Loving & Letting Go

Art For Sale, Art Journal, creativity, Exhibition, Gallery, inspiration, Installation, process, Residency, Story

I am overjoyed with how the Loving & Letting Go exhibit came together. In the next few posts, I will be reflecting on different aspects of my solo show. Today’s post focuses on the exhibit itself. I absolutely love this view from the outside.

Huge thanks to Mark Woods and Vassilisa Kapila for these beautiful photos.

 

This may be my favorite wall in the show. There’s something about the way these pieces hang together (maybe it’s the blues) that I find so pleasing.

 

These works in the front of the gallery are what most likely come to mind when people think of one of my paintings ~ lots of depth with layered surfaces that are textured, weathered and worn. In these pieces, there’s a tension between opposing forces seeking resolution (motion/stillness, geometric/atmospheric, light/dark, etc) ~ a fitting match for show’s theme of loving and letting go.

 

 

 

I made the large paper piece on the left during my 2022 Chateau Orquevaux artist residency in France. After my morning writing, I headed into my studio and painted some quick works on paper just to loosen up.  At the end of our month, we were invited to exhibit the work we’d created…and I didn’t want to show 30 pieces of paper. So I decided to make a painting out of paper. This is what I came up with.

The 3 smaller pieces on the right are what my quick works on paper evolved into ~ these pages have taken on a life of their own, and are currently exhibiting in my solo show (“Little & Often”) in Chicago.

 

The beauty of this space is that it offered up different rooms that allowed me to showcase various sides of my creative practice. This little nook held more standalone pieces that were still pivotal in my journey.

 

Heading down the hall, I love this peekaboo view into this room. I enjoyed witnessing people’s responses as they stumbled upon this unexpected installation. The walls of the room are lined with 8 years of original journal pages.

Artist Talk

artist talk, creativity, Gallery, inspiration, Installation, process, Speaking, Story

“Following the Narrative Throughline”
Loving & Letting Go (solo show)
July 26, 2025 at 3pm

It was a pleasure to sit down with gallerist Devon Dunham to discuss the narrative thread that weaves through the art, film, and writing in my solo show, Loving & Letting Go.

Gallerist Otto Chan was kind enough to livestream the talk, so people were able to attend both online and in person. What a gift to spend time with you reflecting on the themes and stories that continue to fuel my work.

Enjoy!

00:43 Talk begins

01:08 Devon – intro & story about finding and reaching out to Eli.

04:03 Eli – stretching herself creatively for this show and reflects on the serendipity that made the hut installation possible.

08:20 Eli – her daily writing practice and the installation of her journal pages.

10:43 Devon & Eli – externalizing the internal world, and how the exhibit moves from the hut to the journal pages to the paintings.

14:30 Eli – tracing her creative journey back to the film, and discussing the inspiration behind making the film (the search for identity and belonging.)

17:54 Eli – film screening during the exhibit highlighted how her art picked up where the film left off.

18:55 Eli – this body of work exploring the theme of “Loving & Letting Go” began during her 2022 Chateau Orquevaux residency in France. This theme continues to resonate on multiple levels.

22:22 Devon & Eli – Loving and Letting Go as an act of self-exploration ~ a body of work to more deeply understand “Who Am I?”

24:18 Eli – her daughter’s response to the show.

25:25 Devon – shares visitors’ profoundly personal responses to the Chagga hut and his own reflection on Eli’s body of work.

29:24 [Audience question] Eli & Devon – share their thoughts on the painting behind them ~ “The Offering.”

33:24 [Audience question] Eli – shares creative process, how her work continues to surprise her, and the conversations she has with her work as it’s developing.

35:34 [Walk up the the front.]

36:08 Eli – the paintings in the front gallery (vs the back) and how they invite you to move in closer.

38:57 [Audience question] Eli – including writing in her work.

41:18 [Devon question] Eli – intention behind incorporating text and graphic imagery in her work.

45:06 Devon – asks audience member pick a favorite piece and share how it makes them feel.

47:30 Eli – difference between encaustic and cold wax medium, and how/why she works with oil & cold wax.

50:35 Eli – how she knows when a piece is done.

54:25 One final audience comment/question…

New Date for Solo Show!

Art For Sale, creativity, Exhibition, Film, Gallery, Installation, Narrative

I have a BIG update ~ my solo show in Seattle has been moved up two months!

So now, Loving & Letting Go” opens Thurs. July 3rd, 5-8pm at SlipStitch Studios. We have also scheduled a screening of my film and an artist talk later in the month. Then the show closes on August 2.

Of course, you are welcome to visit during gallery hours ~ Wed-Sat 12-5.

Additionally, I am scheduling private tours of the exhibit (on all days). If you’re interested, please DM/text/email me!! I’d love everyone who wants to see this exhibit to get a chance to experience it.

Thank you kindly.

