Local artists go crackers over their animals
August 4, 2009
By Lauren McLaughlin
By Lauren McLaughlin
The famous lyrics “Animal Crackers in my soup. Monkeys and rabbits loop-the-loop,” from the 1935 Shirley Temple film “Curly Top,” were the inspiration for the upcoming Animal Crackers exhibit.
A group of local artists who call themselves the Sammi 7 will be featured in an artEast Collective Works show that will run from Aug. 7-29 at Up Front Gallery, 48 Front Street North in Issaquah.
According to artEAST executive director Karen Abel, Animal Crackers is part of a monthly series of exhibits that are free and open to the public for the purpose of showcasing artwork from local, student and guest artists.
“One of the things we like to do is to have a Sammamish artist exhibit every year,” Abel said. “It is a fun way to make a connection between the arts community in Issaquah and the neighboring one in Sammamish.”
The exhibit will show the artists’ interpretations of the theme Animal Crackers through various mediums, such as metals, photography, glass and mixed media.
There will be an opening reception from 5-8 p.m. Aug. 7 at Up Front Gallery.
Kurt Rodenhiser, a member of the Sammi 7, is credited with suggesting the theme.
“We wanted to do something fun with poetry, and I thought why not animal crackers,” Rodenhiser said. “It spun out from there.”
“The animal crackers song has a couple of neat lyrics,” glass artist Jamie McKay said. “There are some fun parts and some macabre parts that some of the artists are having a lot of fun with.”
Ann Elizabeth Scott, another member of the Sammi 7, said the exhibition has given her an opportunity to try new things with her art.
“It was challenging because I don’t usually paint a lot of animals,” Scott said. “I like the whimsical quality, the nostalgic quality and the freedom it gave me to branch out into less serious works.”
McKay chose to work with the idea of the Barnum’s Animal Cracker Box.
“That invokes childhood memories and imagination,” McKay said.
Scott also is using animal crackers in a piece that features Artemis, goddess of the hunt, and a deer made of animal crackers.
Not all of the artists interpreted the theme the same way.
“We are an eclectic group of artists with an eclectic mix of media,” McKay said. “With any theme we take it and interpret it in totally different directions.”
The inclusion of the Sammamish Artists exhibition goes over well every year Abel said.
“It’s one of our favorite shows because of the energy and feeling of community it provides.”
All the artists are excited with the exhibit being part of the Issaquah Art Walk.
The exhibit will be free and family friendly and the artists encourage people to visit.
“Hopefully they’ll be able to feel the whimsical approach, and look at it in a light-hearted way,” Carol Paschal, member of the Sammi 7, said.
“Kids will find something that they like about it, and sophisticated art buyers will find something they like as well,” Carol Ross, encaustic artist and member of Sammi 7, said. “It’s really something that will appeal to everyone.”
Intern Lauren McLaughlin can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 244 or samrev@isspress.com. To comment on this story visit www.sammamishreview.com
The famous lyrics “Animal Crackers in my soup. Monkeys and rabbits loop-the-loop,” from the 1935 Shirley Temple film “Curly Top,” were the inspiration for the upcoming Animal Crackers exhibit.
A group of local artists who call themselves the Sammi 7 will be featured in an artEast Collective Works show that will run from Aug. 7-29 at Up Front Gallery, 48 Front Street North in Issaquah.
According to artEAST executive director Karen Abel, Animal Crackers is part of a monthly series of exhibits that are free and open to the public for the purpose of showcasing artwork from local, student and guest artists.
These seven local artists – front, from left, Carol Paschal, Kurt Rodenhiser, Katya Palladina, back, from left, Ann Elizabeth Scott, Joanney Elliot, Jamie McKay, Carol Ross – make up the group the Sammi 7 whose art will be featured in the Animal Crackers exhibit at Up Front Gallery. Photo contributed
“One of the things we like to do is to have a Sammamish artist exhibit every year,” Abel said. “It is a fun way to make a connection between the arts community in Issaquah and the neighboring one in Sammamish.”
The exhibit will show the artists’ interpretations of the theme Animal Crackers through various mediums, such as metals, photography, glass and mixed media.
There will be an opening reception from 5-8 p.m. Aug. 7 at Up Front Gallery.
Kurt Rodenhiser, a member of the Sammi 7, is credited with suggesting the theme.
“We wanted to do something fun with poetry, and I thought why not animal crackers,” Rodenhiser said. “It spun out from there.”
“The animal crackers song has a couple of neat lyrics,” glass artist Jamie McKay said. “There are some fun parts and some macabre parts that some of the artists are having a lot of fun with.”
Ann Elizabeth Scott, another member of the Sammi 7, said the exhibition has given her an opportunity to try new things with her art.
“It was challenging because I don’t usually paint a lot of animals,” Scott said. “I like the whimsical quality, the nostalgic quality and the freedom it gave me to branch out into less serious works.”
McKay chose to work with the idea of the Barnum’s Animal Cracker Box.
“That invokes childhood memories and imagination,” McKay said.
Scott also is using animal crackers in a piece that features Artemis, goddess of the hunt, and a deer made of animal crackers.
Not all of the artists interpreted the theme the same way.
“We are an eclectic group of artists with an eclectic mix of media,” McKay said. “With any theme we take it and interpret it in totally different directions.”
The inclusion of the Sammamish Artists exhibition goes over well every year Abel said.
“It’s one of our favorite shows because of the energy and feeling of community it provides.”
All the artists are excited with the exhibit being part of the Issaquah Art Walk.
The exhibit will be free and family friendly and the artists encourage people to visit.
“Hopefully they’ll be able to feel the whimsical approach, and look at it in a light-hearted way,” Carol Paschal, member of the Sammi 7, said.
“Kids will find something that they like about it, and sophisticated art buyers will find something they like as well,” Carol Ross, encaustic artist and member of Sammi 7, said. “It’s really something that will appeal to everyone.”
Intern Lauren McLaughlin can be reached at 392-6434, ext. 244 or samrev@isspress.com.
Other Stories of Interest: Sammamish arts and entertainment
Comments
Got something to say?
Before you comment, please note:
- These comments are moderated.
- Comments should be relevant to the topic at hand and contribute to its discussion.
- Personal attacks and/or excessive profanity will not be tolerated and such comments will not be approved.
- This is not your personal chat room or forum, so please stay on topic.
