EVERETT — It’s the Schack’s biggest gig to date, and you have just four days left to see it.
The Chuck Close exhibit closes Labor Day.
During the past three-plus months, Chuck Close Prints: Process &Collaboration at the Schack Art Center has brought thousands of people to Everett to see prints by the internationally renowned artist.
The best part about it all has been the celebration of the artist in his hometown. Close was born in Monroe in 1940 and grew up in Everett. Despite his learning disabilities, he graduated from Everett High School, Everett Community College and the University of Washington. Then he moved to New York and never really looked back.
His visit to Everett included a reception at the Schack in May that was attended by many of his old friends and even his 103-year-old EvCC art prof Russell Day.
It was a delightful party, and even Close himself seemed impressed with the exhibition.
If you haven’t seen the show, or if you haven’t seen it at least twice, go this weekend.
You might know Close from his huge realistic portraits painted on grids from photos he takes. The exhibit of nearly 90 large-scale prints and working proofs surveys the artist’s groundbreaking innovations in a range of printmaking media, including etching, aquatint, lithography, handmade paper, silkscreen, traditional Japanese woodcut and reduction linocut.
Exhibition curator Terrie Sultan chose work that shows Close’s commitment to his partnerships with print studios. In some cases, Close and the master printmakers worked nearly two years on the completion of a print.
The exhibit helps visitors visualize Close’s creative and technical process through the display of progressive proofs, matrices, woodcut blocks and etching plates that illustrate the steps involved in making a print.
About 16,000 people have visited the Schack since the exhibit opened in May, said Maren Oates of the center’s staff.
Of those, 85 percent live outside of Everett and 62 percent from outside Snohomish County. About 70 percent of those who had a look-see were first-time visitors to the Schack.
Visitors included people from 27 of the state’s 39 counties; those from 40 other states — including Hawaii and Alaska; and people from 15 different countries, all who made the trip to see work by Close.
Betty Hawes, a visitor from British Columbia, gave the Schack a glowing review on Facebook.
“Chuck Close: What an exciting and informative exhibit. Always enjoyed the finished product but gaining some understanding of the various processes provides an infinitely enhanced appreciation,” Hawes wrote. “Drove down from Vancouver with a friend yesterday and we are both still buzzing. Thank you Schack Art Centre for a truly thrilling art experience.”
Perhaps the most important visitors were the many students who came to the Schack on school field trips.
Schack education director Nancy Bell said several teachers shared stories about students who were inspired by Close, and in particular children who weren’t performing well in class. The kids also had seen a video-taped interview with Close in which he shares his attitudes about reaching for dreams and learning in one’s own way.
Schack executive director Judy Tuohy said it has been difficult to put into words how important the exhibit has been for the art center.
“I remember walking into the building for the first time after we started unpacking the artwork and being completely mesmerized. In some ways we’ve gotten used to it these past few months, but I’m still awestruck every day I walk upstairs to my office,” said Tuohy, who visited Close at his home in New York to ask him to bring his work to the Schack.
“And the reaction from people everywhere has been amazing. The new visitors discovering the Schack and their response to the exhibit and our facility has been phenomenal,” Tuohy said. “We hoped this would be the case, but it still feels like more than we could have imagined.”
If you go
Chuck Close Prints: Process &Collaboration
Admission is $10, with discounts for students, seniors and Schack members.
Schack Art Center, 2921 Hoyt Ave., Everett
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 10 to 5 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
Last day is Labor Day, Sept. 5, from noon to 5 p.m.
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