SHOWING SIGNS OF WEAR

SHOWING SIGNS OF WEAR
Solo Show by Eliaichi Kimaro [ On display at The Cloud Room March 12-April 6 ]
Artist Statement

As a self-taught artist and creative storyteller, I am constantly reinventing myself, experimenting with new materials and techniques, and learning whatever medium it takes to tell the story that is emerging.

Over the past 40 years, I have used writing, music, photography, film, and now mixed media art to explore my personal/family narrative.  Across every medium, I find beauty in the rusty, weathered and worn. I love the stories that scars hold ~ and feel compelled to take those stories of survival and turn them into something beautiful to behold.

This body of work hangs together loosely.  To me, they are more about the process, the journey of becoming.  They evoke the layered narratives that we all carry—as individuals in this present moment, and as the embodiment of our ancestors’ stories spanning generations and continents.   They represent new directions I am taking as an artist -- using mark-making, texture, cold wax medium and organic materials to tell a story.  Some of these pieces came into being fully-formed.  Some were labors of love, with 2 or 3 completely different paintings existing beneath the surface.

While I am excited to share these paintings in their current incarnations, some of them will be radically transformed – scraped down, carved into, painted over—when they return to my studio.  But as a lover of process, I believe that even our work-in-progress selves deserve an occasional spotlight…to be seen, witnessed and considered in our current state of being…and becoming.

L O O K:

Ken Moore: Another Conversation in Black Surreality

Frederick Holmes & Company showcased the paintings of contemporary artist Ken Moore last year in his first-ever solo show in the Pacific Northwest. This month, the Pioneer Square gallery is bringing back his impressive collection of paintings for a second month-long exhibition. A resident of Los Angeles and an owner of The Howling Monk jazz club, Moore paints in a colorfully vivid blend of Cubist & Surrealist styles, and frequently incorporates motifs reminiscent of his love for jazz music into his work in addition to themes around the culture, history, and myths of the African Diaspora.

Born and raised in Southside Chicago, Moore began nurturing a talent for painting and drawing as a young child. He recalls that his favorite day of the week was Sunday, the day on which his father would bring home a pressed shirt from Chinese Laundry on 43rd St, “Each shirt was packaged with a thin piece of cardboard. One side was very glossy white, the other side was very dull grey…the cardboard was mine to use as I pleased. The cheap cardboard may as well have been a sheet of expensive Strathmore drawing paper…” Moore continued to develop his talent and eventually studied at The Art Institute of Chicago under Ray Yoshida.

In this solo Seattle exhibition titled Another Conversation in Black Surreality, Moore’s 25 paintings dating from 1973 to 2018 will encompass the gallery’s entire first floor. In his artist statement, Moore references an essay by James Baldwin titled Many Thousands Gone in which Baldwin described the ‘Negro in America’ as “that shadow which lies athwart our national life” and further as “a series of shadows, self-creating, intertwining,” and finally as people who do not “really exist except in the darkness of our minds.” Moore goes on to say that “Baldwin’s descriptions contain an unsettling mysterious quality; a surreal quality that is not uncommon in most African American cultural expression; a conscious worldview I call Black Surreality. As a "Black Man" I assume this consciousness comes into everything I do - including my art.”

W A T C H:

Atlantics by Mati Diop and Keepers of The Dream

In honor of Oscar season, which dismayed us with its glaring lack of diversity, specifically in the Best Director and Best Films categories, we sat down with local filmmaker and cultural critic Charles Mudede to ask him what film should have been in the running this month. His top pick is a Senegalese film from up-and-coming director Mati Diop. This past year Diop made history with her first feature film Atlantics, and its presence at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. Not only was Diop the first-ever female black director to compete at Cannes, but she also was the first to win, and took home the prestigious Grand Prix award.

Atlantics portrays the plight of Ada, a young 17-year-old girl living in the suburbs of Dakar, the capital of Senegal. She is set to marry a wealthy man, but is in love with Souleiman, a poor construction worker. After Souleiman’s sudden disappearance, Ada must contend with a life without him, and allegations arise of her involvement in a crime that Souleiman may have committed. The story weaves in themes of death, escape, and migration, and does so in an ethereal, and sometimes fantastical way. Throughout the film, the backdrop of Dakar and the luminous (and at times, looming) sea stand out, and are as important as the two main characters themselves, who were both first-time actors.

“It’s really shocking to me that this film, which stunned critics and viewers at Cannes Film Festival this year, was just completely ignored by the Oscar committee. It should have at least been in the running for best foreign film,” said Mudede. “It’s a beautifully haunting film that portrays a side of the African experience that is not typically seen in cinema. It’s both a romance and a sort of ghost story. So often the African films that get noticed portray war and violence (films like War Witch, Beasts of No Nation, The Pirates of Somalia), but this film gives us another dimension of what it means to be African, and it’s an important film to consider. It deserves much more attention than it’s getting stateside.” Sadly Atlantics’ release in theaters has also been minimal, but it is now available for streaming on Netflix and is an absolute must-see.

Mudede also encourages everyone to head to The Film Forum for the upcoming screenings of Keepers of The Dream: Seattle Women Black Panthers, a series of short documentary films from Patricia Boiko and Tajuan LaBee. This series of five short documentaries shares individual stories in varied Seattle settings significant to the SBPP, and features an original score by SassyBlack. Following the screening on 2/7 will be a Q&A with filmmakers and a panel discussion with Vanetta Molson-Turner, Youlanda Givens, Winona Hollins Hauge, and Phyllis Noble Mobley, facilitated by Malika Lee. The panel Q&A will be filmed and shown following the 2/20 and 3/6 encore screenings. More details on screening dates and times are available here.

T A S T E:

Edouardo Jordan & Nyesha Arrington’s Creations

Acclaimed chef Edouardo Jordan will be hosting a series of eclectic culinary events all throughout the month of February highlighting an array of talented African American chefs, winemakers, and food writers. In case you missed his culinary event Soul of Seattle, which he hosted in partnership with The Junior League earlier this month, there are still several dinners coming up. Of particular note, Jordan will be teaming up with L.A.-based Nyesha Arrington, who will be preparing a multi-course menu at Salare on February 27. Arrington was a star contestant on Top Chef, and has worked in multiple Michelin-starred kitchens in Las Vegas and L.A. Most recently she opened and ran restaurants in Santa Monica and Venice. Her vibrant creations weave in an array of traditions and uniquely local ingredients. Jordan will also be hosting a dinner with Woodinville winemaker Bertony Faustin of Abbey Creek Wines—the first noted black winemaker in the Pacific Northwest—for a multi-course dinner and limited-edition wine release tonight at Salare, and a vegan dinner with writer Bryant Terry on Sunday February 16. All of these dinners are sure to be delicious, festive, and thought-provoking! More details are available here.

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here’s to them

Photography by Stefano Altamura
On display at The Cloud Room Feb 13-March 10

Stefano Altamura originally got into photography with the sole objective of taking reference photos for his full time work as a figurative painter. Soon after getting his first camera in 2016, he began surfing here in the Pacific Northwest, purchasing a water housing kit and diving in, curious to capture the light and variation of the waves. Over time, these new ventures, paired with his partner’s career as a dancer, deepened his affinity for movement in nature and the human form. After the physicality of surfing and the excitement of a spontaneous subject like water, the challenges and possibilities in dance photography felt familiar. Shooting live performance required the same focus, forcing him to be present and adaptable in order to get the shot. With this catalyst into photography, he began to wonder if he could capture what he found in his paintings through dance photography: intimate frame and composition of the anatomy. Since then, he has worked with over 100 dance artists nationally and internationally as well as signed on as the official photographer for Seattle-based dance company, Whim W’him. Inspired by the dedication and risk-taking of dancers, he has strived to overcome the inertia of traditional photography by aiming to not just document but to capture each image as an evocative, stand-alone frame of the fleeting moment. Now, whether he is photographing surf, dance, fashion, or events, his unique and poignant painting framework plays out in his shots. 

