ArtSEA: The streets are alive with the sights of Seattle Art Fair

Look for local ceramic artist Emily Counts’ Sea of Nectars (courtesy of local gallery studio e), a pageant of large-scale figures with a curious distribution of facial features. Back in 2023, I wrote about previous Counts exhibit Sea of Vapors (at Museum of Museums) and I expect a similarly entrancing mix of pastel-glazed women who embrace aging, power, humor, connection and a funky sense of style.

Artist talks abound at the Fair, and cover topics such as: New Artists/New Collectors, with local artists Joe Rudko and Julie Alpert; Everything’s a Little Bit Wild, a discussion of how climate change is portrayed in art with local writer Jon Mooallem and artist Meghann Riepenhoff; and a signing with iconic grunge-music photographer Charles Peterson, whose new book Nirvana captures moments from the band’s glory days.

There is so much Seattle Art Fair stuff happening I’m afraid I’ve only scratched the surface! Check out the long list of participating galleries, or just show up and see what weird and wonderful works you stumble upon. 

Many booths will be decked out in high style — some with interactive options. For example: If you have unwanted pairs of jeans lying around, bring them to the Method Gallery booth (D13), where Seattle artist Megan Prince will rip them to shreds and weave them into large-scale “jean bodies” on site. 

Across the city, you’ll find related events: Urban Garage, a celebration of Tashiro Kaplan building artists in Pioneer Square; the Summer Artists Market, featuring ceramicists from Pottery Northwest; Bellevue Arts Museum’s annual BAM Arts Fair; and brand-new players like Actualize AIR, a warren of artist studios housed in the old Downtown Banana Republic building (née Coliseum Theater), which is having its first open house.

Whether you choose to nibble at a single event or gorge on as many as possible, the main thing is to get out there and sample the rich buffet of art our city has laid out before us.