Kirby's Fremont

Living By Art

By Kirby Lindsay

Christine Merrikin in her Fremont studio.

Christine creates her paintings, illustrations and "art to wear" in the Fremont Fine Arts Foundry, a building providing artist live/work spaces. One block east is the Art F/X Studio-Gallery. The owners, Doug Stacy and Don Stayner, are also artists. While Doug runs Art F/X, Don works full-time as a graphic designer.

While all three are unique people living original lives, many Fremont artists share their circumstances.

Christine moved to Seattle in 1990 after graduating from art school. While her childhood was spent living in various places along the East Coast, her family now lives here. Her sister attended law school at the University of Washington and stayed. Her parents, on a visit, fell for Sequim and moved there. Then her brother followed, along with his five children.

Christine chose Fremont for her Northwest home and took a space in the Foundry six years ago. Working among the artists is inspirational, and supportive. Mask maker Roger Wheeler mentions her work to others and "if I know of something [show or gallery] Roger's work is good for, I'd send them that way," she explained. Not all tenants at the Foundry are artists but all understand the needs of artists to work and make noise at any hour of the day. It helps Christine, who likes to work late at night, to hear others moving about. It makes her feel less alone.

Trained in fine art, Christine's temperament includes a business instinct. She easily branched into wearable versions of her art, including scarves and jewelry, which attract a wider audience. She has two representatives that sell her creations in Atlanta and California while she acts as her own rep here in Seattle. "I like going to the stores and talking to the owners, seeing what sells." Christine is very open to feedback. She finds customers see things she misses and keep her from falling into a rut.

She gets some of her best feedback at the Fremont Sunday Market. From her studio, she can load a hand truck and be at the Market in a minute. There she sells her work, making most of her income, and hears directly from customers what they like and what they'd like to see.

In addition to the Market several Fremont stores sell Christine's scarves, including Art F/X. Like Christine, Doug and Don see art as more than just a painting or sculpture. They have two rooms, one is the "main gallery" for fine art displays and the other is a shop filled with a thousand creative and utterly distinct items - soap, jewelry, fountains, mirrors, boxes, and glass slugs - made by 62 different artists. They aim to represent 100 artists someday soon, although finding space for additional objects may tax even Doug's considerable creativity.

As artists, the two men couldn't be more dissimilar. Holding a degree in art, Don is all theory and mechanical accuracy. Doug is trained in a variety of disciplines that are practical and natural; art "to make someone smile inside." Together, as Art F/X, they provide support to other artists. "Our interest is in promoting people who are unknown," Don pointed out. Doug and Don met in Tucson, Arizona where, according to Don, "we hit it off right away." Don, a Seattle native, talked Doug into moving here where his artistic talents have more outlets and more support. Now you'll find him in the shop, selling quality works from artists of every walk of life. "Pretension is not our name," Doug stated proudly. They also keep their commission low--at 25 percent--to give artists a bigger share. They wait for artists approach them, although local events like the Fremont Fair introduce them to new talents. 40 percent of the artists at Art F/X are "Fremont Artists"--either living or working here. Christine's paintings were the first featured in the gallery and Roger Wheeler's masks are incorporated into their annual "Night Fright" event on Halloween.

Are artists leaving Fremont? Christine can feel Fremont changing. However, she sees the new businesses moving here are very supportive to the arts and provide opportunities. Don answered that artists are, definitely, moving out of Fremont although neither he nor Doug could think of one that actually left, and two have moved here recently. Christine has no plans to move away. "If I were to leave, it would be because I want to start a family. Otherwise I'd stay forever."

Exposure is a necessary part of an artist's life. Making the work doesn't pay the bills. Opportunities, like Art F/X and the Market, make it possible to live by art. If you would like to visit Art F/X, they are located at 420 North 35th Street. Christine Merrikin's work can also be seen at www.merrikin.com.

Kirby Lindsay has lived in Fremont for much too long and strongly suspects she will only move when they drag her dead carcass from the area. If you have questions about Fremont, you may write to her c/o The Seattle Press or e-mail to fremont@oz.net.

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