“I've curated a collection of some of my favorites shots throughout the years from my experiences working with dancers and performers. I want the evening to be about showcasing their works and my deep appreciation for their support.”

Kintsugi, 2020

A Champagne Arcade Production
Featuring: Paulo Castillo, Samantha Kelly, Napoleon Do

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of rebuilding broken pottery using poisonous sap as an adhesive and gold in order to highlight its imperfections. Through the process of repairing broken things, we can create something more desirable, beautiful and unique. Each crack tells a story like the lines on our palms. How we choose to react when our lives break apart and shatter, the feeling of loss, and the conversations that we have with ourselves is the work featured in Kintsugi. It's a terraforming of the mind, saving us from ourselves.

Paulo Castillo is a storyteller who currently focuses on documenting glimpses of the atypical through photography. His zine titled Champagne Arcade started out as a solo retrospective project that soon turned into a platform for collaboration. It’s a slice of life, showcasing the vitality of the artists involved. An extension of his reality. 

Napoleon Do uses his lens to create narratives that situate people within their environments and capture the interactions or contrasts between the two-context and people. Napoleon has always lived in the Pacific Northwest and began shooting 35mm film in 2013.

Samantha Kelly is a photographer and filmmaker based in Los Angeles. Her work explores the emotional elements of human nature and the subconscious symbolism of light, color and human figures.

W A T C H:

An Agnès Varda Retrospective at SIFF

Agnes Varda, a prolific French filmmaker and multidisciplinary artist, passed away at age 90 this past year, leaving behind an enduring legacy of beautiful and groundbreaking films that have forever changed the history of cinema. Siff will be showcasing a series of some of Agnes Varda’s most famous works throughout the month of January.

Though she is frequently associated with the French New Wave film movement, Varda’s cinematic inventions actually predate the rise of New Wave cinema. Varda began making and directing films when she was only 26. She brought to the silver screen a sumptuous creativity and playful spirit. One of her most famous works, “The Gleaners and I” will be playing at Siff on January 18. This documentary, shot by Varda in 2000, profiles a subculture of people who gather food, objects and other items that would otherwise go to waste. Feeling that she was in some ways more alike than different from these “Gleaners,” Varda captures the idiosyncratic group with tenderness and the documentary offers a refreshing antidote to mass consumerism. Laurie Elkin, an editor at The Paris Review points out that “as climate change becomes undeniable and inevitable, The Gleaners & I feels more relevant than ever."

The Varda retrospective is showing now through January 19. A full list of films that are part of the Varda retrospective is available here. You can learn more about Varda in this NYT feature that summarizes her entire career, which spanned more than six decades.

W I T N E S S:

The Metropolitan Opera LIVE at Pacific Place

The Metropolitan Opera in New York City has made a name for itself as one of the premier destinations in the world to witness an Opera. If you’ve ever had a chance to watch an Opera from a seat at the Met, you’d probably agree. However, for most of us, hopping a plane to see a performance that you might’ve only vaguely heard of before doesn’t really make all that much sense. Fortunately, there’s a solution. Enter The Met LIVE! The Met now broadcasts its performances to theaters all around the world, including a few theaters in Seattle. Some proponents of ‘The Met Live’ showings claim that it’s actually a completely novel experience, and very different from being at the actual opera. In addition to behind-the-scenes footage, cinema-goers are also privy to stunning close-ups of the actors, which offer amazing visual details that one just doesn’t get while attending a live performance.

In January and early February, AMC Pacific Place 11 will be showing two different Metropolitan Operas; Wozzeck and Porgy & Bess. A variety of other Seattle-area theaters will also be screening these operas.

T A S T E:

A bottle you haven’t tried before at Petite Soif

The owners of the esteemed wine shop/coffee shop/cafe/wine bar known simply as Vif on Fremont Avenue have recently opened a new outpost on Beacon Hill. Much like its predecessor, this new hybrid one-stop bottle shop and cafe will offer a limited menu that is available all day, and a superb by-the-glass list along with a comprehensive selection of natural wines available for purchase by the bottle.

Also unique to Petite Soif is the opportunity to try all of the wines they carry on-site via their “Petite Soif Wine Share” program where guests may open any bottle (with a minimum purchase of two glasses). This gives people the opportunity to try a greater array of wines and learn more about Petite Soif’s inventory. Any wine leftover from said purchase goes up on the blackboard as a by-the-glass special until it sells out. The all-day menu features the fabulous bread from Sea Wolf Bakers, and delicious salty things like anchovies, olives, platefuls of prosciutto, and more. Hot items and salads are available after 4pm on weekdays and 2pm on weekends. The cafe is open Tuesday through Saturday until 10pm, and until 9pm on Sundays.

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By Amy Musser

W I T N E S S:

Donald Byrd: The America That is To Be

This latest Frye Gallery retrospective of Donaly Byrd follows the artist’s works from his early dances in a punk-inspired aesthetic made while in residence at California Institute of the Arts near Los Angeles, through works with his own company, Donald Byrd/The Group, in New York during the 1980s and 1990s, to his arrival in 2002 in Seattle, where his commitment to social justice has found full expression in a remarkable array of dance theater works. While the primary medium is a striking body of photography featuring the artist and his work, Spectrum Dance Theater company artists will also be performing choreography by Donald Byrd throughout the duration of the exhibition.

In case you aren’t familiar with Donald Byrd, he is a Tony-nominated (The Color Purple) and Bessie Award-winning (The Minstrel Show) choreographer, and has been the Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance Theater in Seattle since December 2002. Formerly, he was Artistic Director of Donald Byrd/The Group, a critically acclaimed contemporary dance company, founded in Los Angeles and later based in NewYork that toured both nationally and internationally. Details on showtimes and the exhibit are available here.

W A T C H:

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

This 2019 film release is a French historical drama directed by Celine Sciamma. Portrait of a Lady on Fire takes place on an isolated island in Brittany and follows the story of a young painter and the relationship that unfolds between her and Heloise, the subject that she’s been commissioned to paint a portrait of. The film has been widely applauded for its stunning cinematography, acting, writing, and production. As Dana Stevens at Slate points out, “Portrait of a Lady on Fire is that rare movie in which every choice feels thought through, meaningful, and right, from the costumes by Dorothée Guiraud to the cinematography by Claire Mathon.”

Portrait of a Lady on Fire won the Queer Palm Prize at Cannes this summer, becoming the first film directed by a woman to win the award. Sciamma also won the award for Best Screenplay at Cannes. While the film was theatrically released in France in September of 2019, it will be hitting American cinemas across the nation in early December.

T A S T E:

Off the Rez Cafe

Mark McConnell and Cecilia Rikard are behind this new Native American cafe in the University District. The couple first became known for their food truck that goes by the same name, and just recently opened a sit-down cafe inside the Burke Museum. McConnell was raised in Ballard and frequently ate frybread and Indian tacos prepared by his mother who grew up on the Blackfeet Reservation. The inspiration for “Off The Rez” came from missing the food that he ate as a child, and also a realization that there was a complete lack of native american food available in the region.

