Gallery pays tribute to imagination captured in children's book
Growing up in the Midwest, Kevin McKouen found great joy in taking pictures and was a great admirer of author Daniel Pinkwater.
In perhaps his most well-known children's book, Pinkwater depicts a drab neighborhood full of homes identical to one another, until Mr. Plumbean repaints his home. One by one, his neighbors follow suit, and the town transcends the ordinary and becomes a place enriched by imagination.
Today, McKouen is paying homage to Pinkwater's "The Big Orange Splot" with his new, high-end Orange Splot Gallery in Fremont.
"I noticed that Fremont had great, craft-type art galleries, but lacked some of the more traditional art," said McKouen, 32, who opened the gallery in September. "There's so much artistic talent in this town, and many of them are still working with oil and acrylic on canvas."
A perfect space
After spending much of his life traveling across the country and around the world - some of that time traversing the United States in a Volkswagen van - McKouen arrived in Seattle just one year ago to open his first art gallery.
Set below ground in a Fremont basement, most recently occupied by an antique furniture store, McKouen's space serves as a haven for local artists to exhibit contemporary pieces deeply rooted in classic techniques
McKouen's space also serves as a printing and framing shop, while some of his own personal work - what he calls a portfolio of international landscapes - adorns a small portion of the wall space.
"The space really called out to me while I was looking for a building," he said of the nearly century-old building at 3519 Fremont Place N. "It has so much character, and I knew it was going to be perfect for what I wanted to do with it."
Taking a page out of Pinkwater's book, McKouen covered the ceiling of his space with giant, orange spots almost immediately after moving in.
The gallery's two rooms are nearly identical, varying slightly in wall and floor color, and serve as a toast to five local artists whose work have captured McKouen's eye and imagination.
Ready to open
Now comfortable with his first curatorial endeavor, McKouen is ready to properly unveil his gallery to the public, in a formal, grand-opening celebration on Jan. 19, from 7 to 10 p.m.
Though Orange Splot has been open to the public since last fall, McKouen now feels that everything has fallen into place.
"Up until a few weeks ago, I didn't feel as if the gallery was fully developed yet," he said. "I feel now it is ready to be seen."
The opening will fittingly boast orange drinks in all forms, as wel as the five artists' work he currently has on display.
McKouen plans on rotating local artists on a monthly basis, offering space to one or two artists each month, and providing new artwork for display during Fremont's First Friday Art Walk.
For more information, visit www.orange-splot.com.
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