Photo by David Choe (InvisibleHour)
What do you do at Ghost Gallery?
I am the owner of Ghost Gallery – Curator, Buyer, Event Planner, you name it.
In 2006, I started independently curating art shows around Seattle at non-traditional venues (Pretty Parlor, Neumos, Solo Bar, etc). That’s where the name came from, since the shows would pop up in different places each year. I would approach business owners/venue bookers and ask if they had anyone placing art on their walls and if not, would they let me bring in original work that their customers/guests may not ever see if they don’t regularly visit local galleries. I was able to dip into the local art scene this way, meet incredible artists and event planners, and start growing a strong network.
Then in 2010, along with business partner Eric Howk, we opened a brick & mortar gallery on Capitol Hill. In this unique, tucked away space, Ghost features monthly exhibits of all mediums (painting, printmaking, photography, installation, new media), as well as handmade jewelry by local and regional designers. It has been a long time dream of mine to be able to open doors for new and emerging artists, so this venture is exciting and ever-evolving.
Who are some of your favorite female artists?
My favorite female artists (difficult to scale it down) include: Eva Hesse, Marina Abramovic and Kara Walker. Local artist favorites include Counsel Langley, Chandler Woodfin, Jody Joldersma and I’ve been swooning over the gorgeous lighting installations by Yuri Kinoshita!
How do you hope to continue exposing Cap Hill to all kinds of art with your evolving venture? if you were dreaming a little, where do you see Ghost Gallery going?
By featuring local and regional artists in the main gallery here each month, as well as the off-site space I work with, I hope to continue providing opportunities for artists to experiment with their work, develop their skills and be able to network with other artists as well as collectors and art appreciators. I see Ghost Gallery opening up a second, larger location in the future that is a shared art space, where more conceptual, new media, performance and installation work can find support. I also want to continue working with other venues and curators to do more public art projects.
What’s exciting about the art scene in Cap Hill?
The fight to stay here is exciting! Capitol Hill, while going through massive changes as we all know, is still a hub of artistic activity. There is a strong core of artists, curators and business owners that are fighting to maintain a true sense of integrity and a safe haven where artists can express themselves (and afford their rent) – this is an absolute necessity to this neighborhood’s positive growth. Also, this same core is dedicated to educating the newcomers to the Hill, communicating with them about the importance of supporting their artistic and small business neighbors. It will be an ongoing effort over the next few years, and the best thing galleries and artists can do is to speak up and reach out to keep our foothold as culturally and aesthetically interesting spaces in an ever-sleekening neighborhood.
Where are the best places to duck in and see good art in Seattle?
Off the hill I would of course recommend Roq La Rue, Greg Kucera, Soil, Linda Hodges Gallery in Pioneer Square. On the hill, Ghost, Vermillion, True Love, LTD…so many to name- traditional, hybrid and non-traditional art spaces all over the city! I would recommend first checking out each neighborhood’s Art Walk website to get an idea of which galleries/spaces show the kind of work you’re interested in. Then take it from there. Explore!