ELIAICHI KIMARO
Loving & Letting Go

SlipStitch Studios
604 2nd Ave, Seattle
Gallery Hours: Wed – Sun, 12-5pm

EXHIBITION EVENTS

OPENING RECEPTION
July 3, 5-8pm
First Thursday Pioneer Sq Art Walk

SCREENING & DISCUSSION
A Lot Like You
July 10, 5-7:30pm
(Doors at 5, film at 5:30)

ARTIST TALK
The Narrative Throughline
July 26, 3-5pm

CLOSING RECEPTION
Sat., Aug 2, 5-8pm

EXHIBITION STATEMENT

Loving & Letting Go is a multidisciplinary body of work by Eliaichi Kimaro that reflects the emotional terrain of a life in transition. In a short span of time, Kimaro’s closest relationships have shifted — her daughter left for college, her husband relocated for work, and her parents are 9,000 miles away.
This body of work explores the emotional dichotomies shaping her life in this moment — presence and absence, intimacy and independence, acceptance and grief. Each piece holds opposing forces in conversation — stillness and motion, geometric and organic, light and dark — reflecting the tension between loving from afar while learning to let go.
Loving & Letting Go is both a personal meditation and a universal invitation to sit with complexity and to find beauty within life’s contradictions.

CLUSTER goes to Stockholm!

Art Fair, CLUSTER, collaboration, Exhibition

Last month, my artist collective CLUSTER headed to Stockholm to exhibit our work at the Supermarket Independent Art Fair. Supermarket is the biggest Nordic Art Fair. This year, 66 booths showcased work by artists from Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Australia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Palestine, Portugal, Romania, Sweden and the US.

It was a whirlwind week of hard work, delicious food, inspired conversations and deepening friendships that I’m still digesting a month later…which is why it’s taken me so long to condense this experience into a succinct blog post.

The Fair’s theme this year was Dream On, which we each interpreted in our own way. A few weeks before leaving, the nine of us met at my place to share the work we planned to exhibit. We were delighted to discover that, despite our varied interpretations, there was a narrative through line that wove our pieces together. So we left Seattle feeling confident that we could assemble a strong booth that was cohesive yet diverse.

Scandic Skärholmen doesn’t play when it comes to breakfast! Our morning meetings were deicious…

In Stockholm, we started each day enjoying the hotel’s deluxe breakfast buffet which powered us through to late afternoon. Our first day was installation day. June is a seasoned curator who’s highly capable of pulling together disparate works to tell a cohesive story. So we laid our pieces out in the booth, and gave her some time and space to figure out the flow. Once the layout was decided, we got down to work.

(Click & scroll to view larger photos with captions.)

We are all independent, hard working women who are quick to lend a hand. So the entire installation ~ from troubleshooting and devising grid hanging systems to reconfiguring the layout and wiring for electricity ~ was joyful and collaborative. We were just excited to be where we were, doing what we were doing, together.

LtoR: Marilyn Charlat Dix, Carolyn Autenrieth (back), Rosalie Frankel, Eliaichi Kimaro, Dawn Endean, Ellen Hochberg, June Sekiguchi

I believe the diversity of our work was our strength. Throughout the Fair, the CLUSTER booth drew a steady crowd. While everything wasn’t for everyone, if you walked through our booth, chances were high you would connect with someone’s work strongly enough to want to spend time with it.

 

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A few close-up shots:

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Meanwhile, we scheduled our booth shifts so that everyone could have a couple days to explore Stockholm. I split my time between old town Gamla Stan and the museums of modern art (Moderna Museet) and photography (Fotografiska Museum). Stockholm’s public transportation made getting around easy, and the areas we visited were pedestrian friendly. What a delight to spend the day with friends exploring, shopping, dining, and feasting our eyes on beautiful architecture and art!

(Click or hover for captions.)

There’s so much more to say…but this is enough to get started. I returned to Seattle a week later with a full heart. This adventure deepened both our individual friendships and our collective commitment to CLUSTER. Look forward to reuniting in June to debrief our trip and make plans for our next exhibit (we already have a gallery booked!) Stay tuned…

 

Origin Story – Wish You Were Here

Art For Sale, Origin story, process

Wish You Were Here
48″x48″
Oil & cold wax

 

Jan 30, 2024: Beginning again. Starting this 48×48 piece with my favorite warm glow.

 

Feb 4, 2024: Deepening the colors on day 2 of this WIP.

 

Feb 5, 2024: Listening to Colin Hay got me over the hump today. Diving head first, past those familiar first steps, and into the Unknown. Now I can finally begin…

 

Feb 7: Working in some bright opaque colors to mitigate the mud. And now this piece is entering into quite the ugly stage.

 

The Art of Daily Practice – Opening Reception

Art For Sale, Art Journal, CLUSTER, collaboration, creativity, Exhibition, Gallery, inspiration, Installation, process

Lynann Politte at Vashon Center for the Arts has been a joy to collaborate with on my solo show ~ The Art of Daily Practice. My work this past year has been fueled by a vision of what an exhibit of my journal pages could look like. And now, seeing how it all came together, I have to say reality far exceeded my dream!

