During Pioneer Square Art Walk on Thursday, make sure to swing through J. Rinehart Gallery for the opening reception of Kelly Björk's incredible solo show, Swimming Naked. The Seattle-based artist and illustrator's vibrant, playful works explore the knobby and sensual parts of being queer and in constant, joyful flux with yourself, your environment, and those around you. So it makes sense that many of Björk's compositions are situated within intimate spaces like steamy bathrooms or messy beds. But even more than that, Björk positions their figures in an emotional place, one where the subjects imagine the various versions of themselves or gaze directly into the eyes of someone they love. There is a tenderness that undergirds their paintings, a thrumming current of care that makes their portraits refreshing and revealing. I always manage to notice something new upon repeat viewings of their compositions. Don't miss this! by Jas Keimig