Help the Seattle Erotic Art Festival change the world!

We are delighted to announce the Festival's brand new Art Activist Society.

Together we can strengthen our community, support artists across the nation and world, and change the way people think about art, sex and sexuality.

Become a Society member for an annual gift of $250 or more, and receive special benefits while supporting the Festival's mission and long-term goals.

All Society members enjoy benefits like tickets to Festival events, VIP entry and rewards, a special members-only party, discounts to workshops, and more.

Higher membership levels receive benefits like discounts on art purchases from the Festival exhibition and Store, a piece of art from the Festival's private collection, an invitation for two to observe the jury process and attend the Artist Reception before the Festival, and so much more.

Learn about our membership levels and join the Society.

Be part of bringing the Festival to life, and making our 10th anniversary the best year yet.

This is a very exciting program. One of the reasons that I am part of the Seattle Erotic Art Festival is that I want to change the way our society perceives and relates to sexuality.  Art is an incredible way to educate and illustrate that all forms of sexuality have beauty and are valid forms of expression. Please join us in this mission.

A Halloween Party to Support SEAF 2012

I am very excited about Seduction, the Seattle Erotic Art Festival's First Halloween party!

Not only have I had a blast picking out the art for the showcase, but Jim Duvall and I were asked to do a variation on our Bondage Aerial performance with an extra treat. Our performance slot is 8:30pm to 9:15pm.

Seduction, Seattle’s Sexiest Halloween Party, is this Saturday!

See and be seen at this alluring night of amazing music and dancing, hand-picked erotic art, hot performances, full bar and absinthe bar, and of course lots of delicious eye-candy. Plus a costume contest with over $1,000 in sexy prizes.

With three gorgeous rooms of music and dancing and over a dozen of Seattle’s top DJs -- including Michael Manahan (Decibel, Starborne), Riz Rollins (KEXP), and Hendrik (Church of Bass, Chillography) -- Seduction is the place to celebrate your Halloween.

THIS SATURDAY, October 29, 8pm to 2am
At the lush Fremont Studios
21+ only

Tickets are on sale now and selling fast.
Purchase your tickets today.

Advance ticket sales end Friday at 11pm. Tickets will be available at the door starting at 8pm, while supplies last.

Lots more details about Seduction are available at SeattleErotic.org.

Good day talking about art.

Today was the CSPC's vendor fair.  I set up a booth on behalf of the Foundation and sold swag and art from past Seattle Erotic art Festivals.

I ended up talking to a fair number of artists about submitting their work in January. It's amazing how narrow a definition some people have about what is erotic art. One young man was telling me about how his ceramic sculptures were only suggestive if you looked at them from a certain angle. He seemed a bit surprised when I expressed interest, as if there isn't any copulation in the art, it must not be erotic. If a piece of art has anything to do with sensuality, one's own sexuality, society's notions/attitudes around sex and sexuality or any of the emotional or spiritual ramifications of being a sexual being, then it's erotic art.

Any art that is erotically charged is erotic art. And that definition is highly subjective. (Which is the main reason why the Festival jury is different every year.) When a piece of art captures your interest and increases your vitality in any way, not just sexually, it is full of eros. The book The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property (alternately with the subtitle: Creativity an the Artist in the Modern World) explores this idea that erotic energy is a life force energy that can be channeled into artistic endeavours.

If you are someone who creates art that is sexy or is inspired by your or other's sexuality, please consider submitting your art this January to the 2011 Seattle Erotic Art Festival.

I want you to make sexy art!

Call for Art!

Artists, get your creative engines turning! 
The Festival will be accepting submissions January 1-31, 2011, for the ninth annual event.

All artists age 18+ are encouraged to submit up to five (5) works of erotic art of any medium. Sculptors, multimedia artists and painters are particularly encouraged to apply. Submissions can be made online at SeattleErotic.org, throughout January.

The Festival is a jury-selected, erotic fine art exhibition and arts festival. A place where art that is rarely seen in mainstream galleries and museums can be celebrated, discussed and supported. An event where clichés of "sexiness" can be replaced with intriguing explorations of eroticism.

A different and new Festival jury is appointed every year, with careful consideration. To increase diversity of the selected art, the jury consists of an erotic artist, an art professional, an art collector, a sex positive activist, and a Festival committee member. Art is selected by a blind jury; jurors never know whose work they are reviewing during the process. Unknown and famous artists alike are given equal consideration and opportunity.