So much creative collaboration goes into putting on a “solo” show. Many thanks to Lucky Rabbet Framing for doing such a mega job floating & framing 28 journal pages. Thanks also to Lynann and her mentor Paul Martinez who had their work cut out for them with this installation. The placement of every piece has been carefully considered…and the resulting exhibit looks spectacular!!

Coming up
Artist Talk: The Art of Daily Practice
Vashon Center for the Arts
Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2pm.

Thank you to all who came to the opening!! It was lovely to meet so many people new to my art, and to hear their reflections and see the work through their eyes. I was delighted to see old friends from all chapters of my adult life. And Vashon is home to members of my creative team from my film, A Lot Like You. I spent a lot of time on this island in the 8 years it took to make the film, and it was lovely to reunite with Eric Frith (editor), Pete Droge (composer), Elaine Summers (music supervisor) and Jeff Hoyt (voice over coach).

And finally, my gratitude to event photographer Wade Yip, as well as June Sekiguchi, Eric Frith and VCA gallery, for sharing their reception photos. Feel free to click on any image below and scroll through. Enjoy!

 

The Art of Daily Practice (Solo Show & Artist Talk)

Art For Sale, creativity, Exhibition, Gallery, process

In February, I will be exhibiting my latest work at one of my favorite art venues in the Pacific Northwest ~ Vashon Center for the Arts. Together with the gallery manager, Lynann Politte, we came up with a show idea about the ritual of daily practice.


In 2023, I challenged myself to create one small painting every day. I dusted off my smallest sketchbook and let go of any expectations of perfection. My only goal was to show up & play ~ experimenting with materials, color, form and technique. Pretty soon, my journal paintings broke free from covering the whole page, and these bold, colorful forms started to emerge.

This exhibit will include a sampling of my journal pages and some of the larger pieces they inspired.

In my Artist Talk, I will share new research findings about how engaging regularly in a creative practice, regardless of skill level, transforms our brains and bodies. And I will reflect on the most surprising take-aways from my daily writing and painting practice.

Vashon Center for the Arts
19600 Vashon Hwy SW
Vashon, WA 98070
Opening Reception: Fri Feb 2, 5-8pm.
Artist Talk:  Sat Feb 17, 2pm.
Exhibit dates: Feb 2-25
Gallery Hours: Wed-Sun, 12-5pm

Artist Spotlight

Art For Sale, article, creativity, Exhibition, Gallery, process
What fun to answer questions that aren’t solely focused on my art.
Thank you to Columbia City Gallery!!
(See original post HERE).

🤩 Artist Spotlight: Eliaichi Kimaro has been with Columbia City Gallery for 7yrs. Her newest work can be seen in our “Sanctuary” exhibit thru 1/7.
eliaichi kimaro
. . . . . . . . .
Favorite Seattle neighborhood
• Columbia City, Seward Park ~ happy to love where I live.

Favorite Seattle restaurant & menu item
• El Kiosko’s carnitas burritos, Marination’s spicy pork kimchi fried rice, Chucks Hop Shop’s fries, Hey Day’s pesto bacon toast, King Donuts’ chocolate old fashioned.

Favorite Seattle park
• Seward Park

Favorite style of house
• Craftsman

Favorite movie theater
• I love(d) Seattle’s Landmark theaters ~ esp. Harvard Exit, Egyptian, Seven Gables

Who would play you in the movie of your life?
• Octavia Spencer could pull off my blend of funny + earnest.

What’s your go-to comfort food?
• Bibimbap, waffles.

Where’s the coolest place you traveled?
•  Gombe National Park ~ Jane Goodall’s chimpanzee reserve. Met her son, sat in the house she built with her mom in the 70s and talked with her fellow researcher for several hours. And spent whole days observing and walking amongst chimps in the wild.

Favorite karaoke song
• Faithfully, Killing Me Softly, The Jeffersons theme song

What’s your best Halloween costume?
• Morpheus (The Matrix)

Origin Story – The Offering

Art For Sale, creativity, Exhibition, Gallery, Narrative, Origin story, process, Story, Works In Progress


The Offering (48″x48″): I love pieces that develop in their own time. As these paintings grow with me over months, my challenges, wishes, joys and sorrows get embedded in the layers. The painting becomes a time capsule that captures who I am and how I’m feeling as the piece evolves.

I love some of the color and energy in the earlier versions, but these passages, while pretty, were meaningless. I relish paintings where the struggle leads me to unknown places and pushes me beyond my capabilities. At their best, my paintings feel like an archeological discovery, as if I’m unearthing something that’s always been there. The finished piece is something I never could (or would) set out to paint. So these origin stories remind me of how a painting came to be…

 


June 15, 2023: I am both here and not here…a meditation on impermanence that is resonating with me today. And so I embedded it in the first layer of this 48″x48″ piece.

 


June 18
: Starting to build up surface history that I can later work back into. Happy to be working large once again…

 


June 22: Working on large pieces in a small studio makes it hard to stand back and view the painting from a distance. So posting progress pics on Instagram scales down the image, allowing me to troubleshoot compositional problems and figure out where the piece wants to go next…🤓

 


June 25: Very early stages yet, but after a brief TimeOut, we’re starting to listen to each other…