By a happy coincidence we have three recipients of the Russell Jaqua Award for Artistic Excellence in Residence this month. These Residency Awards are provided by Centrum in collaboration with Artist Trust of Seattle as part of the GAP Program, providing support for artist-generated projects including the development, completion, or presentation of new works. Recipients are selected by a panel of artists and arts professionals from Washington State. The Russell Jaqua Fund was established in his memory through the generousity of Centrum Donors and  Russell's friends and family.

  Kevin Bernstein is inspired by the natural phenomena of the Pacific Northwest. He plans to produce a new body of paintings and drawings based upon the research of regional traveling in Washington State from Eastern to Western Washington. Kevin works primarily on six-by-four-feet pieces of birch plywood in his effort to understand nature as a primal source in a complex and ever-changing world in need of preservation and restraint. His new works will be on display at an exhibition in Olympia.

Robert Campbell has been primarily a video artist for the past 20 years and has recently expanded his materials to include glass. His most recent body of work, Yellow, combines sculpture, glasswork, photography, and multi-channel video in order to explore environmental degradation and its effects on  humans, specifically targeting estrogen mimickers and other hormone disruptors found in everyday products.

Miho Takekawa is a percussionist from Japan who wishes to revisit the traditional Japanese folk music of her childhood in a non-traditional way. Miho is scheduled to collaborate with three Seattle musicians, each with extensive experience with Japanese music: jazz drummer Greg Campbell, jazz vibraphonist Tom Collier, and South American Flutist Diego Coy. Her hope is to perpetuate Japanese folk music and inspire others to challenge their artistic identities. Miho will perform during her residency with Diego Coy at two Port Townsend Venues… scroll down for details.

Contributions to the Russell Jaqua Fund for Artistic Excellence may be made by contacting Mary Hilts, Development Associate at 360-385-3102 x116, or by email mary@centrum.org. Your support is deeply appreciated, and will help Centrum continue to bring talented artists and writers to this wonderful place.