In twenty five years Jeffrey Moose Gallery has shown an enormous variety of work by artists local, national and international, with a wide range of styles and media. From the original location in downtown Seattle’s Rainier Square, where I operated for 23 years on the second level of the Atrium, the gallery moved in the summer of 2017 to the town of Winslow on Bainbridge Island.
This was a homecoming of sorts; in the spring of 1989 I helped found an unusual cooperative, Net Contents Gallery, in the Bainbridge neighborhood of Lynwood Center. It’s a delight to return to the serenity and, recently, the cultural vigor of the Island. It’s an honor to now serve old neighbors and friends, including local businesses and and working artists. And to be 15 minutes from home!
Over the years, the gallery has shown work ranging from scientific illustrations to Pop/Op to pastel landscapes to Native American and Australian Aboriginal art. Nature is a common thread and it continues to inspire and direct. As an elementary school student, I began to draw by studying bird feathers and leaves at Burgundy Farm Country Day School on the fringes of Alexandria, Virginia.
My background as a printmaker has influenced plenty of shows and has provided valuable experience in handling works on paper in our frame shop. I studied lithography at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and later worked in litho ateliers in both San Francisco and Seattle with artists as diverse as Rufino Tamayo, Mel Ramos, Jacob Lawrence and Kent Lovelace.
In recent years, music and musicians have been regular themes at the gallery. I am honored to represent Rock and Roll photographer Steve Schneider, whose photos go back to the early 70’s and also include stunning images of the Grunge era. As my second vocation, I play drums and sing in the local Gypsy Jazz band Ranger and the “Re-Arrangers”. The gallery partnered with the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) for the last two Octobers to celebrate Jazz, in conjunction with Within/Earshot Jazz concerts.
In 2005, the gallery added a picture framing operation, initially to assist and expedite our exhibitions. As time went by, it became obvious that my location in the Rainier Square Concourse was a perfect place to design and build frames for customers as well. So many of my business and office neighbors needed framing assistance, from replacing broken glass and installing art work to complex frame design, that it was a success.
In planning the relocation, it was essential to continue my picture framing, so I worked with old friends at Roby King Gallery in Winslow to acquire their framing operation and client list. I can report a smooth transition and many, many happy customers, some who had framed with them for over 25 years. Since 2017, we have been the framing sponsor for BIMA’s annual fundraiser, the BIMA Bash. We have framed for numerous artists and collectors, stretching canvases and building complex hinged display cabinets for keepsakes and collectibles. For more detailed information about our framing operation, see the Framing home page here.
If you’ve been a fan or customer, you may notice our new web look. Improved visibility on smart phones combined with a fresh design and complimented by the 24 years of archived shows should provide insight, entertainment and inspiration.
Thanks for looking!