Renton Municipal Arts Commission

• Agenda and Minutes
• Local Artist Showing at Carco Theatre
• Renton's Public Art
• Arts Grant Program
• Arts Events
• Master Plan
• About Us

Original Artwork Showing at Carco Theatre

Application for Displaying at Carco Theatre The Renton Municipal Arts Commission showcases two-dimensional works by local artists on a rotating basis in the Carco Theatre Lobby, 1717 Maple Valley Highway.  Interested artists can submit an application for consideration.

Sierra Heights Elementary School Art Program

The Sierra Heights Elementary School Art Program curriculum exposes students to famous art through the presentation and discussion of prints.  The program also aims to teach the students art terms and techniques and how to use them in their own creative ways.  The exhibit will be on display from June 27 through August 12, 2010.

The artwork on display at Carco Theatre reflects student work created in the 2009-2010 school year through the Art Docent process.  A volunteer Art Docent selects a print to share with the class.  The Docent poses thought provoking questions to the students to help them discover things in the print, then does an art project with the students to support that lesson.  The students use watercolor paints, tempura paints, acrylic paints, oil pastel crayons, charcoal, and markers.  Students create art that is abstract or sometimes impressionist and they also learn to still life sketch.  Students that attend Sierra Heights Elementary for the full six years will be exposed to 50-60 pieces of art and be better able to discuss the details of the artists’ messages.  

Previous Artist Exhibits

Wil Kerner: May 8 through June 18, 2010
Brian Rasmussen: April 1 through May 7, 2010
Michele Waldele-Dick: February 1 through March 31, 2010 
David Jayne: November 2 through December 12, 2009
Jim Matthew: September through October 30, 2009
Sierra Heights Elementary School Art Program: June 13 through July 31, 2009 
Harold Johnson: May 5 through June 12, 2009
Brielle Creaser: March 28 through May 1, 2009
Dan Wend: February 14 through March 29, 2009
Dennis Harrison: January 3 through February 13, 2009 
Carolyn Buck: October 18 through November 29, 2008 
Faith Williams: August 15 to October 3, 2008 
Sierra Heights Elementary School Art Program: June 28 to August 10, 2008
Orenda T. Ayashe: May 3 to June 14, 2008 
Robin Jordan: September 29 to November 10, 2007
Iain Mangum and Hannah Timmen: August 18 through September 28, 2007
Louis Anderson: July 7 through August 17, 2007
Joey Katzer: May 26 through July 6, 2007
Richard Jahn: April 14 through May 26, 2007
Helga Jaques: March 3, 2007
Gretchen Hancock: January 27 through March 3, 2007 

Wil Kerner 

According to his website, Wil Clark Kerner, born 1995, was diagnosed with Classic Autism at age two. He lacked play skills and interest in toys.  Yet Wil had and still has a determined sparkle about him.  Wil Kerner’s art is vibrant and lively.  With swift scissor snips and colored papers Wil creates vivid images that have emotion and depth.  Each piece shares a story and a bit of Wil’s world.  His art images engage and captivate, and are so characteristic of his feelings; every cutout, whether person-like, animal or object exudes incredible vitality. For more information about the artist, please visit www.wilspapercutouts.com. 

Brian Rasmussen

Brian’s passion for photography began while working for the National Park Service at Mount Rainier.  His goal is to communicate the feeling of the place.  His desire to share the natural world with others has changed, and continues to change.  Inspiring vistas he once measured in miles have now also become intimate landscapes measured in inches.  Brian uses pre-visualization, composition, light, photographic technique and atmospheric conditions to simplify a scene to only the elements that contribute to the mood.  His latest artistic experimentation is to print his images on cotton canvas and wrapping, or ‘stretching’, them around a homemade internal frame.  Brian states, “I like the texture and depth provided by the canvas and the contemporary look of displaying prints without a visible frame.”  For more information about the artist, please contact briansoutside@comcast.net.  

Michele Waldele-Dick

The Renton Municipal Arts Commission proudly presents original oil artwork by artist Michele Waldele-Dick.  The exhibit will be on display February 1 through March 31, 2010.  Members of the public are invited to attend the opening reception on Friday, February 19, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm to view the art and meet the artist.

Michelle is a passionate painter of still life and landscapes in the classical realilst tradition.  The subjects for her paintings are the places and things for which she feels a strong connection.  She is especially drawn to the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest where she has lived most of her life.

