Seattle Art Museum features our favorite Native American book artist!

Museum libraries can be an overlooked part of the museum environment. Too frequently these research and curatorial gems are tucked in a corner or hidden behind intimidating doors. Happily, more and more often these days, museum librarians are reaching out and connecting library holdings with the major exhibitions in the museum. These outreach efforts are especially exciting when they feature artist books from the either the museum or the library collections. In this case, 23 Sandy Gallery artist and former gallery assistant Erin Mickelson's work was showcased in the library during a major exhibition featuring no less than Edward S. Curtis, Marianne Nicholson, Tracey Rector and Will Wilson.

Traci Timmons, head librarian at the Seattle Art Museum recently wrote an article on the SAM blog about Erin's work. Erin is a very talented book artist whose unique and limited edition artist books are always thoughtful, engaging, smart, layered, nuanced, superbly concepted and perfectly crafted. You may have met Erin if you ever visited 23 Sandy Gallery on a Saturday. For four years, she was an invaluable part of the gallery operation. She charmed customers, curated exhibitions, ran our web site, helped install shows and so, so, so much more. She was a super help and vital to me staying sane during those crazy days. I will always appreciate her help and friendship.

Check out this stellar blog article on the SAM web site:

"Recently, the Dorothy Stimson Bullitt Library acquired two works by book artist, designer, and member of the Oneida Nation Erin Mickelson. Mickelson’s work is often about language, particularly translation. Sometimes her work is as straightforward as a translation from one language to another, but often she attempts to translate an idea between seemingly disparate forms—language, image, code, and movement....    

Continue reading the SAM blog here.

Congratulations, Erin!