Kimi Hansen, owner of Art Escapes Gallery, is the Mountlake Terrace Library’s January featured artist for 2014! As an acrylic painter, Hansen developed a love for art early in life and was inspired by the watercolor classes held in her mother’s basement, “I love the challenge to find beauty in the ordinary,” said Hansen. “I want the viewer to take note of what I see: the wet smooth surface of green olives, the dimples of a lemon, or the crystal clear surface of glassware.” She enlarges the objects to help the viewer focus on the intricate details of each item.

Art Escapes Gallery (AEG) evolved out of the desire to promote emerging artists while supporting local business. AEG facilitates an “escape” for artwork from studios to be publicly displayed in Snohomish and King County, through a thoughtful blending of fine art and small business. AEG provides high quality, unique art for sale and lease to further expose and support Northwest artists and offers customized printing options for artists to showcase their art for gallery and business exposure.

Hansen has exhibited in solo shows at Horizon Bank in Edmonds, Harold’s Lighting in Seattle and the Wade James Theater in Edmonds. Her work was juried into the 2009 Edmonds Art Festival. In 2000-02, Hansen received an Edmonds Art Festival Scholarship Award.
Hansen exhibited her work at the Kindred Circle Art Gallery in Edmonds in 2006-07. She also served as the Edmonds Third Thursday Art Walk Coordinator in 2006-07.

The show runs through Jan. 31 at the Mountlake Terrace Library, Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 1 to 5 p.m.

The Mountlake Terrace Arts Advisory Commission oversees the library exhibits as part of its mission to promote cultural events in the community and has chosen the following artists and groups for its following monthly shows:

February- The Calligraphers Group
March- Steve Whitney- Paintings
April- Michael Wewer- Photography
May- Lori Knight- Mixed Media
June- Lena Leitzke- Paintings
July- Janie Olsen- Paintings
August- Karen Leonard
September- Brooke and Mike Mallory- Photography and Paintings
October- Judith Lang
November- Debra Galassi- Photography
December- Dick McMahon- Photography

Other recent art news:
Karla Matzke, recent 3-D art juror for the 35th annual juried Mountlake Terrace “Arts of the Terrace” show, has written the forward to 100 Artists of the Northwest (Schiffer Publishing/available now). Matzke’s forward includes a guide to galleries, sculpture parks, museums and schools and takes a fresh look at the insightful ways in which our area’s artists have interpreted life in our region and how their art highlights living amongst our evergreens, snow-capped mountain ranges and high desert plateaus. Local artist Kathy Collins is one of the artists selected for this book. Inspired by hiking and bicycling trips, Collins always carries a sketchbook and camera on her trips of the Pacific Northwest where she returns to her studio to translate her images to dramatic watercolor originals. A Signature Member of the Northwest Watercolor Society and Women Painters of Washington, Kathy Collins teaches workshops at Tsuga Fine Art in Bothell, where her artwork can also be purchased. Tsuga Fine Art is currently featuring a “Miniature, Masterpieces and More!” small works original art show running now through Jan. 11. ( Tsuga is located at 10101 Main St., Bothell.)

— By Lori Knight

Arts Around Terrace columnist Lori Knight co-owns with her husband Eric the Knight Visions Studio Gallery. A Brier resident, Knight has been selling, promoting, marketing and framing art for 25 years. She opened her studio at 19533 Filbert Dr., in nearby Bothell. in 1987. Both of her children, Briana and Chris, are Mountlake Terrace High School graduates. (Photo by Patty Linna)