“We gathered recipes, we talked to a bunch of my family members and got a bunch of different variations on frybread recipes, blended them together and added our own touches,” McConnell said in a recent Seattle Times interview. “Everything we have has a traditional side to it, but is tweaked a bit and modernized.” The cafe is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 6pm, and on the weekends from 10am to 5pm.

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Q+A with Photographer Francisco Macias O

Interview: Francisco Macias O, Photographer

flâneur

noun: flä-'nər / city saunterer

Opening reception at The Cloud Room on 11/14 @ 6:30pm—collection on display through 12/9.

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CR: We are so happy to have you as a member at the Cloud Room. Could you tell us a little bit about your work and your unique perspective?

FM: Thank you for having me. You’ve created such an inspiring community and I am so thrilled to be apart of it. I am a photographer and art director. Most of my work have been focused on editorial, fashion, street shots, but I’ve also done commercial creative and art direction for start-ups and corporations. People and portraiture is the focal point of my work. I love experimenting with lighting and surrounding negative space in order to keep the subject in focus as much as possible.

CR: Where did you grow up? How does this influence your work?

FM: I moved to the U.S. when I was 23 but I was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico. Mexico is one of the most diverse and vibrant places on Earth, so it shapes and inspires a lot of my work. It’s full of color, joy, flavor and music. Improvisation is everywhere. The people are earnest, hard-working, caring and always ready to flash a smile. Of course it also has a darker side, but the strength of the Mexican people and the perseverance of the community in times of adversity inspires me to capture how people keep going even when things get tough.

My family has also had a huge impact on me any my work. The family, followed closely by the community in the plaza, are the focal points of Mexican life. I was raised in a working class neighborhood. It is loud, busy, and bustling with characters who all love to pose for me when I roam around with my camera. My mother is a seamstress who takes tremendous pride in her work. Her designs are not shy. They are adventurous, full of life and maybe a bit too colorful, but so am I and I am so thankful to her for that.

CR: How did you get started as an artist? Where are your artistic roots?

FM: As a kid I was always playing with a camera and experimenting with lighting to capture my subjects. I love the rush of capturing the spontaneous. That’s why shooting anonymous subjects on the street and exploring angles in a short amount of time excites me so much.

CR: Let’s talk specifically about this show. It will be up from November 14th-December 9th. Can you tell us a bit about this body of work specifically?

FM: Over the last five or six years, cities and the people who inhabit them have become the subject of my curiosity as a photographer. And I’m hoping to expose in a personal way how indirectly and unwittingly, architecture and the urban backdrop affect passersby and vice versa. I think this group of images speaks to what I’ve been doing in the past 5 years. At first I didn’t feel that had a story to tell until I saw images together. But when I started working with Rafael to curate a the show, we both saw that the series captures the energy on the streets and a passion for discovering hidden stories, subjects and angles that we might otherwise miss if we’re not paying close attention.

CR: Do you work in any other mediums besides photography?

FM: Photography is my passion and main medium, but I also do quite of experimentation in post production.

CR: What are your favorite places around Seattle to grab a bite, drink or coffee? We’d love your recommendations.

FM: I could work, eat and drink all day at Cafe Presse. Tacos Chukis for a bite with friends. Homer is my new favorite place for a special night out.

CR: Do you have any favorite museums or galleries where you go to get inspired?

FM: I just got involved with the Henry Art Gallery. I have always been a fan of contemporary art and get excited when I see great artists being shown in town. In general, The Frye is always great, and I’m lucky to have free access to this space. The last exhibition that I was captivated by was by Zanele Muhuli: Somnyama Ngonyama, Hail The Dark Lioness at the SAM Museum. This truly was a powerful show about a discomforting, self-defining artist’s journey, and her outcome rethinking the culture of self-representation and self-expression.

I’m also very excited for Museum of museums (MoM) to open in Capitol Hill.

CR: Last, if you have anything you’d like to share about your experience at the Cloud Room and being a part of the community, please share!

FM: I love this place and I love that you all created a place like this in Seattle. I have been really enjoying working here and finding a spot where people of any industry just come to make it through their working day in a cozy and warm spot; it’s just perfect for the rainy city we live in.

By Amy Musser

W I T N E S S:

Digital Perspectives: Maja Petric, Peter Gronquist, Etsuko Ichikawa

In the latest exhibit at Winston Wachter Fine Art Gallery, three artists display their art through different digital mediums. Each artist’s forray is otherworldly and somehow similarly transformative, but also stand well on their own. Maja Petric has gained recognition for her other most recent show We Are All Made of Light, an interactive exhibition where viewers become ephemeral “stardust” trails that linger over time, highlighting the interconnectedness of all things. In this current exhibit from the artist, she places the viewer in surreal landscapes where they can interact with nature as she has created it. Also on display is the meditative work of Peter Gronquist, which features an undulating golden sheet flapping in the wind, playing with light, shadow, and perhaps a touch of the absurd, or maybe the beauty of a small moment in translation.

In case you aren’t familiar with this gallery, Winston Wachter is located on Denny Ave. and showcases primarily contemporary and 20th Century art. The gallerists also have a showroom in New York City, and specialize in acquiring and selling unique and striking works of art. DIgital Perspectives opens tonight and is on display through December. If you like more cutting-edge contemporary work, this is surely a gallery to keep an eye on.

W A T C H:

The Battle of Algiers or SIFF Italian Style

“Maybe if we told the truth about history, we’d start telling the truth about the present;” wise words from director Gillo Pontecarvo. His 1966 film, The Battle of Algiers, is playing at the newest little arthouse heater in South Seattle, The Beacon. This film, which has been noted by many as one of the best war films of all time, features a stunning soundtrack by Ennio Morricone, and is shot in a neorealist style. The film itself chronicles the three-year Battle of Algiers, and the screenplay was adapted from the memoirs of Saadi Yacef, a leader in the National Liberation Front. The film is so realistic, in fact, that the U.S. issued a decree that “not a single real newsreel” was actually used when it hit American theaters in the sixties.

If war movies aren’t your thing, but Italian cinema is, then skip The Beacon and head to SiFF Uptown where some of Italy’s best contemporary films will be playing for the next week or so during this mini Italian film festival. From the rise of the first Italian female boxer in the Butterfly documentary, to a commentary on the Selfie, there is sure to be something that strikes your fancy. Cinema Italian Style runs from Nov. 7 through 14, and tickets are available for preorder here.

T A S T E:

Harry’s Beach House on Alki

In between rough-hewn brick walls, where vintage art and mismatched silverware abound, is a new little restaurant in the old Tully’s Coffee spot on Alki that radiates charm and warmth. Those who know Harry’s on Capitol Hill will find the same cozy vibes here too, only with a bit more of a beachy feel, and some nice sunset views too.

Harry’s has become known for its delicious seasonal menus, natural wine, and ultra-friendly waitstaff. Based upon reviews from the fans who’ve dined there, this new locale doesn’t disappoint. Many folks have called out the brunch waffles and schnitzel, and apparently the burger is the best in the city. Sounds like a perfect day date after a stroll along the beach. You’ll find us there this weekend! Harry’s Beach House is open for brunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday.

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By Amy Musser

L I S T E N:

EARSHOT JAZZ FESTIVAL

Every autumn the Earshot Jazz Festival brings a stellar line-up of jazz acts to venues all across the city. This year it’s back and bigger than ever with more than 50 concerts showcasing some of the best and hottest talent in the contemporary jazz scene. This breadth of talent spans genres, styles, and proclivities of all kinds. From the “telepathic free jazz” of Marilyn Crispell, Joe Fonda, Harvey Sorgen at the Chapel Performance Space, to the Yemenite Jewish and ancient Arabic sounds from Yemen Blues Plays Hallel at The Triple Door, there is truly something for everyone.

