Tag Archives: meet the artist

Meet the Capitol Hill artist | Painter Elinore Bucholtz is finding her destiny in art inside a Broadway salon

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(Image: Todd Matthews)

Meet the Capitol Hill Artist is an occasional series on CHS documenting the lives of the neighborhood’s artists and the creators behind the neighborhood’s galleries and arts venues

Call it kismet. Earlier this year, 85-year-old painter and Capitol Hill resident Elinore Bucholtz treated herself to a shampoo at a Broadway salon and noticed art on the walls. She asked the owner, Heather Caldwell, if she might consider hanging her abstract paintings. Caldwell liked what she saw, and, last month, Bucholtz hung 10 of her bright and colorful paintings at Capitol Hill’s Kismet Salon & Spa.

“She told me she liked changing things out and wanted to put my work up,” said Bucholtz during a recent interview at the salon. “Really, she gave me the opportunity.”

It’s hardly the first time Bucholtz has displayed her art in the neighborhood. Her work has been shown at Chophouse Row, Starbucks on Olive Way, Ada’s Discovery CafĂ©, and Roy Street Coffee & Tea—all during Capitol Hill Art Walk. She’s had solo shows at Joe Bar, CafĂ© Ladro in Edmonds, Fresh Flours Bakery on Beacon Hill, and Equinox Gallery in Georgetown. Not bad for someone who moved to Seattle in 2017 and only started to paint at age 56. “I never dreamed of doing art before then,” she said. “I couldn’t draw anything when I was young. I didn’t even doodle.” Continue reading →

Meet the Capitol Hill artist | Emelia Black is sewing together community and sustainability at Summit Selvage

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(Images: Ananya Mishra/CHS)

Meet the Capitol Hill Artist is an occasional series on CHS documenting the lives of the artists behind the neighborhood’s galleries and arts venues.

By Ananya Mishra

As a middle schooler, Emelia Black would use her Project Runway-themed sewing machine to turn old bedsheets into experimental garments.

She grew up in a family that taught her the importance of repurposing items that would otherwise be thrown away. Her father and grandfather would eagerly take her to thrift shops in Snohomish County, hoping to find interesting repair projects. Today, thrift stores are still a primary source of unique fabric for Black. She has been able to transform them into one-of-a-kind pieces, including a jacket made out of fringe blankets, and several tote bags that are made out of tapestries.

After she graduated college, Black started a corporate job as a Product Designer. She designed and prototyped fire-resistant garments and other protective equipment. The job didn’t have a sewing component to it, so she continued to work on other upcycled projects on the side. Eventually, she quit her job to open up Summit Selvage, a business that combines her passions for sewing, community, and sustainability. Continue reading →

Meet the Capitol Hill artist | Nina Raizel is using laser welders and and the largest microscope you’ve ever seen to make jewelry with the Six of Pikes collective

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Meet the Capitol Hill Artist is an occasional series on CHS documenting the lives of the artists behind the neighborhood’s galleries and arts venues.

By Ananya Mishra

When I arrived at Nina Raizel’s studio, I was surprised by how much her workspace reminded me of a science lab. I saw laser welders, a variety of chemicals, and one of the largest microscopes that I had seen in a while. Handmade jewelry requires a lot of intricacy.

Nina graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in Jewelry and Metalsmithing. Now as a self-employed jeweler, she makes custom pieces, repairs broken jewelry, and does contract work for other organizations. It’s also important for her to be involved in the local community. She’s a volunteer at the Seattle Metals Guild and is a member of the Six of Pikes artist collective in Capitol Hill. Continue reading →

Meet the Capitol Hill Artist | BT is recovering their art and teaching at Vivid Matter Collective and Blue Cone Studios

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(Images: Ananya Mishra)

(Image: @artbreakerbt)

Meet the Capitol Hill Artist is an occasional series on CHS documenting the lives of the artists behind the neighborhood’s galleries and arts venues.

