One of the great things about going to school in Bellingham is its proximity to great cities like Seattle and Vancouver. Both cities are less than a two hour drive from campus and both offer great connections to the international art scene.
To get to Seattle, if you drive yourself it will take about an hour and a half depending on traffic. If you prefer to take the bus, there are a variety of cheap options with the Bolt Bus as well as public transportation options.
Here are some of spots we think are worth hitting if you make the trip to The Emerald City.
1. G. Gibson Gallery
The G. Gibson Gallery is located in the Pioneer Square neighborhood in Seattle, WA. It first opened in 1991 and features contemporary painting, sculpture, and fine art photography.
One of the exhibits currently on display is titled PINE by the Seattle based photographer Eirik Johnson. The work will be on display until December 1, 2018 and there are a number of events surrounding this exhibit taking place at the gallery such as talks and book signings.
To learn more about this exhibit and others visit: http://www.ggibsongallery.com/artists/gallery-exhibit/
Hours: Wednesday-Friday: 11am-5:30pm
Saturday: 11:30am-4pm
Admission Cost: Free
2. Photographic Center Northwest
Though primarily a school centered around photographic education, the Photographic Center Northwest also features a small gallery space. The gallery largely features student work, but will also feature outside submissions as well. To learn more about about the exhibitions on display visit their website at: http://pcnw.org/gallery/exhibitions/
Admission Price: Free
Hours: Monday-Thursday 12-9PM
Saturday-Sunday 12-6PM
3. Seattle Art Museum
The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) is regarded as one of the top art museums in the Northwest. The SAM includes the Main Facility in downtown Seattle, The Modern Art Pavilion, Seattle Asian Art Museum, and the Olympic Sculpture Park. The Main Facility where the majority of the photo related exhibitions happen is a massive 312,000 square feet with over 25,000 pieces and a museum library of over 33,000 books.
One of the photo exhibitions currently on display at SAM is titled New Topographics. The subtitle of this exhibition is “photographs of a man-altered landscape” and the works aim to display landscapes altered by man-made development. The exhibition is on display at SAM on the third floor until December 30th, 2018. To learn more about this exhibit visit: http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/Exhibitions/Details?EventId=60799
One intriguing part about SAM, especially for students on a budget, is that they offer free admission on the first Thursdays of every month.
Hours: Monday-Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 10am-5pm
Thursday: 10am-9pm
Friday-Sunday: 10am-5pm
Admission: $24.95 ($14.95 with student ID)