What a wonderful little shop. Filled with art, artifacts & curiousities…read more I found the perfect little gift for a friend here. Not sure why I haven't been in before, but I'll be back. Friendly & helpful owner~

Was in need of something unique and specific today - Andrea was so incredibly helpful and…read moreunderstood exactly what I was looking for - she made it happen and then some; I am so thankful for her above and beyond customer service. Definitely recommend The Curious Nest!

Manya is so welcoming. Her gallery is filled with beautiful art: clothing, purses, jewery,…read moredecorative home items, paintings, gifts. Well worth a stop.

I love MaJe Gallery. I have shopped there for many years. I no longer live in the area, but make a…read morepoint to get to MaJe Gallery whenever I am in town. Manya, the owner, is very astute at steering you in the right direction, especially when it comes to clothing. I have taken many friends to MaJe Gallery and they always find a special something to purchase. MaJe is located in Edmonds which is a fun town to visit. Lots of shops and places to eat/drink. You can also walk on the ferry. All in all a stop at MaJe can lead to a fun day's worth of activities.

I arrived at Cascadia Art Museum at 5:06 PM, expecting to explore the exhibits during regular hours…read moresince Apple Maps had listed them as open until 6:00 PM. Unfortunately, the museum had already closed to the public. Luckily, Sydney kindly invited me to stay for a private evening event that was just about to begin. The $20 admission ended up being incredibly worthwhile. Before the event I was able to walk around and see the gallery entirely while the staff set -up. The event featured a guest lecture by Dr. Simon Lhopiteau, a Paris-based art historian who recently opened a studio in Seattle. His talk centered on Henry Saÿen, a chemist-turned-painter whose work is rarely acknowledged in mainstream art history. We discussed Saÿen's invention of the self-regulating X-ray tube, his move to Paris during the rise of the avant-garde, and the influence of Henri Matisse on his artistic development. Dr. Lhopiteau also spoke about how both Henry Saÿen and Henri Matisse were among the early artists to shape the foundation of modern self-portraiture. Their work explored internal perception just as much as external form, and this introspective approach helped redefine how artists captured the self. He also shared how abstract and impressionist art in the early 20th century was not just rejected by the public, but often met with deep hostility and even violence. One of the highlights of the evening was Saÿen's 1903 painting titled Primitive Agricultures. We also explored the legendary artist gatherings at Le Dôme café in Paris and discussed the deeper connection between light, geometry, and perception in modern painting. The entire conversation felt alive--intellectually rich, spontaneous, and deeply human. It was one of the most engaging experiences I've had in a long time. Before leaving, I visited the museum gift shop and picked out a beautiful orange floral scarf for my mom. The shop was just as thoughtfully curated as the rest of the space. I also had the pleasure of speaking with Nancy, one of the museum ambassadors, who was incredibly kind and insightful. She told me about her travels through the Balkan countries and the museums and art collections she visited abroad. I shared my love for Renaissance art and armor from the Middle Ages and she encouraged me to visit France to experience those collections firsthand. I mentioned that my niece is French and currently studying there, so now I have even more reason to go. Before I left, I met Julie, the museum's education director, and learned that her academic thesis focused on Renaissance art and the representation of women. It was such an energizing conversation. She even gave me a list of local spots to eat, which meant a lot since I needed to grab dinner for my family after the event. I have attached the photos part of the current exhibit to this review to encourage people to see art in person because it is of amazing quality and deserves recognition. Had I arrived during regular hours, I probably would have paid $12 or gotten in free with my student ID, but I'm honestly glad I came when I did. Cascadia is not just a museum. It's a place of conversation, discovery, and connection. Whether you're visiting for the art or open to the unexpected, it's absolutely worth the experience.

I had the pleasure of attending a curator talk at the Cascadia Art Museum, and it was phenomenon!!…read moreDavid Martin is a dynamic speaker and is a world recognized art historian of northwest style arts. He walked us through an exhibit called "Urban Scenes of Seattle: 1910-1960". Apparently in the "old days" and before the internet, Eastern U.S. arts are influenced primarily by European arts, while Western U.S. arts are influenced by both European arts and Asian arts. As a result, these mid-1900s regional arts has an intriguing amalgam of art styles from other parts of the world while serving as a historical data point of our area. I highly, highly recommend attending one of his "coffee with the curator" talks that give so much behind-the-scenes story of the artists, many of whom David personally knows. Other than the Urban Scenes exhibit, they are currently featuring a special exhibit of Christmas cards that are individually made by local artists that were sent to family and friends. No two are the same! The museum is modest size but packs a punch! It is definitely a local gem. Housed in an old Safeway building, it shares space with a bistro in the same building. Their museum store also has excellent pieces from artists and/or uniquely curated pieces. And they sell books written by David Martin. He'll autograph them if you want!

