some portraits captured by @amaris_mei during their visit at my studio in april it was a pleasure to be depicted by them and sharing space. appreciated the sweet and funny conversations, thank you! 💫
more to come soon ~
#mamiyarz67 #film #studioportrait #blackfigurativeart
I’m so excited to share This Room is Ours: Centering the Black Figure, a group exhibition I’m curating at Arts at King Street Station ✨
Featuring works by Kamari Bright, Le’Ecia Farmer, Nahom Ghirmay, Adrienne Matthews, Ric’kisha Taylor, and Lila Alexis Thomas, the show centers Black figures in moments of joy, stillness, ease, tenderness, and empowered presence.
Working across fiber, painting, collage, sculpture, and mixed media, these artists create space for Black subjects to be seen in dignity, fullness, intimacy, and care.
Save the date! 🤎✨
Opening Reception June 4, 2026, 5–8 PM Food by Chef Nala Music by 100k
On view May 21 – July 18, 2026 Arts at King Street Station, 3rd Floor Free & open to the public
RSVP link in bio ✨
@kamari_bright@leeciafarmer@nahom_artsy@adrienneatlarge@bigg_permm@soylush@seaofficeofarts
Introducing 2026 Neddy Painting Finalist, Lila Thomas! 🌱
Lila (she/they) is a Seattle-based figurative painter and educator from Southern Louisiana. Rooted in community, Black and queer joy, rest, and the deep, unspoken understanding that comes from gathering together, Lila’s work captures moments of intimacy, connection, and ease. Their paintings offer a counter-narrative to the historical erasure of Black and queer identities in Western art, centering the Black figure in spaces of tenderness, sovereignty, and belonging.
Congratulations, Lila! Learn more about her and the rest of this year’s finalists at the link in our bio. Featured artwork; Cradle, 2021. Oil on panel.
Headshot by Ryan Warner.
📸 first photo by @ashleyvvang 🥺✨
lol even though it’s november, finally glad i’m getting to share some of my other favorite photos n videos from the summer hehe 🌞
it was definitely a season full of blossoming friendships, adventure, dancing, grief, celebration, love, joy, whimsy, creativity and inspiration from the world & ppl around me ✨holding these memories close and already dreaming of next summer! 🌸
… and carrying theses sweet moments into winter (gonna try to romanticize winter too lol) 😭❄️
photo by @chiemichonga 📸
haiii ✨ * face for the alg lolol* in case you’re wondering where to see my work around seattle this month ☺️ here’s what’s coming up: ‼️‼️
🌿 “nested” is now on view (aug 4th - 28th) at the elisabeth c. miller library — it’s a small exhibition of my work, building off the 2023 nested show from geheim gallery, now reimagined with new plant studies and sketches tucked into the space
🎈this thursday is the best time to catch eight years of inscape AiR during art walk at king street station (top floor) so many talented folks in this one! the show runs through august 9th!
🪞 august 27th, my shunpike storefront art installation “the place between us” will be on view at 1038 thomas st (artwalk details TBA)
🌸 and most importantly august 28th is the closing reception for “nested” at elisabeth c. miller library — come thru from 3–5pm and see it before it goes away!
swipe for the flyer & details ➡️ hope to see you soon💕
Lila Thomas (they/she @soylush ) is a Seattle-based visual artist and educator from Southern Louisiana. During their time at Vashon Artist Residency, Lila has worked on multiple studies and two large-scale paintings, one of which was completed and showcased in the Actualize AiR Summer Showcase.
Their work centers Black and queer experiences, using portraiture and interior scenes to explore themes of identity, comfort and cultural exchange. While rooted in intimate, everyday moments, Lila is currently expanding into multi-figure compositions that celebrate community, Black and queer joy and the shared language of connection.
Lila earned their BFA in Drawing/Painting at Nicholls State University and is currently a teaching artist at the Frye Art Museum. They also teach Figurative Painting and Drawing at Gage Academy of Art and Cornish College of the Arts.
Lila’s work has been featured in the Seattle Art Fair (Actualize Air), King Street Station, Hometeam Gallery, Hologram Gallery and Geheim Gallery.
On August 4th, Lila will present a solo exhibition at University of Washington's Center for Urban Horticulture, Elisabeth C. Miller Library, featuring botanical studies and figurative works that explore relationships between people and plants.
We are grateful to Lila for sharing their work and energy with us here on Vashon.
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#vashonartistresidency #artistresidency #artistresidencies #vashon #vashonisland #painter #artistsupportartists #actualizeair #seattleartist #blackartists #queerartistsofinstagram
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If you missed seeing this piece during our Summer Showcase you can still be able see this on view until August 5th on 5th Ave and Pike (Right across from Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie)
A Seat At The Table & Familiar Rhythms (diptych) 2025
Acrylic on Canvas
48 by 48 inches
#figurativeartist #figurativepainting #artistsoninstagram
