Muse Mingle is a new art discussion group for art lovers, patrons, and gallery artists led by Columbia City Gallery member artist Saundra Fleming, MFA School of the Art Institute of Chicago and founder of HOLE IN THE AIR, an international artists’ group seeking radical connection through experimental process.

April 10, 5:00-6:30pm: Join Saundra for a discussion featuring AI artists and curator Matthew Beheren, Li Turner, a Gallery 110 artist and Columbia City Gallery artist, Thoa Nguyen.

March 6th, 5:00 -6pm: artists Patrick Connelly, Eliaichi Kimaro and Marilyn Charlat Dix.

More about Muse/Mingle, in Saundra’s words:

WHAT IS ART FOR?

Art has always been a metaphysical tool for me to at least ask the questions that are so immense that they can never be answered. What is death? How do we relate to it? Is there some kind of creator behind all this? If I think logically it certainly seems that there isn’t. But if I consider the search for “God” through my own hand as a painter, possibilities seem to open up to me—

There is so much hidden beauty in the world and the sensitivity of our hearts to it offers the world to us as poetry. But we have to be tuned in to this. Art holds us tight and makes us aware of dimensions that prove to me that there has to be more to all of this…

The greatest Art I saw when I went to Europe seemed to be all about WWII and authoritarian power imposing itself through war. (And the role the leaders play in all that)

Here is a short poem that describes my experience:

A PHANTASMAGORICAL SURGEON

That jerkiness

felt in things placed wrongly that are true.

Staged seamlessly, Hitler’s official office furniture

within a food fight imagined by the 3 Stooges

Net result-Greatest Postmodern painting

in Paris resides in the Pompidou

I sensed it, though not thinking about humiliation

that is the relevant factor

In a tale told by an authoritarian government..

The first priority, to squash and fire

the dignity of the chosen enemy

The lost and wounded showered with hatred by the dominant

political baboons

Things placed wrongly (Surrealism’s strategy continues) together

make complex sense when redeemed by absurdity

Morality, values, humans..

Towering artists play the role of history’s

phantasmagorical surgeons

1/23/22

Saundra Fleming, Seattle, WA

Please join us for the next Muse Mingle. Check the Gallery Events page to see everything that’s coming up.