Not to be missed: Cecile McLorin Salvant a thirty year old three-time Grammy winning jazz vocalist will take the stage at Town Hall with Aaron Diehl on keys. Salvant has been lauded as one of the best jazz singers to emerge from the last decade by the NYT, and blends elements of classic jazz vocals with a fresh, unique spin that is all her own. She gives herself away with abandon in moments, and then springs back to a more restrained but impeccable style, creating connection and intrigue all the while with her crystalline vocals. Other acts that are sure to impress include Gerald Clayton, Orrin Evans, and Makaya McCraven, among many others. You can discover these artists and more here on this exclusive mix of Earshot artists.

W I T N E S S:

LOCALLY SOURCED AT PNB

Locally Sourced is a triple header that features three contemporary dance performances from local choreographers.These never-before-seen performances offer a tonal shift from the usual PNB suspects, and showcase three distinctly creative choreographers’ works from the region.

First on the roster is Choreographer Eva Stone who worked with an all-women design team and selected music from five female composers for her first work to grace the PNB stage, F O I L. Meanwhile local choreographer Donald Byrd, a grammy-nominated choreographer (The Color Purple), will debut his sixth performance for the PNB. His own Love and Loss is a 22-person performance set to music by Emmanuel Witzthum. Last but not least is a multi-media work titled Wash of Gray that features video, visual arts, and soundscapes from Miles Pertl, his sister, visual artist Sydney M. Pertl, and composer Jherek Bischoff. Locally Sourced kicks off October 29 and runs through early November

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W A T C H:

PARASITE AT SIFF

Class conflict is centerstage in Parasite, the latest film from Joon-Ho Bong. Set in modern day Tokyo, the plot revolves around two families, the Kings and the Parks. The Kings, a picture-perfect example of wealth and privilege, begin to employ various members of the impoverished Park family in order to maintain their life of ease and entitlement. But things go awry when a mysterious interloper arrives, threatening to nullify this balanced, seemingly symbiotic relationship between the two families.

It’s hard to imagine that Parasite isn’t going to be good given its current 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the fact that it took home the Palme D’or this year at The Cannes Film Festival. What’s more elusive, however, is the genre of this film. Whatever this comedy/drama/thriller mashup is, it certainly seems to be shocking and inspiring audiences and critics everywhere, specifically with the way it unravels into something completely unexpected. But suffice it to say, you should see this film from Joon-Ho Bong, who wrote and directed the film, when it finally debuts in Seattle at SiFF in mid-October.

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By Amy Musser

S E E:

HOMECOMING AT TOWN HALL

Town Hall, the local nonprofit and arts & culture venue, is celebrating its return to its historic home that’s been undergoing renovations. To ring in the return, a flurry of writers, artists and activists will be gracing its stage throughout September. During the month-long housewarming more than 40 guests will be hosting a series of speaking events and performances. As noted on its website, “Town Hall’s Arts & Culture series elevates the voices of local artists while bringing world-renowned cultural icons to Seattle audiences. The series celebrates music, photography, sculpture, philosophy, heritage, and traditions around the world that enrich our lives.”

Of note are lectures by famed writers Jonathan Safron Foer, who will be speaking about climate change as it relates to his latest book We Are the Weather, and a “Short Stories Live: Emerald City Blues” session curated by poet and essayist Claudia Castro Luna that features live renditions of short stories from more than 20 local Seattle-based writers. The complete Town Hall Homecoming roster is available here. This series is also incredibly affordable; almost all of the events are priced at $5 or less, many are free, and all sessions are free for youth who are age 22 and under.

D I N E:

MELISSA MIRANDA’S NEW RESTAURANT MUSANG

Native Seattleite Melissa Miranda has wowed people with her delicious Filipino cuisine for the past three years via her popup MUSANG. Now, she’s moving into a brick and mortar location on Beacon Hill, the neighborhood where she grew up and still lives to this day. Throughout her life, Miranda has seen a variety of Filipino restaurants come and go in the neighborhood, and is ready to create a welcoming space of her own. In a recent interview with Seattle Met, Miranda explained that not only does she want to share her culture and her food, but also a space where guests feel like they are “walking into my family’s dining room.”

Named one of the most anticipated restaurant openings of Fall 2019 by Eater, everyone is wondering when the exact opening day will be-- and rightfully so, Chef Miranda has garnered a staunch following via her popups, and likewise her Sunday brunches that she did at Bar Del Corso where she cooked alongside Jerry Corso for years. Miranda’s soon-to-open restaurant will reside in the old Travelers Thali House. Keep an eye on her website for the grand opening day and other special events, or check out her Kickstarter campaign that helped fund the much anticipated restaurant. And, If you happen to have no plans tonight, you can sample her delicious culinary creations at FareStart!

L O O K:

BLIND STUDY AT ZINC GALLERY

Zinc Gallery in Pioneer Square is displaying works from L. Bassis, E. Chamberlain, J. Dempcy, J. Johnson, K. McCarthy, and G. Occhiogrosso, and A. Spafford for their 3rd Annual Anniversary Exhibition now on display through mid September. Why are the artists listed with only their first initials instead of their first names? It's a tribute to the “blind auditions” that boosted gender equality in orchestra in the '70s and '80s.

The notes from the show point out that "In 2018, only 30% of gallery-represented artists in the U.S. were female, and female artists made an average of 25% of art sales compared to their male counterparts. In Blind Study, ZINC seeks to address the continuing gender disparity in the art world, and will feature a selection of abstract works.” Don’t miss this beautifully curated show of evocative contemporary work that is confronting the lack of equality in the art world right now.

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Astrology and Wellness Insights by Stephanie Gailing

8.23 – 9.23: The Sun is in Virgo

It’s a time when we’re inspired to become organized, find delight in details, and work towards refining our craft. We may gain glimpses into how a penchant for perfectionism harnesses our inner critic and depletes our vitality.

9.23 – 10.23: The Sun is in Libra

All eyes turn towards relationships, diplomacy, and justice, and we gravitate towards creating beauty where we can. The trick during Libra season is to not get stuck in indecision and watch when compromise turns from being an asset to a liability. 

9.13                PISCES FULL MOON

                        How can I make more space for forgiveness?

9.18                SATURN STATIONS DIRECT

                        Where do I really want to invest my resources? 

9.21                JUPITER/NEPTUNE SQUARE

                        What’s getting in the way of my dreams coming true?

9.23                FALL EQUINOX

                        How can I invite in more balance and harmony?

9.28                LIBRA NEW MOON 

                        How can I create more beauty in my life?

Keep a Dream Journal

As the astrological landscape of the coming weeks provides us with an opportunity to forge a deeper connection with our inner wisdom, intuition, and imagination, it’s a great time to tune into our dreams. Keeping a dream journal doesn’t have to be complicated: just keep a simple notebook by your bed. When you wake up, jot down any threads of your dream that you remember. Don’t worry if you can’t remember the whole “story line” as even capturing select images, people, or scenes may provide great fodder for learning, wisdom, and healing. If it feels right, bring the journal with you during your waking hours to write down any inspiring daydreams that you may have.

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Graphics by Wildern.

By Amy Musser

S E E:

ZANELE MUHOLI

Johannesburg-based activist and artist Zanele Muholi has an exhibit now at SAM through August that features 76 portrait photographs taken by the artist between 2013 and 2017. These stunning, sometimes starkly powerful portraits fuse fashion photography with more conventional portraiture and weave in ethnographic themes that serve to establish powerful archetypes. Each portrait is symbolically named in isiZulu, the artist’s first language, and the works communicate questions about social injustice, human rights, and representation of the human body.

