Send listings two weeks in advance to visualarts@seattleweekly.com.

Lectures and Events

Anacortes Arts Festival An outdoor extravaganza of live music (including local jazz combo Pearl Django), a juried visual art exhibit, craft demonstrations (live blacksmithing, glassblowing, and such), plus all sorts of art-making activities for the kiddies (including a chance to make prints with dead fish!). 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Fri. Aug. 5-Sat. Aug. 6; 10 a.m.- 5 pm. Sun. Aug. 7. Commercial Ave. (downtown Anacortes), free, 360-293-6211.

Benefit Art Auction: Books To Prisoners A gala auction of art by both prisoners and “free world” artists, all to support the nonprofit Books to Prisoners program. Featured artists include Oaxaca’s Fulgencio Lazo and New York illustrator and artist Nina Frenkel, plus 30 other local and national artists. Visitors are encouraged to bring new and used dictionaries for donation. 6-9 p.m. Sat. Aug. 6 (during Ballard Art Walk). Sev Shoon Arts Center, 2862 N.W. Market St., free, 206-782-2415.

Ghost in the Machine An all-night fund-raiser for The Machine, a huge mechanical sculpture that will be the centerpiece of the shenanigans at this year’s Burning Man festival. DJs, live hip-hop, belly dancing, assorted fire-related antics, and a screening of the film Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock are all part of the festivities.7 p.m. Sat. Aug. 6. Consolidated Works, 500 Boren Ave. N., $10-$20 (ages 21+ only), 206-860-5245.

Rude Mechanicals Lecture: Art Meets Machine Dorkbot artists beam down for an evening at SAM. In this wildly entertaining annual project, staged earlier this year at CoCA, artists make use of assorted mechanical, robotic, and electronic technologies. The evening’s presentation features talks by four Dorkbot artists: Jack Dollhausen, Karen Marcelo, Peter Reiquam, and Kal Spelletich. Visitors will also have a chance to see a mockup of The Machine, a huge mechanical installation that will be the centerpiece of this year’s Burning Man festival in the Black Rock desert of Nevada. 7 p.m. Wed. Aug. 3. Seattle Art Museum, 100 University St., $5 suggested donation, 206-654-3100.

First Thursday

Art Patch Get in touch with your dearly departed Aunt Edna with the help of Diana Falchuk’s oversized Ouija board installation, which stops here before being installed in several other locations throughout the city. Reception: 6-10 p.m. 306 S. Washington St. (#102), 206-666-2603.

Artist-Led Tour: West Edge Sculptural Invitational Several artists participating in the West Edge sculpture project at Harbor Steps lead visitors though the exhibit. Tours begin at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. Harbor Steps, Third Avenue and Western Avenue, 206-334-5040.

Benham “Beyond the Landscape,” nearly abstract photographs of the outdoors by resident artists Bruce Barnbaum and Phyllis Uitti-Maslin. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 216 First Ave., 206-622-2480. 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Wed.-Sat.

Cafe Paloma Photographs of travels in Croatia by Sam Evich. Half the proceeds from this show will be donated to cancer research. Reception: 5:30-7 p.m. 93 Yesler Way, 206-405-1920. 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Wed.; 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.

Collins Pub “Chinatown: Red Series,” photos of Seattle’s International District by Damian Lix. Reception: 6-9 p.m. 526 Second Ave., 206-623-1016. 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m. daily.

Davidson New, intensely colored abstract stripe paintings by Matthew Landkammer. Plus, “The Personal Politic,” innovative and satiric prints by three contemporary artists: Kurt Kemp (California) Michael Krueger (Kansas), and Jenny Schmid (Minnesota). Reception: 6-8 p.m. 313 Occidental Ave. S., 206-624-7684. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Foster/White Glass baubles in primary colors by California artist Elin Christopherson. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 123 S. Jackson St., 206-622-2833. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Gallery 4 Culture Watercolors, prints, and drawings by Bay Area artist William T. Wiley. Raised in Richland, Wash., Wiley has been a part of the counterculture art movement since the ’60s, offering surreal and politically charged illustrations, many deeply coded with layers of allusion and symbols. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 506 Second Ave., Suite 200 (Smith Tower), 206-296-7580. 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon-Fri.

