Issue link: http://www.wacmagazine.com/i/1044521
10 WAC Magazine | wac.net first take staircase gallery Raised on a farm outside of Boulder, Colorado, artist Katie Metz grew up in a vast and dramatic landscape where endless high plains meet the towering foothills of the Rocky Mountains. !is setting provided her imagination with ample angles for seeing her surround- ings. Katie's unique ways of watching the world are evident in her work, on display in the Grand Staircase Gallery now through January. Katie currently lives and works in Se- attle, and her dynamic urban landscapes bring viewers onto the city streets. In addition, her inventive "scratchboard" paintings showcase a technique in which she uses a razor blade to scratch away paint and uncover previous layers she's already put down on the board. As a re- sult, the lighter colors of lit-up windows, bright storefronts, and neon bus displays shine through her monochromatic palettes. In admiring her work, look for luminous purples, greys, blues, and browns. !is special scratchboard process evokes the day-to-day reality of standing outside and looking in—whether it be catching a glimpse inside an illuminated window on your evening walk home or simply watching a long line of headlights wind down the street. As Metz continues to carve through layers of her work, an underlying grid that uni$es the compo- sition is uncovered, conjuring another symbol typical of city life and infrastruc- ture. !is transportive nature imbues Metz's work with the energy and movement of our city. Scratched layers of paint coupled with impressionistic brush strokes capture the character and humanity of a city that is o#en seen re"ected in rain puddles, dark windows, and through the distorted shine of wet street lights. !is winter, step o% the sidewalk and into the Grand Staircase Gallery, where the work of Katie Metz awaits. C O U R T E S Y K AT I E M E T Z Scratching the city beneath New Grand Staircase artist cuts to the heart of Seattle By Mae Jacobson, Associate Editor