 February is upon us and between the massive gusts of wind and the torrential rain we look for signs of spring anywhere we can find them. Cait Willis is showing 16 new paintings at the Joe Bar Cafe which seem to serve that purpose nicely. Drawing from the patrons and the work staff, she has created other worlds, earthly paradises, and funny places in which our neighbors coexist with Polar Bears, Gumby, or even unusual landscapes of the imagination. The paintings are unique portraits of the artistic community which swirls around the Café. "I asked people, when I could, what type of landscape would you be.." said Willis and then added "the more I worked on the series, the more I built up the layers of paint to create line drawings in the paint which was inspired by the art nouveau motifs of Vienna in the last century." The series of acrylic on canvas paintings capture the individual creativity of the artists, writers, dancers and musicians who populate the Café on a regular basis
An Exhibition Check List of Works Shown
 01.) John in the Vineyard, 12" x 12", acrylic on canvas, 2006.
LittleCityJournal CEO John Wells has been working on a documentary about the wine country in Washington State. As the designer of the Joe Bar web site, he has made it possible for you to leave a message in the guestbook, check out the menu, see information about the current exhibition, and follow the sponsorship of the bicycle team. He drinks mochas.
 02.) Jessica in the Pines, 12" x 12", acrylic on canvas, 2006.
The first thing you see on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday mornings is Jessica. A sunny smile and a cheerful disposition combine with your hot beverage to make any day bearable. Jessica has many interests including contemporary dance amd music. You may see her out and about Capitol Hill or other neighborhoods projecting her distinctive elan and joie de vivre.
 03.) The Boys Entertain Gumby on the Island, 12" x 12", acrylic on canvas, 2006.
The creative team of Ben Beres, John Sutton, and Zac Culler created an artificial island loosely anchored off of the 520 floating bridge last fall. Their art literally stopped traffic and caused consternation for commuters who reported them repeatedly to the fire department and to the harbor patrol. John and Zac drink Americanos while Ben prefers Ice Tea.Visit SuttonBeresCuller here
 04.) Devon Playing Pinball Down by the Cabin, 12" x 12", acrylic on canvas, 2005.
Devon Beck serves up your coffee beverage in the afternoons from Monday through Friday. Long a devotee of the weekend, he usually escapes to his estate on the penninsula where he points to various rocks and trees and states "I own that". To keep the quality of the coffee up he constantly samples shots of espresso during his shift which leaves him in need of a barley pop after work.
 05.) Brigette, 24" x 24", acrylic on canvas, 2005.
Brigette works for a magazine back east via the internet. She keeps New York City work hours. Her hidden talent rests in her ability to bake the most heavenly tarts, pies, cakes and pastries. She favors her friends with her delightful creations and always leaves potlucks with empty plates. In short she can format html, bake a pie, and knit a scarf while enjoying a Joe Bar mocha..
 06.) Jeanette in the Ice Cavern, 24" x 24", acrylic on canvas, 2006.
A leading actress in the Seattle Theatrical Community, Jeanette personifies wacky-macky energy. Like a spinning top, she whirls into the Cafe dripping fliers, handbills, and posters about fringe theatrical endeavors. Ideas flow out of her mind a mile a minute into a vortex of light, color and energy. She drinks Chai Tea, sweet lattes, and sometimes just water.
 07.) Double Debs at Rattlesnake Lake, 24" x 24", acrylic on canvas, 2005.
Deb is an aritist who also works as a guard at SAM. Taken from two photos of Debs on tree stumps in the lake Willis decided to combine them into the pictorial composition. The painting reflects the duality of seriousness and goofyness. It is like her playful side and somber side have met right there in the lake She drinks drip coffee.
 08.) The Kitchings on the Green, 24" x 24", acrylic on canvas, 2005.
Father Charlie holds daughter Viola while mother Amanda hold son Milo. As the owners of OKOK, they are responsible for giving the Loveless Building a certain Japanese Manga chic. Constantly popping in for a quick latte or americano, the have the luxury of working right around the corner. In their spare time they create unique artist t-shirts on their silkscreen press at home.
 09.) Self Portrait, 30" x 30", acrylic on canvas, 2005.