Gallery 110 “Women I Know in Their Underwear” offers not-quite-nude paintings by Pam BergLundh, plus abstract collage in various media by Elizabeth Halfacre. Reception: 4-8 p.m. 110 S. Washington St., 206-624-9336. Noon-5 p.m. Wed.-Sat.

Garde Rail This is an intriguing idea: Gallery artist Kevin Titzer guest curates a show of art inspired by the music of They Might Be Giants. The show brings in over a dozen new artists, which is a relief, as it’s been a while since Garde Rail has had any new artists’ work on display. Reception: 110 Third Ave. S., 206-621-1055. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.

Kobo at Higo “Scenes of Japan,” Kiyoshi Toda’s photographs exploring the culture of his native Japan upon returning after living many years elsewhere. 602-608 S. Jackson St., 206-381-3000. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Lisa Harris Boldly colored abstract paintings with an intuitive sense of form and balance by Seattle’s Victoria Johnson, plus narrative collages by Iren Mahler. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 1922 Pike Pl., 206-443-3315. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sun.

The Lusty Lady Krysztof Nemeth’s pin-up illustrations of naughty girls and dominatrixes. Reception: 6-8 p.m. 1315 First Ave., 206-622-2120. Open 24 hours.

SOIL “Girls Growing,” a group show curated by Jess Van Nostrand, offers up works that rip apart all the clichés about the transition from girlhood to womanhood. Featured artists include Barbara Wijnveld and Margi Geerlinks (Netherlands), Jenny Zwick (Seattle), Kipling West (Calgary), and Ginny Ivanicki (Vancouver). Reception: 5-8 p.m. 112 Third Ave. S., 206-264-8061. Noon-5 p.m. Thurs.-Sun.

Shift Studio Textile sculptures by Sheila Klein and ephemeral mosaics made from bits of tobacco, eyeliner, pollen, seeds, and other delicate substances, by Bellingham-based artist Jasmine Valandani. Reception: 5-8 p.m. 306 S. Washington St. (#105), 360-650-3436. 4-7 p.m. Wed.-Thurs.; noon-5 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; and by appointment.

The Shop “Sextropolis,” a show of “sexploitation and rock & roll photography” by Victoria Renard. Musical delights provided by DJ Scorpio and a fellow named DJ Fucking in the Streets. Reception: 7-10 p.m. 500 E. Pine St., 206-322-9429. Noon- 7 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Vidya Earth-mothery sculpture in sandstone, marble, and alabaster by local Heather Cole. Reception: 6-9 p.m. (additional reception 4-6 pm. Sat. Aug. 6). 619 Western Ave., second floor, 206-374-6107. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

William Traver Venetian glass artists Davide Salvadore’s variations on the musical instruments, sculpture, and culture of Africa. Reception: 5-8 p.m. 110 Union St., second floor, 206-587-6501. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Other Openings

ArtsWest Ceramic wall sculptures (done in Delft-style blues?) by Julie Lindell, plus black-and-white photos of everyday people and objects by Ron Hammond and Zuzana Sadkova. Reception: 6-8 p.m. Sun. Aug. 7. 4711 California Ave. S.W. (West Seattle), 206-938-0963. Noon-7 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Bluebottle In his second solo show at Bluebottle, painter Charles Glaubitz shows more of his frenetic, politically charged paintings. A child of American and Mexican parents, Glaubitz inhabits the strange and increasingly artistically vibrant cross-border environment of San Diego and Tijuana. Stocked with satanic Mickey Mouse figures, pollution-belching maquiladora factories, masked wrestlers, and heroic children, Glaubitz’s work is a complex vision of the messy march of globalization. Reception: noon-3 p.m. Sun. Aug. 7. (Also, extended hours: 7-10 p.m. Thurs. Aug. 4.) 415 E. Pine St., 206-325-1592. 1-7 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; noon- 6 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Gasworks Gallery An evening of art by unspecified artists in this venue claiming to be “Seattle’s largest new gallery.” Reception: 7-11 p.m. Fri. Aug. 5. 3815 Fourth Ave. N.E., www.gasworksgallery.com.