In order to show the work of successful and international artists who no longer choose to submit their work to juried shows, the Festival does include curated and invited artist sections as well, but the juried work has always represented the majority of art showcased at the Festival.

We stand by our mission to support a vibrant creative community, supporting living artists with low submission fees and commission rates. Selected art will be showcased throughout the three-day event to thousands of patrons. The Festival sells far more art than any other erotic art festival.

Artists may also choose to submit to the Festival Store, which has a later submission deadline (to be determined). Artists do not need to attend the Festival in order to participate.
Spread the word, and sign up for our newsletter to receive updates.

Do you love the Seattle Erotic Art Festival?

Hard at work.

We're already sketching exciting plans for 2011, crafting a fresh new event that will satisfy and surprise.

Join us! Give $25 and be a part of making this sexy event happen. Even $5 helps bring the Festival to life, so please give now, and spread the word to your friends. With your support we can take the Festival to new levels.

Let's create an amazing event together.

Donate!

*The Foundation for Sex Positive Culture, producer of the Festival, is tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and gifts are **tax deductible** under Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) of the Code.*

Seattle Erotic Art Festival seeks web designers

Seattle Erotic Art Festival has immediate need for qualified volunteers to fill positions on our online team: online service directors, web developers and web designers, please contact us. We have ambitious and exciting plans to redesign and relaunch the website for 2011.

Qualified applicants should be well versed in modern web technologies, have strong examples of previous web work, and be excited about working within a larger marketing team. Please send letters of interest to info@seattleerotic.org.

Learn more and view the official call here.

Another chance to buy SEAF art!

This Saturday, July 31st, the Center for Sex Positive Culture is having a Vendor Fair. The CSPC is where the Foundation for Sex Positive Culture hosts the majority of it's events, except for the Seattle Erotic Art Festival due to the sheer size of the event.

SEAF is going to have a booth at the Vendor Fair and I will be there selling SEAF shirts, posters & catalogs as well as with a smattering of art from 2010 and previous years' exhibition. Art prices are negotiable, so don't be shy about making an offer. Come by, buy some art or that t-shirt you didn't get a chance to pick up at the Festival and visit me.

There will be lots of other fun vendors there, as well. Jim Duvall will have a booth with his art for sale, including both large and small pieces. Kinky Medical will be in attendance with their naughty wares.  Come visit Kinky Caesura, owned by Sparrow, and check out her hand crafted Rattan Canes in variety of lengths and colors.

The 'Back to School' Vendor Fair

What:

Socialize and shop at our free vendor fair

Schedule:

Saturday, July 31, 2010

When:

11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Where:

1602 15th Ave W Seattle, WA map

Who:

18+.

Cost:

$3 to $5 Suggested donation at the door but not required for admission. CSPC membership NOT required to attend.

Take the SEAF Survey, please!

Did you go to the Seattle Erotic Art Festival last May? If so, can you please fill in an online survey?

Taking this 5 minutes out of your day will help us on the organizing committee in making next year's festival even better by learning from what worked and what didn't during the 2010 festival. This is particularly important if you had strong feelings about the lighting on the art and how it was dimmed during the stage performance. I am shamelessly suggesting that when the survey gives you a chance to add any other comments, you type in length about your feelings and opinion regarding the lack of lighting on the art.

Thanks so much for your support of one the finest erotic art festivals in the world which fulfills it's mission of supporting living artists by consistently selling 25% of the exhibition art. No other erotic art show or festival comes any where close to this number. Thank you to all my docents for doing such a great job of assisting people to purchase sexy art.

Corset photo.

Fulfilling the request for a photo of my new corset from One Wilde Knight. It's a bit low and loose in the bust, so I have to be careful about how high or when I raise my arms or my nipples peek out. It does make a fun party trick, though.

Photo courtesy of Michael Rosen.

Check this out on Friday!

Another quick SEAF post. In in it up to my nipples and don't have much time for blogging.

I talked to an amazing artist, Genne` Laasko who had two piece of jewelery accepted in the this year's Festival. On Friday night, she will be wearing one of her creations, "Promenading in Elation" for a short period of time. The time is not set, but it will be in the evening. If you don't already have your tickets for the Opening Night White Tie Formal Gala, you can go online and pick them up.  Saturday is looking like it could very well sell out, so a two day pass to SEAF might be a good idea.

Btw, the show,  Cabaret de Curiosités, is showing in it's entirety both Friday and Saturday evening, so coming either .

