
James W. Washington, Jr.: Many Hats, One Spirit
Many Hats, One Spirit is a retrospective exhibition that highlights the life and work of Dr. James W. Washington, Jr. (1908 – 2000). The title references “many hats,” paying homage to this multifaceted man who was a visual artist, poet, gardener, community builder, civil rights activist, and spiritual person. Included are stone carvings for which he is best known, plus drawings, paintings, prints, and collage work loaned from numerous public and private collections.
Also on view are poetry, ephemera from his life, and items from the Civil Rights Era from Washington’s personal collection. At the top of the museum’s grand staircase are re-creations of his home and studio, to provide context for his life and the art of stone carving.
BIMA reflects Washington’s “living legacy” by including the work of more than twenty five former Artists-in-Residence from the Dr. James and Janie Washington Cultural Center in Seattle. These artists pursued diverse media such as stone carving, painting, printmaking, mixed media work, poetry, and writing in Washington’s former studio, home, and garden for selected periods of time. Some artworks were generated during these residencies, and others reflect more current endeavors.
Deloris Tarzan Ament, a prominent arts writer, noted, “The eminent African American sculptor and painter James Washington Jr. was a leading member of the Northwest School. He grew up in Mississippi. After working as a WPA artist, he came to the Puget Sound region in 1944 to work in the Bremerton Naval Yard as a journeyman electrician. He found exhibition space at Frederick & Nelson’s Little Gallery and through that venue met Mark Tobey (1890-1976) and other Northwest artists. He places his visionary paintings and sculptures in the service of religious faith. They express the unity of God, humankind, and nature, with symbols derived from freemasonry and from the animal world.”
For more information:
https://jameswashingtonculturalcenter.com/
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Dr. James W. Washington, Jr. & Mrs. Janie Rogella Washington Foundation.
When
Where
Beacon Gallery
Beacon Window Gallery
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Participating Artists-in-Residence:
Jite Agbro
Ellen Berdinner
Romson Bustillo
MalPina Chan
Mary Coss
Marita Dingus
Martha L. Dunham
Joe Max Emminger
Esther Ervin
Christian French
Seth Friedman
Cyra Jane
Kimberly Lakes
John Lucas
Tamara Madison
Christen Mattis
Squeak Ursa Meisel
Iolanda Palmer
Charles Parrish
Terri Rau
Christina Reed
Heather Marie Scholl
June Sekiguchi
Erin Shigaki
Ursula Stuart
Meghan Thréinfhir
Carletta Carrington Wilson
Stewart Wong
Special thanks to:
AlphaGraphics Seattle
Artech
Arts/WA (Washington State Arts Commission)
Greg Kucera Gallery
Seattle Art Museum
Tacoma Art Museum
Dr. James W. Washington, Jr. & Mrs. Janie Rogella Washington Foundation
Woodside/Braseth Gallery
And, several Private Collectors, Donors, Volunteers, and Advisors for their support of this major retrospective.
Thanks to our 2025 Exhibition Sponsors
















