Anchor - New and Improved!

We're streamlining!  From now on we'll be using a our new blog at: http://anchorartspace.tumblr.com/

So, to know all things Anchor, keep in touch with us there!

We think you'll like the new look.

Thanks!

anchor's new look

Sliders, Spinners and Folds

A Basic Pop-up Workshop with Margaret Davidson

April 21st, 1-5pm


Pop-up is a form of paper engineering, a way of making paper move through folds, spinners, sliders, and other actions. And when paper moves, the art moves.

In this 4-hour workshop, participants will explore a few of the basic pop-up actions, and make some moving art.  Because we will be working with sharp cutting tools, this class is for people aged 15 and up.

$30 (please make checks out to Anchor Access)
Pre-register on our website
www.anchorartspace.org

take me with you: drawings from near and far

April 6 – May 19  
Receptions: Friday, April 6 and May 4, 6-9pm

Eight featured artists working in locations from Bellingham to Berlin offer a passport to new experiences of the drawing medium: Mara Baker, Lanny Bergner, Richard Brothers, Margaret Davidson, Cara Jaye, Douglas Loewen, Natalie Niblack and Madeline Stillwell. Highlighting the spectrum of contemporary drawing practice, this exhibit includes mixed media and interactive works on paper, artists’ books, installation, video, and kinetic sculpture. Connecting these diverse works is a sense of movement, transformation and change, whether material, spatial, temporal, or personal.  


Curated by Jasmine Valandani.

Artist Talk

Coming up next week, March 17th, at 1pm Anchor Access brings in the artist behind our current exhibition, The Wildness Within, Scott Schuldt for a free and informal artist talk.

If you have had a chance to experience the show, it is a great time to get all of your burning questions answered.  If you haven't had a chance to make it to the show yet, what better time could there be to see and experience Schuldt's work?

An excerpt from Schuldt's artist statement:

"Henry David Thoreau is often quoted, 'In wilderness is the preservation of nature.' But, what he actually said is, 'In wildness is the preservation of nature.' The difference is that 'wilderness' is a place while 'wildness' is a quality... It is debatable that wilderness no longer exists in a world where one can bring up a photographic image of one's location, anywhere in the world, at the touch of a finger on their (choose your electronic device). But wildness, that is still here. It can be found in most unexpected spots, often in sight of cities and highways. Nature will persevere, if given enough space."

We look forward to seeing you there for what is shaping up to be both a fun and enlightening experience!

March 17th, 1pm

Anchor Art Space

Get Involved with Anchor Access!

Anchor is moving forward with our commitment to providing quality contemporary art, education, and opportunity to the community and the region, but we can't do it alone!  In order to support our exhibitions, workshops, and other events, we rely primarily on donation and membership dues.

Supporting Anchor Access through membership benefits us all, as thriving arts groups help cultivate vital cultural and business communities.  Additionally, each annual membership will receive:

Friend ($30)
Artist/Student ($25)
Attend member openings, tax deductible

Anchor Enthusiast ($200)
Invitation to attend special member events, "Meet the Artist" receptions, donor recognition, tax deductible

Anchor Patron ($500)
Special member events, "Meet the Artist" receptions, donor recognition, art consultation, annual patron dinner, tax deductible

If you are interested in donating to the project, but membership isn't right for you at the moment, you can donate directly on our website, here!

We appreciate your help and look forward to a continued positive relationship with the community and the region.

Thank you!
Please let us know if you have any questions:
info@anchorartspace.org

The Wildness Within

Reception: February 3rd, 6-9pm


February marks the official start of Anchor Access' 2012 calendar.  Hopefully you have all had a chance to stop by in the past month to check out the work of our first artist in resident, Aaron Haba.  Looking forward, Anchor is proud to welcome multi-disciplinary artist Scott Shuldt.  The work includes video, photography, hand surveyed and drawn maps, bead work, as well as a growing installation of hand-carved functional canoe paddles.  This is an open-ended and ongoing project running at Anchor through March 24th.

Anchor Access, in conjunction with Schuldt will be offering two workshops and an artist talk.  A Beading Bee on February 11th and Mapping on March 3rd.  Both workshops will go from 1-4pm.  Interested? Need more information? Sign up on our website (HERE), or contact us at info@anchorartspace.org.  The artist talk (free to attend) will be on March 17th, also at 1pm.