Back to labeling art!

Almost ready!

Art. SEAF. SEAF. SEAF. Printing labels. ART. Art. SEAF! SEAF!

I am absolutely giddy that we are really moving along. All these months of preperation and stress melted away in the excitement of being in the Exhibition Hall on Sunday evening. I adore the adrenaline that comes along with these time sensitive, fun projects. I love constantly having tasks with deadlines that will ultimately have an incredible result.

Today I will put the art labels on the wall. This year we even have artist bios to go on the walls too! Please let everything be correct, oh please! I am not going to say we are ahead of schedule, since I don't want to jinx us.

Tonight is my last docent training and then I am making up the gift bags for the people who bought Velvet Packages. My fabulous assistant, Janice, is teaching me how to dip strawberries into chocolate so they look like they are wearing little tuxedos . How very Martha of us.

Tomorrow is filled with last minute stuff, which amazingly enough is a smallish list. Then, blast off!

SEAF Workshop w/ Jim Duvall

During the Seattle Erotic Art Festival this weekend, I will take a short break from giving tours and selling art to help the Mean Man with his workshop. No, I'm not the model. If I do help beyond paperwork assistant, it will be as an extra rigger.

(The photo to the left was taken by Jim at his SEAF 2009 workshop.)

JIM DUVALL: Fetish and Bondage Photography
A hands-on workshop for all skill levels.

Saturday, May 1, 12:00pm-4:00pm, Sharma Center  $125
To purchase tickets for this workshop, please email info@seattleerotic.org

In this workshop, Jim will show you:
* How to light fetish and bondage photography.
* Some simple ties to get you started.
* How to approach models for bondage and fetish work.
* How to work with models in a bondage and fetish context.

We will provide:
* An experienced nude model and all the tying.
* Hot light and strobe systems for you to shoot with
* Group and individual shoot time.
* Model releases for all photos you shoot and IDs for 2257
* Some great images of tying by Jim Duvall
* Feedback on your own images.

Note: Limited 10 people. Bring a camera. To purchase tickets for this
workshop, please email info@seattleerotic.org

Jim Duvall is an erotic photographer who shoots fine art nudes often
involving bondage and fetish themes. He lectures and teaches on the
subject of sex and sexuality at universities and for sex related
groups. He is a former Chair of the Board of Directors of the National
Coalition for Sexual Freedom and maintains involvement as a Coalition
Partner.

New corset

*squeeeeeeee*

Got my new corset from Jack of One Wilde Knight.  It's beautiful black with forest green ribbon along the stays and eyelash yarn trim with red silk roses. With the metallic dark red long skirt I found in the back of my closet, I now have on of my outfits for the SEAF weekend.  I will definitely get a photo taken asap.

This is by far the most lovely garment I have ever owned. I am already planing on the custom corset I want next. Too bad my brain shut off after trying the 3rd one on. There was a denim corset that was long, so that it went halfway down my hips and covered my bust. The Mean Man & I loved that style best, but agreed that the fabric was all wrong for me.  We decided that meant we would have to put a custom corset in that style on the future purchases list.

Jack was incredible to work with during the sizing. Respectful and appreciative throughout the whole process, giving advice, historical information and including snippets of stories about each corset I tried on. A consummate artist, each corset went on with ease and within seconds an assessment of how it could be altered to fit my body perfectly ensued. Even though this was a commercial transaction, I feel gifted, not only by the Mean Man who arranged this transaction, but by Jack for making sure that I look gorgeous in his creation.

Eighth Annual Seattle Erotic Art Festival
Explore the Cabinet of Curiosities, April 30 – May 2, 2010

SEATTLE – Thousands will enjoy three days of events at the eighth annual Seattle Erotic Art Festival, April 30 to May 2.  This year the Festival opens the Cabinet of Curiosities, showcasing visual, performance and literary art, interactive installations, film, after parties, workshops, and a museum-quality Festival Store.

Festival jurors and curators selected a variety of art from over 1,600 entries submitted by more than 400 artists. “We’re excited to present a comprehensive collection of international art, diverse in medium, sexual proclivities, body type, age, ethnicity, and gender,” says Festival Director Anna Hurwitz.

For 2010, the Festival commissioned an original piece of performance art theater to complement the world-class visual art exhibition on Friday and Saturday nights. Award-winning NYC-based director Roger Benington writes and directs this work in collaboration with locally and nationally recognized performance artists, including an original score composed by John Woods from the internationally acclaimed comedy cabaret duo, The Wet Spots. This all-star production will bring to life a colorful, glittering tale of erotic liberation.

