Newsroom | Gage News
Gage Brings Free Teen Art Studios Program to Rainier Valley
Gage Academy of Art, July 2010Teens throughout the Rainier Valley neighborhood can now count on a free professional-level art program every Saturday night. Teen Art Studios-Rainier Valley (TAS) was launched earlier this year by Gage Academy of Art as a three-month pilot program modeled after the popular TAS-Capitol Hill that has been a fixture at Gage, attracting thousands of teens from across the region since its inception in 2001.
Thanks to generous funding from the Lucky Seven Foundation and the Mark & Susan Torrance Foundation, Gage has taken steps to ensure that the three-month pilot program continues as a key, and permanent, part of the Youth Programs at Gage.
“The goal of TAS has always been to create a safe, accessible and approachable place for teens to engage in and create art,” said Sharon Arnold, Youth Programs Manager at Gage. “Teen Art Studios provides an opportunity to hang out with friends, create works of art, play with new ideas, think creatively and abstractly, and even build a portfolio for college.”
Each month a different professional artist leads teen artists in exploring a new art form. TAS artists receive focused instruction and a chance to try different mediums and subject matter from traditional art school fare like figure drawing and abstract painting to installation and recycled art.
The TAS-Rainier Valley pilot program averaged 18 students each week and offered a free way for teens to explore silk-screen printmaking, self portraits in pastel, and wood-block printmaking. One teen remarked “After coming to this art class, I see the world around me in a whole new way — everything is art.”
Going forward, this August at TAS-Rainier Valley, teaching artist Noah Grusgott will lead Figurative Casting and Installation in August, in September Susanna Bluhm will teach Painting from Memory & Imagery, and October will see Lauren Holloway lead Urban Arts & Graffiti Jewelry.
Teen Art Studios-Rainier Valley runs Saturday nights from 6:30pm to 9:30pm in The 2100 Building Art Studio on 24th Ave. South, just off Rainier. This free program for teens, ages 13-18, provides all art materials and free refreshments.
Learn more about the program on the Teen Art Studios page.
Photo by Ryan Sherman.
Record Number Enjoy 18th Annual Best of Gage
Gage Academy of Art, June 2010This June 18, artists and art enthusiasts came out in record numbers this year at the Best of Gage: Student Art Exhibit, Awards & Sale. More than 700 guests and artists toured the building to view the exhibition of 150 artworks by Gage students. Twenty-three hard working artists took home awards in seven categories, and guests went home with original works of art purchased to support Gage artists and the school.
Guest juror, Derrick R. Cartwright, Director of the Seattle Art Museum, studied each piece carefully while jurying the exhibition. Cartwright remarked, “The first thing that occurred to me when I arrived at the school to perform this jurying role was that there was more accomplished work than there were prizes to award. The categories of portraiture, landscape, still life, figure and abstraction — and the medium-specific category of sculpture — yield a time-honored sense of priorities which were met by virtually all of the participating artists.”
After careful consideration, Brett Downey was awarded Best in Show for his pencil drawing Katrina and Aron Hart received the competitive People’s Choice Award for his oil portrait Crystal.
Best of Gage is sponsored by:
Read more, including the juror's statement and full list of winners!
Stefan Cummings in his studio at Best of Gage. Photo by Matt Brown.
Sharon Arnold to Lead Youth Programs at Gage Academy of Art
Gage Academy of Art, April 2010Gage Academy of Art is pleased to announce that acclaimed Seattle artist Sharon Arnold has joined Gage as the new Youth Programs Manager.
“Hiring Sharon continues our commitment to being a leader in the visual arts in our community,” said Executive Director Pamela Belyea. “She possesses an incredible artistic passion and reputation that will be invaluable to the Youth Programs at Gage.”
Arnold studied at Pratt Institute in New York and graduated magna cum laude at Cornish College of the Arts. She founded the art blog dimensions variable, an artist-driven public project based on the discussion and promotion of locally based art and literature.
Arnold's own artwork stems from unique and repetitive applications of traditional and non-traditional uses of paper. The imagery manifests as fictional cartography or mythology; combining the idea of mapping with suggestions of de-coding, language and rhythm. View her work at www.trianglesforteeth.com.
