Tablet, November 2002
Bluebottle Art Gallery
Art and Consignment on Capitol Hill
By Karla Esquival
Times are tough for businesses and artists. Stores on Capitol Hill have come and gone over the past few years. That's why it is always optimistic when someone braves the economy and opens up a general store geared towards emerging artists in Seattle. Tablet contributor Matthew Porter, best known for his dark Dead Dog comic and circus banner paintings, and his wife Andrea saw an obvious need for an independent space in Seattle where art and craft can mix harmoniously. Their new gallery Bluebottle is slated to open Saturday, December 7. We talked with Porter about his new project.
Tablet: What prompted you to open your own gallery on the Hill?
Matthew Porter: Andrea and I were stuck in dead end jobs. We both have college educations that left us with no real future. I have a BA in Visual Communications and Andrea a BA in Sociology. We toyed with the idea of opening a gallery for some time. Then, one day, we decided we should do it now while we're young and full of energy. Capitol Hill is the perfect location for Bluebottle Art Gallery & Store. The Hill is one of the most vibrant areas in Seattle. There are a lot of great things going on here, whether it's theater, music or art. We want to be a part of that in a positive way.
Tablet: What type of artwork and crafts are you planning on selling?
MP: Seattle has a lot of amazing local artists working in a wide variety of disciplines. Our art gallery and store aims to give those people an opportunity to exhibit and sell their work. We have a whole bunch of great artists providing high quality items that we will be showing. Metal, glass, ceramics, jewelry, furniture, paintings, prints, sculpture, notebooks, scarves, bags; I could go on for hours- all with the Bluebottle seal of good taste. No paintings of angels ascending to heaven or cute little children licking lollipops.
Tablet: How would sum up the "feel" of your store?
MP: Our feel is soft and luscious like the fur of a freshly shampooed and blow-dried kitten. We want to become a beacon in our community as a place that can be relied upon for the best in local art. Whether it's an investment piece costing $1,000 or that $1 funky little kick-ass pin that will make you the life of the party. We want to provide it all.
Tablet: What will your first show in the gallery be like?
MP: Our gallery space will feature a different artist each month. For our first show I'm going to be exhibiting a series of paintings I just completed called " The Cat That Ate the World." See a giant remote controlled cat destroying cities across the globe. Seattle, San Francisco, London, Paris, the Great Wall of China - they're all there being intimidated by a giant white cat with red eyes and sharp yellow teeth. I kind of see him as a metaphor for the fact that we all destroy ourselves eventually. Or maybe he stands for fat cat capitalism. Perhaps he's part of some sinister terrorist plot, I don't know. Each painting has the evil man who controls him lurking somewhere in it. You have to find him. He could be in a car, plane or even right next to you on the bus.
tabletmagazine.com
Bluebottle Art Gallery
Art and Consignment on Capitol Hill
By Karla Esquival
Times are tough for businesses and artists. Stores on Capitol Hill have come and gone over the past few years. That's why it is always optimistic when someone braves the economy and opens up a general store geared towards emerging artists in Seattle. Tablet contributor Matthew Porter, best known for his dark Dead Dog comic and circus banner paintings, and his wife Andrea saw an obvious need for an independent space in Seattle where art and craft can mix harmoniously. Their new gallery Bluebottle is slated to open Saturday, December 7. We talked with Porter about his new project.
Tablet: What prompted you to open your own gallery on the Hill?
Matthew Porter: Andrea and I were stuck in dead end jobs. We both have college educations that left us with no real future. I have a BA in Visual Communications and Andrea a BA in Sociology. We toyed with the idea of opening a gallery for some time. Then, one day, we decided we should do it now while we're young and full of energy. Capitol Hill is the perfect location for Bluebottle Art Gallery & Store. The Hill is one of the most vibrant areas in Seattle. There are a lot of great things going on here, whether it's theater, music or art. We want to be a part of that in a positive way.
Tablet: What type of artwork and crafts are you planning on selling?
MP: Seattle has a lot of amazing local artists working in a wide variety of disciplines. Our art gallery and store aims to give those people an opportunity to exhibit and sell their work. We have a whole bunch of great artists providing high quality items that we will be showing. Metal, glass, ceramics, jewelry, furniture, paintings, prints, sculpture, notebooks, scarves, bags; I could go on for hours- all with the Bluebottle seal of good taste. No paintings of angels ascending to heaven or cute little children licking lollipops.
Tablet: How would sum up the "feel" of your store?
MP: Our feel is soft and luscious like the fur of a freshly shampooed and blow-dried kitten. We want to become a beacon in our community as a place that can be relied upon for the best in local art. Whether it's an investment piece costing $1,000 or that $1 funky little kick-ass pin that will make you the life of the party. We want to provide it all.
Tablet: What will your first show in the gallery be like?
MP: Our gallery space will feature a different artist each month. For our first show I'm going to be exhibiting a series of paintings I just completed called " The Cat That Ate the World." See a giant remote controlled cat destroying cities across the globe. Seattle, San Francisco, London, Paris, the Great Wall of China - they're all there being intimidated by a giant white cat with red eyes and sharp yellow teeth. I kind of see him as a metaphor for the fact that we all destroy ourselves eventually. Or maybe he stands for fat cat capitalism. Perhaps he's part of some sinister terrorist plot, I don't know. Each painting has the evil man who controls him lurking somewhere in it. You have to find him. He could be in a car, plane or even right next to you on the bus.
tabletmagazine.com
