  

There are 10 open spots at this time and the 2007 CoCA Painting Marathon Selection Committee wants to encourage artists to participate. The deadline for submissions is October 10th. E-mail the committee to indicate your interest at submissions@cocaseattle.org and we'll send you an application form.

Questions? You can reach us by e-mail at submissions@cocaseattle.org or phone us at 206-728-1980

We also need volunteers for both the Marathon and the Auction. Please inquire at: info@cocaseattle.org or please phone. Volunteers are rewarded with a 1 year CoCA membership and free admission to the Marathon.