Michelle is an alumnus of the prestigious Gage Academy in Seattle, where she studied with such exceptional artists as John Morra, Anthony Ryder, Juliette Aristides, and Geoffrey Laurence.  Prior to attending Gage, she graduated from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks with a Bachelors of Fine Arts, with a major in drawing and minor in metalsmithing.  In addition to her studies, Michelle teaches art to both children and adults at the Arts Umbrella in Bothell, WA.  For more information about the artist, please visit  www.mwaldelefineart.com.

David Jayne

The Renton Municipal Arts Commission proudly presents original artwork by local artist David Jayne.  The exhibit will be on display from November 2 through December 12, 2009.  

David Jayne began creating art with pencil, chalk and a paint brush as a child.  His early work included pencil still life drawings, plaster sculptures and painting.  A visit to Europe in his high school senior year provided exposure to great paintings from centuries past.  Jayne’s art training became more focused in college, with instruction from two respected Northwest artists – Andrew Hofmiester and Keith Monaghan.  His artistic talents grew with training in watercolor and compositional qualities during this time.  Additional training in graduate school, under Jacob Lawrence and Alden Mason, helped Jayne to further develop his use of color and composition.

Jayne believes that, “Painting is a process of capturing what one sees and absorbs…I abstract what I perceive.”  He strives to capture the essence of a certain aspect of life and bring it to the forefront.  During the past 23 years, Jayne has refined his work to capture this essence by using dots and colored background based on the landscapes he sees around him.  For more information about the artist, please visit www.davidjayne.com.

Jim Matthew

The Renton Municipal Arts Commission proudly presents original abstract artwork by local artist Jim Matthew.  The exhibit will be on display through October 30, 2009.  

Jim Matthew received early training in art from his grandmother, who was both a painter and musician.  Matthew continued his learning of art by earning degrees in fine art from Highline Community College and Washington State University.   His experimental approach of creating artwork helps him to discover new ways of expression.  Matthew applies new principles learned from this approach to other facets of his life.  He enjoys stepping out of the box and trying new directions. 

Matthew began exhibiting his work in the early 1980’s and his shows have included a 2-person exhibit with work by Northwest Master Kenneth Callahan.  Recently, Matthew showcases and sells his art in various art festivals throughout Washington and Oregon.  He has received numerous awards over the years. 

Sierra Heights Elementary School Art Program

The Sierra Heights Elementary School Art Program curriculum exposes students to famous art through the presentation and discussion of prints.  The program also aims to teach the students art terms and techniques and how to use them in their own creative ways.  The exhibit will be on display from June 13 through July 31, 2009. 

The artwork on display at Carco Theatre reflects student work created in the 2008-2009 school year through the Art Docent process.  A volunteer Art Docent selects a print to share with the class.  The Docent poses thought provoking questions to the students to help them discover things in the print, then does an art project with the students to support that lesson.  The students use watercolor paints, tempura paints, acrylic paints, oil pastel crayons, charcoal, and markers.  Students create art that is abstract or sometimes impressionist and they also learn to still life sketch.  Students that attend Sierra Heights Elementary for the full six years will be exposed to 50-60 pieces of art and be better able to discuss the details of the artists’ messages.  

Harold Johnson

The Renton Municipal Arts Commission proudly presents original mixed media artwork by local artist Harold Johnson.  The exhibit will be on display from May 5 through June 12, 2009.   

Harold Johnson creates realistic paintings of the Northwest, including maritime, wildlife, market scenes and scenic paintings.  He has painted for as long as he remembers, developing an interest in art when only three years of age.  Johnson currently uses acrylic, gauche (opaque water color), oil, pen and ink, and watercolor to create his art pieces.  His favorite subjects are nature, wildlife, and classical automobiles.  He was commissioned to paint the “America the Beautiful” series sponsored by the National Parks and Conservation Association.  His work has been shown in the Great Hall of the Smithsonian Institution for the Arts for the Parks –National Parks series.  The Audubon Show, National Wilderness Show and the Pacific Rim Wildlife Show have showcased his work.  Harold has won many awards and is many collectors’ favorite artist.

For more information about the artist, please visit www.northwestgoldcoast.com/harry-johnson.

Brielle Creaser

The Renton Municipal Arts Commission proudly presents original origami paper quilts by local youth artist Brielle Creaser.  The exhibit will be on display from March 28 – May 1, 2009.    

