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The Nanoforest

@thenanoforest

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Daniel R. Smith: art, graphic design, curation, creative direction. Seattleite & Swinomish tribal member.

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Friends, I have 2 big FREE events coming up at UW Seattle & UW Bothell:

Spot Reservation: Permit Yourself to Laugh—Swinomish artist Daniel R. Smith to transform a UW parking garage into Indigenous celebratory “occupation,” costume party, and environmental protest

What: A free interactive public art project, open to all, Native and non-Native alike
When: Oct. 30th, 11am–3pm
Where: University of Washington Seattle, Padelford Parking Garage Lot N21

https://tinyurl.com/SpotRezOct30

Spot Reservation features free, costumed photo portraits in a tiny forest (aka "nanoforest") installed in the depths of the Padelford Parking Garage, Level N21, on the east side of campus. Iranian photographer Saina Heshmati, co-founder of Antipode Gallery, will capture and distribute portraits of participants. Costume elements, including “wearable taxidermy” will be provided, but the public is also encouraged to come in costume.

Joe Seymour (Squaxin/Pueblo Acoma) will emcee and host an open mic for singing, drumming, and reading, including an appearance by poet Mateo Quispe (Red River Métis/Little Shell Chippewa). Seattle’s Off the Rez food truck will provide free fry bread tacos while supplies last. The Falconer will demonstrate live birds of prey and offer opportunities to hold birds. Tessa Rose Campbell (Tulalip/Tlingit), aka “Aunty Cedar Log Lady,” a Lynchian character, will be a wandering channeler of the forest

Spot Reservation is a Visiting Artist Residency, part of Not Apart: Indigenous Knowledges and the Art of University-Community Repair, a collaboration between the Simpson Center for the Humanities, the Center for American Indian and Indigenous Studies; the Department of American Indian Studies; the Department of Comparative History of Ideas; UW Bothell’s School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences.

Spot Reservation will be reprised Nov. 5th, 11am–3pm, at UW Bothell: https://tinyurl.com/SpotRezNov5

Smith will give two artist talks: The first at wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ (the Intellectual House) on the UW Seattle campus, Oct. 26th, 11am–12pm. The second at LB1-205 in the Library, UW Bothell campus, Nov. 2nd, 1:30pm–2:30pm.

For more information: https://tinyurl.com/NotApart taken in University of Washington by @thenanoforest

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7 days ago

3 experimental verrry short videos made by myself + VictoriaKaiser, including “Funeral Bear,” were accepted to the 2026 Small File Media Festival in Vancouver BC. They'll screen Sunday, October 18 at 4pm at The Cinematheque, 1131 Howe St, as part of the “Grave Glitches” showcase. See the festival trailer here: https://smallfile.ca/tv/#sfmf2026 taken in The Cinematheque by @thenanoforest

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9 days ago

“All American Bunny” has been selected for ACES, an art extravaganza happening this weekend, October 9 thru 11 at Washington 1000 (1000 Olive Way) in downtown Seattle. This rabbit patriot(?) was shot in Ritzville, WA earlier this year in collaboration with @victoria.grace.kaiser

#shunpikearts #ACES #ACES2026

@shunpikearts by @thenanoforest

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13 days ago

Temporal, on view at CSMoFA (Coast Salish Museum of Fine Arts) in Olympia, features 14 artists (representing over 19 Tribal Nations) from the Indigenous Creatives Roster, each bringing a unique vision of Indigenous futurism to the museum.

Temporal is a call to action and a dream. It envisions a future where Indigenous people are the caretakers and creators of our world. What does it look like when we are given back all that has been taken from us?

Join us in celebrating these artists on view from October 2nd - December 11th. Visit www.tcmofa.org for museum hours and events or follow @tcmofa.

PNW Indigenous creatives can apply to the Indigenous Creatives Roster to be considered for future CSMoFA shows.
Artists accepted into the roster will be considered for paid art opportunities through Indigenous Creatives Collective, Friends of Waterfront Park, and other partner organizations, and will receive a one-time $100 stipend once accepted.

