Studio post · June 5, 2026
Last week, we hosted our third master workshop of the year, welcoming renowned painter Steven Assel from New York to demonstrate his painting process from life. This workshop felt a little different from the others we've had. The instruction was more observational than direct. Steven doesn't take questions while he paints, so much of the learning comes from carefully watching what he does and drawing your own conclusions. He's an intense and philosophical painter, and watching him work is almost a performance in itself. He flings paint, smacks the canvas, and attacks a painting with an energy that's quite entertaining to witness. I was also fortunate to spend some one-on-one time with Stephen throughout the week and receive a critique of my work, which was invaluable. Experiences like this are one of the things that make the fellowship so special. Every visiting artist approaches painting differently, and it's fascinating to see how another accomplished painter solves visual problems and thinks about the craft. Meanwhile, we've been deep in preparation for our mid-year exhibition, Beautiful Things, which opens tonight. It's been a hectic week of hanging work, printing materials, and getting everything ready for visitors, but we're excited to finally share what we've been working on. If you're seeing this before 8 p.m., come join us tonight from 5–8 for the opening reception. Have a drink, meet the artists, and see what we've been creating at the Seattle Prize. We'd love to see you there.
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