Zanele Muholi, equally esteemed for her activism, co-founded the Forum for Empowerment of Women (FEW) in 2002 and Inkanyiso (www.inkanyiso.org), a forum for queer and visual (activist) media, in 2009. Muholi studied Advanced Photography at the Market Photo Workshop in Newtown, Johannesburg, and in 2009 completed an MFA: Documentary Media at Ryerson University, Toronto. In 2013, they became an Honorary Professor at the University of the Arts/Hochschule für Künste Bremen. Most recently, Muholi was bestowed France’s highest cultural honor, the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts des Lettres.

W A T C H:

WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE?

Bernadette is a woman who ostensibly has it all. Her family lives in a beautiful home perched atop Upper Queen Anne, and her only worries are the meticulous details concerning her daughter’s esteemed elementary school education, and a throng of pervasive blackberry bushes overtaking her yard. It’s worth noting that she’s also an insomniac architect in a major rut, and hasn’t designed anything in twenty years. When she suddenly disappears, her husband and daughter undertake a voyage to find her and solve the mystery of the whereabouts of Bernadette.

Maria Sample penned the Seattle-based familial mystery that was a NYT bestseller. Now adapted for film, the film stars Cate Blanchett and was directed by Richard Linklater (known for films like Before Sunrise, Waking Life, & Boyhood) and opens in Seattle theaters on August 15. While some have derided the book as a shallow depiction of privilege, others find the character of Bernadette beguiling and complex in a refreshing way. It was the character’s complexity that drew Richard Linklater to become involved in the project. A recent NPR interview with Linklater and Blanchett posits that the story serves as a cautionary tale about putting creativity aside after having kids. Check out the interview with Linklater and Blanchett here.

D I N E:

IL NIDO

For those of you who have been meaning to eat a huge plateful of pasta at noon at the famous Il Corvo, but can never manage to make it to Pioneer Square in time for a midday carbo load, you’re in luck. The famed chef Mike Easton has opened another Italian outpost with equally delicious pasta that’s open for dinner (Il Corvo is a lunch-only spot, and frequently cited as the best pasta in the city).

Il Nido is located on Alki in an old log cabin that was built in 1904 and is one of West Seattle’s most beloved historic landmarks. Mike Easton and his wife Victoria co-own their restaurant. Easton first began working in restaurants when he was sixteen, but it was while living and working in Florence that he developed his love for handmade pasta, the nuanced flavors of flours from different grains, and how perfectly handmade pasta pairs with seasonal ingredients. Apparently it’s still fairly difficult to get a reservation at Il Nido, but Seattle Met has some tips for you, and the beautifully fresh vegetables, plates of pasta, and handmade focaccia on the restaurant’s Instagram handle certainly make it seem worth the wait!

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By Amy Musser

W A T C H:

HONEYLAND

Honeyland, a new documentary now in distribution via NEON, is fresh off the film festival circuit, and was the most-awarded film at Sundance where it received the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary, the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematography, and the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Originality. This film follows a woman who is the last of Macedonia’s nomadic beekeepers. Her ancient methods of tending to the land, “only ever taking half,” and living in a hut made of wood and mud, while she cares for her ailing mother are put in jeopardy when a new family with six children set up shop next to her home. While she welcomes the break from her isolation, other issues arise.

This debut feature from documentarians Ljubo Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska was shot over three years by a skeleton crew who committed to an intimate collaboration with their subject. That intimacy is visually evident throughout the film. Also central to Honeyland are man’s detrimental environmental impacts on nature, and the film serves as a kind of elegy for sustainability amidst the ecologically destructive forces of capitalism. Honeyland opens across the U.S. on July 26. Stay tuned for showtimes in Seattle (most likely Film Forum or Siff).

T A S T E:

FURLANI AT LEFT BANK’S NEW OUTPOST

Matteo Furlani’s vineyard, which consists of small precariously-placed parcels, is situated high in the Dolomite mountains. A fourth generation winemaker, Furlani’s wines pay tribute to his family’s heritage and techniques. Furlani himself studied agronomy and learned winemaking from his elders, but manages to be even more rigorous with his his approach to biodynamic winemaking.

We first tasted Furlani at Left Bank, a little wine bar down at South Park, but Juicebox Cafe is now carrying a selection of wines curated by Left Bank during its cafe hours, and will be moonlighting as Left Bank on Monday nights starting July 15. Come sample Furlani’s delicious and lightly sparkling bright white, the Antico Frizzante, that was fermented in concrete tanks and vinified with frozen grape must at Left Bank’s Capitol Hill outpost.

L I S T E N:

BLOCK PARTY

We are right around the corner from one of Seattle’s biggest outdoor music festivals, Block Party, happening July 19-21. Prepare for the neighborhood to fill to the brim as big acts grace our city stages this year. LIZZO, the classical violinist-turned-rapper prodigy who has some incredibly catchy hits, is headlining the main stage on Saturday night. Tickets to see her are already 90 percent sold out, so you may have to act quickly. Check out this compelling NPR interview with Lizzo here where she shares her thoughts on the joy in writing her first body-positive song, finding self-love, and feminism.

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By Amy Musser

W A T C H:

Before Stonewall: The Making of a Community

Here in time for Pride is a reissue of the 1994 documentary “Before Stonewall,” playing at The Northwest Film Forum in late June. This award-winning documentary explores the riots that occurred fifty years ago after a police raid at The Stonewall Inn in NYC in 1969, and the Gay Liberation movement it sparked. Narrated by Rita Mae Brown, Before Stonewall features interviews with activists and pioneers like Ann Bannon, Martin Duberman, Allen Ginsberg, Barbara Gittings, Harry Hay, Mabel Hampton, Dr. Evelyn Hooker, Frank Kameny, and Audre Lorde.

Equally moving are the timeless, profound stories of LGBTQ Americans who populate this film as it artfully traces the historical roots of a rising movement. On making the film, Director Greta Schiller explains that soon into the process she realized she had to tell the story of the marginalized people who hadn’t yet really had a voice, not just the doyens. To capture those narratives, she had a team that interviewed hundreds of people to create “scrapbooks” of their stories for all the world to witness and learn from. Don’t miss the series of screenings happening at Northwest Film Forum from June 23 through June 28 commemorating the 50th anniversary of the historic Stonewall riots.

W I T N E S S:

A Hugo House Tribute to Allen Ginsberg

On June 22, an outstanding group of writers, poets and artists will gather at Volunteer Park to celebrate the works of famed poet, philosopher and activist Allen Ginsberg. Writers Rae Armantrout, Ron Silliman, Dorothea Lasky, Sadie Dupuis, Ryo Yamaguchi, and more will explore Ginsberg’s legacy and the enduring relevance of his poem Howl--one of the most widely read poems of our times. Howl, a rollicking three-part critique of modern society that sings of jazz, radicals, and the original hipsters with bravely graphic intimacy via breath-length narrative lines, reads like an enraged outcry full of subversive and poignant imagery.

The idea to do a festival in honor of Ginsberg was partially prompted by Geoffrey Farmer’s installation piece “If You Want to See Something Look at Something Else.” Tree Swenson, Director of the Hugo House, said the installation provides an unexpected perspective, much like Ginsberg’s work. The writers and poets participating in this tribute have been asked to respond to Ginsberg in whatever way they please. Some will be providing comment on Ginsberg himself, and others will be reading their own work.