For more from the artist himself, be sure to visit his sites:

 http://canoepost.blogspot.com/

 http://notesfromsmokefarm.blogspot.com/

http://scottschuldt.com/

Anchor AIR

As we move forward into 2012 Anchor Access welcomes our very first Artist In Residence (AIR), Aaron Haba.  Although Anchor is closed to the public during his residency, Aaron will be working in the space through January 21st and will be open this Friday, January 6th for the Anacortes Art Walk.  Visitors will have the opportunity during that time to talk with the artist and experience the installation while inside the gallery.  This is a great chance to take in some color during our notoriously bleak Northwest winter.

Though Anchor may not be open to the public the rest of January, don't forget to occasionally make your way in that direction as the installation is constantly evolving.

After January, Anchor will be going back to our regular hours and kicking off the new year of shows with Scott Schuldt.  Stay tuned for more information on that, as well as the upcoming workshops scheduled in conjunction with Scott's show.

Thank you for all your support!

Anchor Auction!

On Friday, December 2nd, Anchor Art Space is having an auction to fund the launch of our new project, Anchor Access.  This project is being created to further the kind of programs that Anchor Art Space has pursued for the past several years as we move forward with a new format.  Anchor Access was created by a group of artists interested in bringing interactive and dynamic multidisciplinary exhibitions, events and education to the community as well as the region.

  

Join us December 2nd (conveniently the same night as the Holiday Art Walk in Anacortes) as we kick off Anchor Access.  Auction preview will occur from 11-4pm and bidding begins at 5:30pm. The event is free to attend and donations in all forms are welcome. Money raised during the auction will go directly towards the operating costs of Anchor Access.  Thank you to everyone who has generously donated already!

The deadline for donation has been extended to November 20, 21, 22 from 1-4pm, at Anchor Art Space.  We are seeking works of art as well as other items/experiences of interest.  There is also a online submission form available on our website.




For more information on how to donate please call 206-919-3893
or contact info@anchorartspace.org

See you all there!

The Way Things Are

John Feodorov
October 7- November 19
Artist talk November 5th 4:00pm

This marks Anchor's 2011 schedule wrap up with John Feodorov's, The Way Things Are.  The exhibition has a mix of painting, prints, installation, video, music, a little bit of everything really.  In Feodorov's own words,

"My work meanders around meaning and identity as well as the ways we seek to locate them within our lives. Sometimes this search can seem like an act of desperation—a longing for a Something, an Other, that may or may not exist. Intentionally ambiguous and dreamlike, they imply a meaningful narrative that often does not exist outside the mind of the viewer."

Feodorov, besides his various accolades, has also been featured in the well known PBS series art:21 in the Spirituality episode.  Be sure to stop in sometime before November 19th to experience this powerful show.

http://www.johnfeodorov.com

http://anchorartspace.org



Glowen/Davidson at Anchor

Coming up this Friday, September 30th at 6:30pm, Margaret Davidson will present a slide talk on her new book Contemporary Drawing: Key Concepts and Techniques.  The book discusses the surge of drawing in the art world as something that exists separate and unique from painting.  It also discusses a number of artists who have chosen to break the traditional boundaries separating artistic styles.  Books will be available for purchase and Margaret will be available for signing. Read the full synopsis here.

After Margaret's talk, Ron Glowen will give a short presentation on his installation currently up through October 1st.  During that time, he will discuss how Como Orchards/Montana came to fruition.  Including how the idea began and its evolution to the installation at Anchor.  Heavily layered, if this piece has drawn you in as it has so many others, you won't want to miss this opportunity.  Ron will also be available to answer any questions.  

We are extremely lucky to have the opportunity to listen to both these wonderful artists speak on their work and we look forward to seeing you all there!

Margaret Davidson/Ron Glowen
September 30th, 6:30 pm

http://www.margaretdavidson.com/book/book.html

Save the Date!

Jane Alynn Reading and Reception

On Sunday, September 18th, 4:30pm, Jane Alynn will be holding the launch of her first full-length poetry book, Necessity of Flight at Anchor Art Space.  Poet Susan Rich describes Alynn's poems as transforming "lived experience into the natural realm of wonder."  Alynn is also the author of Threads & Dust, a chapbook published in 2005, by Finishing Line Press.  Recently, she has recieved a William Stafford Arard from the Washington Poets Association.  Following the reading will be a reception and book signing. 

Jane Alynn Official Website

We are looking forward to the event.  Hope to see everyone there!

Orchards, Gardens and Birds

Ron & Kathryn Glowen
Reception: September 2, 6-9pm

The month of September is proving to be an exciting one.  Anchor is very proud to present work by Ron and Kathryn Glowen as they make their triumphant return to the space since November 2009 when "tangle" first opened at Anchor (read more about that show here as it traveled to Eastern Washington this past spring)  Their show "tangle" helped set the bar that Anchor has been identified with and this month's "Orchards, Gardens and Birds" does not disappoint.  It is colorful and obsessively prepared, signature qualities of the Glowen's work.  Running through October 1, the reception is today, September 2, 6-9pm. 

