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Portrait Gallery: Charles Johnson

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a new portrait of an author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Tuesday December 6th:
The Way of the Writer Reading
Charles Johnson is a Seattle-area legend. The UW professor and National Book Award-winning novelist’s latest book collects a lifetime of learning under the ambitious title The Way of the Writer: Reflections on the Art and Craft of Storytelling. Tonight, Johnson will talk onstage with one of his prize students, the novelist David Guterson.
Northwest African American Museum, 2800 S. Massachusetts St., 624-6600, http://elliottbaybook.com. Free. All ages. 7 p.m.

Portrait Gallery: Michelle Tea

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a new portrait of an author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Friday November 18th:
As Sarah Galvin noted in her excellent review, Michelle Tea is an iconic memoirist and queer sex symbol. Her newest book, Black Wave, is a memoir with a dystopic novel laid over the top, which kind of resembles the world in which we live right now. Tea is joined by memoirist Donna Kaz and musician Jordan O’Jordan.

Fred Wildlife Refuge, 128 Belmont Ave. E., 322-7030.
http://www.hugohouse.org. Free. All ages. 7 p.m.

Portrait Gallery: Donna Miscolta

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a new portrait of an author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Saturday November 12th:
Hola and Goodbye Book Launch Party
Seattle author Donna Miscolta launches her new collection of short stories, which charts the progress of a Latinx family across three generations. In a time when the Republican Party is trying as hard as they can to demonize immigrants, this book celebrates the immigrant experience. This publication party features music from Acustico Perfecto.
Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Ave, 624-6600, http://elliottbaybook.com . Free. All ages. 7 p.m.

Get painted by Christine!

Christine is taking on a limited amount of commissioned portraits, in her Seattle Review of Books style, in advance of the holidays. If you want a portrait of a friend, loved one, pet, or even yourself (immortalize your bossest selfie!) for your own wall, or as the most thoughtful gift you can possibly imagine, then please do reach out. There's more information on her website.

Portrait Gallery: Alexander Chee

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a new portrait of an author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Friday November 4th:
Hugo Literary Series: Animals
With its big bar and swanky chandelier, Fred Wildlife Refuge is a terrific temporary home for Hugo House’s Literary Series. Readers include short story author Kirstin Valdez Quade, novelist Alexander Chee, and Seattle’s own Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore, along with The Royal Oui, all producing new work around the theme of “animals.”
Fred Wildlife Refuge, 128 Belmont Ave. E., 322-7030. http://www.hugohouse.org. $10-25. All ages. 7:30 p.m

Get painted by Christine!

Christine is taking on a limited amount of commissioned portraits, in her Seattle Review of Books style, in advance of the holidays. If you want a portrait of a friend, loved one, pet, or even yourself (immortalize your bossest selfie!) for your own wall, or as the most thoughtful gift you can possibly imagine, then please do reach out. There's more information on her website.

Portrait Gallery: Bruce Lee

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Sunday October 30th:
Lake View Cemetery Walking Tour

The Seattle Obscura Society leads a historical tour of Seattle’s highest-profile cemetery, from well-known tourist destinations (Bruce and Brandon Lee’s grave) to sites marking some of the darker moments in Seattle history. Lake View Cemetery, 1544 15th Ave E., http://atlasobscura.com, $20, 2:30 p.m.

Do You Know Bruce?
Have you visited the Wing Luke Museum to see the latest installation of the "Do You Know Bruce?" exhibition series? Part 3 "A Day in the Life of Bruce Lee" opened earlier this month and gives a glimpse at Bruce's every day routines, habits, and strategies for balancing his physical and artistic pursuits.

Get painted by Christine!
Christine is taking on a limited amount of commissioned portraits, in her Seattle Review of Books style, in advance of the holidays. If you want a portrait of a friend, loved one, pet, or even yourself (immortalize your bossest selfie!) for your own wall, or as the most thoughtful gift you can possibly imagine, then please do reach out. There's more information on her website.

Portrait Gallery: Arthur Rimbaud

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Poet and libertine Arthur Rimbaud was born on October 20, 1854. If you're a super-fan, you can buy the gun Verlaine used to shoot Rimbaud (non-fatally, in the wrist).

Sensation

On the blue summer evenings, I shall go down the paths,
Getting pricked by the corn, crushing the short grass:
In a dream I shall feel its coolness on my feet.
I shall let the wind bathe my bare head.

I shall not speak, I shall think about nothing:
But endless love will mount in my soul;
And I shall travel far, very far, like a gipsy,
Through the countryside - as happy as if I were with a woman.

Arthur Rimbaud
March 1870.

Read more poems by Rimbaud

Get painted by Christine!

Christine is taking on a limited amount of commissioned portraits, in her Seattle Review of Books style, in advance of the holidays. If you want a portrait of a friend, loved one, pet, or even yourself (immortalize your bossest selfie!) for your own wall, or as the most thoughtful gift you can possibly imagine, then please do reach out. There's more information on her website.

Portrait Gallery: Casandra Lopez

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Tuesday October 18th: Jack Straw Writers

Poet Casandra Lopez will be reading on Tuesday with other Jack Straw Writers. She is a founding editor of As/Us: A Space for Women of the World.

Every year, the Jack Straw Writers Program selects the brightest local writers and teaches them how to better read their work. Tonight, some of the most fascinating writers in Seattle right now — Ramon Isso, Casandra Lopez, Shin Yu Pai, and E.J. Koh — will share new work and show off what they’ve learned.

