"Fear and Beauty" by Lynn Scott. Acrylic and mixed media.

Art Mafia Reunion
Local Seattle artist, and Art Mafia member, Lynn Scott is the curator for an exhibition of former Art Mafia artists at the Fraker/Scott Gallery this month. The show features work from the Art Mafia’s heyday, and a look at the newer, modern works of these talented artists. The exhibit opened on June 2 and runs until July 2.

"Coastlines" by Michelle Montjoy. Cut and painted bridesmaid dress from the 1950's.

The Art Mafia was formed at southern California’s Palomar Community College in the late 1990′s. The Mafia was a group of artists, writers and musicians dedicated to creating and critiquing art beyond the classroom. While talking to Lynn about the history of the Art Mafia it became obvious that Bill Feeney’s Painting class was pivotal moment in the Mafia’s creation. Bill, a professor and Art Mafia member, is also showing work at the reunion show.

The Mafia was a freeform group, open to anyone. If you showed up you were free to participate. The Mafia was also a diverse group. Its core members were a varied lot. Professors, older students returning to school, and younger first-time students filled out the roster. This blend of youth and experience helped make the Art Mafia the success it was.

Initially the group drew ideas from a hat and each participant would make work based on the obscure or oftentimes humorous subject. In time, the group began adding monthly road trips to L.A. museums and Earth Art sites in southwestern CA.

“Critiques were lively, and often heated, but the group always celebrated each person’s accomplishments ‘out there’.”
-Lynn Scott

The Mafia lasted for about five years before graduate programs and other life changes brought the group to an end. But just because the group had “officially” ended, didn’t mean the connections between its participants had as well. Now, Lynn Scott is giving us a glimpse into those exciting five years and showcasing where, artistically, these artists are today.

"Spiked" by Joey Azul. Faux fingernails with thumbtacks inside 6 inch heels.

The Fraker/Scott Gallery is owned and run by co-owners Lynn Scott and Tracy Fraker. The goal of the studio is to create a space “where people can come in and see the creative process, as well as an ongoing body of work.” This is an idea that I wholeheartedly support. When a person can see the skill and effort it takes to bring a single work to life, their appreciation for that work and their understanding of the artist’s commitment to their craft is greatly increased.

Believing their studio should be more than just a home for their own work, the duo added other artists’ work into the mix. A move that keeps the space alive and fresh. This goes well with the duo’s “acknowledgment that art makes you feel.” So get down to the Fraker/Scott Gallery this month and get an inside look at a unique moment in time. Be sure to catch Lynn when she hosts a reception for the show on June 18. She’ll be discussing the work of all the artists in the exhibit. It should give you great insight into the work, the artists and the Art Mafia as a whole.

“You are welcome to come in whenever you see us here, to browse, contemplate, enjoy the space. We invite you to find art to take home and live with.”
-Fraker/Scott Gallery