56 artworks from 30 artists selected from more than 800 pieces

Every summer, the Kent Arts Commission displays photographs, paintings, works on paper, prints, and collages in the Summer Art Exhibit. To accommodate numerous artworks of varying styles, the exhibit is displayed in the gallery, elevator lobby, and adjacent conference rooms.

This year, 88 artists submitted digital images of more than 800 pieces to be considered, and the jurors selected 56 artworks from 30 artists. The artwork chosen for this year’s exhibit was selected by two jurors, Jesse Lloyd Proebstel, a Seattle-based artist, and Daniel Carrillo, a photographer, also based out of Seattle. The 2017 exhibiting artists are: Humaira Abid, John Armstrong, Orenda Ayashe, Monica Bretherton, John Bunkley, Maranda Cromwell, Anna Mia Davidson, Roxanne Everett, Ray Fernandez, Christian French, Justin Gibbens, Lauren Greathouse, Rodger Greene, Gina Grey, Joy Hagen, Lauren Iida, Ian Kelley, Marcus Lelle, Vikram Madan, Dorothy McGuinness, Mary McInnis, Naoko Morisawa, Saya Moriyasu, Carla Paine, Lashae Parris, Graham Schodda, Qin Tan, Kathryn Tonnessen, Kamryn Tulare, and Kate Vrijmoet.

A purchase jury selected artworks to recommend the Kent Arts Commission add to the City’s portable art collection, which is displayed in public areas of City buildings. The purchase jury was comprised of two professional artists (Proebstel and Carrillo), a Kent Arts Commissioner/community member, a City Councilmember, and a city staff representative.

The following 13 pieces will receive purchase awards, contingent on official acceptance by the Kent Arts Commission: Kitchen, Port Lockroy by John Armstrong (photograph); Rainy in Sunnyside by John Bunkley (acrylic on canvas); Arrival by Starlight by Ray Fernandez (acrylic); Canada Medusa by Justin Gibbens (watercolor, ink, tea on paper); Sound Waves by Joy Hagen (encaustic and shellac on plywood panel); Luncheon of the Bigfoot Party (A Tribute-Parody of Renior’s Luncheon of the Boating Party) by Vikram Madan (oil on canvas); Smoke and Mountain Contrails by Saya Moriyasu (oil on paper); Blues Baby by LaShae Parris (acrylic), Steelhead Rising, Blue Heron, and Feathers: Belted Kingfisher/Great Horned Owl/Crow by Graham Schodda (mixed media, etched stainless steel); and Absorption by Kamryn Tulare (colored pencil).

The City of Kent Arts Commission’s Centennial Center Gallery, 400 W. Gowe St., hosts the 2017 Summer Art Exhibit through August 24. The show displays work by Washington state artists in a variety of mediums; it is free and open to the public, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Kent Summer Art Exhibit is produced by the City of Kent Arts Commission with generous sponsorship from Osborn Machler. For more information, visit http://kentwa.gov/arts/gallery/

Contributed by Kent Arts Commission