*Also during the month of September, Anchor will be hosting two literary events. Sunday, September 18th, at 4:30pm Jane Alynn will be reading from her new book of poetry "Necessity of Flight".

Necessity of Flight by Jane Alynn

 At the end of the month on Friday, Sept 30th at 6:30pm, Margaret Davidson will be presenting a talk on her newly published "Contemporary Drawing: Key Concepts and Techniques". We look forward to seeing you at these free events in September!

For more information Contact Anchor.

Julie Lindell: New Work

Julie Lindell brings exciting new work to Anchor this month.  For the past several years, Julie's ceramic works have been represented at Anchor and this month's show features newly constructed assemblages along with selected ceramic sculpture.  This past year has been a busy one for Julie as she was included in COCA's Heaven and Earth II outdoor installation at Carkeek Park.  As well as, Transformation, a group exhibition of reclaimed/recycled art at the Seattle Art Museum Gallery.

The exhibition at Anchor runs August 5th through August 27th, with the reception tonight, August 5 (5-9 pm).
More information on our website:  www.anchorartspace.org

Today also marks the first day of the Anacortes Arts Festival (August 5, 6, 7)!  The focus gallery at the port includes on of Anchor's own Jasmine Valandani. 
See you in Anacortes for this fabulous art weekend!

view from other tree

Ries Niemi & Sheila Klein

The official opening isn't until Friday, June 1st, but the show is up now.  Ries Niemi and Sheila Klein are sharing Anchor through July 24.  View from other tree is an installation based show.  Niemi's wall work is priced individually, but while at Anchor can be read as a visual sentence.  His work at Anchor combines lessons learned from musicians at Anacortes' own What The Heck Fest, and the common practice in consumer culture of tossing objects aside.  Niemi explores the question of what makes an object precious or trash.

On the other side of the space, Sheila Klein's closet-like installation is neither narrative or representational.  Her work invites the viewer to enter the work, and think of art in a less traditional way.  Klein's work can be worn, sat on, touched and even hugged.  "New Trade Route" contains a variety of pieces that can be worn directly out of the gallery.  Also at Anchor, in the video room, are three of Klein's videos; "Run'er way Detour", "We're Busy", and "Comfort Zone: The Process".

  

Even though the official opening is July 1st, 6-9pm we are open to the public now, so stop by and get a look. 

See you at Anchor!

June at Anchor

Today, Friday June 3rd, is the Anacortes Art Walk.  The weather is absolutely gorgeous and is showing no signs of changing.  If you have somehow missed Gail Grinnell's work, make sure you fit time in your schedule to stop by and spend some time absorbing this truly unique work.  We will be open until about 8 pm tonight.

This also means we are in the final throws of Gail Grinnell's work dominating the front room at Anchor.  tinker, tailor will be up through June 11th, at which time (1:00 pm) Gail will be coming in to talk about her work and the process of making it.  This is a great opportunity to ask Gail any questions you may have. 

The following week will be a busy one, Sheila Klein and Ries Niemi will be spending a week installing their work.  The show will be able to be viewed starting June 17th, and the official opening will be July 1st.  Start planing your visit(s) to Anchor now, the weather is only looks to be getting better!

See you at Anchor!

Margaret Davidson's Contemporary Drawing

Anchor Artist, Margaret Davidson has just released a book with Random House, Inc.  Contemporary Drawing: Key Concepts and Techniques is now available for your consumption.  You can find it HERE, to purchase through Amazon. 

In her book, Margaret discusses the surge of drawing in the art world and "delves into the essential and far-reaching concepts of this medium, exploring surface, mark, space, composition, scale, materials, and intentionality in turn."  Drawing, as something separate and unique from painting, is not subject to the same traditional thoughts as other forms of art.  Contemporary Drawing, offering a broad perspective on this field of art, is illustrated by a large number of contemporary artists, "Drawing has come of age."  Check it out!
(from Random House's Synopsis).


Congratulations to Margaret!

Bonus Round!

We were lucky enough to have a friend of the gallery come in and take photos of tinker, tailor, mender, maker.  They turned out really nice.  You might have seen them here, facebook, or on our website, but we thought we'd give it another turn in the spotlight.  They photos are beautiful, if you haven't had the chance to experience Gail Grinnell's work, hopefully they inspire your visit.  If you have seen the work, hopefully they inspire you to see it again...Through Saturday June 11th.

See you at Anchor!