Art shows brighten winter days

Art shows brighten winter days

by Rajkhet Dirzhud-Rashid - SGN A&E Writer For two days now - at least in the early part of this week - there have been blue skies and sunshine. Can spring, with all of its abundant color and lovely noise, be far behind? Well, this is Seattle, so maybe so, but even if spring is another few months away, you can still delight your eyes with color and a little culture by checking out these art shows. First, do wander into that new gallery/bar located next to Purr (11th and Pine) called Grey. There you can see a wide variety of works from artist Laura C. Wright, as well as works by other local artists. These are provocative, thought-provoking pieces using some of the most interesting ingredients I've even seen (one piece uses boxing gloves made from a leather jacket), and all of them make the viewer want to linger longer. You can do that, since Grey also serves cocktails at their bar, and I believe coffee and snacks. Open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. or by appointment at 206-325-5204, or online at info@greygalleryandlounge.com. If you're still hungry for some art, do check out the whimsical and bold art by Spike Mafford at Fox Grill (6th and Pike), around the corner from Niketown. Moody, yet colorful, these works hang over booths in the restaurant, so you might want to order something so you're not looking over folks' shoulders & or at least be polite about the looking if you don't. Finally, if you're willing to take a trip off the Hill, then cruise on down to Georgtown, where you can check out a number of exhibits, including the one by Ellen Forney called "Lust," which is at Fantagraphics Bookstore and Gallery (1201 S. Vale Street at Airport Way South). There's also art at a few other galleries in the area, so grab some food or java at one of the local eatery/cafés and stick around to see more art. Also, don't forget that the annual Seattle Erotic Arts Festival is coming up, and will be perfect time to see some more edgy art from local artists. For more info, go to seattleerotic.org, or call 206-888-0420. So go out there and see some art!