This year the Festival offered its first artist grants for the creation of interactive installations. Audiences are invited to help artist Nancy Peach complete a massive canvas; write and receive love letters in a special bedroom designed by award-winning artist Ellen Forney and Jacob Fennell; lounge on luxurious, metalwork beds, and engage the art in many other ways.

Returning for its second year, the Literary Art Showcase will present jury-selected poems, short stories, and plays, in intimate readings.  The Festival will feature the popular Naked Girls Reading on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Festival takes place at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, Friday, April 30, 12 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday, May 1, 12 p.m. to 4 a.m.  Returning this year is the well-attended Sunday open house, May 2, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., where admission is free.  18+ until 6 p.m., 21+ after.

Tickets (1-Day $25 advance/$30 door, 2-Day $40 advance/$50 door, Velvet Package $500) may be purchased at BrownPaperTickets (http://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/1659). $10 Exhibition only (12 p.m. to 6 p.m.) and $10 Saturday night after-party (12 a.m. to 4 a.m.) tickets will be available at the door.

The Seattle Erotic Art Festival supports a vibrant creative community, promotes freedom of expression, and fosters sex-positive culture through public celebration of the arts.

Soliciting set-up volunteers for SEAF

The Seattle Erotic Art Festival is looking for folks to help with setup starting Sunday, April 25th. We start by moving over 100 walls into the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall and getting them assembled and painted. The fun continues with moving pedestals and all the material that gets the Festival up and keeps it running. We need as many folks as possible to help carry things and to do simple carpentry on Sunday and Monday. On Tuesday and Wednesday we need folks to do all sorts of odd tasks as well as help us hang lights for the art.

 If you're interested in helping, please contact mailto: volunteer@seattleerotic.org. For your help during setup, you and a guest are part of our Thursday evening Artist Reception (which otherwise you can only attend by invitation or by purchasing one of our exclusive Velvet Packages). If you work a total of ten hours Sunday through Thursday, we are happy to provide one weekend pass to the festival for your personal use.

-Stuart
Logistics Director, SEAF 2010

PS: We’ll also need help with striking the event on the late afternoon of Sunday May 3^rd and all day on Monday May 4^th.

PPS: Set up is a lot of fun because of the fact that with all the carrying of heavy objects many shirts come off.  The Artistic Director is notorious for being shirtless, as am I. Just making sure you know all the perks of heling the Festival with set up.

SEAF needs your buttons!

We need your buttons!  See Roger's (the director for the 2010 Seattle Erotic Art Festival show) message below.
Can you help?  Please forward to anyone you think might have buttons they can share with us. Email me at dynamic dot load at gmail dot com and we can arrange drop off, pick up or shipping. Thank you!





---------- Forwarded message ----------

Hey Folks,
I need your help. I want to create a costume for Buttons, not unlike these outfits by artist, Nick Cave. (No hood, obviously.)
In order to accomplish that I need ..... buttons. LOTS OF BUTTONS. of any color. Please send out a request to everyone you know, especially your mothers, grandmothers and aunts, who have entire bottles of buttons sitting somewhere waiting to be used.
And let me know if/when you acquire them. I'll need them early in April!
thanks
Roger

SEAF Press Release

Seattle Erotic Art Festival Presents

World-Class Visual and Interactive Art

SEATTLE –Thousands of patrons and attendees will enjoy a world-class visual art exhibition at the eighth annual Seattle Erotic Art Festival, April 30 to May 2.

Festival jurors selected a wide variety of art from the over 1,600 entries submitted by more than 400 artists from around the word.  The jurors this year are Jen Graves, Daniel Carrillo, Dianne Elliott and Sharon Arnold. Artists selected include photographers Jim Duvall (Seattle, WA) and Phoenix Voltaire (Houston, TX); illustrator Wendy Ding (Toronto, ON); painters B.T. Borchard (Oceanside, CA) and Christopher North (Vancouver, BC). International artists include Gert-Jan Van den Bemd (Breda, the Netherlands) and Von Victor (São Paulo, Brazil).

Guest curator Chris Crites invited local favorites Troy Gua, Sara Lanzillotta, Shaun Kardinal, and Charles Krafft, among others. Festival invited artists include David Steinberg (San Francisco, CA), Michele Serchuk (New York, NY), Michael Rosen (San Francisco, CA), and Michael Manning (Los Angeles, CA).