Priceless Works Well, the folks at Vital 5 Productions and Priceless Works have scored quite a coup: They’re hosting the debut solo show by God. A small sampling of the Supreme Creator’s work (perhaps The Universe, koalas, and Viggo Mortensen are the best known) will be on display. Frankly, though, Yaweh’s new work just doesn’t hold a candle to the early stuff. It’s not clear if the artist will make an appearance during the reception, as the Supreme Being’s been very busy preparing a painful boil for Karl Rove and polishing off the final chapters of Holy Bible II: Electric Boogaloo. Reception: 7-10 p.m. Fri. Aug. 5. 619 N. 35th St., Suite 100, suggested admission: $1, 206-349-9943. Noon-6 p.m. Thurs.-Sun.

Seattle LGBT Community Center “Before and After,” photographic vignettes of Seattle by local artist Amy Abadilla. Reception: 7-9 p.m. Sat. Aug. 6. 1115 E. Pike St., 206-323-5428. 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Sat.; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sun.

Trofeo Technicolor paintings of friends and happy outdoor scenes by local artist Cait Willis. Reception: 6-9 p.m. Fri. Aug. 5. 3601 Woodland Park Ave. N., 206-632-4600.

Last Chance

Kirkland Arts Center Iowa-based artist Tim Dooley’s car-crash of graphic design, cartoon- influenced prints, fake campfire, and appropriated media images. 620 Market St., 425-822-7161. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat. Every third Thurs. open until 8 p.m. Ends Sat. Aug. 6.

Roq La Rue A satiric look at the stereotypes and folk art of the rural South and West, “Big Rock Candy Mountain,” features paintings and drawings by Gary Monroe, Thomas Huck, Jon Langford, Fred Stonehouse, Daniel Martin Diaz, and Ryan Greis. 2316 Second Ave., 206-374-8977. 2-6 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon-4 p.m. Sun. Ends Sat. Aug. 6.

Solomon Fine Art Jeffrey Sarmiento’s “In a Matter of Speaking” offers glass art that’s a refreshing antidote to the decorative banalities of Seattle’s glut of glass. In his first solo show, the work ranges from small to over 5 feet high and incorporates a dense network of halftone screens and text. 215 First Ave., 206-297-1400. 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Ends Fri. Aug. 5.

Galleries

Ballard/Fetherston “Summer Salon,” a sampler of gallery artists, features regulars Deborah Bell, Gary Komarin, and Michael Schultheis, plus additions Carolyn Cole, Melissa Furness, and others. 818 E. Pike St., 206-322-9440. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Crawl Space University of Washington MFA graduate Jason Wood’s new photographs explore the origins of everyday objects we take for granted. 504 E. Denny Way (#1), 206-240-6015. Noon-5 p.m. Sat.-Sun.

Francine Seders For the past several years, local photographer Spike Mafford has been trying to figure out how to bring the aesthetic experience of visual art to both the blind and sighted. The results of his experiments are on display in a new show, “Braille.” Mafford has incorporated tactile elements, including Braille lettering and raised forms, into his printed photos with the goal of discovering how they change after being touched by arts “viewers.” 6701 Greenwood Ave. N., 206-782-0355. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.- Sat.; 1-5 p.m. Sun.

G. Gibson Eight artists taking a peek at nature are part of “You Can’t See the Forest,” a group show of photographs, collage, and mixed-media constructions. Includes a forest collage by Seattle photographer Paul Berger, and lovely skyscapes by Scotland’s Iain Stewart. 300 S. Washington St., 206-587-4033. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.

