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On a rare lovely sunnyaternoon in Seattle, I sat

in a delightul coee shopon Capital Hill, happily sipping a

caramel latte and paging through Te Stranger.Nestled in my chair I absorbed every word oan article written by Jen Graves, top SeattleArt Critic, entitled Whats wrong with art inSeattle? Our art schools, according to SAMsoutgoing contemporary curator.

Now, having just completed by frst quarter atthe time, my hackles got a little overexcited.Michael Darling, in the fnal moments o histime as curator o the Seattle Art Museumprovided an interview wherein he challengedthe University o Washingtons art programs,the programs at Cornish College o the Artsand Te Art Institute o.....wait. Nope. Notone mention o Te Art Institute o Seattle; andthat, my riends, is what got me really thinking.

Seattle needs to revolutionize its Masters oFine Arts program at the University o Washington; Mr. Darling is quoted assaying. I think thats the number one thingholding back the Seattle art scene. Accordingto Jen Graves Tis is just one mans opinion- that Seattle is not going anywhere until theart schools get better - but hes a powerul,knowledgeable man and its a strong opinion,not easy to dismiss, something thats going to

be argued over or probably many years.

As it turns out, Ms. Graves has agit or prophecy, as this article has

brought up incredible discussionsbetween mysel and several o the

aculty at Te Art Institute o Seattle. It

sparked a sense o wonderment and curiosityin me and so, even without donning a SherlockHolmes costume or taking up smoking a pipe,I headed to the phone in search o the truth.

My frst call was to Michael Darling; he hadrecently taken a position as curator o theChicago Contemporary Art Museum, andeven though the weather was taking somegetting used to, he was thoroughly enjoyinghis time in the Windy City and was more thanhappy to take my call. I dove in headfrst,

explaining who I was and asking the questionthat was utmost in my mind.

Mr. Darling, in this article you challenged theleadership o Cornish and the University oWashington. Why didnt you mention Te ArtInstitute o Seattle? His response was not inany way what I expected.

I dont want to oend you, he replied, kindly.

But the Art Institute... he paused ...doesnt exist.

What? How could this be true? Te ArtInstitute o Seattle has been around since1946, originally as the Burnley School,becoming a part o the Art Institutes in 1982.What could he possibly mean? He continuedAt least in the fne art scene, it doesnt exist.

Apparently, Te Ar t Institute o Seattle, beinga liberal art or commercial art school, is notconsidered a fne art school. I wouldnt haveeven known about the Art Institute exceptthat I was asked to speak at graduation ouryears ago. Mr. Darling stated. Other thanthat, I didnt know that the Art Instituteeven does art. He paused again. I mean,at least the University o Washington hasa gallery to di splay their students work.

Mr. Darling in no way wanted to diminish myenthusiasm or AIS or or fne art in general, hewas just stating his opinion. However, as one

o the top Seattle Art Critics once said, Tisis just one mans opinion - that Seattle is notgoing anywhere until the art schools get better -but hes a powerul, knowledgeable man andits a strong opinion, not easy to dismiss...

I spoke with the aorementioned art critic romthe Seattle Stranger; on her way into a meeting,Ms. Graves took a ew moments to talk abouther article with me, as well as oer her input inregards to my conversation with Mr. Darling.Hes correct; was her reply to my inquiry.

I dont want to offend you, he

replied, kindly. But the Art

Institute doesnt exist.{ }

Article and Layout by Jesse Phillips

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Te Art Institute o Seattle doesnt exist - inthe fne art world. Tey may be turning outgreat designers, but no great artists. ToughMs. Graves admitted a lack o research on Te Art Institute o Seattle (AIS), her responsealluded to the idea that while Te Art Instituteo Seattle may be turning out great designers, itdoes not ocus on turning out great artists. Ms.Graves said that she was anxious to be shown

otherwise, and would love the opportunityto see AIS put together a gallery showcasingthe sta and students work. I assured her aninvitation to our next event.

So the Art Institute o Seattle is not a real artschool, eh? We shall see.

I turned at once to Scott Carnz, the new Deanat AIS. He was really interested to hear whatthe fne art world in Seattle was thinking, andhappy to discuss it with me. Tats a delicatequestion, Ms. Phillips. he said, leaning backin his chair. because were not a fne artsschool. (Okay, some o you already knew allthis beore you started. Stop laughing.)Te boundaries are blurred between art anddesign, he explained. Its no longer a galleryopening that gets you a job. Its all aboutyour portolio, coupled with sel promotionalmaterials. Scott explained that even thoughstudents at AIS strive towards a Associates o

Applied Art (AAA) or A Bachelors o Fine Art(BFA), the Art Institute o Seattle providesstudents with an excellent education in commercialarts. For lack o a better term. he demurred.

In speaking with Jim McLachlan, long timeinstructor at AIS, I was inormed that thereare many - MANY- instructors who make aliving in the ine arts world. Not made,but still make a living rom their ine art.

Barry Schar, whose biography reads Masterpainter, sculptor, and digital artist with a 40+year history o proessional exhibitions ingalleries and museums. Te understatement

o the century or a man who ounded the LosAngeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE),is a three time Guru Award fnalist and hastaught at SIGGRAPH 2007, the largest andmost respected convention on animation,to name just a ew o his accomplishments.Barry has been a teacher at AIS since 1996.

Julie Berger who started out her career designingjewelry and whose metal work can be seen allover Seattle; her last project included the designo the Mercer Island Sound ransit station.

Carl Jackson has been an artist and an artinstructor or almost 30 years, twelve o thoseyears have been spent at AIS. He has also been anillustrator, arts administrator, and gallery director.His work is included in various public collectionsincluding the Boston Public Library, Te BrooklynMuseum and Rutgers University, these are just aew o Jacksons incredible accomplishments.

Artist Bill Cumming taught at AIS, or almost 50years beore his passing in November o last year.Cummings art is known throughout the worldor its interpretation o the social climate, andhis accomplishments in lie are ar too numerousto mention. In an interview beore his passinghe discussed his years o teaching, claimingto be doing it or the money, but admittingto enjoying the interaction with students.

"I teach them to stand on their owneet and fnd their own style. statedCummings in an online interview.Everybody is born with the power

to draw. It's taken away rom them.I try to give it back."

AIS proessor Andree Carter has artpieces currently commissioned at HotelMax, Te Ogden Museum o Fine Art,Nieman Marcus and the Hyatt NewOrleans among others. Carter has beeneatured in galleries such as the SeattleArt Museum, Gallery 6311, and the BellevueArt Museum and is currently eatured atHeriard Cimino Gallery in New Orleansand the Pacini Lubel Gallery in Seattle. Shehas been an Art Institute teacher since 1998.

And the list goes on. Te Art Institute o Seattlestrives to provide a mix o fne and commercialartists as instructors, giving students a healthy mixo both fne art, and the design that is their passion.

Tats the answer then, is it? Te Art Institutedoesnt exist. But essentially, it doesnt have to.

Te biggest dierence between art and design,says Scott Carnz, AIS Dean is that art is aboutthe artist; design is not about the designer.

No real mystery there, I realized, calmly removingthe Sherlock Holmes tweed hat rom my head.So, while the art schools in Seattle may beresponsible or whats wrong with art in Seattle,the Art Institute is busy turning out designers.

Apparently, its elementary, my dear Watson.Elementary, indeed.

{ }The boundaries are blurred

between art & design, explained

Scott Carnz, Dean at AIS.

{ }Apparently, Its Elementary,

My Dear Watson.