“It wouldn’t be in the spirit of Ginsberg to be too dictatorial,” says Tree, “so we’ve simply asked these writers to share their perspective in whatever form they choose, and it will be festive, in honor of PRIDE.” This free poetry festival will undoubtedly provide a unique opportunity to not only remember the Beat generation and Ginsberg, but to also to see him through the eyes of so many brilliant contemporary poets and writers. The festival is Saturday June 22, 2-4pm.

R E A D:

The Paris Review, Summer 2019, Issue No. 229

This quarterly literary review, first founded in Paris in 1953, has made a name for itself by featuring an array of beautifully edited literary prose, poetry, interviews and nonfiction. Within the first five years of its naissance, writers like Kerouac, Robert Bly, and V.S. Naipaul were already gracing its pages. Today’s issues feature a nice mix of new and known writers. In this particular Summer 2019 issue, there seems to be a fluid and subtle theme around the notion of revisiting the past, and of revision in general. In an interview with Lewis Lapham titled “The Art of Editing,” the famed essayist and editor, first at the helm of Harper’s, and later at Lapham’s Quarterly, explains his own revisionist methods in both revising his own, and other people’s work, and likewise revising his own life.

“A lot of my life has been learning what I’m not,” Lapham says on learning he wasn’t a gambler, and maybe not a musician, but rather a journalist or writer and editor, as he moved to endeavors in his life that better-suited his talents. On explaining how he’d select and edit content for Lapham’s Quarterly, he speaks of history and how it is always informing us.

“History is the vast store of human consciousness adrift in the gulf of time, the present living in the past and the past living in the present…It’s why we still read Edith Wharton, Virginia Woolf, James Baldwin, and Flaubert—what survives the wreck of time is the force of the imagination and the power of expression.”

In another poem in this same issue, we revisit Jorge Luis Borges through one of his earliest published works, “Morning,” first published in Ultra, a Spanish avant-garde magazine, in 1921. Fans of Borges may be excited to read such an early work from the esteemed Argentinian poet and essayist. Pick up a copy of The Paris Review at Elliot Bay Book Company, or check out the podcast at https://www.theparisreview.org/podcast.

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Interview with Andrew Means of Transom

Interview: Andrew Means, Transom

Cloud Room Member since 2018

CR: From what we know about you, you are a person who wears many hats, from business owner to vinyl DJ to seafaring captain. How do you fit it all in? any tips for our community about how to make time to run a business and also nurture creative and passion projects. Any organizational tips to streamline things to make room for these passion projects?

AM: I used to play a lot of video games in my 20’s. I got pretty decent, and would often find myself playing till 2 or 3 in the morning. Over time I grew to realize that the rewards from winning a match were—in life terms—pretty paltry when compared to the rewards I was getting through other areas of my life like sailing and cycling with people I enjoy and care about. I came to realize that, far from the stakes being low, the stakes for the game were actually quite high; I was steadily losing the one resource I couldn’t gain back: time.

Today I try to pursue the things that truly nourish and excite me, which tend to have some amount of challenge or jeopardy but much higher rewards. I try to dispense with the things that are mindless (e.g. Instagram, Reddit) and force myself to be intentional and schedule time for the things I love. I still waste a fair amount of time, but it’s surprising how much extra you can do when you clear out some of the chaff.

CR: Let’s talk about Cheat Day, the monthly vinyl night that you host at the Cloud Room. How did this project come into conception? Can you tell us a little bit about how you partner with two other people to spin throughout the night? What do you think partnering does for the creative experience both for you and guests?

AM: Chris Campbell and Ryan Austin and I have been DJing together for years; initially at Rob Roy in Belltown and then for a time at The Gerald in Ballard. The concept has always been to play all the songs we wouldn’t be able to play on the dance floor cause they weren’t quite dancey enough, and it’s gradually evolved into us just sharing whatever music is moving us at the time. We had put our DJing on a hiatus for a time when we started to get the itch again, and the Cloud Room seemed like the perfect place for the mellow groovy music that we all tend to gravitate towards.

Cheat Day being a collaborative effort is really central to its success, and it makes us better DJs. We have a rule: you can’t pretend to have heard a record or album and you can’t make fun of anybody for not having heard a record. So we’re constantly introducing new music to each other and broadening our musical horizons. It’s nice to have all of us together too; over the course of the night we’ll have one or two of us spinning while the other(s) are taking refreshment with friends and recouping from the rigorous exertion.

CR: We are looking forward to diving into the playlist you’ve created, but we’d love to know that Is there any particular song that you have on heavy rotation lately, or always ? Why do you love it?

AM: Lately I’ve been really into some 60’s pop like Eternity’s Children, Roger Nichols & The Small Circle, and some of the amazing stock music put out as part of the KPM series. I’m in a long-running love affair with Japanese stuff from the 80’s, including Tatsu Yamashita, Toshiki Kadomatsu and recently Yasuaki Shimizu, and if you haven’t yet listened to Gilles Peterson Digs America Vol.2 it’s got some bangers on there.

CR: We see your posts, we know you’re food and wine lover. What is your favorite place to go out for a meal or drink the city? What do you order?

AM: FOOD: Tequila Shrimp at Señor Moose in Ballard, Hot Chicken at Brothers & Sisters in Georgetown, Ramen Man in Wallingford, Gyro & Fries at Mediterranean Mix in Pioneer Square. Place Pigalle in the market is the best spot for a lunch date, Bua 9 in Columbia City has a pretty fantastic (properly spicy) salmon panang curry, and mondays are $10 pizza night at Montlake’s treasured Cafe Lago. Honestly though, my favorite food in the city is made—often without a recipe—by my wife Amy. I am continually in awe of her skills.

DRINK: Pacific Inn in Fremont remains the best place in the city for a boilermaker, Sol (née Sun) Liquor is the best place for a Mai Tai (which reminds me- I haven’t had one in a while), and Jarr Bar is the absolute best for a drink after work with some cured meats and tinned fish and spanish cheeses. Zig Zag remains king of cocktails. Bottlehouse in Madrona for wine.

CR: Will you share with us what you are currently reading? Do you recommend it?

AM: I just finished Wind, Sand, and Stars by Antoine De Saint-Exupery and Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. They’re hugely different books but very interesting to read together. Wind, Sand, and Stars is a collection of vignettes and musings largely from De Saint-Exupery’s time flying (and crashing) in the Sahara in the time between the world wars. Homo Deus is an examination of the history of humankind and what we may be in store for when artificially created intelligences outpace our own. Both are excellent fodder for thinking about the notion of consciousness, personhood, and humanity.

CR: Any trips planned for this year, or trips that you want to plan? Do tell!

AM: My wife Amy and I are headed to Sayulita, Mexico in February, which should be pretty great. Apparently there’s a crazy festival happening when we’re going to be there, with a rodeo, cock-fighting, and beer bottle breaking contests.

Thank you for your time, Andrew! We know that you are a new Cloud Room member, but that you’ve been in the extended community for quite a while. Can you share anything that you love about The Cloud Room, and why you wanted to become a member?

AM: The Cloud Room understands that a coworking space is all about the synergy that happens between its members. Amenities are nice (and having a lounge w/ full bar is certainly a plus) but it’s the people that a space attracts that really makes it special. Cloud Room is very intentional about creating a space for a particular type of person, and that heightens the chances you’ll experience some meaningful inspiration or make a meaningful connection.

