Exhibition Opening: Saturday, February 3, 2024 from 2-5 pm

February 3 - May 12, 2024

-- Silva Cascadia: Under the Spell of the Forest

-- At the Seam: The Museum of Northwest Art's Permanent Collection

-- My Roots: Honoring the Cultural Identity of Skagit Valley's Under-Resourced Children 

1. Silva Cascadia: Under the Spell of the Forest 

This exhibition features paintings and sculptures by Northwest women artists inspired by forests and trees. From immersive environments to documentary portrayals, from lush expanses of innumerable, layered greens to individual black-and-white winter trees, each expression conveys the subtle, deep presence of these giant entities we often take for granted. 

This exhibition addresses women’s critical role in shaping the discourse around artistic, political, and environmental action vis-a-vis the current ecological concerns for a viable future.

Guest curator Kathleen Garrett has put together an outstanding roster of artists: Maria Cristalli, Linda Davidson, Kathleen Faulkner, Patty Haller, Laura Hamje, Hart James, Claire Johnson, Donna Leavitt, Karen Lené Rudd, Juliet Shen, Kimberly Trowbridge, and Suze Woolf. 

With themes ranging from philosophical contemplation and history to the impacts of climate change and deforestation in our region, Silva Cascadia: Under the Spell of the Forest promotes awareness and inspires conversations around the relationship between humans and nature.

https://www.monamuseum.org/silva-cascadia

Community Engagement:

Silva Cascadia: Under the Spell of the Forest will engage the community through a wide range of programs, including:

Community Solarize & Collaborate Drawing Event| Saturday, March 9, 1 - 2:30 PM 

Join us for these two free community events: First Skagit Valley Clean Energy Cooperative and Olympia Community Solar will lead an educational solar workshop, followed by a collaborative family-friendly drawing event facilitated by exhibition artist Kathleen Faulkner. 

MoNA Book Club| Wednesday, March 20, 4 - 5:00 pm 

Read a book thematically connected to the exhibition and enjoy this free moderated discussion.

Roots of Baile Folklórico| Saturday, March 23, 1 - 3:00 pm 

All ages and abilities are welcome to learn basic steps, turns, and sequences from a variety of regions in this free class taught by Andrea Alaniz. 

Roots Poetry Symposium | Saturday, April 6, 1 - 2:30 pm 

Join us to kick off poetry month at this free event featuring local poets reading original works on the theme of “roots.”

Carbon Flows: A Collaborative Talk with Suze Woolf & Dave Peterson | Saturday, April 20, 12 - 1:00 pm Join for a free discussion and Q&A with artist and scientist collaborator team Suze Woolf & Dave Peterson. 

2. At the Seam: The Museum of Northwest Art’s Permanent Collection

At the Seam: The Museum of Northwest Art’s Permanent Collection is an ongoing engagement with the collection as the place of contact of the many artistic identities of the region. The exhibition asks to look not only at the individual works but also at the ‘seams,’ where works representing different artistic trends and cultural identities come in touch with each other. When they come in contact with each other, these works tell stories of coexistence, contrast, and difference within the social fabric of the Northwest region, past and present.

Museums in the United States are grounded in the tradition of public service. They are organized as public trusts, holding their collections as a benefit for the community they represent and serve. As a result, a museum collection is more than an amassment of works: it is a living document constantly rewriting itself as new sensibilities and values emerge to shape collective consciousness.

Like a quilt created by sewing together fabric shapes according to a pattern, a museum collection is created by following collecting ‘patterns,’ the guiding principles for the acquisition of works of art deemed significant. Like a quilt, a collection is only as ‘good’ as it is used or displayed. Unlike a quilt, which once sewn together is completed, a museum permanent collection is a ‘work in progress’, whose collecting and interpretative patterns are subject to reassessment. In other words, a collection is only as significant as the pattern can be reworked’, taken apart at the seams, to add new elements—new works—that expand representation and grow appreciation of the cultural geographies and artistic narratives of the region.

Since its founding in 1981, the Museum of Northwest Art has collected art created by artists of the Northwest region. MoNA’s permanent collection now includes over 2,400 artworks, ranging across all media and spanning from the early 20th century to the present. Like the Museum of Northwest Art, the permanent collection is positioned at the seam between past and present, between co-existing cultural areas, and between the different artistic sensibilities and values that art embodies over time. At the Seam: The Museum of Northwest Art’s Permanent Collection is an ongoing engagement with the collection as the place of contact for the many artistic identities of the region. The exhibition asks to look not only at the individual works but also at the ‘seams,’ where works representing different artistic trends and cultural identities come in touch with each other. When they come in contact, these works tell stories of coexistence, contrast, and difference within the social fabric of the Northwest region, past and present.

As a work in progress, At the Seam: The Museum of Northwest Art’s Permanent Collection will progressively change over the course of the year so as to provide insight on the breadth of the collection and highlight its role as a reflection of and resource for the Northwest community.

https://www.monamuseum.org/at-the-seam-1

3. My Roots: Honoring the Cultural Identity of Skagit Valley's Under-Resourced Children

Children of the Valley is an after-school program in Skagit Valley whose mission is to serve under-resourced children and their families by valuing their cultural identity and empowering them through education, personal growth, and mentorship. Each year, COV children explore their identity and culture through various forms of art. Children start their project by exploring who they are through writing a poem titled "I Am", which encourages each child to self-reflect on their identity. Taking inspiration from their poem, each child then paints a self-portrait.

https://www.monamuseum.org/outside-gallery-roots

Exhibitions Dates: February 3 - May 12, 2024

Exhibition Opening: Saturday, February 3, 2024   2-5 pm

Location: Museum of Northwest Art

121 South First Street, La Conner, WA. 98257

For inquiries, contact Carol Thomas, [email protected]