PONCHO art committee meeting

PONCHO is a Seattle-based organization providing resources to area arts and cultural organizations. Established in 1962, PONCHO nows hosts several annual auctions, and other events, to develop funds to distribute to supported organization.

Upcoming is the 2008 PONCHO Invitational Fine Art Auction, scheduled for Seattle’s Bell Harbor International Conference Center on Saturday, February 23. I’m a member of Fine Art Committee for the February 23 event and, in that capacity, attended a meeting on January 16, 2008, at the studio of committee co-chair Judith Kindler.

Ann Patchett at the Seattle Public Library

Ann Patchett read from her novel Run at Seattle’s spectacular Central Library on October 12, 2007. The reading was co-presented by the Seattle Public Library and the Elliott Bay Book Company. A podcast of the reading is available on the library’s web site.




Elliott Bay Book Company’s Rick Simonson (right)


Library representative greets the audience


Author Ann Patchett (left)


Rick Simonson introduces the speaker








Ann Patchett makes her way to book signing table







Ann Patchett is among my favorite authors. She has written five novels:

Taft
The Patron Saint of Liars
The Magician’s Assistant
Bel Canto
Run

I’ve had the good fortune to hear and speak briefly to the author at readings for the last four books listed above. I found Taft on my own, was impressed, and as a result attended a reading for The Patron Saint of Liars at the Elliott Bay Book Company.

In addition to the five novels, she has one non-fiction title, Truth & Beauty, that resulted in considerable, if mystifying and totally unjustified, controversy.

Ms Patchett composes elegant prose, develops sophisticated characters and creates compelling plots.

Gee’s Bend Quilters at Greg Kucera Gallery

On September 29, 2007, Seattle’s Greg Kucera Gallery hosted a reception and book signing for four quilters from Gee’s Bend, Alabama. The book signing and reception celebrated the gallery’s exhibition of original prints by quilters Loretta Bennett, Mary Lee Bendolph and Louisana Bendolph.

In addition to the show at Greg Kucera Gallery, the Tacoma Art Museum hosted a well-received exhibition of quilts by Gee’s Bend artists from September 22 to December 2, 2007. An exhibition catalog, Gee’s Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt was published by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.



Mary Lee Bendolph






Tacoma Art Museum director Stephanie Stebich & Greg Kucera



Tacoma Art Museum curator of education Paula McArdle (left)