Brielle Creaser is an 11-year old artist who enjoys creating art projects in all mediums.  She learned how to make two-dimensional origami squares in the fourth grade.  Recently, she has been nominated to represent her school at the Junior National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, DC.  The conference provides opportunities for exceptional students from across the country to learn about leadership and social advocacy in order to make a positive impact in their communities.  She is excited about the Carco Theatre show as a way to provide exposure to her unique style of quilting.

For more information about the artist, please visit www.origamiquilt.blogspot.com.

Dan Wend

The Renton Municipal Arts Commission proudly presents original artwork by local artist Dan Wend.  The exhibit will be on display from February 14 through March 28, 2009.

Dan Wend created an abstract art series of textural works, created with cloth, fibers, paper, plastic and assorted salvaged materials and objects on canvas, wood panels or masonite. He then painted them onto, into and around the surface with acrylics. Some of the works are evocative of miniature topographies, replete with river basins, volcanoes and fault zones. Other works in this series are suggestive of archaeological finds or fossils. Ultimately, the art is a reflection of the passage of time and the universal forces of nature.

Each artwork in this series has undergone its own creative evolution, as a natural outgrowth of Dan’s lifelong fascination with science and humanity.  For more information about the artist, please visit www.wendimages.com. 

Dennis Harrison

The Renton Municipal Arts Commission proudly presents original marquetry artwork by Renton artist Dennis Harrison.  The exhibit will be on display from January 3 through February 13, 2009.

Dennis has practiced marquetry, an art form that uses only natural and dyed wood veneers for its presentation. He enjoys the artform because every marquetry picture is truly one of a kind. Beginning with the many stresses placed on a growing tree to the final slicing of the wood into veneers, each piece of veneer will never be duplicated again.

Dennis is a member of the American Marquetry Society, the United Kingdom and Canadian Maquetry Societies, the Northwest and Evergreen Woodworkers Guilds, and the Mercer Island Sogetsu Ikebana local group. He can be contacted at 425-228-6797 or deh2@u.washingotn.edu for more information. 

        

Carolyn Buck

The Renton Municipal Arts Commission proudly presents original artwork by Renton artist Carolyn Buck.  The exhibit will be on display from October 18 through November 29, 2008.

Carolyn Buck has a passion for nature photography and especially loves to capture the beauty of seascapes. She has been photographing since the 1970's and is still shooting with slide film. Recently, she has taken her photography to a higher level by publishing greeting cards as well as inclusion in the book, "Maine Invites You."

Carolyn captures the interplay of light and water in many of her images and explores interesting shadow patterns either on buildings or in the woods. Contact Carolyn at (425) 228-0519 or carolyn0812.wa@netzero.net.

     

Faith Williams

      

Faith discovered her creativity as a way of self-discovery and healing.  She experimented with many forms of artistic expression and currently is doing collage art.  Faith believes this type of art allows her a sense of freedom and never ending possibilities.   She developed her collage technique from studying works done by other collage artists, and is inspired by nature and by the struggle and pain that precede and promote personal growth.  She recently began adding stones and beading into her collages, which connects her love for nature and her art.

Faith Williams is currently teaching a collage course at Renton Technical College.  More information about Faith and her work can be seen at www.faith-art.com.

Sierra Heights Elementary School Art Program

The Sierra Heights Elementary School Art Program curriculum exposes students to famous art through the presentation and discussion through prints.  Another goal of the program is to teach the student art terms and techniques and how to use them in their own creative ways.  The Art Program relies on community volunteers to implement it and donated funds to support it. 

The artwork on display at Carco Theatre reflects student work created in the 2007-2008 school year through the Art Docent process.  A volunteer Art Docent selects a print to share with the class.  The Docent poses thought provoking questions to the students to help them discover things in the print, then does an art project with the students to support that lesson.  The students use watercolor paints, tempura paints, acrylic paints, oil pastel crayons, charcoal, and markers.  Students create art that is abstract or sometimes impressionism and they also learn to still life sketch.  Students that attend Sierra Heights Elementary for the full six years will be exposed to 50-60 pieces of art and be better able to discuss the details of the artist's message.

 

Orenda T. Ayashe

    

Orenda started drawing at age 5 and has recently found her niche in creating paintings based on music. She listens to a song and “sees” what the sounds “look” like.  The “Heavy Metal” magazines and graffiti artists she grew up appreciating in the Big Apple were sources of inspiration, as were the movies “Fantasia” and “American Pop” among other animated films.  She also draws on her  Hungarian, Native Iroquois, Creek, & African-American roots for subject matter.  Orenda’s favorite artists include Peter Max, Michael Parkes, Steven Power, Maxfield Parrish, Kandinsky and Egon Schiele.