Learn more at www.indigenouscreatives.org/engage by @thenanoforest

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17 days ago

I’m excited to be part of this show of contemporary Coast Salish artists opening next Friday in Olympia! The work I’ve seen so far is stellar. Looking forward to meeting these artists in person:

"Temporal: Stories of Indigenous Present, Re-imagining Indigenous Futures." Indigenous futurism is taking over the Thurston County Museum of Fine Arts this fall for the 4th annual CSMoFa (Coast Salish Museum of Fine Arts) takeover in collaboration with Indigenous Creatives Collective.
This show highlights real people and real stories of Indigenous presence in the now: who we are, the ones we love, the stories we tell, the homes we live in, and the marks we leave behind that shape the future. Our own voices, our own space. It envisions a future where we exist in the moment on our own terms.

📅 Opening Reception: Oct. 2nd, 6-9 PM
Featuring live performances, interactive features, Indigenous foods, and a chance to meet the artists.
Exhibition runs: Oct. 2nd – Dec. 11th, 2026.

Featuring work from an incredible lineup of artists:
• Tammie Dupuis (Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes)
• Justin Olmstead (Santa Ynez and Barbareno Chumash)
• Liz Chikayaasix̂ Morrow (Unangax̂ – Naknek Native Village)
• Epiphany Couch (spuyaləpabš/Yakama)
• Carissa Eich (Navajo)
• Cynthia Matherson (Comanche)
• Traci Jones (Tulalip Tribes)
• Inanna kʷaɁowišč tyee McCarty (Makah/Tsawout)
• Mikiʻala Souza (Kanaka ʻŌiwi/Native Hawaiian)
• Megita Denton (Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan)
• Daniel R. Smith (Swinomish)
• Woodrow Hunt (Klamath/Modoc, Cherokee)
• Ash Frantz (Makah)
• Stefan Gonzales (Prio/Manso/Tiwa)

We are here, we have been here, and we will always be here.

Flyer design by: @dgrza by @thenanoforest

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21 days ago

This Friday Inconvenience Store opens in a former 7-11 downtown. My artist book “Mortal Salt”, made in collaboration with Karen Finneyfrock, will be stocked on the shelves! @karenfinneyfrock by @thenanoforest

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2 months ago

Charles Mudede's solution to the “Pit from Hell”, site of my AR piece made possible by @futureartsco :

https://www.thestranger.com/city/seattle-should-build-a-model-of-itself-in-the-pit-and-let-it-decay/

#rewilding #nanoforest #masonicdeathcostume by @thenanoforest

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2 months ago

“Mortal Salt”, an artist book made in collaboration with Karen Finneyfrock, is in a show called “Mom & Pop Shop” that opens tomorrow (Sat) at @cargoinc in Portland. The show is of artist-made “essential” corner store products stocked in a freight elevator. My Morton's Salt canisters are redesigned so every word of the existing label, from the nutrition facts to the bar code, have been replaced by Karen’s poem "What Lot’s Wife Would’ve Said (If She Wasn’t a Pillar of Salt)." taken in Cargo Inc of Portland by @thenanoforest

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3 months ago

Underground Bunny, Fort Flagler, July, 2026. Photos by @victoria.grace.kaiser & @mellissaelucia

#undergroundbunny #nanoforest #FortFlagler #funeralhare #rewild by @thenanoforest

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3 months ago

Cowboy Polar Bear Liberation Bunker, , Fort Flagler, July, 2026.
Photos by @victoria.grace.kaiser

#CowboyPolarBear #LiberationBunker, #nanoforest #FortFlagler #rewild #pinkpaperchain by @thenanoforest

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3 months ago

Funeral Bunny, Fort Flagler, July, 2026. Photos by @victoria.grace.kaiser

#funeralbunny #nanoforest #FortFlagler #pinkpaperchains #rewild taken in Fort Flagler State Park by @thenanoforest

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3 months ago

Victory Bunny, Fort Flagler, July, 2026.

#victorybunny #nanoforest #FortFlagler #revolutionaryrabbit #rewild taken in Fort Flagler State Park by @thenanoforest

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3 months ago