2016 Artists of the Year

This was a commission from City Arts Magazine. Every year they commission me to draw portraits honoring Seattle's worthiest artists of the year. The good folks here represent the best of Seattle’s culture in many ways; Dance, Music, Film, Visual arts, activist posters, activist culture (Amelia Bonow’s ‘Shout Your Abortion’ movement, Natasha Marin's 'Reparations' project)

Lower left to lower right: Dave B, Donald Byrd, Amelia Bonow, John Criscitello, Tariqa Waters, Shannon Perry, Nate Gowdy, Natasha Marin, Christopher Paul Jordan, Clyde Peterson

I am tasked with arranging these folks in a way that they are mildly interacting. In previous years I have arranged them having cocktails around a piano, draped in and around a restaurant booth, etc. This year I have them arranged in a nod to Vanity Fair’s Annie Liebovitz academy award winners tableaus. Rather than taking/engaging with one another they sit together and gaze out at the viewer. I think it works really well. Congratulations Everybody!