GRAPHITE ARTS CENTER  

Located in downtown Edmonds at 2nd Ave & Main Street

Graphite Arts Center is Edmonds newest center for artists and the community

 

Graphite Arts Center is home to Art Start Northwest.

Art Start Northwest is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) which strives to make art more accessible to all, and directly supports arts in the classroom in the Edmonds School District.


OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
| Saturdays 12:00pm-4:00pm &
Fridays 1:00pm-5:00pm |
During our open hours the public is invited to explore the gallery, enjoy our art library and stroll through the center to meet artists and watch them work.  The gallery is accessible through Charcoal Restaurant daily from 4:00pm-8:00pm

Art Walk Edmonds (AWE) | 3rd Thursdays monthly, 5:00pm-8:00pm | Stroll through the building and meet the Artists, watch them create, buy their art, enjoy live music from local musicians, view the current show in the Gallery at Graphite, and grab a bite to eat at Charcoal Restaurant.

CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS
Class fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. If there are less than 6 people in a class, the class could get cancelled and your money will be refunded. REGISTER EARLY – We typically cancel the class a minimum of 3 days before the start date.

*Early Bird* classes, same days, earlier time: 3:00pm-5:00pm. Only sign up for one time slot per day. Choose one – it is the same class repeated.

Questions? Contact [email protected]

Making Art with Mary: Drawing | October 2, 9 & 16 | 3:00pm-5:00pm & 7:00pm-9:00pm 
For Ages 18+ | $40 per session | Pre-registration Required

Students will have the opportunity to try different drawing techniques while learning to draw trees (Oct 2), facial features (Oct 9) and perspective (Oct 16). A variety of media will be explored. This is an explorational class for all levels – beginners to advanced – everyone is welcome to come and Make Art with Mary Olsen, founder of Art Start Northwest and Graphite Arts center owner.

Sign up for one class or all three. No pre-requisites or experience required. Classes do not have to be taken consecutively. All supplies are included.

Register for Drawing here.

Making Art with Mary: Independent Study | October 2, 9 & 16 | 3:00pm-5:00pm & 7:00pm-9:00pm 
For Ages 18+ | $40 per session | Pre-registration Required

Choose the medium you want to work in. This is an explorational class for all levels – beginner to advanced. Mary will be available for one-on-one help, questions, demonstrations and provide you with supplies. 

Sign up for one class or all three. No pre-requisites or experience required. Classes do not have to be taken consecutively. All supplies are included.

Register for Independent Study here.

Holiday Print Making with Mary | November 6 & 13 (2 sessions) | 6:00pm-8:00pm
For Ages 18+ | $80 | Pre-registration Required

Design your own holiday cards, tags and gifts. Students will make linocut art and then use the Graphite printing press to make cards, tags, wrapping paper, artwork gifts, etc. All levels are welcome to come and Make Art with Mary Olsen, founder of Art Start Northwest and owner of Graphite Arts Center.

This is a 2 session class. No pre-requisites or experience required. All supplies are included.

Register for Holiday Print Making here.

EVENTS & MOVIES
Art Talk with Gary Faigin – Making It Real: Perspective
| Tuesday, October 29 | Doors open at 6pm, talk begins at 7pm with a short demonstration
More information and get your $15 tickets here. Tickets also available at the door, unless we sell out.

Art Movie Night  | Friday, November 8 | 7pm | Featuring the movie: Pollock
Art Start Northwest is pleased to present the award-winning film Pollock.  Ed Harris directs and stars as Jackson Pollock, the troubled abstract expressionist painter whose work went on to define the genre of 1950s America.

More information and get your $10 tickets here. Tickets also available at the door, unless we sell out.

