Art for November

It's November and we have a fresh crop of new art in our cafes to go with our new Cupcake of the Month, Cranberry Orange!

Entryway Proposal for University Art Museum by Leo Saul Berk

Our Capitol Hill store is pleased to present a new group show called I do which explores the relationships between artist couples.

Dawn Cerny & Davidson Warren Burnam collaborated on a set of photographs that re-enact war scenes from a battlefield in Delaware. These photographs eventually became the source material for Dawn's show last year at Henry Art Gallery called "We're all going to die (except for you).". In conjunction with Blitz, Davidson's band Katherine Hepburn's Voice will perform live at 7pm on Thursday, November 12.

Claire Cowie & Leo Saul Berk are each exhibiting two prints. Leo's are architectural renderings for a museum. Claire is showing two prints from an architectural sculpture. Between the two of them, they've created very different takes on imaginary spaces.

Erin Shafkind

Artist Erin Shafkind is exhibiting new work in West Seattle in a show called, The Flats of Life.

"Growing up in Los Angeles, with a single mom, McDonald’s every Tuesday, and lots of television I have been greatly influenced by popular culture and modern mythology. I always felt that there was something else, something intangible that I needed, but more and more I wonder if this is a product of growing up in American Corporate culture that strived to create illusion so we would consume. Do I know what I want? What makes me happy?

In this show I am sharing a few photographs and several objects made from 1/4” birch plywood. Spinning off the idea of the flat image I am trying to create something fun yet iconic, therefore potentially mythic and even sacred. Each wood piece is editioned to 11, the idea of repetition hopefully pushing the boundaries of the machine. Yet all are hand cut and drawn and are objects that I find to be truly beautiful."

One of Cupcake Royale's dear friends, curator Daniel R. Smith, returns with his annual poster show in Madrona. This year it's the Seattle-Moscow Poster Show, highlighting some of the best poster designs from Russia and Seattle. This show had its debut at Bumbershoot, where it's become a yearly highlight for the festival.

"In this third and final poster show linking Seattle to cities around the world (following Havana and Tehran), I chose to visit Moscow. My decision was based on the strong tradition of Russian graphic design, current and historical political differences between our countries, and the idea of exploring design in a post-revolutionary culture—a thematic bond that unites Havana, Tehran and Moscow from the perspective of the United States."

Dan is currently traveling so this show will be installed Saturday, November 7.

In Ballard this month, we're pleased to present returning artist Brandon Ilenstine.

"I find great pleasure in studying modern minimalism, high fashion, and urban decay. The unique contrast of traditional beauty against the deterioration of modern destruction is awe-inspiring and serves as the basis of my work.

My images investigate the nuances of human hope and evolution through self exploration. I love iconic imagery, anatomical illustration, and chaotic backgrounds. I explore abstract dream-like scenery and meditative environments which suggest the expansion of one’s self without the interruptions of the world."