Beliz Brother is an artist who not only highlights the complexity of interchange and interaction, but also seeks to incorporate this very process into the creation of her work. By the time she received the fellowship to live and work in Japan, Brother had earned recognition for projects like Culture and Agriculture (1996) where she involved residents of a Seattle housing project in the creation of an ongoing market garden; and Witness (1995), a sculptural installation that explored the phenomenon of war blindness. Her art is characterized by collaborative ventures where she initiates active participation in the development of her art, whether working with community members or other professional artists.

During her fellowship year, Brother installed a temporary sculptural work entitled Gathering in the garden of Tokyo's International House. Wanting to focus on the history of the I-House as a literal site of international exchange, Brother arranged eighty bamboo poles in a grid formation. Brother encouraged visitors to walk around and through the piece to the center of the grid left open as a place of quiet contemplation. Visitors and their interaction within the piece then became a component part of the work, hinting at the continual evolution of the installation's meaning. Elegant in the spare use of natural materials, Gathering also suggests the temporary, transient nature of human interaction. At the Japanese American National Museum, Brother works again with bamboo in a sculptural context.

BIOGRAPHY
Beliz Brother is based in Seattle, Washington where she was recently named the lead artist and artist-in-residence for the new Seattle Civic Center and City Hall. In 2000 she was named a Millenium artist with the project "Artists and Communities: America Creates for the Millenium" organized by the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation. She is the recipient of several awards and grants, including a 1997 Bridge Fellowship at the Headlands Center for the Arts in Marin County, and a 1995 National Endowment for the Arts Visual Arts Grant. In 1994 she traveled throughout Indonesia on a Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Arts International residency. Her work has been exhibited at the Seattle Art Museum, the Philadelphia Institute of Contemporary Art, San Francisco's New Langton Art and the Henry Art Gallery in Seattle. Permanent installations of her sculpture can be seen at the Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose and Swedish Hospital and Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

GRANTS AND AWARDS
2000    NEA Millenium Artist "Artists & Communities: America Creates for the Millenium"
1998    National Endowment for the Arts Japan Fellowship, Japan- U.S. Friendship Commission
1997    Headlands Center for the Arts, Bridge Fellowship, San Francisco
1995    National Endowment for the Arts Visual Arts Grant
1995/90    Art Matters, Inc. Grant
1994    Arts International & Lila Wallace Reader's Digest Fund
           International Artist Fellowship, Indonesia
1993    Western States Arts Federation Sculpture Award
1993/89    Artist Trust of Washington GAP Grant
1991    Seattle Arts Commission, Northwest Major Works Award
1990    Artist Trust of Washington Design Award
           Northwest Institute of Architecture & Urban Studies, Rome Fellowship
           Adolph and Esther Gottlieb Foundation Award, New York
1989    National Endowment for the Arts InterArts Grant
           Allied Arts Foundation of Seattle Project Grant

1999    Commisioned to create light sculpture for plaza of Seahawks Football Stadium, Seattle, WA, First & Goal and Vulcan and Vulcan Industries, building design by Ellerbe Becket Architects and Engineers, Kansas City, MO
           Bank of America Gallery, Seattle, WA "Outbound: International Projects" sculpture installation and exhibiton curator
           From the Ground Up, Duvall, WA "Summer Relief" invitational exhibition, Brian Wallace & Deborah Paine, Curators

1998    The Tech Museum Of Innovation, San Jose, CA "Origin" permanent integrated artwork for atrium of new museum designed by Legorreta Arquitectos, Mexico City
           The International House of Japan, Tokyo, JAPAN "Gathering" solo exhibition
           Akasaka Gakudo Center, Tokyo, JAPAN "Kao" permanent public artwork for entrance to childrens center
           Wacoal Art Foundation, Spiral Building, Tokyo, JAPAN, "The Face of Moriya" temporary public art project, ARCUS Studio and five public buildings, Moriya, Ibaraki Prefecture
           Global Cultural Center, Tokyo, JAPAN "Citizen" SOMAR Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA
           Brunnier Art Museum, Ames, IA "Expanding Environments" invitational exhibition, Ingrid Lilligren, Curator
           Bumbershoot Seattle Arts Festival, Wild Salmon Project, "Iyoboya, First First - First People" sculpture made with participants from Seattle, WA and Hokkaido, JAPAN

1997    Bitter Lake Community Center, Seattle, WA "Whirr," "Auerole" & "Water Borne" permanent integrated artworks and community developed projects Seattle Arts Commission, building design by Fukui Architects
           Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA "Harborview Pillows" permanent sculpture commissioned for lobby courtyard of new building King County Arts Commission, building design by KMD, San Francisco
           Meadowbrook Community Center, Seattle, WA "Weather Prophet" & "Scema" permanent integrated artworks and community developed projects, Seattle Arts Commission, building design by Arai/Jackson

1996    Swedish Hospital, Seattle, WA "Touch" permanent sculpture created for new lobby addition, building design by NBBJ Architects
           Holly Park Housing Community, Seattle, WA "Culture And Agriculture" community garden and art project with SE Asian residents of Seattle public housing project
           Rainer Community Center, Seattle, WA "Clock Tower" permanent integrated artwork and community developed projects Seattle Arts Commission, building design by Michael Canatsy & Assoc.

