The Pratt Fine Arts Center: Where artists are born
The Pratt Fine Arts Center (no relation to the Pratt Institute in New York) is a hidden gem in Seattle's art scene: part educational facility, part public studio and part gallery, Pratt hardly ever gets the love it deserves, considering its influence and nurturing of local artists.
The campus is easy to miss—its nondescript buildings are nestled at the back end of a public park in Seattle's Central District neighborhood. Nothing about Pratt is fancy—inside, everything is usually covered in a fine mist of sawdust and the aroma of paint thinner is strong. But that's the point. Pratt is where art gets made, and art is messy hard-work. The end result may be glamorous, but Pratt's atmosphere reflects the true nature of the artist making art. It's hard work, and Pratt is where many local artists begin, as they say, by "paying in sweat."
Classes at Pratt fill up quickly even though they are notoriously spendy for non-credit classes. This is partly because Pratt offers classes in techniques not offered anywhere else in town, including blacksmithing, metal work, glasswork, sculpture, and lesser-taught 2-d techniques such as encaustic painting. It is also because Pratt hires the best teaching artists in the area (in some cases, these artists will only teach at Pratt). Waiting lists are not uncommon, and many students will readily inform you that they have been on a list for a space in a certain class for up to 2 years.
The studios, though, are the true crown of Pratt. These studios, which are open to the public for rental, include equipment and machinery usually available to artists who've lucked out with a trust fund or those who have associated themselves as a teacher or student at a university. The studios are a playground for amateurs and a blessing for working artists. There's a glass hot shop, a metalworking studio complete with hydraulic presses, a printmaking space with letterpresses and a sculpture studio with every kind of hand and power tool an artist could need. The studios are available to rent daily and on a regular schedule for affordable rates. You'll just need to pass a short equipment test in order to gain access.
The fruits of Pratt's community labor are available to view in their gallery space, which is housed separately in Pioneer Square at Tashiro Kaplan Studios. The galleries are open during First Thursday Art Walks and are often the first showings of artists who go on to become well-known.
HelloSeattle tip: During open office hours, staff are happy to answer questions and show visitors around the classroom and studio spaces.
Posted by Caren Gussoff Sumption