Gage Academy of Art offers after-school and Saturday classes for youth throughout the school year, and each summer hosts hundreds of kids and teens for the Summer Youth Workshops. In this 15th year of Kids and Teen Workshops, the program has expanded to include eight weeks of workshops, a two-week Drawing Intensive, and a five-week Teen Intensive pre-college certificate program.
The Gage Youth Programs also includes Teen Art Studios, a free Friday-night drop-in program for teens at its Capitol Hill campus, and the school has recently launched a pilot Teen Art Studios program in Rainier Valley at The 2100 Building.
Photo by Daniel Carrillo.
Gage Launches Three-Month Teen Art Studios Pilot in Rainier Valley
Gage Academy of Art, March 2010Gage Academy of Art launched a three-month Teen Art Studios (TAS) pilot program in Rainier Valley on Saturday, March 6. The program will run Saturday nights during the months of March, April and May and is based on the popular free, drop-in, Friday night program at Gage on Capitol Hill that has attracted thousands of arts-centric teens from across the region since its inception in 2001.
The goal of the new pilot program is to showcase the benefits of TAS and secure long-term funding for a permanent TAS-Rainier Valley. With 15 teens participating in the first week and 22 during the second week, the free program is off to a great start in Rainier Valley.
Each month a different professional artist will lead the teen artists in exploring a new art form. TAS artists receive focused instruction and a chance to explore different mediums and subject matter from traditional art school fare to installation and recycled art.
Teen Art Studios-Rainier Valley runs Saturday nights from 6:30pm to 9:30pm in March, April and May in The 2100 Building Art Studio on 24th Avenue South, just off Rainier. This free, 3-month long program for teens, ages 13-18, provides all art materials and free refreshments.
A culminating party and exhibition of artworks from both TAS sites is being scheduled at the Vera Project this summer.
Learn more about the program on the Teen Art Studios page.
Above: A TAS-Capitol Hill student works in the studio.
Gage Academy of Art Masquerade Ball & Benefit Reaches Goals
Gage Academy of Art, January 2010A fantastic party and a successful fundraiser, the Masquerade Ball & Benefit on Friday, January 29, 2010, reached the goal of $125,000 to support Youth Programs, Youth Scholarships and the Annual Fund at Gage.
St. Mark’s Cathedral provided an enchanting, gorgeous setting for the night. Peacock feathers, stilt walkers, masks, and candlelight set the scene for a magical party, and guests responded with generous donations and raucous bidding.
The Fund-A-Need portion of the evening was especially successful: Beth Zirngible, youth teaching artist, shared her personal story as artist turned instructor, and guests responded with more than $30,000 raised specifically for the Gage Youth Programs.
The night ended with an incredible performance by acrobats Acrophelia and Dr. Calamari, and aerialist Lara Lee Rasberry. The jaw-dropping artistry provided a perfect ending to the enchanting evening.
Thank you to all of the donors, sponsoring businesses, volunteers, trustees, staff and especially our table captains and guests who made the evening such a success!
Above: Acrobats Acrophelia and Dr. Calamari perform at the event. Photo by Ryan Sherman.
- Read more about the event and see select photos in the Masquerade Ball & Benefit Scrapbook.
- View photos of the event on the Gage Flickr Page.
Drawing Jam Hits Milestone Year
Gage Academy of Art, December 2009Each year the Drawing Jam grows in both popularity and quality, and the 10th annual event was no exception. Well over 1,000 people drew, sculpted, crafted and more on December 5, making the affair the biggest ever. For 12 hours, adults and kids alike worked from the model and their imaginations, showing once again that creating art can be an enriching social and artistic experience.
There was something for everyone throughout the day, including dozens of musicians, dancers and models, even “Stars of Seattle” such as Manuela Horn of Teatro ZinZanni, King County Councilmember Larry Gossett, drag queen extraordinaire Sylvia O’Stayformore and actors from the Open Circle Theater production of The Judy Garland Christmas Special.
Free art supplies and delicious food and drink kept artists energized and drawing from 10am to 10pm, fueling fantastic works of art all day long. Artists enjoyed drawing, sculpting and printmaking as well as took in professional artist demonstrations by Gary Faigin, Kimberly Trowbridge, Geoff Flack and Michael Lane.
