The Northwest Figurative Artists' Alliance was founded in 1992 in the Sunny Arms studio of William Elston and Christel Kratohvil. They were joined by a group of artists concerned about the perceived marginalization of figurative art within the regional art scene. The organization emerged from conversations held in the basement café beneath Elliott Bay Book Company and was inspired, in part, by the Alliance of Figurative Artists of New York.
For several years, the Northwest Figurative Artists' Alliance held regular meetings, published a bimonthly journal, sponsored panel discussions, lectures, and other public events throughout the greater Seattle area, and worked to build community among figurative artists in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia.
The organization was revived in the early twenty-first century, primarily as a website featuring members' artwork, exhibition announcements, and online discussions of aesthetics, studio practice, and professional concerns.
The current iteration of the Northwest Figurative Artists' Alliance emerged from discussions held at Bangrak Market in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood, where its Steering Committee was also formed. Its revival was prompted by developments within the Northwest art scene, including shifts in arts patronage, changing demographics, and the continued influence of cultural narratives that marginalize figurative art.
Today, the Northwest Figurative Artists' Alliance provides artists with a platform to participate in and help shape regional discourse about contemporary art and the place of Contemporary Figuration within it.
The Northwest Figurative Artists' Alliance (NFAA3) is an organization of professional artists actively engaged in their communities through artistic practice, education, scholarship, and cultural leadership. New members are nominated by existing members, and each candidate is carefully considered before being invited to join.
The Alliance does not maintain a formal application process for membership, though general inquiries may be submitted through the contact form on this website. Member artists work within the broad field of Contemporary Figuration, creating representational art grounded in the observation of the natural world and lived experience.
The NFAA3 is dedicated to public outreach and education through lectures, panel discussions, exhibitions, and other educational programs. Our goal is to reintegrate figuration into contemporary cultural discourse and promote a deeper understanding of representational art and its continuing relevance.
Although members may differ in their assessments of Modernism and Postmodernism, the Alliance broadly affirms the importance of innovation and experiment. The history of art demonstrates that technical mastery and aesthetic exploration are not opposing values but complementary ones. Artists must ultimately shape their work in response to the conditions of their own historical moment. We look to the art of the past for guidance and inspiration, but not for permission.
Communication is at the heart of our mission. We publish a periodic e-newsletter that readers may subscribe to for updates on Alliance activities, events, and ideas. We also maintain a blog on this website for member discussions, event announcements, and other news.
You can subscribe to the NFAA3 eNewsletter using the signup form located in the lower-right corner of this page. We do not share your personal information with third parties. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy, which is linked in the website footer below.
Featured Events, Exhibitions and NFAA3 sponsored initiatives.