Cascadia Weekly features Origins and Evolution | February 3, 2021 by Amy Kepferle
An article by Amy Kepferle on Gallery Syre exhibition Origins and Evolution:
“She loved her paintings to sparkle,” David Syre says about his grandmother, one of the artists highlighted in the “Origins and Evolution: 5 Generations” exhibit that recently opened at Bellingham’s Gallery Syre. Sometimes, he adds, she’d attach bits of foil to her landscapes in order to better catch and reflect the light.
It’s one of many cherished memories Syre shares during a short video available to patrons perusing the multigenerational show featuring works by Clara “Grandma Joe” Anderson, Syre, and his adult daughter, Amy Healy. To complete the circle, Amy’s daughter Ann also shares her burgeoning talents.
Before entering into the voluminous gallery space to discover how their pieces complement yet are decidedly different from each other, watch the compelling footage explaining how family ties influenced the generations of artists.
Using his relationship with Grandma Joe as a starting point, Syre notes how he came to live with her for a spell during his childhood. He was recovering from a near-death experience with polio and his parents were busy rebuilding their farm in Everson after an epic flood, so the time spent with her is fixed in his mind.