My First Time at the Bellevue Arts Fair

There are certain art festivals that quietly sit on a photographer’s horizon—events you hear about, visit as an attendee, and file away as a future milestone. For me, the Bellevue Arts Fair has long been one of those. In 2026, I’ll be exhibiting there for the first time, and it feels like a meaningful moment in the ongoing life of my work.

This will also be my first appearance at the fair under Cascadia Oceanic, my landscape photography studio. Over the past year, the work has continued to evolve through travel, time spent outdoors, and a slower, more deliberate approach to seeing and editing. Preparing for a show of this scale has given me a reason to step back and look closely at where the work has been—and where it’s heading.

What I appreciate about the Bellevue Arts Fair is its emphasis on presenting work thoughtfully and giving visitors the space to truly engage with it. Landscape photography isn’t something I expect people to take in at a glance. It rewards time, distance, and detail. Being able to share these images in person—at their intended scale, with their full tonal range—is the part of exhibiting that still matters most to me.

This show will include new photographic work, much of it completed over the past year, and some pieces that haven’t been shown publicly before. While the locations and environments vary, the underlying thread remains the same: a quiet attention to place, atmosphere, and the kind of moments that unfold when you stop trying to rush through them.

Attending a large regional art fair for the first time is also a reminder of why I continue to do this work in the first place. These events create a rare opportunity for direct conversation—for collectors, casual visitors, and fellow artists to talk about process, intention, and how an image might live in someone’s space. Those conversations are never predictable, and they’re often the most rewarding part of the weekend.

As the 2026 season begins to take shape, the Bellevue Arts Fair stands out as a personal marker—one that reflects both growth and continuity. I’m grateful for the chance to bring my work into this setting for the first time and to see how it’s received beyond the studio walls.

If you’re planning to attend the fair, I hope you’ll stop by, spend some time with the work, and say hello. Sharing these images in person is always the reason I say yes to events like this—and I’m looking forward to what this first appearance brings.