2024 Artist Holiday Sale | Friday, November 15, 1pm-7pm & Saturday, November 16, 12pm-7pm

Questions about events? Contact [email protected]

Art For All Free Community Classes: 1st Wednesday of the month at Graphite Arts Center

Art For All is a non-profit organization empowering people with disabilities to create and exhibit art in the greater Puget Sound area. Please click on the button below to visit the Art For All website, and more information about the Art For All community classes held at Graphite Arts Center. Art Start Northwest joyfully supports Art For All.   

Call for Art – Winter Abstraction
In artistic celebration of the coldest season of the year, The Gallery at Graphite seeks artwork for the upcoming exhibition Winter Abstraction.  Works for this show should, through shapes, lines, colors, textures and gestural marks, represent the essence of “winter.”  We are looking for high quality, non-representational works that endeavor to interpret the tactile feelings, tastes, emotions, actions, etc. of the winter season. For more information please see the complete prospectus.

Current Gallery Exhibit – THROUGH WINDOWS AND DOORS

September 13 – November 2, 2024

Gallery hours: Fridays, 1-5PM & Saturdays, 12-4PM
Open daily with access through Charcoal Restaurant, 4-8PM
Open for Art Walk Edmonds September 19 & October 17, 5-8PM
Opening Reception: Saturday, September 14, 7-8:30PM

Current Exhibit – TOMBSTONE

October 4 – November 2, 2024

In the Graphite Arts Center Library area
Hours: Fridays, 1-5PM & Saturdays, 12-4PM

Upcoming Exhibit – WINTER ABSTRACTION

November 9, 2024 – January 4, 2025

Gallery hours: Fridays, 1-5PM & Saturdays, 12-4PM
Open daily with access through Charcoal Restaurant, 4-8PM
Open for Art Walk Edmonds November 21 & December 19, 5-8PM

 

Art Start Northwest School Program

What is the Art Start Northwest School Program? We teach teachers how to incorporate visual arts into the classroom to deepen learning and provide opportunities for creativity. In our second year, we are growing in a big way. Art Start NW will share with our partnership schools, 10+ easy to follow art projects that include an essential question, a learning objective, and that meet the WA State Learning Standards. The theme of these projects will celebrate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. We will again host a Student Art Show in the spring to celebrate all of the artworks being made as a result of the ASNW School Program.

Teacher Workshops

 

This year, we will host five Teach the Teacher workshops at Graphite Arts Center, including a two-part clay workshop in collaboration with Graphite Studio Artist Julie Perrine. Thanks to the generous support from the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation, all of these workshops will be FREE for our partnership school teachers to attend. Any other teachers or educator in the area who are interested in joining us for one of these workshops are welcomed and encouraged to sign up for a low fee of only $25. Each of our workshops offer up to two professional clock hours.

Art Supply Donations

We will again donate sketchbooks and quality art supplies for our partnership elementary schools. We thank our collaborator, the Hazel Miller Foundation for contributing to this goal. Would you like to start an art cabinet at your school? Please reach out to Education Manager Missy Hancock at [email protected] and learn how!

Thank you for your generous support:

Would you like to support the Art Start NW School Program?

What is Art Start Northwest

Graphite Arts Center is home to Art Start Northwest, our non-profit, 501(c)(3). Founded by Mary Olsen, the mission of Art Start Northwest is to make art accessible to all.

In 2023, we launched the Art Start Northwest, School Program and built partnerships with five Edmonds elementary schools in the Edmonds School District. We created an art cabinet at each school, donated good quality art supplies and sketchbooks for every student.

Our goal is to make the Art Start NW School Program accessible to all schools who want to participate. If you would like to learn more, or help us meet this goal, please reach out to Education Manager, Missy Hancock at: [email protected]

ARTISTS INTERESTED IN BECOMING APART OF OUR COMMUNITY AT

We welcome professional Artists who need a place to create and sell their art, become part of our community and make connections.

Art Studio Rentals (Currently, all Art studios are rented)

Artist Locker Rentals (Currently all Art Lockers are rented)

To apply for a space below:

Apply to Volunteer:

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