Submitted by Alchemy Arts and SJIMA.

Alchemy Art Center, in partnership with the San Juan Islands Museum of Art, is hosting an artist talk series featuring visiting and local artists. The talks will take place every last Sunday of the month from May-October in the upstairs workshop area of the SJIMA, located at 540 Spring St, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. These free events can be attended in person or via Zoom- visit https://alchemyartcenter.com/events for more information.

On May 28th, visiting ceramics artist Selden Paterson and local legend Francie Hansen will be kicking off the 2023 series with an inside look into the unique worlds both artists create.

Selden Paterson is a Chicago-based artist who received her BFA in sculpture and new media from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has shown in the Midwest and internationally. Her work deals with a wide range of ways that people build purpose and relate to the world around us, probing niche religious and wellness movements online and off as well as communal experiments old and new.

Francie Hansen is a beloved island resident and prolific creator. She is a self-described “child of the 60s”, graduating from college in San Francisco in 1968 with an education degree. An avid international traveler, she is greatly inspired by her connections with people from all over the world. Francie’s appetite for making is insatiable, and her taste for materials is omnivorous. From soft sculpture monsters to multimedia assemblages to upcycled fashion, Francie’s imaginative style is instantly recognizable. Francie is a long-time educator on San Juan Island, is the founder and director of the Trashion Fashion at the San Juan County Fair, and curates a rich collection of art (by herself and others) in her beautiful home.

To see the complete lists of artist talks this summer, please visit: https://alchemyartcenter.com/events

The Artist Talk Series is part of Alchemy’s Artists in Community Program, which creates opportunities for artists from diverse backgrounds to live and work on San Juan Island. This program is supported by the San Juan Island Community Foundation, the Horizons Foundation, ArtsFund, the San Juan County Arts Council, and by donations from members of our community.

For more information about Alchemy, please visit www.alchemyartcenter.com.