North Beacon Hill is getting another gallery.
Kitty-corner to The Grocery Studios' new walk-up gallery is Fresh Mochi. Run by Seattle artist and 2004's Stranger Genius"One to Watch" Elizabeth Jameson, the space used to be home to the old DiCasoli corner store and has served as her art studio and living space for the past 20 years.
Jameson first started to display art during the pandemic, often her own, in the old storefront windows for passersby to admire on their quarantine walks. That idea eventually grew into turning the entire space into its own gallery, which Jameson said has tall white walls—perfect for hanging art. The name "Fresh Mochi" is partially in honor of the sweet treat Jameson's mom makes to welcome the New Year and a reference to a song from The Buttersprites, an all-girl Japanese pop band Jameson used to play in several years ago.
"It's a nod to my Japanese heritage and my mom who's an artist and the reason I became an artist," said Jameson in a phone interview recently. "I wanted something fun and kitschy."
The gallery's first show Pink—which opens this Saturday at 6 pm—is a group show organized around the color pink. The exhibition will show work by Jameson, Sakura Davis (Jameson's mom), Bette Burgoyne, Janet Galore, Jen McNeely, William Vosper, Greg Lowe, Mariko Marrs, Bob Jordan, Rachel Maxi, and Junko Yamamoto. For now, Jameson said she's approaching Fresh Mochi's curation "intuitively," looking to show new and old work from local artists. She plans to open the space to visitors two days a week and rotate exhibitions regularly. It's another welcome art addition to the mostly residential area.
"I like the idea of a neighborhood gallery where you're walking home from work and then you pop in and look at a little bit of art," said Jameson. "Art becomes part of your day."
Fresh Mochi Gallery's Pink opens this Saturday, March 19 from 6-8 pm. Find more suggested events from The Stranger right here.
