2023-2024 Exhibition Season

August 28 – September 29, 2023
Closing reception and Art Talk: Friday, Sept 29 (6:00 – 7:30 pm) Lobby and Gallery
The Leonor R. Fuller Gallery proudly presents new work from South Puget Sound Community College art faculty and staff: Sean Barnes, Joe Batt, Liza Brenner, John Brooks, Michael Gray, Melissa Meade, Edgar Smith, Bruce Thompson, and Crisha Yantis.

Image: Edgar Smith, Higher Seas of Education, Oil on Panel, 12"x12", 2022

October 6 – November 3, 2023
Opening reception: Friday, October 6 (6:00 – 7:30 pm) Lobby and Gallery
Artist Nishiki Sugawara-Beda installs the Kotodama Converse, a light weight paper and script sculptural installation, with accompanying small sumi paintings on wood. The installation provides a blank canvas that serves as an invitation for the viewer to complete the work, bringing their own emotional state, words, and phrases both physically and metaphorically. The act of viewing becomes the act of participation. Nishiki Sugawara-Beda is a Japanese-American visual artist based in painting and installation. She draws upon her Japanese heritage to explore themes related to culture, language, and spirituality rooted in Zen Buddhism. Connecting across space and time, she experiments in ancient Japanese materials and techniques including Sumi ink, Kakejiku landscapes, and rice paper, to merge them with abstract and expressive forms familiar to the modern Western aesthetic.

Image: Kotodama Converse, 12ʹx 10ʹ x 16ʹ, Mesh wire, rice paper, rice glue, fishing line, and seal ink, 2012-2020.

November 13– December 8, 2023
Opening reception: Friday, November 17 (6:00 – 7:30 pm) Lobby and Gallery
A themed exhibition highlighting traditional and contemporary basketry woven by the Hazel Pete Family. The exhibition includes coil and woven basketry types, a cattail mat lean-to, cedar clothing, storage baskets, storyteller doll diorama, photos depicting the gathering process, and contemporary glass baskets made at the Museum of Glass. Hazel Pete was a 6th generation weaver from treaty negation times in western Washington – 7th, 8th, and 9th generation weavers will be featured in this exhibit.
This themed exhibition, shaped and selected by Native guest curators, which will engage viewers and the community and celebrate the art and culture of our Native community members. The exhibition will highlight work by Native artists, adult, and youth from local and regional tribes, and Native artists from other locations who now live in the area.

Image: Hazel Pete, Woven Sweetgrass Doll, 10”x3”x3” (Human form), Woven sweetgrass, raffia.
Circa 1960 (Trudy Marcellay Collection)

January 2 – February 2, 2024
Closing reception: Friday, February 2 (6:00 – 8:30 pm) Lobby and Gallery

The Fine Art Postcard Exhibition is an annual event that brings the local creative community together under one theme. The 2024 theme is “The Creature Within”. Postcard sized original artworks, created by artists of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds, will be sold through silent auction. All are invited to join the creative celebration! Proceeds from this fundraiser benefit The Gallery.

Image: California Condor | Fran Potasnik | Viewer’s Choice Award Winner 2023

February 12 – March 15, 2024
Opening reception: Friday, February 16, 6:00 – 7:30 pm

SPSCC art students, led by visiting interdisciplinary film and video artist Jessie Lenderman, participate in a multi-session workshop that culminates in an exhibition of the work in The Leonor R. Fuller Gallery. Students will experience all aspects of a collaborative project, including planning, production, installation, and presentation.

Image: APOCALYPSE - Video installation

March 25 – April 26, 2024
Opening reception: Friday, March 29, 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Award winning artists from the 2023 Southwest Washington Juried Exhibition, selected by juror Nathan Barnes are invited back to show new work in this group exhibition. Participating artists include Jane Degenhardt, Amy Fisher, JW Harrington, Bella Kim, Rebecca Madsen, and David Moore.

Image: Jane Degenhardt, Frog's Pelt, acrylic on board, 48" x 60".

May 13 – June 14th, 2024
Opening reception: Friday, May 17 (6:00 – 7:30 pm) Lobby and Gallery

South Puget Sound Community College’s art faculty selects outstanding work created by students in studio art classes during the 2023-24 year. Works include ceramics, drawing, painting, printmaking, digital photography, mixed media, 2D and 3D design exercises, and sculpture. A continuous slide show of student work is also included in the exhibition.

Image: Student Show Poster Award 2023 - Sunset, mixed media, Liza Brenner’s Beginning Drawing. Artists: Alissa Stranberg, Luke Sheperd, Ryland Swanson, and Tre Simmons.

July 8 – August 16, 2024
Opening reception: Thursday, July 11 (6:00 – 8:30 pm) Lobby and Gallery

The Southwest Washington Regional Juried Exhibition serves area artists by providing a high quality exhibition opportunity that promotes the region’s creative identity.
The Southwest Washington Juried Exhibition is organized by The Leonor R. Fuller Gallery at the Kenneth J Minnaert Center for the Arts on the campus of South Puget Sound Community College. Artists working in all media and residing in Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce, Skamania, Thurston, or Wahkiakum counties are invited to submit an entry for consideration.

Image: Viewer's Choice: Eileen Lagasse, Pelican, Stainless Steel and Blown Glass, Welded Sculpture, 29” x 30” x 18”

MERIT AWARD WINNER - MICHELE BURTON, MOST WANTED, PHOTOGRAPH.
MERIT AWARD WINNER - CHARLES PITZ, AXIS MUNDI, TIMBER RATTLESNAKE, MIXED MEDIA, AND WOOD CABINET.
MERIT AWARD WINNER - LUCY GENTRY-MELTZER, BORDER CHRISTENING, COST OF CROSSING, MIXED MEDIA, CHRISTENING GOWNS, CHILDREN’S SHOES, BARBED WIRE.
MERIT AWARD WINNER - RENE WESTBROOK, NOTES OF A NATIVE SON, ORIGINAL PAINTING, AND PHOTO DIGITAL OVERLAY.
PURCHASE AWARD WINNER - JOAN HITCHCOCK, THE LIGHT WITHIN, ACRYLIC ON GALLERY-WRAPPED CANVAS.
PURCHASE AWARD WINNER - JOHN HOLMGREN, REVELSTOKE #9, INK, ARCHIVAL INKJET AND SCREEN-PRINT.
PURCHASE AWARD WINNER - HALL JAMESON, CANADA GOOSE, PHOTOGRAPHY.