NEWS RELEASE                         Sept. 15, 2009

'Secret Lives of Carousel Horses' on
display in Office of Lt. Governor

OLYMPIA -- A collection of five large paintings inspired by carousels is currently on display in the Office of Lt. Governor in the Legislative Building, the work of Seattle artist Fran Holt.

Fran Holt's "Lilly Belle and Stargazer" now dominates the lobby of the Office of Lt. Governor in the Legislative Building (state Capitol). The display is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

"I paint what interests me," Holt said. "Painting, for me, is a form of possession; whether it's a landscape, a thought, or a sensation, if a painting is 'true and real' one can somehow possess the original idea by the truthfulness of its painted equivalent."

She said her work is often inspired by nature. Holt's display is called the "Secret Lives of Carousel Horses."

"My current paintings are physical creatures that take up space and are clearly tactile, from the wood panels to the swirling paint," she said.

Holt's "Princess Flora" is one of five works on display.

The artist, who is the recipient of numerous awards, completed the carousel display through a 2009 grant by the Allied Arts Foundation. Since receiving her master of fine arts degree from the University of Texas/Austin in 1989, the artist has had selected shows throughout the Northwest and across the United States.

The show is the newest display by the Lt. Governor’s Art Council.  Chaired by Linda Owen, wife of the lieutenant governor, the council selects Washington artists for its displays and changes the selections quarterly.

The Office of the Lieutenant Governor is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is located in Room 220 of the Legislative Building (State Capitol), 416 Sid Snyder Avenue S.W. in Olympia.

For more information contact:
                                   

Office of Lt. Governor: Brian Dirks (360) 786-7707 or dirks.brian@leg.wa.gov