Zen dog is the best guy ever! This tea house is actually the house he is currently living in. He…read morewelcomes you not just a guest to a tea room, but a guest to his own happy place. He shows you to the upstairs and downstairs and the backyard. He offers you 3 tea for $10 and sometimes even for nothing. It is super traditional filled with Chinese calligraphy, paintings, teapots etc. And a ton of tea. I am amazed at his comprehensive collection of tea including all the well known Chinese tea like dragon well, tie guan yin, dian hong, da hong pao, even yellow tea and pu er. My favorite is Dong Ding from Taiwan and ZD Zest blend. He really tries to give you high quality yet fairly priced tea here. I will not hesitate to stop by when I am in the area. Just to sit down, have some tea and great conversations with this great guy!

I really like The man that runs this place! He's so peaceful and gives off a really really good…read morevibe! The second time, I went with a friend I was not seeing but zen dog assumed we were together... And asked if we wanted to participate in a game he created. He seemed so excited and we were in no rush so we did. Unfortunately, it made it really awkward because I was not interested in dating this guy so it was just awkward to ask such personal questions.

Wandered into this art gallery yesterday in downtown Edmonds. Attracted by the beautiful…read morephotographs in the picture window. After being greeted by the photographer and his dog, I looked at all of the photographs with my boyfriend. They are mostly stretched on canvas with some framed prints along with a selection of photos on metal. He also sells his work on cards, individual prints and on a calendar. All of the items on canvas and metal are the same price, based on the size. I purchased one of the photos of Second Beach, WA for $39 pretax. Randall gave it to me with a certificate of authenticity, autographed it, and included a free calendar, free Edmonds guide where the cover pic had been taken by him, and a handout of his classes. Randall offers photography lessons at various on site locations. He proudly told us that he loves to teach and offered to teach us. Not a photographer by any means, so not going there. All of the pictures are nature scenes. We saw some of Utah, Arizona, and Oregon but most of them were taken within Washington. He captures great light and colors in his pictures. He explained that he uses a slow shutter time and doesn't use PhotoShop or alter his pictures in any way. This is a great find. I'll be back!

Randall Hodges is probably the most amazing photographer I've ever seen. His gallery is full of…read morelovely and colorful photos that look like paintings! His impressive work isn't PhotoShopped--it's all Randall taking the perfect shots. In addition, he's just plain a nice guy. He teaches excellent classes and has proven results. After a one evening class, I felt like I could take beautiful photos. He uses old school film techniques with digital camera. He gives great feedback and is very available to his students. He helped me feel confident and competent with my camera. I highly recommend his gallery and lessons!

Ryan James is one of the few true fine arts galleries featuring complex "modern, abstract,…read moreconceptual" works of primarily local artists. They close for a few days at the start of every month to rotate their pieces, showcasing different artists each month. They often repaint walls and/or repaint pedestals to match the aesthetics of the new arts being displayed. They also participate in the Seattle Art Fair yearly in July. Many of the featured works are contemporary, as though in the process of creating a new genre. If you enjoy pushing your envelope on art comprehension, this is the place to go. I visited back in June with my niece, who is an art student. We probably spent more time there than many other visitors talking through every piece - discussing methods, ratios, layouts, flow, vibes, and more. We were very drawn to the paintings of Kalina Winska. Her themes often incorporate weather patterns into her art - mist, drizzle, air flow, clouds, etc. We both chose the same work as our favorite - an abstract that looks like weather patterns complete with arrows in swirling random-like directions. It has the longest name ever. See photos. A unique feature of Ryan James is that they have an artwork rental library! For as little as $45 a month, you can enjoy different paintings on your wall. This art gallery is located on the ground level of Kirkland Urban. Parking is free underground for up to 4 hours with validation.

This art gallery is located in the belly of the strip mall. Just follow directions to Northwest…read morecellars. We did a art walk and crawl and found this studio. Some very impressive works of art, especially local artists Love the setting and the knowledge and professionalism of Ryan James. Need more art patronizers One of the hidden gems of Kirkland!

This art gallery twinkles on 5th Ave, near the heart of Edmonds. If you dare walk by, there are…read moreunconscious forces at work, prompting you to move a little closer to the window. Look in the window and you'll soon find yourself inside, your eyes now scanning the many works of art, so appealing to the heart. My wife and I stopped at Cole Gallery last month and loved some recent additions to the gallery. The staff is so knowledgeable on the artist's work and they have great working relationships to be able to answer most questions on the pieces on display. We walked out with a great prize of a landscape oil painting, only to return the following weekend and purchase a second painting from the same artist. We really enjoyed our connection with Scott, the manager, and will likely be back in the future, if not to buy, then certainly to browse!

This is a beautiful gallery from local artists. As far a galleries go, it is one of the premier…read moregalleries in Snohomish county. I love art and if I had been born with a silver spoon my walls would be covered with paintings of this quality, but I can always dream and be inspired. This is one of the galleries that a person who appreciates art can become enraptured with. The art is that good.

Love this establish gallery right in the middle of downtown Kirkland. It's a wonderful place to…read morepurchase unique original artwork by local artists and collectibles for gifts or for your home. The owner really is helpful,kind and knowledgeable.

I have loved this gallery for many years. It has a great variety of arts and crafts. Jewelry,…read moreglass, paintings, and furniture. It is a great place to shop for gifts. The service is great too. It is a good place to find American made arts and crafts which is harder and harder to find these days.