Stonington Gallery exhibits an exciting collection of contemporary masterworks from the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Serving Seattle since 1979, the gallery is respected for the depth and quality of its collection, exceptional service and knowledgeable staff. For visitors wishing to understand the character of Seattle and the wider Northwest Coast, our gallery is a rich cultural introduction, and proof of the vibrant, living indigenous cultures of our region. Our mission is to provide the ideal environment for the presentation, enjoyment and understanding of premier contemporary art of the Pacific Northwest Coast and Alaska, and to foster greater appreciation for these artforms. Our commitment to educating the public and advancing the appreciation of Northwest Coast art has led us to exhibit at museums, convention centers, government buildings, SeaTac airport, the Seattle Aquarium, art fairs, and as far away as Nantes, France.
CURRENT EXHIBITS
August
07/31/2017 - 08/27/2017
Dan Friday: Solo Exhibition
In August we welcome Lummi glassblower Dan Friday back to Stonington for his second solo show. Friday utilizes the medium of blown and hotsculpted glass to show reverence for his Lummi Nation heritage, and to honor specific Lummi artists who paved the way.
Friday grew up with revered Lummi weaver Fran James (1924-2013) as one of his Aunties, and he honors the Salish craft of cedar bark weaving with his series of blown mosaic baskets. He silvers the glass to give it a nacreous luminescence, changing the color of the glass as it is seen in different light and against different colors. Mimicking the wide, open weaving style of Coast Salish cedar bark baskets, Friday translates his Auntie’s legacy to a new medium and a new audience.
Dan Friday’s great-grandfather was Joseph R. Hillaire (Kwul-kwul’t), a famed Lummi totem pole carver. Among Hillaire’s most renowned commissions were two totem poles carved for the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. One pole traveled around the USA to publicize the upcoming Fair; and one was created for Seattle’s sister-city of Kobe, Japan. Hillaire’s totem poles were a magnificent expression of the Lummi people’s relationship to the natural world and its inhabitants. Friday pays tribute to his great-grandfather’s carvings with his glass totems.
NEWS AND EVENTS
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Video: How Dan Friday Makes His Mosaic Glass Baskets
Dan Friday (Lummi) has helpfully put together this video that shows the steps to making one of his luminous Lummi glass baskets. It’s a mixture of mosaic, hot-sculpting, and blowing the glass. That black powder he sifts on at 1:31 is frit: he sifts it on to get it into the cracks, then wipes it […]
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Gearing up for Dan Friday’s August show
The work is coming in, and we are getting geared up for Dan Friday’s solo exhibition, “Dan Friday: New Works in Glass“! This exhibit will show off Dan’s repertoire of glass blowing and sculpting techniques, as well as the many cultural and aesthetic ideas he is exploring. Woven mosaic baskets, hot-sculpted bears, totems, feathers, skulls, […]
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