University Book Store, 4326 University Way N.E., 634-3400, http://www2.bookstore.washington.edu/. Free. All ages. 7 p.m.

Get painted by Christine!

Christine is taking on a limited amount of commissioned portraits, in her Seattle Review of Books style, in advance of the holidays. If you want a portrait of a friend, loved one, pet, or even yourself (immortalize your bossest selfie!) for your own wall, or as the most thoughtful gift you can possibly imagine, then please do reach out. There's more information on her website.

Portrait Gallery: Luvvie Ajayi

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Tuesday October 11th: I’m Judging You Reading

Luvvie Ajayi is a Nigerian-American author who writes essays about politics, feminism, race, pop culture, and the wrongness and rightness of people on the internet. As part of a celebration of her new book I’m Judging You: The Do-Better Manual, Alayi will appear in conversation with Lindy West.

Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Ave., 386-4636, http://spl.org. Free. All ages. 7 p.m.

Get painted by Christine!

Christine is taking on a limited amount of commissioned portraits, in her Seattle Review of Books style, in advance of the holidays. If you want a portrait of a friend, loved one, pet, or even yourself (immortalize your bossest selfie!) for your own wall, or as the most thoughtful gift you can possibly imagine, then please do reach out. There's more information on her website.

Portrait Gallery: Frederica Jansz

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Thursday September 29th: Writing for a Cause

At a time when Donald Trump can block newspapers he doesn’t like from covering his campaign, this is more relevant than ever: Journalists Muatasim Qazi, Frederica Jansz, and former Seattle PI reporter Mike Lewis will discuss censorship. Jansz and Qazi both came to US after facing censorship abroad, only to find new threats here.

Hugo House, 1021 Columbia St., 322-7030, http://hugohouse.org. Free. All ages. 7 p.m.

Portrait Gallery: Clark Humphrey

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Seattle's perennial ambassador to the micro-cultures of the Pacific Northwest, Clark Humphrey is appearing Sunday at Vermillion Art Gallery and Bar to celebrate the new edition of his encyclopedic work on Seattle's music scene, LOSER: The Real Seattle Music Story.

Portrait Gallery: Peter Ho Davies

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Novelist Peter Ho Davies appears tonight at Elliott Bay Book Company.

Portrait Gallery: Robert Lashley

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Robert Lashley, current Stranger Genius nominee and Jack Straw Writing Fellow, will be reading this Tuesday at University Book Store. Trust us. You want to see Lashley read.

Portrait Gallery - Sarah Galvin

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

We're featuring Sarah Galvin's portrait again in honor of her reading this Saturday! Stop by to enjoy her appearance and the other talented writers on the event's lineup.

Portrait Gallery will be back soon!

Christine Marie Larsen will be back soon with more amazing portraits!

For now, you can check out her previous work in our Portrait Gallery archives. Stay tuned for her return.

Portrait Gallery - Sherman Alexie

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

This week is a rerun of Seattle's beloved Sherman Alexie, who's reading this Sunday at Queen Anne Book Company. He'll be presenting his children's book, Thunder Boy Jr. And don't forget about Alexie's appearance at Bumbershoot at a Seattle Review of Books event in just a few weeks!

Portrait Gallery - Claudia Castro Luna

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Originally from El Salvador, Claudia Castro Luna is Seattle's first Civic Poet, a new position that runs for two years. She was selected from among 21 applicants and holds an MA in urban planning, an MFA in poetry, and a teaching degree. She teaches and writes in Seattle, also dedicating herself to gardening and raising chickens with her family. She'll be reading this Saturday, August 6 at the Good Arts Building in Pioneer Square.

Portrait Gallery will be back next Thursday!

Christine has taken this week off from Portrait Gallery, but she will be back next Thursday with another amazing art piece! In the meanwhile, you can mosey over to the Portrait Gallery archives to appreciate last week’s portrait of Carla Hayden and more. And if you have anyone in mind you think would make a good portrait, let us know!

Portrait Gallery - Carla Hayden

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Carla Hayden is the 14th Librarian of Congress! But, more importantly, she's the first female and first black Librarian of Congress — the thirteen before her have all been white men. Also, she's actually a librarian (with a doctorate in library science from U Chicago), which hasn't been the case since the 70s. Hayden was the President of the American Library Association as well as the CEO of Enoch Pratt Free Library. She started her career at the Chicago Public Library, where the Obamas got to know and befriend her. Read more about her history and achievements.

Portrait Gallery - Natasha Marin

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

Local poet Natasha Marin is reading tonight, July 14. She'll be presenting her poem "Red Lineage" in a show on Capitol Hill.

Portrait Gallery - Ursula K. Le Guin

Each week, Christine Marie Larsen creates a portrait of a new author for us. Have any favorites you’d love to see immortalized? Let us know

A resident of Portland since 1959, Ursula K. Le Guin is an incredibly influential writer, particularly in science fiction and fantasy. She received multiple Hugo and Nebula awards, among many other distinguished honors — despite experiencing numerous rejections at the beginning of her career. Le Guin gained widespread popularity in the 60s and 70s with her short stories and Left Hand of Darkness, a novel pioneering the feminist science fiction genre. Her influence extends to renowned authors such as Salman Rushdie, Neil Gaiman, and even George RR Martin, who lists her as a highly respected fantasist that impacted his own novels. Le Guin's daring themes — especially that of gender and androgyny in Left Hand of Darkness — admirably transformed her readers' perspectives.