This year the Festival offered its first grant to artists to create interactive installations. Grantees include Nancy Peach (San Francisco, CA) who will invite the audience to paint one of her massive canvases with her; six teams of local metalworkers, spearheaded by Kevin MacDonald, who will showcase luxurious beds for lounging; and local luminary Ellen Forney, with her partner Jacob Peter Fennell, who will encourage participants to write and receive love letters.

The Festival is still seeking submissions. Jason Plourde, programming director of Three Dollar Bill Cinema, is creating a program of short erotic films and is accepting entries through April 4. The museum-quality Festival Store will present about 4,000 small works of art from 100 artists.  The Call for Store Merchandise is also open through April 4. Entry forms and guidelines are available at www.SEAFArtist.com.

The Festival will be held at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall.  It runs Friday, April 30, 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., Saturday, May 1, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.  Returning this year is the popular Sunday open house, May 2, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., where admission is free.  18+ until 6:00 p.m., 21+ after.

Tickets (1-Day $25 advance/$30 door, 2-Day $40 advance/$50 door, Velvet Package $500) may be purchased at BrownPaperTickets (http://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/1659).

The Seattle Erotic Art Festival supports a vibrant creative community, promotes freedom of expression, and fosters sex-positive culture through public celebration of the arts.

A successful Launch party!

Below is a letter from SEAF's Artistic Director. I am so tired that all I can add is that I had a great time while working, which is always a feat to celebrate, and "what he said." Thanks for making it out to support the Festival!

Dear Friends -

On behalf of the Festival team, I'd like to give you the story behind the last-minute changes to our Launch Party, and to thank you for your flexibility and fantastic enthusiasm last night.

I learned yesterday (Saturday) afternoon at 5pm -- the day of the event -- that due to circumstances entirely beyond our control, we would not be able to hold our event in the originally advertised venue.

Jeff Hengst graciously and generously offered his theatre at Little Red Studio, and plans were put in motion to move the party. Volunteers immediately mobilized to make this happen and to get the word out about the change.

Unfortunately, the new location did not increase the number of guests allowed (nor was increasing the venue size the reason for the move). To respect the occupancy limits of Little Red Studio, we honored all pre-paid tickets and permitted additional ticket sales as space became available.

The party was a beautiful success. If you were not aware that there had been a last minute shift, it would have been very hard to notice from the way it came together. The Festival team, the Little Red Studio staff, and a host of other extraordinary people really came through.

We sincerely apologize for the confusion, and thank you again for your understanding and support. We look forward to seeing you April 30 - May 2 at Seattle Erotic Art Festival 2010, our biggest and best yet.

- Clayton Hibbert
- Artistic Director, Seattle Erotic Art Festival

Update for Tonight's SEAF Launch Party

THIS JUST IN: VENUE CHANGE SEAF LAUNCH PARTY! Will now be at LITTLE RED STUDIO to perhaps accommodate more guests. 400 Dexter Ave. N.

Doors open at 9pm.  
The Little Red Bistro is open before hand for food & drink.  SEAF will have a bar inside with the DJ's & performances.


Please pass it on & I'll see you there!

Don't forget to order your Launch Party Tickets!

 Feb. 20, 2010 is fast approaching, folks! Don't miss this sneak
peek into what we are planning for the 2010 Seattle Erotic Art
Festival!

Be sure to get your Launch Party tickets in advance for only $12

Tickets will be available at the door for $15 -- come early before
they sell out!

Feb. 20, 2010
9 p.m.-3 a.m.
Transcendent Church of Bass
920 Elliott Ave W
Seattle, WA 98119
21+ only (full cash bar)

This hot, one-night launch party event features a lineup of top
Seattle DJs for a full night of dancing, hot hand-picked burlesque
performances throughout the evening, a full cash bar, announcement of
2010 Festival artists, early bird no-fee ticket sales for the Seattle
Erotic Art Festival itself, and more!

You won't want to miss it!

More info at the Facebook event page.

Can't make the party on the 20th? Then be sure to grab your Festival passes (including the exclusive Velvet Package VIP tickets) for the full Seattle Erotic Art Festival event April 30-May 2, 2010 at the
Seattle Center Exhibition Hall.

More Festival info will be continuously updated on: www.seattleerotic.org

FEEL FREE TO SHARE THIS NOTE FAR AND WIDE!