Ballard Artists to Watch and How You Can Support Them

As an organization, the Living Artists Collective has worked with nearly 100 artists across the Seattle area since beginning in 2020. There are currently around 35 active folks who are part of our directory and/or have participated in recent shows. As we head into the 2023 holiday season, we think it’s important to highlight the artists doing such hard work to exist as creatives in this city.

Several LAC artists live, work, and collaborate in Ballard. It is such a beloved neighborhood for its wonderful restaurants, shops, proximity to the water, and charming Ballard Avenue which feels like being transported to a European town center. With its own art walk and countless artists working in studios and out of their homes, it makes sense that it has become an arts hub of Seattle, despite not boasting that many traditional-style galleries. We asked a few of these artists to share more about their practice and what they’ve been up to recently.

Do what you can this season to support Seattle’s creatives by purchasing work from them, coming out to their shows, and giving to organizations like ours that are raising funds to directly benefit low-income artists in the city.

LAC launched our pilot grant program alongside our annual fundraiser in September of this year, and by January 2024 we hope to fund three $1,000 unrestricted artist grants. A donor has generously offered to match gifts up to $1500 through Giving Tuesday, November 28th, 2023. Please help us make this happen! You can donate to fund the program here. Artists, sign up for our newsletter and keep an eye out for when we launch the application.

Jess Ray

“Sushi Man” by Jess Ray

“Exuvia” by Jess Ray

Jess Ray is an illustrative watercolor and acrylic artist who has lived in Ballard and worked on art out of her home for the past four years. Her kitchen table is her art space, and she says she chooses her mediums based largely on what’s easy to clean up and move when friends are coming over. She hopes to upgrade soon to accommodate working on larger pieces.

When it comes to picking subject matter, she mainly chooses to make works about people, because she likes twisting features and expressions. Jess describes her process as play, even though it is often dark or horror-themed. She explains that, “I want the viewer to feel like we've shared an inside joke or a secret.”

Jess’s artist feature at Venn Gallery in July.

Jess credits Ballard with saving her sanity during lockdown, its many beautiful outdoor spots serving as a source of inspiration and peace. She is very involved in the local art scene and especially enjoys participating at Push/Pull, the neighborhood’s source for art supplies, hand-crafted zines, workshops, artist features, and more. Jess had a joint show there in May with artist Neil Devlin.

This year has been exciting for Jess, displaying art all across town: A joint show with artist Neil Devlin in May at Push/Pull, a few shows at Venn Gallery (Greenwood Art Collective) throughout the year, and two with Living Artists Collective: “you are not alone” in April at Slip Gallery (Belltown) and “Support artists while they are alive” in Sep-Oct at Magnuson Park Gallery.

She has been working on a new series lately that is, as she puts it, “a little bit about rejection, a little bit about redemption, and a lot about making fun of myself (and everyone else).” In addition, she has begun a new journey into making a graphic novel.

Follow her work on Instagram at @jessrayarts and check out her website: jessrayart.com.

Sami Ariaz

Two canvases from Sami’s new project inspired by the La Belle Époque era in Paris.

Sami is an artist originally from Peru focused mainly on painting. He found himself in Ballard in 2018 after moving to the US with his wife and 5 month old baby, and describes driving past Dakota Art Store (now Push/Pull) with them and spying a house for rent close by. At first his home was his studio, but when he needed more space he sought out a small studio on Ballard Avenue. From there he teaches online and works on his projects, enjoying the peaceful space in an old building with light often streaming in until late. He says it “makes me remember my times as a painter in Paris”.

Sami working on a pencil drawing as an exercise.

This year, Sami was approached by an art curator who put together a show of his work at Axis Gallery in Pioneer Square. It was his first opportunity to show at a gallery in Seattle, and he hopes to make more connections in the city. Sami also showed and sold his piece “Girl with Rose” during LAC’s THRIVE event at The Rendezvous in November 2022.

Sami describes his next project as being about the La Belle Époque era in Paris: pieces depicting the French girl from the mysterious masked balls in Eyes Wide Shut by Stanley Kubrick. He hopes to finish it in mid-2024.

Follow his work on Instagram @samiariazfinearts and check out his website: samiariaz.com.

Andrew Tomingas

Andrew’s piece “AGONY & ECSTASY” featured in LAC’s recent show at Magnuson Park Gallery.

Andrew is a visual artist and musician originally born in Seattle who has called Ballard home for the last 10 years. He has gone to and played many shows in the neighborhood, and remembers Golden Gardens as a favorite spot of his since childhood.

His musical practice exists very much alongside his visual one, with one informing the other literally in the same space. He makes both at home in his converted attic studio, one end of which contains his drawing table, easel, and airbrushing tools, the other of which is set up for recording music. He can board up the windows for privacy and to keep the neighbors from complaining.

Andrew working on his latest airbrush piece, “Koi”.

Andrew explained how he makes his visual creative choices, sharing that he has made smaller colorful airbrush pieces in the past that required lots of masking to complete. The recent black and white works were born out of wanting to “explore what happens when I go big, fast and loose”, with the goal of “trying to capture the interaction of water and light.” He thinks that the piece he’s currently working on, “Koi”, might break his black and white streak and end up with color in it.

This year Andrew had his first chance in years to show his visual work, including his piece “AGONY & ECSTACY” in LAC’s “Support artists while they are alive” Magnuson Park Gallery show. In addition to his airbrush work, he is working on finishing an album. He enjoys pairing his songs with trippy photos he’s taken on his travels.

Follow his work on Instagram @andrewtomingas and listen to his latest song: “Flashbacks from the Fragmented Field” on Soundcloud.

“Cosmic Dive” by Andrew Tomingas

Living Artists Collective is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity working to help visual artists spend more time making and less time struggling to make ends meet. This year has been a fantastic one of gallery-style shows, workshops, artist gatherings, art sales, and more in service of bringing the community together around art.

This giving season, please donate to fund our pilot grant program of three $1,000 unrestricted awards for low-income visual artists in Seattle. A donor has generously offered to match gifts up to $1500 through Giving Tuesday, November 28th, 2023. We hope to distribute these awards in January 2024; please help us make this happen! Artist applications open soon.

You can keep up with Living Artists Collective including our events, workshops, grants, and other programming by signing up for our newsletter and following us on Instagram and Facebook. Stay tuned for more artist features highlighting the amazing neighborhoods around Seattle.