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KOHLMYER COX GROUP Writing & Outdoor Photography
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Fabulous Funky Fremont By Brenda Kohlmyer Cox Fremont residents and businesses display an almost dogged determination to be anything but boring. This tiny business district across the Fremont Bridge from Seattle's upscale Queen Anne hill hugs the Lake Washington Ship Canal just west of the towering Aurora Street Bridge. It could very easily have been just two more stop-lights in the way of commuters heading somewhere else, but in the early 1980's local land and business owners decided to create a central plan for the community and aggressively courted restaurants, shops and businesses that would change Fremont's image as a biker hang-out. Even as the 1970's era smoke shops and bars gave way to Starbucks, one of a kind clothing shops, antique stores and Adobe's corporate offices, the galleries and artists who had moved in to take advantage of low rents continued to flourish and contribute to the local community. The Fremont Arts Council was formed in 1978 by local artists out to promote the arts in every aspect of the community and, among other artistic activities, the group hosts two fun, frivolous and all together artsy parades during the year. The annual Solstice Parade, held in June, is a summery mix of art cars, wild masks, inventive costumes and nudists on bikes…although the later are slowly giving way to people wearing body paint which may or may not count as costumes. The decades long collaboration of both business and arts communities has combined to create a vibrant and busy locale that has become a destination neighborhood that fits it's self-proclaimed status as Center of the Universe. Today, Fremont is best explored on foot, not only because of confusing side-street traffic caused by two block-long one-way streets, diversions around the Sunday Market and the sometimes hard to find parking, but because there is art on display everywhere in this small business district. When the new Epi Center mixed-use complex went up on the vacant lot that used to host weekly open-air movies the design included street-side art. Now a massive brushed metal art piece vines up one corner of the building while rusted iron cutouts stand above the PCC Market courtyard. Frescos of Saturn, Mercury, the sun and moon grace the alley façade overlooking pRriceless Works Gallery and outside Peets Coffee Shop glass finials in the shape of flower buds act as gems catching the sun on an iron fence Possibly the most famous of the area's public art pieces is installed kitty-corner from the Epi Center and just North of the Fremont draw-bridge. "Waiting for the Interurban," stationed on an traffic island at the corner of 34th and Fremont, has been photographed for post-cards so many times that it's almost as closely identified with Seattle as the Space Needle and the Pike Place Market sign. The five grey people, their dog and the overhead pergola are also a favorite place for interactive art. Sometimes intended as a political statement, but more often than not to mark holidays or personal celebrations, the additions frequently include colorful balloons, streamers and seasonal clothing. "Waiting for the Interurban" isn't the only artwork in the area that is targeted for hit and run embellishment however. A few blocks away a bronze statue of Vladimir Lenin occasionally stalks out of it's background of flames sporting a crown of dried leaves and a yellow rubber ducky on his cap. This is very much in keeping with the eclectic nature of the publicly displayed, but not always publicly owned, artwork permeating Fremont. Stroll the neighborhood and you'll also find a troll under the Aurora Bridge, a rocket mounted to the corner of a low brick building, a huge iron mask outside Gallery 154 and dinosaur topiaries near the Lake Washington Ship Canal. Galleries in the area display much the same mix of whimsy and seriousness. The monthly First Friday art walks are a good way to get a feel for the contemporary art being displayed in Fremont's galleries. The walks draw art lovers from throughout the region, some out for an evening of good art and lively interactions, others attending new openings which are traditionally held in conjunction with the art walks. As with so much of Fremont, the venues for the art walk are eclectic, ranging from a chiropractor's office and a smoke-free lounge to a functioning glass studio and traditional gallery spaces. The vibe in some of the galleries is distinctly retro at the moment. Mid-century modern furniture is highlighted along with the art at Patina and a DJ is likely to be spinning a vintage vinyl version of "Jazzanova" in the coffee shop adjoining the M:Pulse and Built, Art & Design studios. Other galleries such as Art/FX Studio and Gallery, Edge of Glass Studio and Gallery 154 are more laid back and often focus on the work of more established artists. As with many arts settings, there is also some reliance on materials recycling. Furniture that incorporates used skateboard decks (yes, it looks a lot like furniture made from used downhill skis), picture frames made from bike chains and mirrors framed with metal from old radiator cores are just a few of the re-purposed options. Overall the art in the galleries is accessible and thought provoking rather than corporate and strictly mainstream. Much like the Fremont neighborhood itself, it's fun and funky and very serious about being artistic first and something else second. -END-
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