BIMA marks five years of awesome art with new Fall/Winter shows

By Luciano Marano • October 20, 2018 11:30 am
Image courtesy of the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art | Alfredo Arreguín’s “Salish Sea,” on display at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art as part of “Life Patterns,” one of the new Fall/Winter exhibitions.
Image courtesy of the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art | Alfredo Arreguín’s “Salish Sea,” on display at the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art as part of “Life Patterns,” one of the new Fall/Winter exhibitions.

Sculptures, paintings, jewelry and books: the mediums and subjects are as diverse as the artists featured in the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art’s new Fall/Winter exhibition lineup.

A continuation of the nonprofit’s fifth anniversary celebration, the new shows officially opened Oct. 13 and will remain on display through Feb. 3.

This slate of shows features works important to BIMA’s past, present, and future, officials said, including a retrospective exhibition of Alfredo Arreguín’s work, entitled “Life Patterns,” and an extended version of “BIMA@5: Selections from the Permanent Collection.”

The fresh seasonal offerings also include the brand new exhibitions “Heikki Seppa: Master Metalsmith,” the group show “Jazz Combo II,” “Kait Rhoads: Bloom,” “Pamela Wachtler: Impressions of Place,” and “Borderland: ARKIR Book Arts Group/Iceland.”

The museum, located at 550 Winslow Way East, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and admission is always free. Visit www.biartmuseum.org to learn more.

BIMA Fall/Winter Exhibitions

Alfredo Arreguín: Life Patterns (Feferman Gallery)

This show marks the culmination of BIMA’s fifth anniversary, as Arreguín’s work was among the first to be included in the Permanent Collection. Originally from Morelia, Mexico, Arreguín has been a fixture in Seattle’s art scene since completing his second degree in art from the University of Washington in 1969. Through the decades his colorful and richly patterned paintings have evolved from reflecting the natural beauty and cultural history of his native Mexico, including his iconic portraits, to embrace scenes and symbols of the Puget Sound region.

Two paintings from BIMA’s Permanent Collection especially reflect the Puget Sound region, “Shilshole” and “Salish Sea,” which are both featured in this exhibition.

BIMA@5: Selections from the Permanent Collection (Lovelace & MESA Galleries)

“BIMA@5” will feature works acquired by the museum’s Permanent Collection, a critical part, officials said, of BIMA’s mission and annual exhibitions schedule. This show is actually an expansion of the show opened during the summer 2018 exhibition cycle, highlighting pieces from BIMA’s beginnings five years ago as well as recent acquisitions that may be new even to regular visitors.

Officials said this exhibition in particular will exemplify the museum’s deliberate collection process, focused on mission-related goals, including a commitment to Puget Sound regional artists and works featured in previous major solo shows at BIMA.

Heikki Seppa: Master Metalsmith (Community Gallery)

BIMA will return this legacy collection, part of BIMA’s Permanent Collection, which features more than 30 diverse works in conceptual and functional sculpture and jewelry art by the late master metalsmith, whose work is featured in the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Jazz Combo II (Orientation Gallery)

This group show is a pop-up exhibition in celebration of the Within/Earshot Jazz Festival happening throughout October at BIMA. It features the musically imaginative watercolor and India ink work of Port Townsend-based painter Mike Biskup, as well as a special collection of jazz album covers selected by Raymond Gendreau at Bainbridge Island’s own vintage book and music shop Backstreet Beat, as well as a piano-turned-art piece by Cynthia Wessling from the popular “Pianos in the Park” public art celebration.

Note: This specific exhibition runs for a limited time only, until Thursday, Oct. 25.

Kait Rhoads: Bloom (Beacon Gallery)

“Bloom” will delight museum goers as well as passers-by from the museum’s front windows, officials said. The unique murine glass beaded sculpture will feature a red coral base, anchored on the first floor, with a large kelp bloom ascending up the second-floor window.

Borderland: ARKIR Book Arts Group/Iceland (Sherry Grover Gallery)

“Borderland” features 53 artist’s books ruminating on the concept of land. These books made their way to BIMA from Iceland and will be supplemented in the gallery by artist’s books from Cynthia Sears’ own collection.

Pamela Wachtler: Impressions Of Place (Bistro Gallery)

This show will cast a truly autumnal aura over the BIMA Bistro, and feature the artist’s impressionistic paintings and monotypes based on regional and iconic landscapes.