Thank you so much to all of the models, musicians, artists and sponsors who made this day possible!
Above: Participants line up on drawing horses to draw from the model. Photo by Ryan Sherman.
- View more photos and information on the 10th Annual Drawing Jam Scrapbook.
- See even more pictures on the Gage Flickr Page.
Gage Teen Artists Stop the Bus!
Gage Academy of Art, October 2009It’s not every day that teens get to create beautiful artwork that becomes a public installation, but that’s just what happened this year at Gage. Teens who took the Mixed Media Book Arts & Stop the Bus summer workshop learned the art of creating tile mosaics from teaching artist Laura Brodax, taking inspiration from plant sketches they completed in Volunteer Park. Once the mosaics were complete, they were assembled and installed as part of the bus shelter right in front of Gage.
This October, the teens gathered to celebrate the opening of the installation. Next time you’re at the school, take a look at the inspiring artwork that very appropriately welcomes bus riders to Gage!
Teen artists who took the Stop the Bus workshop, were Elizabeth Ames, Natalie Andreen, Natalie Brighton, Bettina Fahndrich, Ana Johnson, Wing Sum-Law, Vinna Lee, Cedar Nabringer, Eliza Otto, Francesca Rosati, Lara Kaelber, Zoe Miles, Grace Taylor, Jacob Ward and Nicholas Ward. The students were lead by teaching artist Laura Brodax and teaching assistant Rose Emerson.
Pictured at right: Top: Teens work on their mosaics in the summer workshop; Bottom: The finished pieces are installed.
Drawing Jam at Bumbershoot Attracts 9,500 Participants in 2009
Gage Academy of Art, September 2009For the second year, Gage Academy of Art took its flagship community event, the Drawing Jam, on the road to Bumbershoot over Labor Day weekend. The arts and music festival crowd was excited to see the Drawing Jam back, with 9,500 people visiting and participating the Drawing Jam throughout the event.
The Drawing Jam featured three model stages, live music, a clay center and a teen corner with manga and printmaking demos. In addition, artists of all ages went wild filling a 90-ft-long mural wall, and drew from a larger-than-life recreation of the painting Twenty Twenty by John Rizzotto, which was featured on the cover of the Gage Fall Catalog.
All the drawing materials including charcoal, pencils, pastels and much more were provided for free with underwriting from Daniel Smith Artists’ Materials.
The emphasis was on encouraging everyone to enjoy artmaking, no matter skill level, age or experience, a theme central to the school’s mission. Gage also highlighted the school’s amazing teaching artists and students in an onsite exhibition and several Gage teaching artists provided demonstrations in different media including charcoal, clay and oils.
See highlights of the event on the Drawing Jam at Bumbershoot Scrapbook.
Drawing Jam guests also got the chance to enter a coloring contest sponsored by Gage, Daniel Smith Artists’ Materials and Top Ten Toys.
Sam won the 6-12 age category and took home a $100 Top Ten Toys gift certificate, art activity books and a free kids class at Gage. Aisling won the 13-18 age category, earning art supplies, a $100 Daniel Smith Artists’ Materials gift certificate and a free teen class at Gage. Every category had great entries, but the adult category was the toughest to judge, so Juror’s Choice awards of two tickets each to the 10th Annual Drawing Jam at Gage were awarded to Margaret Plumley and Donna Lough. The Adult Grand Prize, however, went to Wakey Nelson, which consists of art supplies, a $100 gift certificate to Daniel Smith Artists’ Materials and a $450 gift certificate to Gage.
Check out the winners and selected other entries on the Gage Flickr Page.
Gage Academy of Art Seeks to Expand Award-Winning Teen Program
Gage Academy of Art, February 2008Venetian-themed Masquerade Ball & Benefit this March will help fund the effort.
Seattle, WA | February 11, 2008 — Unlike most schools, Friday night at Gage Academy of Art isn’t the time when lights are turned off and doors locked up. Just the contrary in fact — that’s when things really cook at Gage.
