Grant Gallery mixes it up

William Grant Gallery and Framing, tucked into a neighborhood strip mall on Francis Avenue, has been hosting monthly art shows since the autumn of 2002.

“We felt it was important to give our local artists a location on the north side of Spokane to display their original artwork,” says gallery owner Charlie Hinton.

About a year ago, the gallery started tweaking its modus operandi by pairing both seasoned and emerging artists in the same show.

“We like to mix the shows up a little and not have the same predictable rotation of artists,” says gallery manager Jan Juday. “It seems to be working really well. People say it’s nice to come in here because we are an intimate gallery and always have something different on display.”

Through July 11 the gallery is showcasing the work of four diverse artists: Juday, her daughter, Janna Juday, and Carlene Schwab, all of Deer Park; and Patricia Garibay from Coeur d’Alene.

Garibay has been working with glass in one form or another for more than 35 years, from making precision scientific apparatus to blowing “glowing” sculptural art pieces.

Schwab, in her first Spokane event, is showing regional landscapes, seascapes and portraits in rich oil pastels and transparent watercolors.

Janna Juday is displaying jewelry and eight photographs printed on highly textured watercolor paper. There are images of florals, Hawaiian volcanoes and Senegal (Africa) landscapes.

The show is rounded out with delicate silk paintings and mixed media pieces by Jan Juday.

“My work is strongly influenced by the six years I lived in Japan,” she says. “There is a definite Asian twist to my art.”

The gallery, 820 W. Francis Ave., is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

Trejo at Tinman

Ruben Trejo, since retiring a few years back from teaching art full time at Eastern Washington University, has poured a major part of his energy into producing new work.

The prolific Spokane artist continues his string of recent exhibits with a show opening Friday at the Tinman Gallery in the Garland District.

In addition to new drawings, Trejo is showing a series of sculptures that combine painted and carved wood with found objects.

“Ruben is constantly exploring and playing with meanings and values that a culture will assign to symbols and objects,” said gallery owner Sue Bradley in a news release.

In one sculpture, “Retablo,” he “surrounds an assemblage of metal and wires that might possibly be a headless person with lilies, associated both with death and rebirth,” Bradley said. “The metal figure has ‘branches’ growing out of its iron and lifeless ‘limbs.’ ”

Bradley continued: “Ruben wants us to examine our cultural preconceptions and think of new connections with other human beings.”

Trejo’s idiosyncratic mixed-media pieces have crisscrossed the Americas in traveling exhibitions. His work has been seen in cities ranging from Yakima to New York City, and in other countries from Canada to Chile.

His sculptural works are in public collections such as the Smithsonian American Art Museum, National Hispanic Cultural Center and Dongguk University in Seoul, Korea.

An opening artist’s reception is Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. with live music. The works are up through July 23 in the gallery, 811 W. Garland Ave.

Hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call (509) 325-1500 with questions or go to www.tinmanartworks.com.

Moses Lake fiber arts festival

There are a number of events taking place during the Moses Lake Fiber Arts and Quilt Festival running through July 22.

Today there is an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. for “A Contemporary Art Quilt Exhibition” at the Moses Lake Museum Art Center, 228 W. Third Ave.

The exhibit celebrates the work of seven studio artists who have adapted the quilt as their art form. The Washington artists are Janet Steadman of Clinton, Erika Carter and Gayle Bryan of Bellevue, Janet Kurjan of Lake Forest Park, Gretchen Echols and Karen Soma of Seattle, and Pat Hedwell of Lacey.

Admission is free for both the reception and the exhibition. For information call the museum at (509) 766-9395.

This weekend there is a Basin Peacemakers Quilt Show at the Moses Lake High School Commons, 803 E. Sharon Ave. Hours are Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $2. Call (509) 765-8725 for additional information.

Entrée Gallery in Priest Lake

Sandy Elkins is demonstrating her bead jewelry making at the Entree Gallery on Saturday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

While there, check out the gallery’s annual “Outdoor Odyssey” featuring functional and visual ornamentation for the yard and garden.

The gallery displays the work of more than 100 Northwest artists and crafters. Open daily, it is on Reeder Bay Road, two miles east of Nordman near Elkins Resort. For information go to www.entreegallery.com or call (208) 443-2001.

Hocking’s ‘hearts’ at Joel

With Joel Inc. permanently closing its doors this summer, glass blower Marci Hocking is having one final Trunk Show on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This will be last chance to grab one of Hocking’s signature heart paperweights.

“I make them in all colors,” she says. “I’ll be there to do special inscriptions for people.”

Joel is located at 165 S. Post St.

River Ridge at The Met

The River Ridge Association of Fine Arts is displaying a variety of pastel, oil and watercolor paintings by eight artists in The Met Gallery.

The exhibit is up through June. The work is available for free public viewing Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the theater lobby, 901 W. Sprague Ave., and to ticketholders during performances.

Other galleries

• The watercolors of Sandie Key are hanging in the Parlor Gallery at the Paulsen House, 245 E. 13th Ave. An artist’s reception is Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. The work is up through July 11.

• Nancy J. Knight is showing her watercolors through June 29 at the Cutter Gallery, 302 Park Ave., Metaline Falls, Wash.

• The abstract oil paintings of Tobe Harvey are lining the walls of Constant Creations Tattoo and Art Gallery, 524 W. First Ave., during June.

• The ceramic works of Tirlby Gastafson are on display through June 30 at the Spokane Potters’ Guild, 1404 N. Fiske St.

• Mark Brown’s paintings and Breg Buillet’s bee’s nest sculptures are up through June 30 at the Cottage Gallery, 1520 E. Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene.

• Caterina Gallery, 905 N. Washington St., is showing paintings by Meredith Dement through June.

• The “Summer Art Show” is up at Liquid Life Gallery, 242 W. Sprague Ave., through Aug. 15, with mixed artworks by Steven Brown, Art ‘Slim’ Jacobs, Kelsey Parker and Jerry Phillips.

• Spokane artist Steve Belzman’s pastel paintings and woodcut prints are in the spotlight on the walls of the Global Downtown Center at Riverside and Post through July.