Greg Kucera New work by Montana artist Deborah Butterfield, who makes clever, larger-than-life sculptures of horses out of found wood. (The wood is lost in the bronze-casting process, leaving an amazingly realistic trace of weathered wood grain.) Other, smaller pieces are made from found scrap metal and copper. 212 Third Ave., 206-624-0770. 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Howard House Local artist Juniper Shuey’s debut solo show, “Mystery in Which We All Participate,” explores notions of perception, the body, and religious transformation through video, installation, and one inflatable sculpture. The most impressive piece is A Thousand More Things Have Gone Right Than Gone Wrong, a projected video of faces emerging from milky liquid, all projected on a table piled with flour. Another installation, You Will Find Yourself Eventually, projects the viewer’s visage on a screen of sprayed water. No doubt this is skilled, virtuoso new-media art, but it all left me feeling a bit cold. The video Revelation of an Unexpected Cooperation, for instance, is clever: Construction workers build a wall in front of a choreographed couple wearing animal masks. But it doesn’t quite transcend that sense of being an overgrown art-school project. 604 Second Ave., 206-256-6399. 10:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Jack Straw New Media Gallery Rene Yung’s installation “Four Dignities” uses fabric screens and quiet audio to encourage viewers to experience the Buddhist concept of mindfulness in four states: sitting, walking, standing, and lying down. 4261 Roosevelt Way N.E., 206-634-0919. 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

Photographic Center Northwest “Focused” presents the results of PCNW’s 10th annual photo contest, this year judged by Mary Virginia Swanson. The results are varied; standouts include Patty Carroll’s uncanny staged tableaux in fabric, and tsunami images from Sri Lanka by Wyatt Gallery. 900 12th Ave., 206-720-7222. Noon-9:30 p.m. Mon.; 9 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Seattle Art Museum Rental/Sales Gallery “Summer Introductions” offers debuts by eight local artists new to SAM’s Rental/Sales Gallery, including Anna Fidler and Stephen Yates. 1220 Third Ave., 206-343-1101. 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat.

Suyama Space In Utah-based artist Paul Stout’s oddly compelling installation “Second Nature,” huge blades of “grass” grow up from assorted Victorian coffee tables. Don’t miss Stout’s virtuoso mechanical bugs under glass in the adjacent space. 2324 Second Ave., 206-256-0809. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri.

West Edge Sculptural Invitational Seattle’s Harbor Steps get a dose of mediocre sculpture for the second summer in a row, including works by locals Ann Morris, Gerard Tsutakawa, Claudia Fitch, and Ross Palmer Beecher. Harbor Steps to Benaroya Hall, between Third and Western avenues at University Street, 206-334-5040.

Western Bridge German artist Daniel Roth’s strange and subtle installation River Styx presents “evidence”—in drawings, sculpture, and photography—of an underground river running west from Seattle, below the Olympic Peninsula, and out to a burial island off the coast. Also on display is Rodney Graham’s clever second look at an old oak tree, Roni Horn’s obsessive 100-photo installation You Are the Weather and a justly famous series of portraits of four sisters taken over a span of 30 years by Nicholas Nixon. And speaking of the River Styx, you’ll feel like you’ve been to hell and back after experiencing Gary Hill’s numbing video Wall Piece, a study in frustration, artistic struggle, and the failure of language. 3412 Fourth Ave. S., 206-838-7444. Noon-6 p.m. Thurs.-Sat.

Winston Wächter The human figure is the theme of “Figuration,” a sampler of work by gallery artists. Most notable is Brian Murphy, whose unsparing self-portraits are studies in dissolution and excess; other work includes James Croak’s sculptures of people from cast dirt; sculpture by Robert Taplin; and paintings by Tony Scherman and Alex Katz. 203 Dexter Ave. N., 206-652-5855, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.

Wright Exhibition Space “Aboriginal Vision” offers selections of contemporary Australian Aboriginal art from the expansive collection of UW international studies professor Margaret Levi and her husband Robert Kaplan. 407 Dexter Ave. N., 206-264-8200. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thurs.-Fri.

Museums

Bellevue Arts Museum BAM is back with a retooled mission as an accessible (read: noncontroversial) place for art, craft, and design. Executive Director Michael Monroe launches the resurrection with “The Artful Teapot,” an impressive but safe collection of 250 teapots-as-sculpture. Albert Paley’s new-Art Nouveau iron work is nice and intricate, kind of like a Chihuly is nice and intricate. (Fans of the Tacoma glassmeister can see one of his newly commissioned works in BAM’s lobby.) And for those who just can’t get enough glass, there’s an exhibit of art and posters from the early days of the Pilchuck Glass School. 510 Bellevue Way N.E., 425-519-0770. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tues.-Sat. (until 9 p.m. Thurs); 11 a.m-5:30 p.m. Sun.

