Artist Talk and Panel Discussion | The Living Legacy of James W. Washington, Jr.

An inspiring panel discussion as Esther Ervin, former artist-in-residence, interim director, and studio tech at the James W. Washington Jr. Foundation, engages with June Sekiguchi and Stewart Wong, former resident artists, about their experience on the grounds and studio of the Washington property.

Each panelist shared how this unique residency not only shaped their artistic journeys but also influenced their creative process. Discover the stories behind their works and how working in James W. Washington, Jr's studio shaped and inspired their work.

ARTIST BIO (listed in the order they appear in the video):
Esther Ervin is a contemporary visual artist and jewelry maker. She has a BS in Biology from the University of California, with credits from the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. She completed her MFA thesis in medical Illustration at California State University, Long Beach. After a brief career adventure in the insurance and securities industry, Esther was awarded a residency and the Gregory M. Robinson scholarship at Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, Washington, where she studied jewelry-metalsmithing and welding. Later, she had a residency at the James and Janie Washington Foundation in Seattle, where she incorporated materials found there into new work. Her wearable art has been exhibited in Washington, Oregon; Beijing, China; Vilnius and Palanga, Lithuania; and in Legnica and Gdansk, Poland. Esther consistently generates and exhibits art and jewelry. She has 18 concrete, glass, and bronze pieces installed at the Liberty Bank Building on 24th Ave. and Union St., Seattle, WA, and was the coordinator for the art plan, which included seven other artists. Esther continues exploring new techniques and works in various mediums, sometimes focusing on environmental or political subjects. She is a member of the Seattle Metals Guild and shows work at Onyx Gallery and her home studio.

June Sekiguchi was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Studio Art from the University of California at Santa Barbara. She works primarily with scroll-cut wood in her studio practice making sculptures and site-specific installations. Her current work is in the public art realm. Sekiguchi is an arts activist and advocate, co-founding and participating in several non-profit and artist-run spaces in the Seattle area. Sekiguchi’s interests involve social justice issues, cultural exchange, mental health, and elder communities. She is currently an independent art curator for Era Living and curates for the gallery at Asia Pacific Cultural Center in Tacoma, WA, where she serves on the board. Sekiguchi is a recipient of a GAP grant and Fellowship from Artist Trust and five 4Culture grants. She has participated in residencies in the Pacific Northwest, including Willapa Bay AiR, Vashon Artist Residency, and the James and Janie Washington residency, as well as abroad in Cambodia and Laos. She has exhibited extensively in the Salish Sea area, including the San Juan Islands Museum of Art, the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, the Vashon Center for the Arts, the Wing Luke Asian Museum, and Bellevue Arts Museum. She lives in Tacoma and is represented by ArtX Contemporary in Seattle.

Stewart Wong is a mixed-media artist whose work spans fiber arts, sculpture, and public installations. Drawing inspiration from both natural and built environments, he blends craft and technology to explore structure, identity, and cultural memory. A descendant of Native Hawaiian and Chinese immigrants, his heritage informs much of his work, which often highlights underrepresented AAPI and BIPOC histories. Wong’s public artworks include installations at the Wing Luke Museum, Sammamish Park & Ride, and Bernalillo County Courthouse. He earned a BFA in Design from Cornish College and has served as a mentor to youth through programs like Wing Luke’s YouthCAN and Mercer Island schools. His art reflects his understanding of displacement, labor, and equity—shaped by personal family history and broader systemic challenges. A member of Northwest Designer Craftartists and the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, Wong continues to create pieces that offer social insight and encourage cultural reflection through layered, material-rich forms.

ARTIST SOCIAL (listed in the order they appear in the video):
Esther Ervin:   / ervincreative  
June Sekiguchi:   / june_sekiguchi  
Stewart Wong:   / pmd.art  
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Learn more about Connected by Craft: A look at Handwork 2026 at BIMA:
https://www.biartmuseum.org/handwork/