The flying pigs are back!
Jack Gunter’s monumental series of paintings, “The Truth Behind the Denny Regrade,” arrives today at Ideas, Gunter’s new gallery at the Stanwood Village Cinema complex. The 12 original works rendered in egg tempera range from 9 feet to 4 feet in height and depict the evolution of Sus Essex Aviatrix, Gunter’s name for the flying pig.
The site of the amphibious explorer’s transformation to full-fledged flyer is Denny Hill, which was removed and sluiced into Elliott Bay by overzealous Seattle city leaders at the turn of the 19th century.
The first showing of the paintings was at the 1989 Bumbershoot Art Festival at Seattle Center, ironically located where Denny Hill once stood. Gunter created the work specifically for the festival.
Now, after 20 years in storage, the restored and reframed paintings will span an 80-foot wall at the new gallery, located across the plaza of the theater complex, which has displayed his mural of Stanwood life since 1998.
Also on display at the gallery will be a first showing of a new art form, employing magical glasses for a 3D glow-in-the-dark world recently created by Gunter, as well as original work by Camano Island artist Karla Matzke, and three new paintings by Susan Cohen-Thompson.
A reception for the artists will be from noon to 1 p.m. today at the gallery, 6996 265th St. NW, Stanwood.
Ideas Gallery hours are noon to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays; 360-629-0316.
Mukilteo exhibit: An open house and art exhibit is from 1 to 4 p.m. today and Saturday at Mukilteo Art Academy and Gene Nastri Community School of Arts. Both organizations are located at the Rosehill Community Center, 304 Lincoln Ave., Mukilteo.
Art by students, faculty, and the community-at-large will be featured. Free art activities and complimentary refreshments are available.
The Mukilteo Art Academy is a classically based art school for students 6 years to adult. The program is based on a curriculum of five levels that incorporates drawing, painting and composition, including three-dimensional exercises in a variety of media. Lead instructor Olexandra Pryveda and her assistant, JR Mitchell, will be on hand to discuss descriptions and examples of all curriculum levels.
Carol Harkins will display her art collection, works by local artists that she collected during the six years she organized the Mukilteo Festival Art Show, and three years running the gallery at the Point Elliott Art Center. The collection includes works by Mary Anderson, Joan Grout, Susan Russell, Valentin Filin, Shawn Southwick, Cam Elder, Alexander Kargopoltsev and others. The art will be on display in the studios of the Gene Nastri School, where visitors will find information about music teachers and upcoming classes.
For more information, call 425-308-5503 or see www.mukilteoart.org and www.genenastrischool.org.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