Every Friday night, around 40 teens from all over Seattle meet up to kick back, gear up and create art at Teen Art Studios. The free program — supplies and pizza included — draws teens from all over Seattle and as far away as Port Angeles, Tacoma and Bellingham. Teens come for different reasons — some to develop their portfolios, some to meet up with fellow artists and some as a safe haven on a Friday night.
Each month, a different professional artist teaches a specific art form, engaging teens to learn new skills, make art and develop new friendships in a supportive, social environment. The art varies widely; for example, this month features collage art, March sees bookmaking, and April goes big with large-scale drawing projects.
Teen Art Studios, now in year six at Gage, is more than just popular with teens, though. The program received a 2008 Youth Arts Award from the Mayor’s Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs, and for overall arts education Gage won a 2007 Governor’s Arts Award.
Because of this success and the program’s growing demand, Gage is working to open a second Teen Art Studios program this fall in the Rainer Valley neighborhood. The area is burgeoning with youth who will be well served by a community arts program such as Teen Art Studios that encourages youth of all backgrounds to work together in a positive environment. To assist the professional art instructors, Gage will provide translators for students who speak Chinese and Spanish.
“We are thrilled to expand this free program that encourages students to explore new materials and techniques, develop creative problem solving and celebrate self-expression,” said Gage Executive Director Pamela Belyea.
This expansion, however, is contingent on reaching financial goals. Grants and individual contributions are key to the new program. This expansion is a major impetus behind the Gage Academy of Art Masquerade Ball & Benefit, to be held Saturday, March 29. This rousing party seeks to raise $75,000 to fund the Youth Programs and augment the school’s annual fund. The Venetian-themed ball will feature a decadent four-course meal, sweet Venetian champagne and wild dancing all evening long. Amidst the rollick and revelry, guests will have the opportunity to bid on delectable treats and exotic art experiences.
“With the help of this fundraiser, Gage will continue to provide free Friday night programs for teens in Seattle and move one step closer to opening a second location for this popular program, allowing twice as many teens to participate in art in a safe, structured environment every week,” said Gage Youth Program Manager Olivia Britt.
Learn more about the Masquerade Ball & Benefit.
Gage Academy of Art Receives 2007 Governor’s Arts Award
Gage Academy of Art, December 2007Gov. Chris Gregoire and the Washington State Arts Commission have recognized Gage Academy of Art for our outstanding work in arts education with a 2007 Governor’s Arts Award. This accolade recognizes individuals and organizations for their significant contributions to the creativity and culture of Washington.
“We commend Gage Academy of Art for their strong commitment to life-long learning in the arts, and the rigorous training they provide to children, youth and adults,” said Kris Tucker, executive director, Washington State Arts Commission.
“Being recognized for our commitment to teaching artists of all ages and levels of proficiency is an outstanding honor,” said Pamela Belyea, Gage Academy of Art executive director and cofounder. “This speaks to the heart of what Gage is—a school that believes anyone can learn to see through the artist’s lens and learn the skills to realize that vision. The Gage mission is to encourage a passion for arts learning in artists young and old. That Gov. Gregoire and the Washington State Arts Commission recognizes Gage for just such efforts is a significant distinction.”
Gov. Gregoire will present the 2007 Governor’s Arts Award recipients with an original art work and a certificate at a ceremony in the Governor’s Mansion in Olympia in late January.
Since 1966, the Governor’s Arts Awards have recognized 153 individuals for their artwork, community service, leadership in the arts and teaching and mentorship. For more information about the Governor’s Arts Awards visit www.arts.wa.gov.
8th Annual DRAWING JAM Breaks Attendance Record
Gage Academy of Art, December 2007Despite blustery winds and accumulating snow, more artists than ever before arrived for our 8th Annual DRAWING JAM on Saturday, December 1, 2007.
This year’s JAM welcomed back popular guest models such as Sylvia O’Staformore and Teatro Zanzani’s Christine Deaver and also introduced Gage artists to the Seafair Pirates, the Stranger’s Dan Savage, the Daughters of Norway, Flamenco Gitana and Mama Lou American Strongwoman. These “Stars of Seattle” were joined by nearly 100 other models and musicians, keeping this year’s event (jam) packed with excitement.