1995    Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA "Witness" solo exhibition, Patterson Sims, Curator
           Seattle Opera House, Seattle, WA "album of conscious" Northwest Major Works Award, Seattle Arts Commission, permanent sculpture for Seattle Opera House lobby
           Bumbershoot Seattle Arts Festival, "Burning Spirit", sculpture collaboration with visiting Indonesian artists for 25th anniversary closing ceremony
           OPAL, Orcas Island Land Trust, Site Plan for 29 Homes, Design Team member, Tangent Architecture

1994    On The Boards, Seattle,WA "Lush Mechanique" premiere of national tour including Dance Theatre Workshop & Jacob's Pillow sculpture and visual presentation , with choreographer Llory Wilson

1994    Garfield Community Center, Seattle, WA "Kuba Grille" & "Steps" permanent integrated artworks and community developed projects, Seattle Arts Commission, building design by The Miller Hull Partnership developed projects
           Delridge Community Center, Seattle, WA "Gathering Wall" & "Trophies"permanent integrated artworks and community developed projects Seattle Arts Commission, building design by Boyle Wagoner Architects

1993    Fuel Gallery, Seattle, WA "Welling" solo exhibition
           Bumbershoot, Seattle Arts Festival "Threshold" invitational exhibtion, Ron Glowen, Curator
           10 minute video "22 Adagio" produced with Terry Simpson, aired regularly on public access television and at international video festivals

1992    Aids Housing Of Washington, Seattle, WA "Boushay Solarium" solarium design and integrated artwork for Bailey Boushay Hospice, in collaboration with Mary Ann Peters
           Harborview Medical Center Artist in Residence development of public art master plan, King County Arts Commission Art in Public Places
           Artist Initiated Project, Washington DC and Seattle, WA "22 Adagio" sculpture installation and series of cello performances to remember events in Sarajevo in 22 public places such as the Holocaust Museum, Russell Senate Rotunda, Red Cross Headquarters & Corcoran Museum

1991    Philadelphia Institute of Contemporary Art "Interactions" invitational exhibition, Judith Tannenbaum, Curator
           New Langton Arts, San Francisco, CA "Count", solo exhibition, Renny Pritikin, Curator
           Pier 61, Seattle, WA "Lunasphere" ommissioned outdoor public sculpture , One Reel
           Art Gym, Portland, OR "Trace" invitational exhibition, Terri Hopkins, Curator
           Center On Contemporary Art Seattle, WA "In Site", solo exhibition
           4 minute video "Count" produced with T-Vision of Seattle

1990    Goodwill Games Arts Festival, Seattle, WA "Shared Site" commissioned public sculpture

1989    On the Boards, Seattle, WA "This Cordate Carcass" premiere of national tour including Moming, Sushi Gallery, Painted Bride, Dance Theatre Workshop sculpture and visual presentation co-commissioned with choreographer Llory Wilson

1988    911 Contemporary Arts Center, Seattle, WA "Homes For Art" sculpture installation, Glenn Weiss, Curator

1987    911 Contemporary Art Center, Seattle, WA "Glance" sculpture installation
           King County Arts Commission, Performa '87, Marymoor Park in Redmond, WA "Seven/Uneven" sculpture and visual presentation at nature reserve co-commissioned with choreographer Pat Graney

1986    Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA "The Distance From My Heart To My Soul" Chris Bruce, Curator sculpture installation, Chris Bruce, Curator

RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2000    National Endowment for the Arts, Japan Fellowship juror Haas Foundation Creative Artist Fellowship Panelist

1999    National Endowment for the Arts, Japan Fellowship juror Northwest Institute of Architecture &Urban Studies, Rome Fellowship juror Headlands Center for the Arts, Bridge Fellowship juror

1990-01    Cornish College of Art, Seattle, WA, visiting lecturer

1998    Kyoto Seika University, Kyoto, JAPAN, visiting lecturer
           Musashino Art University, Tokyo JAPAN, visiting lecturer
           Waseda Univeristy, Tokyo, JAPAN, visiting lecturer
           The International House of Japan, Tokyo, JAPAN, Artist Forum Speaker

1997-01    University of Washington, School of Art, Seattle, WA, visiting lecturer

1996    International Forum, Arts & Humanities as Agents for Social Change Seattle, WA, speaker
           Urban Land Trust, Seattle, WA, treasurer & founding board member
           Washington University, St. Louis, MO, visiting lecturer
           Art & Architecture: A Forum on Successful Collaborations, Palo Alto, CA, speaker
           Network for Local Arts in Washington State Cultural Congress, speaker

1995    The Public Art of Re-Collection, NALAA National Symposium, San Jose, CA, speaker
           Nuclear Fieldwork: Yes, In My Back Yard, Hanford WA, speaker
           Orcas Island (WA) Land Trust, OPAL 29 Homes Project Site Design Team
1994    King County Arts Commission, Regional Justice Center, Seattle, WA, commission juror
1992-94    University of Washington, School of Architecture, visiting lecturer