By Ananya Mishra

“I was technically a professional artist since I was 14 or 15. I was getting paid for doing portraits and designing t-shirts
 someone also stole my painting while I was in high school. [It was] super bittersweet.”

If you have walked past the Black Lives Matter street mural, then you have already seen BT’s (they / she) artwork. They are responsible for the “A” in “Matter” and worked with other Black and Brown artists to complete the entire mural in under 24 hours. Many of these artists met each other the day of the project. Now, they’re part of an artist collective co-founded by BT called Vivid Matter Collective.

BT’s paintings are surreal and depict a range of topics. Some of their work will show the good and bad sides of the human experience, while others are a nod to favorite childhood movies. Continue reading →

Meet the Capitol Hill Artist | Gabe Virgen and Rain Ceramics are making ‘cry pots’ on 10th Ave

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(Images: Ananya Mishra)

Meet the Capitol Hill Artist is an occasional series on CHS documenting the lives of the artists behind the neighborhood’s galleries and arts venues.

By Ananya Mishra

“I’m here where I am now because of clay and clay is just dirt. It’s crazy to think about that.”

Gabe Virgen works 12 to 13 hours a day at his Capitol Hill business, Rain Ceramics. He is able to successfully live off of his passion by selling his ceramics, teaching pottery classes, and maintaining a studio for independent artists to work out of. As a solo entrepreneur, he is responsible for every aspect of the business, whether that’s reclaiming (recycling) clay, managing social media accounts, or cleaning up at the end of the day.

When he was younger, Gabe envisioned that he would work a salaried job with benefits. His parents immigrated to Olympia from Mexico in the 90s and often faced financial difficulties while he was growing up. Continue reading →

Meet the Capitol Hill Artist | Juliet Fiss creates a Lush Computation with details precisely placed

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(Images: Ananya Mishra/CHS)

By Ananya Mishra

Juliet Fiss discovered her love of painting while on a medical leave of absence from her Computer Science Ph.D program at the University of Washington. What sets her apart is her ability to merge her passion for mathematics and computer science into her art. Every symbol within her paintings has a numerical meaning behind it, whether it is to represent prime and composite numbers within an ordered sequence, or a step within a complex algorithm. Juliet has since completed her Ph.D and is now working as a full-time artist.

Juliet spends a lot of time doing data analysis to make sure that her work is as mathematically accurate as possible. Every detail within her paintings is precise and intentionally placed. Continue reading →

Meet the Capitol Hill Artist | Kalina Winska is experimenting with the weather

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(Image: Ananya Mishra/CHS)

By Ananya Mishra

“A lot of things happen in the [artistic] process that are unpredictable, and I like to respond to those situations and find a way for it to work. That’s what excites me.”

Kalina Winska is an artist who grew up in Poland and has been living in Seattle for three years. Earlier this year, she moved her studio from Georgetown to Capitol Hill because she loved the energy and vibrancy of this neighborhood.

Her work is inspired by her concern for climate change and her fascination with digital weather maps. Kalina’s paintings are vibrant and play with juxtapositions.There are layers of contrasting colors, hard lines, and softer brushstrokes. Continue reading →

Meet the Capitol Hill Artist | Steve Jensen is taking a voyage through grief

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(Image: Ananya Mishra)

By Ananya Mishra

Steve Jensen has been working out of his Capitol Hill studio for over 37 years. He is the son of Norwegian immigrants and he comes from a family made up of fishermen and boat builders. At first glance, it’s apparent that his artwork is inspired by Scandinavian culture, Viking boats, and other nautical elements. Beneath the surface however, is a story on how a person can take something incredibly painful and transform it into something beautiful and healing.

“My best friend asked me to build a carved boat for his ashes when he died. One month later, he died of AIDS.” Steve built wooden boats for the ashes of his best friend, both of his parents, as well as a former long-term partner. These boats were then buried at sea. To him, this is a modern take on a Viking funeral. He has since received multiple requests to build more funeral boats. Continue reading →