Free art supplies and delicious food and drink kept artists energized and drawing from 10am to 10pm, fueling fantastic works of art all day long. Artists enjoyed drawing, sculpting and printmaking as well as took in professional artist demonstrations by Gary Faigin, Geoff Flack and Larine Chung. Thank you so much to all of the models, musicians, artists and sponsors who made this day possible!
Follow this link to view a scrapbook of the event and see a full list of Gage guests and sponsors.
Tacoma School of the Arts Students Fund
Teen Art Studios at Gage Academy
Gage Academy of Art, May 2007Students from Tacoma School of the Arts presented Gage Academy of Art a $6400 gift to fund Teen Art Studios at Gage. The gift comes as part of a major project students completed for “Learning to Give,” a program that teaches students about nonprofit management and philanthropy. As part of the program, students researched several Puget Sound arts organizations that offer teen art programs. They then invited ten area organizations to apply for funding; Gage was one of two organizations selected for an award.
Issaquah-based Robert B. McMillen Foundation provided the funding for the “Learning to Give” program, an elective course piloted at the Tacoma School of the Arts to teach students about building nonprofit
organizations. Seven students in the program created the mission and vision for a nonprofit organization that would provide funding for after-school arts education.
Teen Art Studios is a free weekly program that provides a safe, inspiring and productive environment for young artists 13 to 18 years old. Each month, studio sessions feature a different professional artist and theme. Materials are free, and all students receive focused instruction and the chance to explore a range of media and skills.
After presenting the check to Gage, students from Tacoma High School of the Arts, pictured here, participated in the studios, which are available to all teens on a drop-in basis.
Art School Confidential by Jen Graves
The Stranger, April 2007"Founded to teach what artists don't learn in art school—old-fashioned skills—Gage Academy's classical atelier attracts students from around the world. But Gage Academy's founders see the need to modernize. Welcome to the art school dilemma."
Gage Teens Lead Public Art Project for Local Charity
Gage Academy of Art, November 2006Sixty 6.5'-tall decorated nutcrackers added holiday cheer to the streets of downtown Seattle in the Nutcracker March, a holiday-themed public art display. Young artists from the Gage Academy Teen Art Studios (TAS) program led a team effort to paint two sponsored nutcrackers, a king courtesy of the Pacific Northwest Ballet and a prince donated by Fifth Avenue Theater. After the holiday season, both nutcrackers were donated to the Northwest Center as part of an auction to raise funds for their programs serving children and adults with disabilities.
Lead artists on the project were TAS students Max Badger and Sydney Pertl, who guided a team of 13-18 year old TAS artists. Max designed “Lotus King” for the ballet, while Sydney painted “White Christmas” for Fifth Avenue Theatre.
Paint for the project was donated Daly’s Home Decorating Centers and Golden Artists Colors.
More information, including an audio tour of the Nutcrackers, games and purchasing options can be found at www.nutcrackermarch.org.
A Virtual Visit to an Artist’s Studio
Microsoft Live Labs, November 2006
Gage Academy’s Artistic Director Gary Faigin Featured in Launch of
Microsoft’s New Imaging Technology
SEATTLE – On Thursday morning, November 9, at the Web 2.0 Conference in San Francisco, the world got the first view of Microsoft’s new imaging system, Photosynth as well as a peek into the private studio of Seattle artist Gary Faigin. The Faigin Studio visit is the opening segment of the worldwide Photosynth launch, along with several other intriguing Seattle sights used to show of this groundbreaking new technology.
Photosynth is a new technology from Microsoft Live Labs that takes a large collection of photos of a place or object, analyzes them for similarities and displays them in a reconstructed 3-dimensional space. Drawing on the collection of photos, Photosynth allows viewers to examine photos from any angle, zoom in or out of photographs, see where pictures were taken in relation to one another, find similar photos to the one viewed or create a custom tour.
To show off the capabilities of Photosynth, a team of photographers recorded a few intriguing Seattle spots, including the studio of Gage Academy of Art’s Artistic Director Gary Faigin in Ballard. The studio is filled to the brim with his wacky self-portraits, exploding/vanishing still-life paintings and signature surreal landscapes. This unique photo-shoot location was intended to provide a fascinating glimpse into the image potential of Photosynth and the artistic output of this classically trained painter.
