Madison Park native Spencer Frazer poses in front of his artwork during the May 17 Fallout exhibition opening at Domicile Gallery+Design.
An art exhibition centering the climate crisis, called Fallout, by local self-taught artist Spencer Frazer, was recently launched at the Domicile Art Gallery on Madison Street.
Frazer, a well-known artist in environmental art has gained numerous awards and attention, including awards in the Chelsea International Fine Art Competition in New York and first, second, and fourth place in the 2023 American Art Awards.
His work was also the backdrop for President Joe Biden’s Greenpeace Day speech in 2022.
Frazer doesn’t just want to raise awareness on the climate crisis, however, he wants to develop conversations that could ultimately lead to change happening as a collective.
“It is very hard to create change regarding this global issue as an individual, but as a collective unit, we can achieve more than people know,” said Frazer.
The exhibition is a highlight for Domicile, which is one of the only art galleries in Madison Park.
Founded by Marisa Spooner-LeDuff, originally from Baton Rouge, LA, in 2022, she set out with a goal of providing expanded visibility and fostering community engagement for local artists, and to bring a little southern hospitality up to Seattle.
“I'm from Louisiana and I want to give and offer southern hospitality to everyone that walks in the door,” said Spooner-LeDuff. “That's the reason it's called domicile instead of my last name, so that you feel at home when you walk in. It's your domicile.”
Spooner-LeDuff says during COVID-19, she felt the need to be a bridge between artists and the public.
“I knew nothing about art ... but I knew that the world was a mess. COVID has everybody depressed, children need some laughter, adults need to see some beauty, and artists can provide that.”
Spooner-LeDuff also says that it touches her heart to see an artist walk into Domicile and see their creation presented on the wall in such a manner that it brings them to tears.
Spencer Frazer felt this feeling almost immediately.
“I was really honored when Marisa asked me to do the solo show and I'm very excited because even though I had other shows in New York and other places, I was still looking for the one gallery in Seattle, my home area, to really believe in me,” said Frazer.
“And wait until you see the show. It's awesome. It might be your cup of tea, it might not be your cup of tea, but it's really done well.”
Frazer and Spooner-LeDuff connected right away due to their uniqueness and passion for what's happening in the world, making Spooner-LeDuff feel like we need galleries that support these exact issues that Frazer’s work embodies.
“She's not your typical art gallery owner like I'm not your typical artist,” said Frazer. “She wants to help the world and she wants to help artists, and so we just kind of hit it off.”
Spooner-LeDuff says Frazer’s attention to detail is what first caught her eye, however it was the deeper message that captivated her.
“I love wildlife and I think nowadays we're so caught up in ourselves,” said Spooner-LeDuff. “It's all about the ‘me’ attitude and what's mine, that we don't recognize how our decisions really affect not just who we see but what and who we don't see.”
Frazer says the only way change will come is by people having awareness. You can’t care about something that you are not aware of.
“If you look at my work, all of these different topics are exposed, and there’s an underlying meaning to each piece,” said Frazer.
The Spencer Frazer: Fallout Exhibition will be out on display at Domicile until June 29.