Born and raised in New York City, Orenda graduated from Manhattan’s prestigious Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and the Arts.  She moved to Seattle in the mid-1980’s and majored in Graphic Design at Art Institute of Seattle, then attended Highline Community College, majoring in Interior Design.  Since then she has displayed her work at a solo exhibit at Crossroads Community Center in Bellevue, and various local shows including the Renton River Days Annual Art Show and Arts Unlimited Art Galleries.  Orenda has served on the Arts Unlimited Board in 2007 as well, but currently concentrates time on a new series of paintings that include quotes & self-portrait photography.  More information about Orenda and her work can be seen at www.orendaayashe.com.

Robin Jordan 

Robin is a self-taught artist who’s passion for art has been with her since she was a young girl. Experimenting with a variety of materials and mediums, she eventually tried her hand with acrylics and has never looked back. Robin finds endless inspiration in the women that are her friends and family, and from the stories of other women whom she meets. Her bold and brilliant pieces reflect the wonder and respect she has for these strong women who’ve made a positive impression on her life. Through movement and color, each piece tells a story about the different personalities of these women. Although Robin finds inspiration in the relationships of those who are close to her, the faces of her figures are intentionally left blank in order to represent the strength, unity and beauty found in all women.

Hailing originally from Denver, Colorado, she has been living in Seattle since 1980.  Robin’s work has been published in The Women Forum at the Seattle Central Community College.  She has participated in numerous festivals and art shows throughout the Northwest, including the NW African American Artist show. Robin is very active in the arts community, involved with the Monroe Arts Commission, Arts Unlimited and the Festival Sundiata.

Iain Mangum and Hannah Timmen

Hannah and Iain both became interested in photography though a class sponsored by the H.O.M.E. program in Renton, taught by acclaimed photographer and former director of Women in Photography International, Nancy Clendaniel.

Hannah is a 15-year old student, residing in Renton. Her primary interest is in black and white, urban photography, and has recently been experimenting with a Holga; exploring the vignetting, light streaks, blurs and other distortions that are inherent to this camera. In addition to photography, Hannah is an accomplished musician; adept with both acoustic and electric guitar, and the mandolin. She is a longtime member of the Girl Scouts in Renton, and has just earned her silver award along with her troop for hosting the first teen camp for girls, by girls, in the Renton Hills service unit.

Iain is a 12-year old middle school student, residing in Renton. He developed his interest in photography after receiving a digital camera as a Christmas gift. Iain has a deep love of the arts, particularly drawing and painting. This appreciation is evident in his photography, as he approaches his work with a painterly eye for color, form and composition. Iain’s other interests include pottery, cooking and reading, the Harry Potter novels being a recent favorite. He currently shares his home with his mother, father, older brother and assorted dogs, fish, tadpoles and one very large frog.

Louis Anderson

  

This Sumi-style watercolor series is inspired by the many afternoons spent observing the play of color and light on a friend’s backyard pond. Louis captures the essence of the subject matter; absorbing through his eyes and fingers, and placing what he sees and feels down on paper. The resulting pieces are vivid, fluid neo-expressionist works that delight the eye.

Louis has been a local favorite for forty years. He received his BA in Painting from the University of Washington, and his MFA in Painting from the Cranbrook Academy of Art. His work has been displayed all over western Washington, including the Seattle Art Museum, the Henry Gallery, the Bellevue Art Museum and the Tacoma Art Museum. Louis’s work can also be seen at many of the popular regional Arts Festivals, and can be found on permanent display at the Windermere Office in Bellevue.

Joey Katzer

The overwhelming impulse to question is the driving force behind Joey Katzer’s work. She inquires into the nature of truth, irony, cliché, and humor while investigating social inadequacies. Working predominantly in the medium of printmaking, Joey brings the audience on a journey of misconceptions and glimmers of false hope through visual narrative.

Joey Katzer is a life-long Washington State resident. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Cornish College of the Arts, receiving her B.F.A. in 2000 with a concentration in printmaking, drawing, and photography. She obtained her M.A.E. from Pacific Lutheran University in 2005. Joey has exhibited in many art shows and galleries throughout the United States. Public collections include The City of Renton, Renton School District, and The City of Kent’s Portable Works Collection.

