Seattle's Art Scene Explodes with "TF9: Now + Later" Showcase
By Omari Salisbury
SEATTLE, WA—Last month, AXIS Pioneer Square was transformed into a vibrant hub of artistic expression when The Feels Foundation presented its ninth annual art showcase, "TF9: Now + Later," on March 22, 2025. The event drew a diverse crowd eager to explore the themes of identity, self-discovery, and transformation through various artistic mediums.
"Today is the showcase," said Jacque Churchville, program manager at The Feels. "This is the ninth iteration of the showcase. We've got some really great featured artists... We're just having a good time and making sure that the Feels [Foundation] is as good as it always is."
The showcase featured the works of Angelina Villalobos Soto, Charde Camille Brown, B Line Dot, Hanako O’Leary, and Gerardo Peña, along with 10 emerging artists. The exhibition aimed to blend nostalgia with futurism, inviting attendees to reflect on their own evolutions. "This year's theme is Now and Later," Churchville explained. So we picked all new artists. Not a single artist in this show is repeating... and we just try to promote them the best that we can."
Charde’ Brown, one of the featured visual artists, shared, "A lot of my art is inspired off of my mental health journey and just, you know, as a Black woman, and how I experience it, kind of my healing process." Brown's work, spanning five years, aimed to show the "now and later" of her artistic journey, fitting seamlessly with the event's theme. She also noted, "I wanted to basically show the now and later of my art, kind of the history of it. I felt that would fit well with the title of the event."
Erynne Byrd-Quigtar, another featured artist, focused on celebrating Black joy. "So I'm an artist here, and I'm showcasing three of my new pieces from one of my series, and the work itself is all about Black joy and the remembrance of what joy looks like," she said. Byrd-Quigtar also spoke about how motherhood influenced her art. "I actually just had a baby two months ago, and I have two under two," she shared. "And with creating that art and creating children, I've been able to kind of redefine my art itself."
Churchville highlighted the diversity of the art on display. "I think this year is really great because we have some more tactile artists, which we don't always have a lot of those," she said. "And then we also have just like, I think, very vibrant, big, bold colors... It's got a different feel to it, and it's really just bold and beautiful."
The event was not just a celebration of art but also a fundraiser for The Feels Foundation's youth summer and afterschool arts programming, which supports schools like Washington Middle School and Aki Kurose Middle School. Additionally, 10% of all proceeds were donated to the WA Immigrant Solidarity Network, aligning with the foundation's commitment to social justice. "So we run the main thing that this funds is our summer session," Churchville stated. "We go and we find a venue, we bring a bunch of kids in, and we run a summer session that's completely free."
Brown expressed excitement about being part of the event. "I'm very excited to be here," she said. "I love the vibe. It's a really great energy to be in here." She also mentioned her art collective, "the cultivate," which came to support her.
"TF9: Now + Later" provided a platform for artists to share their personal journeys and connect with the community. The event's success underscores The Feels Foundation's ongoing efforts to empower artists and foster creative engagement in Seattle.For more information about The Feels Foundation, visithttps://thefeelsfoundation.org.