Please click here for more information about Gary Faigin.
Gage Student Jesse Edwards breaks all art rules except one: He can paint
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, October 2006Jesse Edwards, a self-described "ex-thug" and graffiti artist, is making a name for himself in the Seattle art community with his undeniable talent and unconventional ways. A scholarship student at Gage Academy, Edwards' diverse paintings range in subject matter from skate parks and still lifes to classical landscapes. His signature style and impressive technical abilities are getting noticed.
Lot's Tribe: Gage Instructor's Memorial for the Post-9/11 World
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 2006A father rushes forward, carrying the lifeless body of his son. A small boy squats, blindfolded, hands tied behind his back. A seated man leans backward, his contorted face a mask of grief.
Like the many other images of war and its devastation, these figures will melt from public consciousness in surprisingly little time. Downtown Seattle's Occidental Square is their final resting place; these life-sized sculptures, cast in salt, will dissolve in the next good rain.
What's in a Name?
Encore City Arts, June 2006
This spring, the venerable (by Northwest standards) Seattle Academy of Fine Art adopts a new name: Gage Academy of Art. Founded 17 years ago and originally run out of its founders’ home, the school now occupies capacious studios on North Capitol Hill. “The new name refl ects our invigorated emphasis on engaging with art, artists and community,” says Gary Faigin, the school’s co-founder and artistic director. “The etymology of ‘gage,’ implies ‘pledge.’ Our entire mission is a promise to provide engaging fine art instruction.”
How to Make an Artist, Northwest Style
JTNews - The Voice of Jewish Washington, May 2006
Starting with art workshops in the late 1980s, Gary Faigin and Pamela Belyea built the Pacific Northwest non-profit art academy that eventually became the Gage Academy of Art on Seattle's Capitol Hill.
Holy Smokes! Gage is Hot!
Gage Academy of Art, May 2006SEATTLE: At Gage Academy of Art, the last day of May brought more than one ending.
May 31 was slated for the Academy's beloved Registrar, Beth Blair, to retire from her job to pursue higher education. Simultaneously, a hard-wired exhaust fan in the staff bathroom also departed but, in this case, with no notice and a lot of fanfare.
At approximately noon, sparks and smoke began emanating from the failing fan, first noticed by Blair from across the corridor. Facility Manager Curtis McDowell tried dousing the suicidal appliance with a fire extinguisher, only to create a cloud of acrid smoke that slowly spread through the Gage offices.
A call to 911 and one ear-shattering fire alarm later, the whole St. Nicholas school building was emptied of art students, instructors and models from Gage as well as the entire community of the adjacent Bright Water School. Three fire trucks appeared instantly with a gear-laden team of fire fighters from Seattle's Fire Station 22, who made short work of the dying device.
Standing in the crowd outside, Gage Instructor Mark Kang O’Higgins reminisced about the day when he was a student at the New York Academy of Art and the whole school burned down. He remarked that it took the smoldering wooden walls almost two hours to combust into flames while he and a group of fellow students were working in their studios. Fortunately, no one was injured in that incident.
In Seattle, the day was sunny, the Gage building was saved, its occupants were unharmed and Ms. Blair, pleased to have some excitement on her last day at work, took the happy opportunity to pose with the heroic fire fighters.
Art Lovers Gather for SAFA Drawing Jam
Capitol Hill Times, December 2005
The Drawing Jam started as part of the SAFA mission to present programs and opportunities to people of all ages and levels. "I think it's a great opportunity and great community event," said Milchail Tatrin, a volunteer who attended Drawing Jam for the first time. "It is a great addition to Capitol Hill."
Falling for trees: SAFA students branch out
Seattle Times Sunday Magazine, October 2005
Art teacher Suzanne Brooker critiques a student’s drawing of a birch, done in graphite, during a summer art class called “Portrait of Trees,” at the University of Washington Arboretum. “There is no right or wrong,” she tells students. There is only the imagination and what it sees.
