Our Artists
Since its inception, Jentel has made awards to over 1,500 creatives.
Many alumni have produced work during residency that subsequently received national recognition. Below are a selection of featured Jentel Alumni and their recent activities.
FEATURED ARTIST
Steve Gilbert
Jentel Resident Sept 2023Steve Gilbert is a fine art photographer based in Seattle. He’s been involved photography in the northwest since the late 1980s.
In the early 1990s, Steve lived at the O.K. Hotel in Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square, which was used as a location in the movie Singles. He documented the art scene of that time period, capturing some now world famous visual artists and musicians.
He toured with the Seattle band Soundgarden in the mid-1990s, and captured several iconic moments of Soundgarden on and off stage, as well as the New York City punk rock group the Ramones in performance, who Soundgarden toured with during those years.
For the last three years Steve has been collaborating with Kelsey Fernkopf on the BIG NEON project installing and documenting large neon pieces in urban and rural landscapes.
He works out of his studio in Seattle’s vibrant Capitol Hill neighborhood.
Capitol Hill has a vibrant art community, and since 2014 Steve Gilbert’s photo studio has been showing artists on Capitol Hill Art Walk nights. Steve opens his studio to show local artists, and help to create community among art patrons, collectors and area artists. Exhibiting a combination of group shows and solo exhibits, Steve has shown artists working in the mediums of photography, painting, sculpture, assemblage, mixed media, and collage. Steve has gained a steady following over the years, and word of mouth continues to bring in art lovers from all over the city.
FEATURED ARTIST
Kelsey Fernkopf
Jentel Resident Sept 2023Kelsey Fernkopf learned neon glass tube bending after earning a BFA in sculpture from Kansas University. he then moved to Seattle, making neon for the sign industry and quickly becoming a master of the craft. In 2015 he began using neon as his primary art medium and cofounded the Western Neon School of Art in 2016.
Kelsey is currently focused on creating BIG NEON, large neon installations sited in urban and natural landscapes. His accomplishments include exhibiting at Greg Kucera Gallery in Seattle and a commissioned installation at Pier 69, Seattle.
Kelsey’s collaborative work with Steve Gilbert, “A Neon Constellation”, created at Jentel Artist Residency, was acquired in 2024 by the Port of Seattle Public Art Collection.
JENTEL ALUMNI
We want to feature you!
Jentel enjoys seeing your exhibition announcements, new publishings, awards, and much more. We also enjoy sharing our alumni’s work on our website and social media.
For more information please reach out to alumni@jentelarts.org.
Jentel Artist Residency + YouTube
Find Jentel Artist Residency on YouTube and subscribe to our channel to watch recordings of all Jentel Presents monthly presentations, view studio tours from resident artists, and more.