Cait has a B.F.A degree.(Cum Laude) from Cornish College of the Arts where she studied oil and acrylic painting under Francesca Sundsten and printmaking under Kathleen Rabel. She has exhibited in; Sydney Australia, Prague Czech Republic, and Seattle. Her work is in private collections in; Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Prague, Czech Republic, Oxford, England, Seoul, South Korea, Whale Beach, Australia, and Seattle. Her print art is in the Mary Alice Cooley Print Collection at Cornish College of the Arts. In 2003 she produced 15 etchings for novella, "Buddha in the Forest" by Chandra Perera, published by Book Surge (a Division of Random House).
 10.) Amee and the Giraffes, 48" x 48", acrylic on canvas, 2005.
Cait met Aimee at a Trader Joes in Arizonia.Aimee now lives in New York City where she enjoys Peppermint Tea. Cait has stated "Using acrylic on panel or canvas enables me to blur the line between the abstract and the representational and therefore between realism and fantasy. Drawing from friends, magazines, and old snap shots I can mix up a visceral soup of images that may awaken a sense of de ja vu in the viewer." Where else can you hang out with Giraffes?
 11.) Keith on the Road, 12" x 12", acrylic on canvas, 2005.
A recent resident of Colorado, Keith shows his art work at the James Harris Gallery in Pioneer Square. A voracious reader, he chews up art theory like potato chips but retains his sense of humor. As a regular patron, he has been know to sit in front of the cafe and talk about French philosophy for hours. He drinks mochas, lattes, ameracanos, and chai tea depending on the season and his mood
 12.) Stephen on the Plains, 12" x 12", acrylic on canvas, 2005.
A musician with interests in Harmonic Voices and Piano performance, Stephen has been know to enjoy a lemon and sugar crepe with his americano. As a member of Monktail Creative Music Concern
, he can be found at various venues around Seattle. His original compositions, his piano repetory, and his ability to sing on pitch in front of the Joe Bar with the traffic on Roy Street make him an original.Visit the Harmonic Voices Here
 13.) Fankick! Dance for the Polar Bear Party, 16"x 16", acrylic on canvas, 2005.
Who could forget the great dance-off in the fall of 2004, [the ladies were robbed]. Jess and Alianna have busted out neo-eighties dance moves all over this berg. From the Artwalk to the Museums [SAM, the Henry etc.], they have been inspiring the public with their "take no prisioners" attitude and high energy; kicks, flips and splits. For spice, these girls do not need anything.They either drink Chai or Mochas depending on their mood.Visit FanKick Here
 14.) Joe on the Wall, 16"x 16", acrylic on canvas, 2005.
Taking video where no one has gone before, Joe is working on an installation at the 911 Media Arts Gallery which opens February 15. His deep booming bass voice bounces through the Cafe with phrases like "what's growing arms? and "that's HILLLLLLAARIOUSSS". As a graphic designer, he has many Joe Bar regulars as his clients. He drinks an americano with plenty of room and dollops of sugar.
 15.) Megan at the Dog Park, 24"x 24", acrylic on canvas, 2006.
On Thursday, Friday and Sunday mornings, Megan is always ready with both a beverage for the patron and a treat for their canine companion. Her ability to coax good behavior from any dog is a remarkable skill. As an avid enthusiast of the music scene in Seattle, she is a fountain of information about the venues and the bands that keep this city vibrant.
 16.) Wylie on the Windswept Cliffs, 24"x 24", acrylic on canvas, 2005.
As the owner of Cafe Joe Bar, Wylie has been responsible for assembling a good crew and a convivial space. His inspiration to offer crepes has made the Cafe a popular destination on the weekends. When he is not working at Joe Bar, he attends various sporting events and collects contemporary art. His interests include traveling to Costa Rica, Scotland, Morocco and various points all over the compass.
Visage will run from February 1 through 28th, 2006
Joe Bar Cafe
810 E. Roy
Seattle, WA 98102
(206) 324-0407
Store Hours
Monday thru Friday: 7:30am - 9:30pm
Saturday and Sunday: 8:30am - 9:30pm
View Opening Reception Here!
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