EDUCATION
1968-72 Prescott College, Prescott, Arizona, B.F.A., apprenticeship with photographer Frederick Sommer

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
"GATHERING," 8 minute video produced by MXTV, Tokyo, JAPAN

"WITNESS," 5 minute video produced by KCTS public television, Seattle, WA on Seattle Art Museum exhibition, aired regularly January - June 1995

"22 ADAGIO," 3 minute video produced by KCTS public television, Seattle, WA, aired regularly 1993-95

Lois Allan, CONTEMPORARY ART IN THE NORTHWEST, Cover Photograph and feature Craftsman House, Gordon and Breach Arts International, Sydney, Australia 1995

Jack Anderson, "Aluminum Poles Swing And Sway With Humans," THE NEW YORK TIMES February 4 , 1995

ART IN AMERICA, Annual 1995, "1994 Review in Public Art," August 1995

Chris Bruce, "BREAKING DOWN THE BOUNDARIES; ARTISTS AND MUSEUMS," Univ. of Washington Press, 1989

Nancy Castello, "Artist commemorates cellist, 22 slain in Sarajevo," ASSOC. PRESS INTERNATIONAL, September 10, 1992

Jae Carlson, "This Cordate Carcass at Washington Hall Performance Gallery," ART FORUM, September 1989

Sheila Farr, "Blinded by war," SEATTLE WEEKLY, February 15, 1995

Robert Fulghum, MAYBE (MAYBE NOT) SECOND THOUGHTS FROM A SECRET LIFE, Villard Books, NY 1993

Ron Glowen, "Beyond the Moment -In/Site at the Center on Contemporary Art, Seattle" ARTWEEK, February 4, 1991

Regina Hackett, "Civil War image plates speak through their silence,"SEATTLE POST INTELLIGENCER, February 3, 1995

Pam Keeley, MODERNISM & BEYOND: WOMEN ARTISTS OF THE PACIFIC NW, Midmarch Arts Press, 1993

Suzanne Lacey, "Love, Memory, Cancer: A Few Stories." PUBLIC ART REVIEW, Spring/Summer 1996

Bruce Manuel, "Movement Inspired By a Painter's Life and Images," THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, June 26, 1989

Brenda Miller, "The 23rd Adagio" YOGA JOURNAL October 1996

Mayumi Negishi, "Gather in the inner circle," THE JAPAN TIMES, July 4, 1998

Clint Pherson, "Seattle Art: in the Tunnel and in the Suburbs," PROGRESSIVE ARCHITECTURE, November 1988

James S. Russel, "6 rms, riv vu gnd w/art wk," ARCHITECTURAL RECORD, November 1988

Janice Steinberg, "Sushi Gallery", HIGH PERFORMANCE, Fall 1990

David Levi Strauss, "Engulfed: Artists Respond to the Gulf War," SCULPTURE MAGAZINE, July 1991

Burt Supree, "Seattle Slew," THE VILLAGE VOICE, June 6, 1989

Chris Von Vay, "Shared Site," feature, ARCADE: THE NW JOURNAL FOR ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN, October 1990

PUBLIC ART AND DESIGN TEAM PROJECTS
2000-02    Seattle Civic Center/City Hall, Lead Artist
           Bohlin Cywinski Jackson Architects, Pittsburg,PA & Bassetti Architects, Seattle
2000-01    Connecticut River Waypoint Interpretive Center
           Dan Scully Architects, Keene, New Hampshire
1999-02    Seahawks Stadium, Seattle, WA
           Ellerbe Becket Architects and Engineers, Kansas City, Missouri
1995-98    The Tech Museum of Innovation, San Jose,CA
           Legorreta Arquitectos, Mexico City
1991-97    Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA
           Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz Inc., San Francisco
1992-97    Bitter Lake Community Center, Seattle, WA
           Susuki Associates Architects & Fukui Architecture, Seattle
1993-97    Holly Park Public Housing, Seattle Housing Authority,
Seattle,WA
           Swift and Company Landscape Architects, Nakano Dennis Landscape
           Architects, Seattle Department of Planning & Urban Development
1992-97    Meadowbrook Community Center, Seattle, WA
           Arai /Jackson Architects & Planners, Seattle
1995-96    Swedish Hospital, Seattle, WA
           NBBJ Architects, Seattle
1992-96    Rainier Community Center, Seattle, WA
           Michael Canatsy & Associates, Seattle
1995-96    OPAL, Orcas Island Land Trust 29 Homes Project, Orcas Island, WA
           Abrahamson Architects & Tangent Architecture, Seattle
1992-95    Delridge Community Center, Seattle, WA
           Boyle Wagoner Architects, Seattle
1992-95    Garfield Community Center, Seattle, WA
           The Miller Hull Partnership, Seattle
1991-92    Bailey Boushay House, AIDS Housing of Washington Hospice, Seattle, WA
           Bumgardner Architects, Seattle
1991    Lunasphere, Pier 61 Seattle, WA
           Tangent Architecture, Seattle