Burke Museum Subhankar Banerjee’s magnificent photos of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge are the result of a two-year tundra expedition. Savor these images, before ExxonMobil and BP bring their “low impact” drilling apparatus to ANWR. Also on display: traditional and contemporary Native American art depicting arctic animals. UW campus, Northeast 45th Street and 17th Avenue Northeast, 206-543-5590. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily (until 8 p.m. Thursdays).

Frye Art Museum “Taking and Making” features recent work by Oliver Herring, the German-born artist whose experiments in photography, video, and sculpture take novel turns, including a life-size self-portrait sculpture made from snapshots. “Spectatorship and Desire: Lust” rehangs some of the Frye’s permanent collection in a salon-style jumble. 704 Terry Ave., 206-622-9250. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.

Henry Art Gallery German-born Seattle artist Trimpin does amazing things combining technological gizmos with more analog stuff like typewriters, player pianos, and other musical instruments. (His best-known work is the immense Roots and Branches sculpture of robotically controlled guitars at EMP.) The next year or so is going to be something of a Trimpin celebration, with local galleries and museums showcasing the artist’s various kinetic sculptures. At the Henry, the wonderfully titled installation Phfftt involves some 200 electronically controlled woodwind instruments. Viewers can play them with a series of dials—or simply listen to one of 12 manic, lighthearted, or sinister works by the composer. Also on display: Do not miss the magnificent Francis Bacon painting Study for a Pope IV on display in its own room. Seattle is lucky to have this picture, on loan from an anonymous West Coast patron. The 1961 work is a late piece in Bacon’s startling series of popes; this one conveys a haunting combination of authority and impotence. The skull-like head seems to shift and shimmer before your eyes, and the feeble hands make the pontiff seem very fallible indeed. Also, “Seeing the Unseen,” a fascinating collection of prints of X-ray, microscopic, time-lapse, and other 19th- and 20th- century photographic novelties. UW campus, 206-543-2280. 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Tues.-Sun; 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Thurs.

Seattle Art Museum “Isamu Noguchi—Sculptural Design” is an unorthodox and splashy exploration of the eclectic 20th-century sculptor-designer. The exhibit is a visual and sonic extravaganza designed by theater experimenter Robert Wilson. Various rooms evoke different themes in Noguchi’s long career: His work in the theater with the likes of Martha Graham takes the shape of a brooding theatrical space; intensely material sculptural works are set in a Zen rock garden complete with several tons of raked gravel. Other rooms suggest Noguchi’s mission to popularize art through mass-produced design. There are moments when the whole project goes over the top: The canned thunder and lightning accompanying a model of a monument to Benjamin Franklin, complete with kite and key, is just a bit much. Still, this is a fascinating look at an artist who managed to span divides between cultures and artistic disciplines. Also on display: “Africa in America” is a varied and complex exploration of slavery, displacement, and ethnic culture as portrayed in African-American art of the late 20th century, including work by James W. Washington Jr., Kara Walker, Ellen Gallagher, Oliver Jackson, and Marita Dingus. 100 University St., 206-654-3100. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun.; 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Thurs.

Tacoma Art Museum Jewelry doesn’t have to make the diamond barons at DeBeers rich. Case in point: “Zero Karat,” a touring collection of jewelry made from such non-precious materials as aluminum and Chinese newspapers. Also on display: “Carving a Legacy,” contemporary interpretations of traditional Native American art by Shaun Peterson, Greg Colfax, Karen Reed, and others. 1701 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253-272-4258. Every third Thursday free and open until 8 p.m. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun.

Wing Luke Asian Museum “Women and Violence” explores domestic violence, sexual abuse, war, trafficking, and the “mail-order bride” phenomenon, specifically focusing on the Asian/Pacific Islander community. 407 Seventh Ave. S., 206-623-5124. 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tues.-Fri.; noon-4 p.m. Sat.-Sun.