By Amy Musser

E A T & D R I N K:

Le Grand Aïoli

There’s a fun, relaxed way to throw a dinner party. You put some delicious dips in small bowls, steam and/or slice some veggies, maybe toss in some seafood or whatever else you want, and put it all on a big platter (oh, and eat with your fingers). The French perfected this ritual with The Grand Aioli, commonly found around the terraces of Provence after an early-spring or late-summer garlic harvest. You can recreate the same ritual at home on your own terrace/patio/deck (if you have one), or, even better, you can go feast to your heart’s delight at Bar Ferdinand’s Le Grand Aioli, happening on June 1st. Go for the aïoli and the 30+ rosés they’ll be pouring and the laid-back dinner party vibes. Not in the mood for a party? Make yourself a big solo salad, like Alison Roman’s latest novel take on a Shrimp Louie (also served with a small bowl of aïoli), and pour yourself some mineraly Bandol rosé (my personal favorite special-occasion rose is the Domaine Tempier). If you can’t find Bandol, look for a rosé with a paler hue, and preferably one from a coastal vineyard.

W A T C H:

Seattle International Film Festival

It’s time for the famed annual Seattle International Film Festival. It’s the 45th iteration, and there are literally hundreds of films (that you will probably never be able to see again) playing at every theater near you in Seattle. On my list is House of Hummingbird, an autobiographical film about a loansome adolescent who flits about in a harsh world, and then manages to glean a sense of shared understanding from a new teacher, playing June 7th and 8th, but there are so many options! Check out the full roster here, or consult The Stranger for their top selections (and an easier perusal).

W I T N E S S:

Victorian Radicals

The notion of being a radical artist might not, at least at first blush, conjure up the works of the Victorian era, those pretty Romantic portraits and foggy ocean paysages, but this Seattle Art Museum exhibit will show you otherwise. This show features the works of a group of British artists, from the Pre-Raphaelites through the Arts + Crafts movement, who addressed the rise of industrialization and the many changes it brought about, including extreme class and wealth disparity, in their often-subversive artwork. Ready for a little sense of history repeating? There may be some echoes to how many artists are responding to the tidal shifts happening here in Seattle with rise of technology and inequality. The show features 150 works, all from the Museum of Birmingham, many of which have never been shown outside of the United Kingdom. Victorian Radicals opens June 13 and will be on display through early September.

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Q+A with Painter Alex Connelly

Interview: Alex Connelly, Painter.

[ The Sun Shines And We Return Home, art installation at The Cloud Room, May 2019-August 2019 ]

CR: We are big fans of your work. Can you tell us how you got started as an artist? Started painting?
AC: I began my life in a household that nourished creativity and self-expression. I was a very shy child but the support I felt from my family offered me the safety to explore myself externally at home. I remember loving to arrange “set ups” and working on art projects where I would dedicate hours to becoming lost in my creations. Children contain the power of unfiltered expression and a lot of my abstract work is an attempt to reach back to those early moments of creativity.

CR: What are some themes that come up in your work?
AC: I search for a feeling, a truth in my expression. This can be across any theme or representation but there must be an honesty in the work. I look to the larger considerations of life and death, pain and happiness, adulthood and childhood, and the balance between these themes. 

CR: Can you tell us a bit more about your creative process? Do you start with sketching?
AC: My creative process starts in many ways similarly to how it ends, with a search for a feeling. A lot of painting is being in the studio sitting, looking, considering, and inviting inspiration to gather.

Painting is a dance between the artist and the artwork.

CR: Do you work in any other mediums besides painting?
AC: I have explored many different media including photography both analog and digital, illustration, and sculpture. I prefer to allow my creativity the room to use any media that suits the expression rather than confining my artwork to only one medium.

CR: We are excited to have your work in the Cloud Room. Can you tell us a little bit more about this body of work? Does it have a name? What inspired it?
AC: This body of work has all been created over the past two years during my time in Seattle. I have been inspired by this new city, the energy and nature that surrounds us. I develop my shows up until the day that I set them up so there may be some surprises in the mix! My shows always change from what I think they will look like to what they actually look like. It is absolutely essential to curate the pieces that fit the space. A paint stroke on a canvas is to the canvas what a painting in a space is to the space as a whole. Each painting has purpose and each piece must be hung in a way that develops a harmony within the environment of the show. 

CR: Where are you from originally? How does this influence your work?
AC: I am from Madison, WI. Madison is a wonderful city, it has provided me with a place that will always be my home. My roots ground my work and allow me a space to return to and expand from without losing the parts of me that I value most.

CR: What are your favorite haunts around Seattle to grab a bite, drink or coffee?
AC: I love Seattle, there are so many incredibly delicious places to venture to! My top places for coffee are Vif and Elm. Both of these coffee shops are fantastic in atmosphere and quality. I find myself in Ballard a lot, the Sunday Farmer’s Market is delightful. One of my favorite things to do is to get outside of the city and explore any of the beautiful areas of nature that we are so fortunate to be close to. 

CR: Do you have any favorite museums of gallery where you go to get inspired?
AC: Museums are less of a draw for me than you’d expect. I do like seeing art in person, especially large pieces but most of the time I have a hard time actually being able to focus and experience the artwork in those settings. I gather my inspiration from great conversation, moments of meaning, delicious food, and the wonderful people that are in my life.

The Sun Shines And We Return Home

Arts + Culture Enhancements to Your Other Rainy Endeavors

By Amy Musser

W A T C H:

Hotel by the River

An aging poet who senses the end is near calls upon his two estranged sons to join him at a hotel by a river. A simple premise for a film shot simply in black and white, Hotel By The River reveals realms beyond the ordinary day-to-day existence of its characters. How do our lives define us? What do they mean? Ponder the power of coincidence, the kindness of strangers, and what heals us vs. what ails us. Unadorned language and low-key camera work harken back to French New Wave cinema with all the unassuming poetic tenderness that Korean Director Hong Sang-soo is known for. Playing through the end of April at Northwest Film Forum.

W I T N E S S:

Light Ways

When the world seems bleak, art is there to guide us in our experiences of beauty, sadness, joy. Let this show be a beacon toward the light, giving us space to bask in the ethereal, the magic. Light Ways features four artists who harness light in a variety of ways; to define, emphasize, construct, etc. Artists Emily Counts, Marisa Manso, Stephen Nachtigall, and Jessie Rose Vala’s works run the gamut of styles, from illumination through stained glass to bright radiating neon but all are linked by light. On display now at Soil Gallery through the end of April.

E A T + D R I N K:

L’Oursin

When L’Oursin first opened two years ago, it joined the ranks of a small group of Seattle restaurants/wine shops with outstanding natural wine programs (including Bar Ferdinand and Vif, to name a few). Now this little gem of a restaurant is up for a James Beard nomination for Best Wine Program, but it’s worth noting that everything about this restaurant shines and stuns, from its whimsical drinks, like a bitter Kir Royale perfectly balanced by a touch of Fernet and Vermut Blanco, to an imaginative and beautiful French x Northwest menu that handles its seafood, housemade charcuterie, and local produce with equal parts sensitivity and exuberance.

If you find yourself lured into L’Oursin, take a moment to think about the poetry that is the menu. Witty cocktails, like Girlfriend in Tacoma, are delightfully unexpected and refreshing, glasses of crisp white wine transport you to a solitary walk on a cloudy beach, wearing a camel coat with salty sea glass in your pocket, and bites of rapini are so perfect that it’s like eating a brassica for the first time. Every flavor at L’Oursin feels novel in its orchestration. Stop in on a Monday for their special Uni Burger, stay late, and be prepared for a sudden onset of “beginner’s mind.” L’Oursin is open for dinner service seven days a week.

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R E A D:

The ABC's of Bauhaus Design and Theory by Ellen Lupton, J. Abbott Miller

“No one wants to walk into a bar and not know who Itten, Klee, Kandinsky, and Albers are. It will be a Bauhaus summer and this is a wonderful, clear, and buoyant text.”