SAFA teen artists show at the Triangle Gallery
City a Go-Go, October 2005
The October edition of City a Go-Go on KCTS comes to you from the Triangle Gallery at the downtown YMCA, where work created by teen artists during SAFA's intensive Summer Arts Workshops is on view through October 28.
SAFA Lecture is Times' Visual Arts Pick
Seattle Times, January 2005
Sheila Farr, art critic at the Seattle Times, features SAFA's quarterly guest artist lecture, featuring local painter Gloria DeArcangelis, as the visual arts pick of the week. DeArcangelis's lecture will be held Friday, February 4 at 7:00pm.
Drawing faithfully, seeing with an open mind
Northwest Asian Weekly, August 2004
In a world that rushes headlong, Chinese American painter Zhi Lin grants profound attention to the smallest detail and encourages his students to do the same in his upcoming workshop at the Seattle Academy of Fine Art.
Capitol Hill Times
Art academy finds new life on the Hill, February 2004
It's an established fine arts academy, teaching figurative painting, drawing and sculpture, had attracted thousands of students during the last 14 years, but it had a problem: The Seattle Academy of Fine Art had outgrown its University District location.
Growing up is a fine thing for art academy
Seattle Post Intelligencer, December 2003
Gary Faigin and Pamela Belyea used to run the offices for the Academy out of their Ballard bungalow's basement. Next month, the academy finally will get a permanent home of its own when the school moves into an old brick schoolhouse on Capitol Hill, quadrupling its size.
Art school will move into old Cornish spot
Daily Journal of Commerce, October 2003
The academy began in New York 14 years ago as a small workshop-centered school, and has grown into a professional art school that serves more than 2,200 Seattle art students annually.
Good nudes
The Seattle Times, November 2001
Local reporters, politicians and actors volunteer to pose as costumed models for SAFA’s annual Drawing Jam. (Note: this article appears half-way down the hyperlinked page.)
Even sketchy artists can create valuable travel drawings
The Seattle Times, August 2000
Sketching isn’t just for professional artists. Travel writer Paul Schmidt claims that drawing can serve as self-help, meditation and even a way to personalize a travel experience. Schmidt recommends taking a sketching class at the Academy as a way to reduce a beginner’s anxieties about sketching their travels.
Artful attention
The Seattle Times, April 2000
What better way to focus on your garden than trading your spade and shovel for pencil and paintbrush? Award winning botanical artist Jean Emmons of Vashon Island recommends SAFA as the perfect place to begin your botanical illustration studies.
Drawing on experience
Seattle Post Intelligencer, March 1999
Stop and sketch the roses? The Academy teaches its students, from stick-figure beginner to professional artist, how to observe and analyze the world around them through a visual language.
Leaf me alone: pin the leaf on David
The Seattle Times, July 1998
You can always expect something different when the Academy holds its annual picnic. One of the games played at the outing have included "Pin the Fig Leaf on David” and “Pin the Ear on Van Gogh”. (Note: these articles appear half-way down the respective hyperlinked pages.)
Academy draws on local talents
Puget Sound Business Journal, June 1998
Learn why the Academy was the recipient of a 1998 Mayor's Small Business Award. Puget Sound Business Journal writer Rob Smith explains SAFA’s corporate history and tracks the school’s early growth.
Learning all about the big picture
Puget Sound Business Journal, June 1996
Can two artists with no business training run a fiscally successful organization? This early article about the Academy tracks the school's growth – from a "near-death experience at birth" into a "steady childhood".
Snow tour you'd want to repeat
The Seattle Times, January 1996
Despite being stranded in record snowstorms, a group of 22 Academy art tour participants raved about a day spent exploring Vermeer and Homer shows at the National Gallery of Art. One participant called it "the most spectacular day I've ever experienced in a museum."
Learning to see
The Seattle Times, October 1992
Intrigued by the Academy's promise that anyone – even reporters – can learn to draw, the Seattle Times' Deloris Tarzan Ament enrolled in a two-week workshop to test the theory
The timing was right for artists Belyea, Faigin
The Seattle Times, January 1992
What brought the Academy to Seattle? SAFA's founders were looking for a place where there was a desire and a need for a forum where all sorts of people could learn to create art in the tradition of nature.