Richard Jahn

Inspired by the work of the Dutch masters, Richard felt compelled to picked up the brush and try his hand at painting somewhere back in the 80's. He was particularly impressed with the ancient Dutch artists like Vermeer and Van Gogh; his favorite artist of all being Peter Brughal. Not knowing what the future would hold, Richard has since garnered numerous awards and is now widely known throughout the region. As a local favorite, he is a regular contributor to the Renton River Days Art Show, which remains the primary outlet for his work.

Helga Jaques

Helga Jaques is a native of Austria.  As a young woman, she left her Austrian homeland to study graphic arts in Lausanne, Switzerland.  In 1966, she relocated to the United States, continuing her studies with such noted watercolorists as Barbara Nechis, Caroline Buchanan, and Chuck Webster.

She is drawn to the world of nature, to its moody interplay of light and texture.  Her style communicates this constant shifting of form by harnessing the loose beauty of expressionism, and riding it with the unflinching hand of the illustrator.

In her pastoral landscapes, her vibrant, yet muted palette captures the Northwest’s curious combination of darkness and verdancy.  In her urban settings, the complex and abstract intersection of Man and Nature produces an evocative cityscape that provides an intriguing emotional counterpoint to her serene depictions of the countryside.

Twice a year in spring and fall, she returns to her ancestral home, rekindling her connection with her native country.  The memories of these travels are reflected in her many paintings of ancient houses, castles, and villages, all rendered with a clear-eyed nostalgia that speaks to the bones.

Helga’s work appears in several Pacific Northwest fine-arts galleries.  Her paintings have received numerous jury and public awards.  She offers workshops for various art groups and curated the exhibition “Celebrating European Art”, which brought together a number of European expatriate artists living in the Pacific Northwest.

She won the city of Renton “Riverdays” poster contest in 2001 and 2004.  Her paintings of a mountain scene is featured on the cover of the popular cookbook “ Treasured Recipes of the Austria Club”.

Helga Jaques is a member of E.F.A, R.C.A and is a signature member of the Northwest Watercolor Society.

Gretchen Hancock

Gretchen Hancock is originally from the Midwest and accounts for her love of light from the big skies of the prairies.  She moved to Kodiak, Alaska for eleven years and finally settled on Vashon Island nearly twenty years ago.  She has been painting in watercolor and acrylic for most of that time, but has recently started painting in oils.  She has won awards for her paintings in both regional and national shows.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

I am fascinated by light in the landscape.  I stop in my tracks when I see the sun peeking from behind a cloud, or a dazzling reflection with sparkling light, or sunlight filtering through the trees.  Light can transform an ordinary scene into a scene of drama and power.  I paint to capture that transformation, and if I am successful, the viewer will also feel that excitement.

RECENT ACTIVITIES & AWARDS

2006

• December-Solo painting show at Blue Heron Gallery, Vashon
• October- Women Painters of Washington Annual Membership Show Kirsten Gallery Seattle (*West Seattle Art Club Award)
• October- American Plains Artists Show at Great Plains Art Museum in Lincoln, NE(*Award of Excellence)
• September - Plein Air Show at the Hardware Store Gallery Vashon, WA (Juror)
• August -Two-Person Show at Artique Gallery, Anchorage AK
• July - Renton Annual River Days Art Show (*Juror’s Award)
• June - Blue Heron Gallery Vashon, WA Group Show
• May - Barnworks Spring Art Show Vashon, WA Group Show

2005

• December & May - Barnworks  Art Tour Shows Vashon, WA
• November - Solo Show The Hardware Store Gallery, Vashon, WA
• August - Plein Air Show at the Hardware Store Gallery, Vashon WA (*Best of Show)
• August - Canterbury Arts Festival, Fine Art Exhibit, Kent, WA
• August - Kenmore Art Show, Kenmore, WA (*Honorable Mention)
• August - Northwest Pastel Society Juried Show, Kirsten Gallery, Seattle, WA  (*Holbein Art Materials Award)
• July - Puget Sound Country35th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Seattle, WA
• January - Lexington Art League The Nude International 2005 Lexington, KY
• January - Solo Show at Vashon Country Club, Vashon, WA

Location and Hours

Carco Theater, adjacent to the Renton Community Center, is located at 1717 Maple Valley Highway at the intersection of I-405 and Maple Valley Highway. Theater hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with additional viewing on show nights. Please contact the theatre for show times at 425.430.6706.