East Gallery: January 2-February 1

“In the quantum world, to see something you must disturb it.
In the deep quantum world, to see something you must create it.” 
–Frank Wilczek

Gallery 110 presents Cosmic Grids, a selection of mixed media works by guest artist Jessie Summa Russo, inspired by Nobel prize-winning physicist Frank Wilczek’s conception of our universe as a “vibrant energy field” that he calls The Grid. Small oil paintings, collages, and monotypes support and contain Russo’s abstract maximalism to present a visual meditation on this concept.

Artist Talk with George Brandt: Sunday, January 12, 2-4PM

In her oil and cold wax collages, each square represents a life that arises from the blue-black void of space, and belongs there in equal measure with all the others whether or not it is human, complete, or coherent. The layers of collage and paint reveal and obscure fragments of faces, words, and organic shapes, allowing viewers to ascribe their own meanings to what they see, while the void itself is filled with asemic writing—illegible and unknowable ‘answers’ to universal questions. She creates her monotypes by imprinting various materials—from plastic trash to antique, hand-carved wooden printing blocks—onto paper from a gel plate, often enhancing the result with printed brushstrokes, colored pencils, or ink. 

Jessie Summa Russo is a third-generation painter based in West Seattle. Raised in Somerville, Massachusetts, she studied studio arts, set design, and animation at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, later pursuing graduate-level illustration at the Massachusetts College of Art & Design. A lifelong advocate for the arts with a diverse career in visual design, music, and venue management, Russo is currently the Director of Gallery 110.

West Gallery | January 2-February 1

Automatic drawing, also known as automatism, is an artistic technique developed by the surrealists in the early 1920s. It involves creating a work of art without conscious control or thought and with no preconceived subject or composition in mind. The goal is accessing material directly from the unconscious mind as part of the creative process, not unlike a medium channeling a spirit, the artist lets the pen or brush travel across the paper without rational control.

Automatism was an important part of the global Surrealist movement and as such was a major contribution to Modern as well as Contemporary art. The term is originally taken from physiology where it refers to unconscious bodily motions such as breathing or dreaming. In 1924, Andre Breton, in the Manifesto of Surrealism defined Surrealism as “psychic automation in its pure state”. Surrealists were among the first to explore this method in art and writing, which in the 1950s went on to influence Art Informel in Europe and Action Painting as well as Abstract Expressionism in the United States.

All of the automatic drawings in this exhibition were produced in the first seven months of 1981. My art practice at the time consisted of daily morning drawing sessions using a brush and india ink on paper. Depending on its complexity I made at least one or two drawings every day and once started, each drawing was finished in the same session. I consider each of these drawings to be a record of my state of mind at the time that I made it and in that sense, these drawings taken together, constitute something akin to a personal journal. With the exception of three framed pieces, all of the drawings in this show are being exhibited for the first time.

George Brandt is a painter, multidisciplinary artist, and curator born in Legnica, Poland in 1954. In 1969, Brandt’s family arrived in New York City carrying Italian passports as political refugees. His formative years were spent in Legnica, Poland, Dallas, TX, and Chicago, IL, where in 1977 he received a BA in plastic and graphic arts from the University of Illinois, Chicago. He currently lives and keeps a studio near Seattle, WA.

Brandt’s love of art started at a very young age; one of his earliest memories is sitting at a kitchen table making drawings as his mother prepared a family meal. In his long artistic career, Brandt has used an array of mediums including pen and ink, acrylic and oil paint, colored pencils, collage, and photography. In addition, his body of work includes sculpture as well as large scale, site-specific installations. The mature images that define Brandt’s work explore his interest in the human psyche, interpersonal dynamics, spirituality, and the nature of consciousness. Brandt has shown his work in numerous solo as well as group exhibitions in Chicago as well as Seattle.

From September 11, 2024, to January 14, 2025 at the Seattle Convention Center, Gallery 110 proudly presents a vibrant and diverse exhibition showcasing the talents of 26 member artists through 59 compelling paintings, evocative photographs, and vibrant mixed media works. All works are for sale—browse through the exhibition online and submit inquires here. 

This dynamic display reflects Gallery 110’s commitment to fostering creative expression, experimentation, and collaboration among both its established and emerging artist members. Explore this engaging public showcase any time in the Phyllis Lamphere Gallery on Level 2 of the Convention Center’s Arch Building, where rotating exhibitions are booked approximately two years in advance, following a screening process with the SCC’s Art Advisors.

Gallery 110 has offered a platform for innovative contemporary art for over two decades, and has been a nonprofit organization since 2010. Since 2018, we have provided free memberships through our Emerging Artist Program because while talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. Tax-deductible donations may be made to support emerging artists here.