This series highlights working artists currently on staff at the Frye Art Museum. The Frye has a wealth of talented Seattle-based artists working under its roof in many different capacities, each with their own dedicated arts practice outside of their work at the museum. Facilitated and written by Alexis L. Silva, Curatorial Assistant, this series is meant to highlight and celebrate these individuals, showcasing their amazing work and arts practices.
By Alexis L. Silva
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the fabric of our everyday reality. QR codes are now a norm, Zoom gatherings are a no-brainer, and sometimes you get the opportunity to work from your couch. It’s almost comedic to think back to a time before the pandemic where our quality of life felt so fast-paced with no room to breathe. While the pandemic was difficult in so many different ways, it also forced us to slow down, to be graceful to one another, and to look at how we live our daily lives.
During the pandemic, institutions all around the world lost in-person educational programming that many communities look forward to every year. One that I am sure we all look forward to is field trips. Whether it’s a field trip to the local pea patch, the Pacific Science Center, or the neighborhood brewery for happy hour, any time learning outside of the classroom and/or office is always well-received. The Frye Art Museum is happy to announce that after a three-year hiatus, we are officially bringing back field trips! To help facilitate these programs, we recently hired three new teaching artists. Please join us in welcoming Connie Fu, Lynda Belt, and back again for a second time, Lila Thomas!
Please note, the pronouns stated for Lila in the video below are incorrect. We acknowledge the mistake and ask that our audience proceed knowing that Lila’s preferred pronouns are She/They.
About the Artists
Photo: Gillian Martinez
Connie Fu is a multidisciplinary artist exploring the performative possibilities of textiles and sound. She grew up in metro Detroit as a first-generation Chinese American, and went on to obtain a BA in art history from Harvard University and an MFA in fine art from Pratt Institute. During her time in New York, Connie's practice branched from painting into handweaving, performance, and electronic music.
She has since delved deeper into music production, utilizing an array of synthesizers, samplers, and audio manipulation tools to tease out textures reflective of the mysterious depths of the self and subconscious. Connie now resides in Seattle and produces and performs music as enereph, in addition to being a community educator at Patchwerks and the Frye Museum. Coming from a wide range of experiences, Connie believes in the power of expression through multiple disciplines as a way to understand new perspectives on one's life and the world.
Notable exhibitions include NAUTILUS FREE LOSSY, a puppetry piece with scoring and choreography at La MaMa Theatre (2018), Lover/no reason, a sound and sculpture installation at FiveMyles (2020), and blooming flower, chaos of love, an exhibition of textiles with ⼼ (Xin) collective at The Sculpture Center in Cleveland (2023).
Photo: Gillian Martinez
Photo: Bianca Recuenco
Lila Thomas is an artist from Southern Louisiana with a BFA specializing in painting and drawing from Nicholls State University. In their work, they explore themes of identity, family history, cultural exchange through food, music, and mutual understanding of generational trauma and injustices. Their work has been shown in the Amen Art Gallery at Nicholls State University, Lilith Pole Studios, Inside Studios, Seattle’s Forest for the Trees, and at a national juried art exhibition in the Manifest Gallery in Cincinnati, Ohio, where they won Best of Show. They were the 2022 Artist in Residence at Inscape in Seattle and the 2023 Artist in Residence at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. Since being an educator, they have done classes, workshops, and mentorships at Gage Academy of Art, DePauw University, and Urban Artworks.
As an artist and educator, they care deeply about the freedom of expression and exploration through art making. Their teaching philosophy is creating a learning environment where the instructor and students can engage critically. Creating that warm and inviting space is essential because many students from marginalized groups can feel unheard in most educational institutions. They aim for the classroom to be a sanctuary for those students to explore and be free from oppressive systems.
Photo: Bianca Recuenco
Photo: Runyon Colie
Lynda Belt is a designer, potter, paper artist, and theatre director. She has been a teacher of visual arts and theatre for 30 years, as well as a museum educator and curator. Practicing a variety of artistic skills, Lynda creates exhibits of cultural artifacts, art exhibits, science, and historical exhibits. She also develops hands-on activities for families and children, including folk art projects, classes for educators, and culture and arts festivals. Lynda has a BA and MA in theatre, visual arts, and literacy and a certificate for principal and program administration. She has won two Golden Apple Awards for innovative educational programs, and the Impact Award from Western Museums Association. A fun fact is she rode a Harley Davidson Motorcycle for many years.
Photo: Runyon Colie