Don Paulson, Butterfly
Recommended by Nikki (Fine Print Photographer & Content Publisher):
Don Paulson grew up in Auburn, WA; was a contributor to Seattle Gay news; wrote about historic Seattle cabaret night clubs; and was a part of many LGBTQ+ advocacy groups. Dawn (Paulson’s art pseudonym) created many works on paper that boil down large feelings and moments into simple color palettes and shapes. In this tiny, travel-size piece, a small white butterfly swoops away from hard, straight lines into a blurred abstract shape. Paulson seems to have gifted us a moment of joyful resistance to prescribed paths laid out by society.
Andy Farkas, This Is Where You're Supposed To Be
Recommended by Suzannah (Marketing and Communications Manager):
Andy Farkas’ whimsical and precious illustrations never fail to fill me with delight and emotion. None affect me more than ‘This Is Where You’re Supposed to Be.’ Small bears are heaped together, sleeping through the long winter in comfort and community, all while being watched over by an almost ethereal protector. She waits and knits and watches the butterflies that herald spring surround her and illuminate her beauty. This is where you’re supposed to be, this is where you belong, and through storms and winters there will always be people to watch over you and wait with you for the spring to come.
Rikio Takahashi, End of Summer
Recommended by Paige (Collections Manager):
The end of the summer is always a disappointing time for me, but experiencing Takahashi's End of Summer is the complete opposite. It has a warmth, a natural glow and flow that are captivating. Passages of color overlap and overflow as a reminder that time changes continuously and effortlessly, and summer will come again. This piece was made in 1947 but feels like it was made yesterday. The freshness of the color and ink on paper, the timelessness of the woodblock technique all relate to the universality of this feeling, this yearly transition that we're all seeking to understand and endure across decades.
Deborah Maris Lader, Wholes
Recommended by Catherine (Collections Specialist):
Deborah Maris Lader's prints captivate me with their symbolic storytelling and strike a beautiful balance between dark and whimsical. This surreal lithograph, with its poignant symbolism, tells a complex story about personal growth and freedom. The girl holds a bird, calling out to its flock beyond the wall, and a kite that has begun to escape through a hole. She holds on to them as if they are parts of herself she can't quite let go of, especially while she herself is tangled in vines, passively trapped behind the wall. Her face looks vaguely pensive as she watches the flock of birds, perhaps wondering if she could free herself one day. I hope she does.
