ABOUT THE POUND

THE GALLERY. An intimate gallery with a warm and genuine feeling supported by the use of cliplight lighting, rustic hardwood floors, and a D.I.Y. atmosphere of creativity, The Pound Gallery exhibits the work of local, national and international emerging artists as well as a few juried group shows a year. The Stranger calls The Pound Gallery "one of the few remaining alternative galleries in Seattle," a title the gallery is proud to embrace as it continues to take chances on thought provoking and challenging art of all disciplines in a friendly and unpolished atmosphere.

THE HISTORY. The Pound Gallery was founded by Laura Jean Cronin and Owen Connell in January 1994. However, starting from when she first acquired the 5000 square foot space in February of 1988, Cronin began organizing intermittent Open Studio events in what was then known as Studio 1216. The resident artists opened their spaces to the public and the shabby warehouse was transformed into a giant showy gallery. The nearly yearly Open Studio events grew ever more popular as live music was added to the evenings entertainment and artwork spilled out of the building. One memorable year, Ariadne Albright hung mammoth portraits of the resident artists from the roof of the building, which could be viewed from blocks away. What would become some of Seattleís hottest bands played one of their first shows at Studio 1216, such as The Nightcaps, 66 Saints, Faster Tiger, Bali Girls, and Algae. Other nights Studio 1216 was the envy of live music clubs, with a line-up such as Teen Angels, Glazed and Roswell Crash. Cronin soon realized that this increasingly popular event needed itís own showroom. In 1994 Cronin and Connell, a resident painter and tattoo artist since 1989, officially opened the Pound Gallery, an intimate gallery with a warm and genuine feeling supported by Cronin and Connellís use of cliplight lighting, rustic hardwood floors, and a D.I.Y. atmosphere of creativity. The first event was a juried group show entitled, Success of Failure. The response to the "call to artist" confirmed their belief that Seattle was in great need of more venues to exhibit work. Success of Failure was soon followed by the juried group show, Largest Single Influence, where Connellís piece, SEX, was a limited edition tattoo performed live on willing participants at the Opening. However, the exhibit that put The Pound Gallery on the front page of the scene section of the Seattle Times was the Dog Art Show in July of 1995. The Dog Art Call to Artist received record submissions and gave the gallery the exposure it needed to maintain a loyal patronage.

Since then the Gallery has grown from a two-person operation which was able to host three of four shows a year, to a full-time exhibition space jointly run by a committee of 6-8 artists and has shown over 100 local, national and international artists since its beginning. The Pound Gallery regularly makes the "Hot Picks" list of the Seattle Times and made the Seattle Times "Off the Wall Top Ten Gallery List" for 1997. The Stranger refers to The Pound Gallery as "one of the few remaining alternative galleries in Seattle," a title the gallery is proud to embrace as it continues to take chances on thought provoking and challenging art of all disciplines in a friendly and unpolished atmosphere.