Susanna Bluhm Exhibition Tour with the artist and Lele Barnett

Join us for Susanna Bluhm's Exhibition Tour with Lele Barnett on Saturday, October 28, 2023 at 2:00 PM. This in-person event will take place at the J. Rinehart Gallery located at 319 3rd Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104.

If tickets are all claimed on Eventbrite, don't worry! This event is open to all.

We invite you for an afternoon tour of the exhibition Country Painting with Ghosts. Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of Susanna Bluhm's large-scale abstract paintings, guided by the insightful commentary of independent curator and advisor Lele Barnett. This special exhibition tour offers a unique opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Bluhm's artistic process, her inspirations, and the stories behind her captivating pieces. Whether you are an art enthusiast, a fan of Bluhm's work, or simply curious about contemporary art, this event promises to be an engaging and enriching experience. Space is limited, so don't miss out on this chance to connect with the artist's vision and explore the fascinating work of Susanna Bluhm.

Susanna Bluhm is a queer landscape-based artist who makes semi-abstract paintings. Raised with her brother in a suburb of Los Angeles by a therapist mother and engineer father, her Mexican grandmother was the anchor of family culture and her gay artist uncle an early source of inspiration and affirmation. Lured by lush rainy redwoods and a 24hour-access painting studio, she earned her BA in Studio Art from Humboldt State University. After a break from school that featured retail jobs, guarding museum art, and heartbreak, she moved to the cornfields of Illinois for graduate school at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she earned her MFA in painting, heard tornado sirens, gained rich teaching experience and met her future wife.

After doing art residencies at the Irish Museum of Modern Art in Dublin and at the Karl Hofer Gesellschaft in Berlin, she moved to Seattle where she was a member of SOIL artist-run gallery for five years, was the 2014 recipient of the Neddy Artist Award in Painting, and had a live human pulled out of her body (not in that order). She lives in Seattle with her wife and twelve-year-old son.

Lele Barnett is an Art Advisor, Curator, and Producer based in Seattle with over 20 years of experience in the art world. She works with Meta Open Arts and other corporate, foundation, and private clients. Notably, Lele has spearheaded creative initiatives for the Starbucks Art Collection, Microsoft Art Collection, and the Washington State Arts Commission. She was also co-founder of McLeod Residence: a home for extraordinary living through art, technology, and collaboration.

Lele has curated independent exhibitions for Wing Luke Museum, Forest For The Trees, Bumbershoot Festival, and the Washington State Convention Center. Her forthcoming exhibition at Tacoma Art Museum, Finding Home: The Chinese American West, will run from May 2024 to September 2027.

She is a member of the Association of Professional Art Advisors (APAA), the only accrediting body for the industry in the United States. Working with an APAA art advisor ensures that while you are exploring the vast and complex world of fine art, you will be given advice from an impartial, experienced professional who, as your advocate, works only on your behalf.

Lele specializes in emerging and mid-career artists, and she is passionate about New Media: XR, Generative Art, and all things Interactive. Her services include: art advising, community and corporate art consulting, art market and NFT research, commissions and acquisitions, building residencies and partnerships, budgeting and price negotiations, overseeing framing and installation, collection management, curating exhibitions, cultural production and project management.