Highlighting ways for U District folks to explore museums for free! 

With the Seattle public library card, visitors can schedule a free visit to the Seattle museum. Entry is also free on the first Thursday of the month, and they’ve extended hours on Thursday evenings.

A Visit with the SAM: “Walk a Mile in My Dreams" 

Joyce Scott’s new exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum is made up of pieces whose beauty has hidden meanings- that what connects us all is sometimes the darkest parts of humanity. Her intricate beadwork is a reminder that the most emotive art, what we find the most profound, might be inspired by pain. However, in essence, Scott’s work is a celebration of community. It’s about conversations, and recognizing that the strongest communities are built on shared struggles. It’s a collection of beautiful things that display humanity in its most raw form- flawed, yet colorfully exquisite 

“Walk a Mile in My Dreams", a collection spans over 50 years of Scott’s artistic evolution, blends personal memories, political commentary, and universal creation myths. The exhibit invites viewers to engage with a diverse array of over 145 pieces, each one challenging conventional beauty while confronting stereotypes of race, gender, and identity.

Drawing inspiration from her early childhood in Baltimore and the rich history of African-American storytelling traditions, Scott weaves together intricate quilts, vibrant beads, and thought-provoking narratives to explore and provoke human connection. 

Irony isn’t Dead

Scott also uses innate human emotions like irony and humor to create that shared perspective. 

For her, laughing at something doesn’t necessarily mean not taking it seriously. Scott says “laughter, even the uncomfortable kind, allows her vulnerability and openness.” 

“I would say that irony and beauty are equally important in bringing us close. Beyond the challenging subjects she wants us to consider, beauty serves as a reminder of human creativity and potential.” says the curator, Catharina Manchanda, Jon and Mary Shirley Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. 

Irony is the dichotomy of humor and dark themes. If we can share a laugh, we can share a conversation. Scott’s work allows for further investigation of the topics that make you laugh or cry or smile.

Man Eating a Watermelon (SAM)

Cuddly Black Dick III (SAM)

Mammy Wada (SAM)

Mammy Penis (SAM)

I was lucky enough to catch one of these conversations. Chuckling over Cuddly Black Dick 111, an unnamed visitor to the SAM shared her story: “An a ha moment when I realized the interracial aspect. She’s really right.”

The visitor said Scott’s work was incredibly thought-provoking. She had lived in Seattle all her life but had only felt the underlying racism a few times. This piece brought her back to a moment when she felt a similar stark reality: “There was a newspaper stand, Read all about it, right on the corner of first and pike. A tourist comes up, southern I think, and says ‘who is that n- word on the cover of the magazine? She doesn’t belong there.’”

“So offensive, pretty stunning to hear.” says the visitor. 

“It’s obviously out there in the culture. Here Scott is depicting that. That’s important.”

Storytelling Through Beads: Creation Myths and Kinship

Scott draws heavily from creation myths and religious symbolism for inspiration, specifically Buddhism. Throughout the gallery these figures make various appearances in different forms. "Buddha Gives Basketball to the Ghetto." 

Buddha Gives Basketball to the Ghetto (SAM)

Her work also showcases tree of life origin stories: 

And more catholic origin stories: Adam and Eve:

In this way, she engages those who feel a sense of community and safety in religion. Yet Scott also highlights kinship in her art. Scott’s later work features DNA, and the shared scientific essentials that blend us all together. 

Works, like "Evolution," evoke deeper conversations on what makes the shared nature of our existence. 

“I thought it was a Yeti at first. Then I took a deeper look, and I started to notice the DNA.” says Kulbir, an engineering student at the University of Washington. 

Evolution (SAM)

By creating pieces that are easily accessible, as well as giving these pieces common, human-like attributes she re-introduces these stories to society and makes these conversations open to the everyday viewer. 

The History and Technique: Beadwork as Voice

It was during Scott’s early childhood when she first learned to bead. Beads play a major role in these tapestries, allowing her to add another element to their beauty. 

“The beads are like working with liquid color…It’s my being able to see through something. And actually transform it with these little circles of light.” says Scott. 

Often, we may look at something beautiful like a painting or grand tapestry, and simply appreciate the beauty, not thinking about the layers of paint that went into that composition.

Scott’s new exhibit is different. Each part of the work is built off of beads, and every bead has significance in its own way. 

Highlights of the Exhibit

One of the main areas of the new exhibit, “The Threads that Unite My Seat to Knowledge” showcasing Scott’s childhood kitchen is a colorful collection of art and books. The space represents the phrase ‘everything but the kitchen sink.’ Intricate quilts deck the walls, and books on art culture and cooking scatter the floor. 

