Bill Ritchie's work in Washington State
in the
George Gilbert Woodall Collection
(Image of my print in this collection yet to come, caption under construction)
Title
About George Woodall: (under construction) George's Website is http://woodallart.tumblr.com/ and includes a video by Valera Kolodchenko on YouTube).
About the print: George hosted Open Studios & Hospitality sessions, and in one of these Bill Ritchie made a chine-colle print with a note of Russian currency. We have a request in for an image of this print.
Bill Ritchie 's comment: George Woodall was in my printmaking class when I was teaching at the UW in the early 1970s, and after graduation he kept in touch. He visited one of my classes at the students' request as guest speaker ("Artist for Brunch"). George opened his studio in the 'nineties for several printmakers, including Steve Rock, who had been going to open studios at Daniel Smith's Seattle store. Out of a couple thousand students I encountered in my tenure at the UW, George stands out as one who walks his talk: George took action to normalize relationships between U.S. Americans and Russia through education and the arts, and he encouraged me to participate at one point and I spoke to his visiting Russians about developing my game, Emeralda.
Left: Bill Ritchie met students from Russia at Wizards of the Coast
in Seattle's U-District to explain his concept of Emeralda, his "game
of life." George Woodall architected the Seattle/Perm exchange early
in the 1990s and he continues with his exchanges between Seattle, Perm,
and Moscow artists. (Right) Bill and George at George's Open Press, 1998.
George and Marina at his exhibit, screenshot from his video.
Interviewer, in the video: Describe yourself as an artist and the stuff you do.
George Woodall: Okay. International. Historic. You have to have exhibits. You have to be out in the public. Hopefully before you die you get some stuff done. That’s kinda like, you know , . . . cross a river . . . before we all perish . . . you have to ask yourself: What have you accomplished as an individual, what if you contributed as an individual. Every day, the world’s a better place . . . every . . . have you inspired anyone? And those questions are on my mind.'
Obituary, December 13, 2020, based on the Seattle Times
George died of cancer at home in Seattle's Pike Place Market under the attentive care of his family on December 6, 2020, at age 71. He is survived by his wife Marina Borisovna Woodall, daughter Gretta Maria Woodall, and son Gary Alpine (born Tobias Christian Woodall), fiancée Liana Renee Parisi, and granddaughter India Sophia Alpine who reside in Miami FL.
After graduating from UW with a BA in both Printmaking and Art Education in 1972, George made Seattle his home. As an artist, George always held optimism for his career, and advocacy for art in general. He was a prolific painter and sold his paintings to his longtime patron and friend Virginia Wyman and prominent collectors in and around Seattle as well. He also worked in printmaking and sculpture, including some bronze work.
For decades, George was a teacher of Art at Seattle Public Schools, a private art school, and in his studio. For the last 34 years, George maintained his Woodall Studio in the Diller Building, directly across the street from Seattle Art Museum, which he patronized regularly, and was always willing to give a museum tour to any guest who expressed interest. As well, he regularly attended First Thursday gallery openings, and stayed cognizant of his fellow artists and art galleries in the community. George leaves behind a large body of work, which he held in great esteem.
George had big dreams which led to big adventures. He met a former Minister of Culture of the Soviet Union in Seattle in 1992, who invited him to hold a solo exhibition at the Union of Artists Gallery in Moscow in 1993; George accepted, making him a Seattle pioneer in this international field. One invitation led to another, and in all he made 22 trips to Russia over the following 20 years.
He co-organized a snow sculpture competition in Perm in the Ural Mountains which was held for 7 consecutive winters; he organized and directed the American/Russian Youth Art Exchange, which took place in 1995 and 1998, to great acclaim, with the international and artistic experience changing young lives. He was given a second solo exhibition in Russia at the Perm State Art Gallery in 2004, the primary museum of the region.
Memorial donations are suggested to Seattle Public Library, where George took his daughter Gretta on countless occasions; or to the Allied Arts Foundation, Robert Jackson Block Awards, which committee George chaired, energized, and invigorated in 2017-18 to recognize talent in young Seattle students. He understood the importance of the award, as he had been recognized and encouraged in his youth. To reach the family, e-mail woodallstudio@gmail.com.
See Bill's Patron's List for more peoples' collections - click here