Image: Renee Couture (detail)
Barnstorm 2022
12-4pm Every Saturday in July
Juried Exhibition in the Gallery, Sculptural Works in the Yard, Live Music on the New Outdoor Stage, and Probably Some Beer.
Building on a 16-year history of successful art exhibitions and projects across the Northwest, PUNCH Projects presents Barnstorm – a series of pop-up exhibitions activating rural spaces in unexpected ways with art, music and creative installations. The third event in the series takes place at the PUNCH Projects Gallery in the old Thorp fire station. This exhibition references works in all media in the form of projections and digital prints gathered from an international call to artists. As with each Barnstorm exhibition, the PUNCH board encouraged the submission of works that speak to the dialogue between urban and rural sensibilities. For this iteration, a concise, yet diverse collection of nearly 40 images from over 250 submissions were chosen. Submitted images ranged from photos of derelict buildings, kaleidoscopic quilted landscapes, an absolutely inedible Happy Meal, and a wonderous depiction of a fella’s attempt to hold back a sneeze!! July will also introduce visitors to our new outside venue, the PUNCH Yard, featuring the unexpected, large-scale, kinesthetically inspired ceramic and mixed-media works of Karl Schwiesow. The exhibition opens Saturday, July 2, with live music by Robber’s Roost, Ellensburg’s favorite Rag-Punk outfit breaking in the Yard’s brand-spanking new stage!
PUNCH is also excited to announce selections from the Barnstorm applicants for a summer artist residency. Shan Wu and Drew Cavicchi (Wareham MA) and Katie Miller (Seattle WA) will be housed upstairs at PUNCH while working in a studio provided by our partner organization, Gallery One in Ellensburg. Additionally, Gallery One also selected Marina Kuchinski (Wheaton IL) and Neville Barbour (Silver Spring MD) from their exhibition roster to be residents, bringing the total to five artists-in-residence at PUNCH this summer! Stay tuned for more information on this exciting new program launching this July. Honorariums are being provided with support from the Robert B McMillen Foundation.
So whether it’s the Gallery, the Yard, or our upstairs Artist Residency, Saturdays in July at PUNCH Projects will be packed with art inside and out.
PUNCH Visiting Artist Program
In addition to applying for the exhibition, artists were considered for a residency award of 1-2 weeks in July or August. Housing will be provided by PUNCH in the upstairs apartment of our exhibition and event space in Thorp, WA. Our partner organization, Gallery One Visual Arts Center in neighboring Ellensburg will provide studio space with access to their ceramics facilities if desired. With support from the Robert B. McMillen Foundation and Gallery One, $400 weekly stipend will be provided and a partial travel stipend will be available for artists traveling from outside of Washington State.
About PUNCH Projects
Founded in 2006, PUNCH Projects (formerly PUNCH Gallery) has worked to promote visual art made from artists outside of the urban centers. In our ongoing effort to promote artwork that is thoughtful, fresh and contemporary coupled with our desire to further bridge urban rural connections, PUNCH Projects seeks to support the cultural vibrancy of rural art scenes by spurring creative awareness, cross-cultural engagement and economic vitality.