The quilts represent the multigenerational aspect of this work, made by her grandmother, mother and great grandparents. These quilts also play into the historical aspects of Scott’s work, for African-Americans traditionally used quilting as a way to showcase history.

The space is powerful yet colorful, a place of many stories. It’s clear this was a place where Scott shared stories with her mother, where she learned who she was as an artist.

Many of us built our own formative memories and shared stories around the kitchen table. The SAM is fostering those conversations, and highlighting that home should be a safe space where creativity is encouraged. 

Docent’s discuss with a group of kids

“Where is a space you feel safe? This is a safe space.” says a school tour guide. 

Chains of Being

Many of Scott’s further pieces are intricate necklaces made up of interlocking pieces. These ‘chains’, so to speak, are actually meant to be worn. The pieces are also darkly ironic, paying homage to the chains of slavery. 

Scott adds another layer of accessibility to her art. You can actually purchase her wearable art in the SAM store, with some pieces selling as low as 14 dollars.

"Turning the Tables": A Mural of Community

Another significant portion of the exhibit is titled “Turning the Tables,” a collaborative project that invites visitors to sew their own portion into the a community mural. The interactive space encourages viewers to create in whatever colors and whatever way they prefer. It embodies the idea that art can be a communal experience—and a way to display emotions by working with your own two hands to create something beautiful.

A Full Circle Moment: “Solace for a world in constant flux”

The exhibit culminates with a round table, a powerful symbol of inclusivity and equality. It features various origin story characters, from War Woman 1 to the Trickster savior (Scott’s favorite, apparently). Harriet Tubman is featured on the table, a nod to Scott’s avatar of courageous black women and her own mother. The Buddha also makes a reappearance at the table, Shiva rising from his hands embodying a complete transformation. 

Here, visitors can pause and reflect on their own experience through the exhibit, sharing their own thoughts and emotions. It’s also a space to just be, to recognize those important stories and respect them in silence.

“These are figures of protection," says Catharina Manchanda, Jon and Mary Shirley Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. “It’s a sign to visitors that they can go on from their journey through Scott’s work back into the world with safety.” 

As a SAM visitor remarked, “Do you have any thoughts? Oh God no. I’m just existing.” 

What do you see in Scott’s work? 

Did you catch his fate is sealed, or were your eyes first drawn to the naked figure? 

Visitors said they saw the colorful content first, and then the figures. They thought about the African symbol, what it meant to Joyce and why she chose to incorporate it. They also thought about their own histories, and we chatted about what influenced them as children. 

“I’m not off put. I feel a sense of awe. Not just the idea, but the procedure. I love the sense of art too.” Marty Dennis, a SAM visitor. 

That’s the power of Scott’s art. The community building. I was able to bond with complete strangers over love of beautiful things, as well as share my own story of childhood inspiration while listening to theirs.

A Legacy of Teaching and Learning

“Joyce’s work and subject matter is timely and urgent. She draws us close with beauty and humor and makes difficult subjects intimately felt. To me, Joyce’s work has at least two leading themes: Firstly, allowing ourselves to reflect and sit with challenging histories and events, and secondly, her gift is to imagine new possibilities by building community and understanding with art. Learning together is a core value that she models and shares with everyone. Working creatively together-as in the “Turn the Tables” portion of the exhibition—is a metaphor for how we can collaborate, imagine and change. This message and outlook resonates far beyond the world of art." says Catharina. 

At its heart, Scott’s exhibit is about learning together and from each other. We are all just trying to tell our stories, and most of the time it’s not all just sun and roses. Scott’s exhibit embodies that, but also allows for a further sense of community- one that’s built off of seeing those parts of life, We may be flawed, but Scott teaches us that to see those dark parts, to acknowledge them is to begin to work towards changing them. 

That’s the beautiful part. We may be products of our histories- but they don’t have to define us. 

“We have to look at things together. We have to be together for the tough parts of life.” says Catharina.

Scott’s art makes us to stop and ponder, to actively think and challenge our cognitive biases. But isn’t that really what visiting a gallery should be all about? The wonderful act of taking the time to gaze an extra minute at each piece so you won’t miss something. And perhaps gaining something brand new along the way. 

So let’s celebrate that vulnerability. Let’s actively try to practice Scott’s message as much as we can, and have those painful conversations about things that matter.

“Tears don’t always come from sadness. They may come from joy.” - Joyce Scott

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The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) offers a rich collection of art from around the world, featuring everything from ancient artifacts to cutting-edge contemporary works. With three distinct locations—the Seattle Art Museum, the Seattle Asian Art Museum, and the Olympic Sculpture Park—there’s something for every art lover to enjoy. SAM is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm, with extended hours on Free First Thursday at the downtown location until 8pm. For more information, visit www.seattleartmuseum.org.

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