What is art? To me, art is something that assembles lines, patterns and designs of colors, sounds and elements, organizing these would-be ingredients into something that captures our attention. Something that wows us, stops us in our tracks and causes us to feel. Emotions generated by our senses of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste—just because we experienced art.
Artists are those who dare to share such creations with others, hoping to evoke reactions of enjoyment, or maybe to bring about awareness and change. And oftentimes, to make a living by sharing their passion via their work.
Performing arts
Here in Seattle, we’re fortunate to have all shapes and sizes of art to enjoy. And for my family on a recent Saturday, we experienced the fine art of dance—specifically the Pacific Northwest Ballet’s mesmerizing version of Swan Lake.
Seattle Center just happens to be home to a large concentration of the arts for the city. And McCaw Hall—home to PNB and the Seattle Opera—is one of Seattle Center’s largest facilities.
We arrived early enough to enjoy the lobby and gift shops, as well as place our drink order for one of the intermissions. Settling into our seats, anticipating the curtain’s rise, I couldn’t help but wonder what would wow me. We are big fans of PNB’s ballets, but this four-act story is one of our favorites.
I must say, this company wove all its storytelling threads together flawlessly, giving us goosebumps, and leaving us with a sense of awe. It’s tough to choose only one “wow” element, but I’ll highlight the dancers themselves. They conveyed all the essential emotions necessary to make us believe. Their performance—dancing in beautiful costumes against fascinating sets to the orchestra’s superb rendition of this Tchaikovsky classic—earns a collective wow.
Contemporary arts
After the final curtain, we had a couple of hours before dinner; this was just enough time to take in the neighboring Chihuly Garden and Glass gallery.
Aside from the breathtaking glass structures, what really captured my attention was the brilliance of color. Impressive without being too much. Equally impressive are the number of glass works in the garden that are literally exposed to the elements. Fascinating! Kudos to the caretakers of the special place for keeping all glass pieces clean and shining like new.
Also fascinating is how life is depicted in each piece. Life–the land, the seas, evidence of animals and people–the environment of all living things and more–captured in beautiful glass. Glass placed harmoniously within industrial and natural surroundings.
Culinary arts
Earlier in the day—before the ballet—we stopped at Caffe Zingaro for a latte. What a fun coffee house! The walls featured fun paintings—pattern-focused and colorful. The staff was friendly and very helpful when it came to answering questions about their unique menu. I selected a Cubano latte (featuring cinnamon and raw sugar steamed and blended into the coffee drink). Delicious! I plan on trying the Broken Umbrella next time (featuring vanilla and honey).
To end our day, we enjoyed yummy Irish Soda Bread—and a few other Irish dinner items—at near by T.S. McHugh’s. This fun pub-style restaurant showcases Irish nostalgia, and is a favorite way for us to round out our day of events at Seattle Center.
What is your favorite way to enjoy the arts? Is there one that stands out as your favorite? It was fun for us to enjoy familiar favs like the ballet and the restaurant, but equally fun to discover a different coffee place and the gallery showcasing Chihuly’s glass works.
Whatever you choose to do—enjoy fantastic favorites or discover something exciting, you owe it to yourself to experience the art of artists who dare to share.
J 🎨
The Ugly Scarf 