THE ASSIGNMENT, SHOULD YOU AGREE TO ACCEPT IT...
fill the walls of a restored historical complex of buildings
with original art reflecting the history of
Bothell WA
In August 2014 a call for art went out asking artists to apply to make paintings for a
high-profile project happening in the town of Bothell, Washington. Bothell is one of the first settlement towns in the greater Seattle area to have risen up in the late 1800's as settlers moved into the territory (because Washington was only a territory then) from the United States to the east. They moved in for the timber. When the timber ran out they planted farms. As the transportation modes moved from ox cart to horse and buggy, and the roads moved from dirt to paved, and the soggy areas became waterways, the little town on the northern tip of Lake Washington became the early railroad stop on the way from Seattle into the Lake Sammamish area, where there were settlements mining coal.
I am thrilled to be included in the group of artists hired to make art chronicling the colorful development of this town.
One of the first buildings for early comers was a one room schoolhouse to send the children to so they could learn their ABC's. The little school, of course, became a big school, and later, a Junior High School, and later still a High School was built. McMenamin's, a Portland, OR based Hotel and Pub Chain has bought the school building and surrounding buildings and is restoring Anderson High School and reconstructing the surrounding structures to make a richly decorated and history-friendly destination spot in the very spot where all the history happened. They have done it before, and they are doing it again, and I am delighted to be part of the action!
My first assignment, and I have agreed to accept it, will be a large wood panel depicting some early menfolk who seem to have nabbed a city slicker with slick motives of some sort. It will be fun to paint the drama, real and imagined, around the archival photo above where the locals in their work clothes surround a suit-and-vest person who seems to be posed for a mug shot. (I am allowed artistic license to play with this photo, and I will use it to kick off my series about the people of Bothell through the ages.)
Susan
high-profile project happening in the town of Bothell, Washington. Bothell is one of the first settlement towns in the greater Seattle area to have risen up in the late 1800's as settlers moved into the territory (because Washington was only a territory then) from the United States to the east. They moved in for the timber. When the timber ran out they planted farms. As the transportation modes moved from ox cart to horse and buggy, and the roads moved from dirt to paved, and the soggy areas became waterways, the little town on the northern tip of Lake Washington became the early railroad stop on the way from Seattle into the Lake Sammamish area, where there were settlements mining coal.
I am thrilled to be included in the group of artists hired to make art chronicling the colorful development of this town.
One of the first buildings for early comers was a one room schoolhouse to send the children to so they could learn their ABC's. The little school, of course, became a big school, and later, a Junior High School, and later still a High School was built. McMenamin's, a Portland, OR based Hotel and Pub Chain has bought the school building and surrounding buildings and is restoring Anderson High School and reconstructing the surrounding structures to make a richly decorated and history-friendly destination spot in the very spot where all the history happened. They have done it before, and they are doing it again, and I am delighted to be part of the action!
My first assignment, and I have agreed to accept it, will be a large wood panel depicting some early menfolk who seem to have nabbed a city slicker with slick motives of some sort. It will be fun to paint the drama, real and imagined, around the archival photo above where the locals in their work clothes surround a suit-and-vest person who seems to be posed for a mug shot. (I am allowed artistic license to play with this photo, and I will use it to kick off my series about the people of Bothell through the ages.)
Susan
