In various corners of the Seattle Art Fair this weekend, you can find a painting made via fly-fishing casts; an alien “meteor flower” suspended from on high; colorful Muslim chadors available for trying on; and a glass-blowing hot-shop pop-up. These installations and others bob up in a vast ocean of gallery booths packed with visual art that may enchant you, intrigue you, put you off or fire you up.
Whatever your reaction, the point is to have one. Extra credit if you express (to yourself or others) why the work makes you feel that way.
Art x NW (formerly ArtSEA) is a weekly arts and culture newsletter from Cascade PBS. Read past issues and subscribe for more.
Founded by the late Paul G. Allen in 2015, the Seattle Art Fair (July 17-20; Lumen Field Event Center) has always been intended to spark art conversations. The Microsoft co-founder was inspired by global fairs like Art Basel and the Venice Biennale, and hoped to draw more international attention (and big-ticket buyers) to the Northwest art scene.
The fair’s early years felt clubby and metropolitan, with several big-deal NYC galleries in the mix. (Some of us recall with wide eyes what seemed like the epitome of decadence: heaping platters of free shrimp.) But while it still draws galleries from South Africa to South Korea, SAF has evolved into something that feels truer to Seattle — more chill, with more emphasis on the local arts environment. (Shrimp not included.)
The sheer amount of art can still be overwhelming when you first walk through the doors. My advice: Don’t feel like you have to see everything in every booth. You can let the wind (er, AC) carry you through the grid hither and thither. Or pick a loose theme for yourself, like a scavenger hunt, and note all the imagery of, say, horned animals (hint: Check out Eve Funderburgh’s ceramic beasts in the J. Rinehart Gallery booth, C09).
Even if you never set foot in a booth, there’s tons to see, including a full lineup of artist talks on topics such as: the challenges of using AI in art (with Seattle artists Maja Petric and Claude Zervas); photography of place and identity (with Peruvian artists Tarrah Krajnak and Rafael Soldi); and innovations in neon glass art (with Seattle sculptor Kelsey Fernkopf and curator Tommy Gregory).
Glass art — a regional specialty — is an emphasis at SAF this year, including several collaborations with the esteemed Corning Museum of Glass (in Corning, N.Y.). One of those is Kelsey Fernkopf’s new installation Constellation 3, which shows off his simple but striking neon tableaus that glow like portals to another world. See also local glass artist Romson Regarde Bustillo’s Make Hard Soft, an installation of blown and sandblasted glass figures that reference ancient burial rituals.
Elsewhere, keep an eye out for Seattle artist Mary Anne Carter’s work — always imbued with an oddball sense of humor — including oversized and inflatable charm bracelets and a life-sized dining set that from above looks like a cartoon face.
As for the works I mentioned at the outset of this newsletter: The 300-pound Plexiglas painting made with a fly-fishing “brush” is by Spokane artist Ben Miller, whose technique blends Jackson Pollock with pollock fishing; the dreamy, mysterious “Meteor Flower on the Astral Islands” is by Niki Keenan; and “The Red Chador: Becoming Rogue” is by Tacoma artist and performer Anida Youe Ali.
And if you’re heading to the buzzy opening-night festivities (tonight, 6-9 p.m.), look for a few fairgoers decked out in garments that are alive with fluttering wings. That’s the work of Seattle artist Casey Curran, who handcrafts intricate and delicate kinetic sculptures that of late have been incorporated into high-fashion attire, including by designer Iris Van Herpin. Models will strut Curran’s pieces around the room, and strike poses in the Roq La Rue booth (D01).
Which is a good reminder that while you may not have an outfit that mimics the undulating tentacles of a sea anemone, SAF is a great excuse to throw on your most colorful and creative outfit.
In addition to the 80-some galleries represented onsite at the Seattle Art Fair are a ton of satellite happenings: some official partners, others just happy to tag along.
Seattle art collaborative Forest for the Trees is once again peppering the streets of Pioneer Square with paintings by 25 local artists, who are creating them in situ (and in heat, too). Watch as these new works take shape over the weekend, including by Mary Iverson, Andrea Heimer, Nahom Ghirmay, Soo Hong and Joe Rudko.
Head south to the Museum of Flight for the new exhibit The MiG 21 Project (through Jan. 26, 2026), in which South African artist Ralph Ziman displays his latest effort to turn weapons of war into art objects. You may remember his work on view at last year’s Seattle Art Fair: a tank-like police vehicle covered entirely in beadwork carried out by South African artisans. This time the canvas is a Soviet-designed fighter jet, which has been meticulously encased in millions of beads. Ziman will talk more about this five-year project at the Seattle Art Fair (July 18, 1 p.m.).
A few more artful outings: At Efeste wine bar in SODO, check out Bellingham artist Melissa Broersma’s new show Le Grand Slam (through Sept. 21), featuring evocative, expressive and sometimes funny paintings about tennis. At Taswira Gallery in Pioneer Square, the group show At the Garden (through July 20) showcases works about introspection and transformation. At the former Banana Republic (née Coliseum Theater) Downtown, buzzing art hive Actualize Air is opening its doors to show new works by current artists in residence with a Summer Showcase (July 19-20; tours available July 19).
And also Downtown, in the historic Poll Building, the Art Love Salon (July 19-20; open to Seattle Art Fair ticketholders only) presents more than 300 mostly figurative works by 100+ local artists, plus interactive experiences including phone booths in which humans can collaborate with AI to compose a haiku. The location is the headquarters of the Conru Art Foundation (whose founder was in the news last year for a funding controversy), which will soon open a public gallery and arts event space.
Here’s to a weekend full of meaningful art conversations and unexpected moments of inspiration.
This issue of the Art x NW newsletter is made possible with support from the Seattle Office of Arts and Culture.
Looking for more regional arts coverage? Check out Art by Northwest, a new television series on Cascade PBS, featuring artists from all over Washington.