Shop this book and other special finds at Peter Miller Books.

304 Alaskan Way S, Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98104

Arts + Culture Enhancements to Your Other Rainy Endeavors

By Amy Musser

D R I N K:

The Beav

This Oregon sparkling from Swick Wines is a blend of Gewurztraminer and Cinsault, and is done in the style of a traditional Pet-Nat (short for petillant naturel, which means natural sparkling). Predating the champagne method, Pet-Net was first made by monks in 15th Century France, and undergoes its primary fermentation in the bottle where carbon dioxide is formed by feeding off the naturally occuring sugars in the wine. The result can be a little wild, and is usually unfiltered with a slight sweetness. The Beav is no exception, but it’s also basically a party in a glass. It has notes of caramel, toasted brioche, and stone fruit on the nose, and is equally vibrant on the palette. It dances with brightness and just the right amount of acidity.

Joe Swick, the winemaker and proprietor of Swick Wines, is a fifth-generation Oregonian, and became interested in wine after working in a grocery store. After completing his first harvest in the states, he traveled extensively throughout the world to work on vineyards in places like Portugal, New Zealand, and Italy. 15 harvests later, he moved back home and started his own natural winery in the Willamette Valley. You can currently pick up a bottle at Left Bank, the cutest new, little, natural wine bar in South Seattle, or at Bottlehouse in Madrona.

W A T C H:

Transit

Set during WWII, or so we think, Transit is a French film that follows the trajectory of a young man displaced from his home country who finds himself in Marseille, dubiously assuming the identity of a novelist in order to escape war-torn France. A thrilling, and at times nearly-farcical, love story ensues. Film critic Bob Mondello in “All Things Considered” points out that what’s particularly interesting about Transit is that it’s actually able to assume a commentary on contemporary culture, even though it’s set in the 1940’s, by setting the scene as if it’s “the day after tomorrow.” There are glowing television screens, modern ambulances, and a sad, pervasive feeling that not nearly enough has changed in the last eight decades. As Mondelo points out, “scenes conceived 75 years ago of desperate emigres tangled in bureaucratic red tape look alarmingly like the nightly news.”

Transit’s limited released was on March 1st, and has been difficult to find in Seattle. Rave reviews from NPR and a slew of other critics have had me searching high and low for a place to watch the film, but! alas! it will be playing at SIFF in late March and early April.  

E A T:

By Tae

Before ascending the elevator to The Cloud Room, you may notice that there’s a new little sushi counter in Chophouse Row, By Tae. Each day, Chef Sun Hong makes exquisite boxes of grab-and-go sushi for those who are lucky enough to score one before they sell out. He also does two daily lunch services for a group of eight even luckier diners who manage to score a seat at his counter. Each lunch service consists of a five course meal for $25. This sushi is creative, beautifully orchestrated, and rivals the best I’ve had in Seattle. Sun also serves sake, beer, and natural wine curated by superstar Kathryn Phoebe, who runs the wine program at L’Oursin as well.

While I dined there on a Monday, Chef greeted most of the people who arrived by name, and clearly already has a pack of devoted regulars awaiting their turn in the sun. There was a palpable energy. It’s the kind of place you want your city to have, or better yet, your neighborhood, but also the kind of place you selfishly don’t want the rest of the world to know about. If feels like an intimate secret, and like Sun, the sole chef, cook, dishwasher, and entertainer, is your best friend. His warmth permeates the space, and his joyful laugh reverberates off the countertops.

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READ:

A White Facade, Five Floors and an Open Door : Graanmarkt 13

From the Belgian publisher, Lannoo, a lovely, large book on a retail project in Antwerp. In many ways, it is a design presentation of Chop House Row of Europe - the same narrow site, direct height and instinct for design, as the true menu. Antwerp is a touch more minimal and veteran than Capitol Hill, but the effects match. Both are faith, and strength. And both are a true compliment.

Shop this book and other special finds at Peter Miller Books.

304 Alaskan Way S, Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98104

Interview with Chef Makini Howell

Interview: Makini Howell, Plum Bistro, Plum Chopped, Sugar Plum.

Cloud Room Member since 2015

CR: Makini, we are so excited to be sitting down with you-- a pioneer of veganism in Seattle! What were your inspirations to open Plum Bistro? 

MH: I felt there needed to be a space for vegans that gave us the same upscale dining experience for all of our life moments that everyone else has;  A place for celebrations and marriage proposals, graduations and all of life's special moments— A happy place where we could all brake (vegan) bread together

CR: There are so many options for a first- timer to your restaurant! What do you deem the “must-try” dish on the Plum menu? 

MH: The mac and yease if you are a mac and cheese lover, its filled with plant based umami!

CR: Where is your favorite getaway spot to treat yourself to a special meal? 

MH: My mother's house

CR:Makini, as a veteran to the lifestyle, what is your best gourmet quick tip for an aspiring vegan? 

MH: Take it easy with yourself, I am a lifer if you are coming from eating everything to veganism it takes time to transition.

CR: Are there any unique sweet treat flavors that we get to look forward to at Sugar Plum? 

MH: ALL of the soft serve ice cream!

CR: Can you tell us a bit about your relationship with veganism? Why do you personally recommend a vegan diet and what motivates you to follow it? 

MH: Well I was basically born like this so it’s easy for me. It’s sort of like having a 20 year head start on everyone joining the plant based movement, so I don’t think there was ever another option for me.  My body is conditioned to veganism.  The reason I stay is it’s a part of who I am a part of my identity I guess, and I am super inspired by how many folks are joining the ranks of veganism these days.

CR: Your upbeat work ethic and contagious laugh are such a pleasure to experience day to day! What is your favorite part about working from The Cloud Room?  Can you tell us about any partnerships that have come about because of being in the space?

MH: Thank you, it is a truly a pleasure to work here. I like how the cloud room has reimagined a productive work space.  The cloud room concept allows one to work day or night, we can bring our pups and it encourages getting to know one another, I personally have made some very successful partnership with Wildern design company since I have been here, they now do all of my company branding, I think their touch has greatly helped in the public facing perception of what veganism is.  We are also doing a 3 month inspired dinner series with KUOW and the Cloud room.

CR: Your dog, Copper, is another familiar face around the space. How do you two like to spend your free time together? 

MH: Oh when he is not here with me, my nephew is dragging him around by the collar at the lake, with us or Vashon Island or whatever adventure we decide to go on. 

CR: Thank you for your contribution to our Membership Mixtape! We have to ask, currently, what is the song you just can’t get enough of? 

MH: Well since I work in the kitchen a lot we listen to a LOT of Latinx raggaeton so even though I am learning spanish I have no idea what the words are but the beats sure are good!

CR: What are you currently reading? Any favorites that you would suggest to someone trying to kick off the new year with a book in hand? 

MH: Michelle Obama's Becoming!

CR:Your career has taken you through some impressive ventures, Makini. What are a few that you are particularly proud of accomplishing, a highlight reel if you will? 

MH: Definitely touring with stevie wonder as his personal chef is at the top of the list, I learned and grew as a person SO much from that experience.  I have cooked in the james beard house I have catered a luncheon for Google's Global food partners team, I was selected as one of the most creative chefs in the world my Keran Paige Author of the Award winning flavor bible, I was invited on the steve harvey and queen latifah shows I met Michelle Obama, and Oprah, I have just had amazing opportunities through simply working to meet very inspiring people. 

CR: It is very exciting that veganism is gaining so much traction so quickly! What do you see on the horizon for the Plum empire? 

MH: Nothing that I can talk about yet hehe :o)