Dioramas made from all sorts of boxes varying in sizes took over the space in the Hedreen Gallery on Tuesday, Jan. 24 where the Seattle Catalog (Sea-Cat) launched their newest project. Founders of Sea-Cat include artists Wynne Greenwood, Matthew Offenbacher, and Seattle U's own art professor, Gretchen Bennett.

"The purpose is to explore a new model for exhibition and art sales and community and events, to build a new language around this, to hopefully contribute to a cultural conversation and to evolve as individuals and artists ourselves," said Bennett.

Sea-Cat was created in 2011 during a discussion between the three artists, which ultimately led to starting up a catalog. This gave birth to the first Sea-Cat, which exhibited works from 15 artists at a sushi party in Offenbacher's house this past September.

The Sea-Cat is a tri-yearly print and online catalog, which highlights the works of artists up and down the West Coast.

"We choose people from a combination of people we love, admire and want to work with," Bennett said.

"In Sea-Cat 2, we created a situation where an artist could put a piece of work that was already existing into the catalog or they could present a proposal where they would realize a piece of work if someone purchased it," Bennett said. "In a sense, they're creating a commission for themselves. For instance, BC Campbell is a composer and if someone buys his proposal, he will create a new composition, resulting in the release of a new CD and this person who purchases it enables him to make it and in return receive it for them buying it."

By having the artists and consumers work together, it creates a new experience for creating and purchasing art. An innovative give and take that reinvents the standard one-way dialogue between viewer and artist typical of most galleries.

"Unlike other art shows maybe that are pre-prepared, these are prior to creation and it's almost like a dare to the consumer who is willing to pay money to say, ‘I want this thing. I don't know how it's going to turn out, but I trust you, the artist, to make it for me,'" said attendee Calvin Burlap.

This unique way of selling and buying art also creates a sense of community, which seems fitting for Sea-Cat, a project that is based on love and being inclusive.

"I think it promotes relationships, so that person who buys BC Campbell's new composition embarks on some kind of relationship with BC, so it becomes a form of collaboration. But I think a better word for it is relationship."

Presentation of the project for Sea-Cat 2 came intuitively.

"Well we took part in this event called Short Press and the signage on our table was kind of three-dimensional just to announce that we were Sea-Cat. Everyone had a table with their booklet to present. So we presented Seattle Catalog 1. And from there, Matt had a dream that we should make dioramas," Bennett said.

This idea was immediately the choice the founders decided on — to display the work in Sea-Cat 2. The works are showcased in 11 dioramas at the exhibit.

"Those dioramas were photographed to become the pages of the Seattle Catalog 2," Bennett said. "So there are different levels of presentation. A diorama is becoming the catalog page and it's presenting the artist's work and it's presenting itself."

Attendees also enjoyed a live performance by local band SEACATS, who coincidentally share the same name as Sea-Cat.

"It's a happy coincidence," Bennett said.

Once SEACATS heard of Sea-Cat and their project, the band took a liking to it and wanted to immediately play at the opening.

The response from the exhibit was a good one.

"It seemed positive," Bennett said. "My guess is that people are formulating ideas and taking in information in waves or layers that are sort of a meta experience and the assignation of roles isn't traditional so it's not immediately clear to the viewer. But it's interesting to trust that the people will take in the information and hopefully embrace the process and get something from it. Whatever they want to get from it."

Although Sea-Cat has not yet discussed about the length of this project, they will continue to publish catalogs three times a year.

"I think the hope is that we create something beyond place. So, it's based here, but it can evolve organically into other spaces and place and locations-cities," Bennett said.

The Sea-Cat 2 will continue to be on exhibit through mid-March.

Bianca may be reached at bsewake@su-spectator.com