Exploring ‘Beyond Mysticism:’ Art, History, and a Journey Through the Creative Spirit of the Pacific Northwest
Photo: Erik Kalligraphy
By Ashleigh McCurdy / @Life_DesignedByAshleigh
There's something special about walking into a museum and feeling as if you've stepped into a completely different world, where history, creativity, and storytelling intersect. Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to experience exactly that during a private tour of Beyond Mysticism at the Seattle Art Museum, thanks to my partnership with Converge Media.
From the moment I entered the exhibit, I knew I was about to experience something extraordinary.
A New Perspective on Northwest Art
The exhibition, “Beyond Mysticism: The Modern Northwest,” explores the evolution of modern art in the Pacific Northwest during the 20th century. Featuring more than 150 works, the exhibition highlights how artists in this region responded to a rapidly changing city and landscape through styles like Social Realism, Surrealism, and Abstract Expressionism.
These artists challenged the long-standing "mystic" label applied to Northwest artists and instead revealed a complex creative movement shaped by culture, environment, and community.
The show features works by iconic Northwest artists like Mark Tobey, Morris Graves, Kenneth Callahan, and Guy Anderson, while also expanding the story to encompass a broader artistic landscape.
What I appreciated most was how the exhibition tells the story of the Pacific Northwest through art, capturing the spirit of a region experiencing cultural growth, urban development, and artistic experimentation in real time.
Photo: Erik Kalligraphy
A Special Connection to Seattle's History
One of my favorite parts of the exhibit featured selected works of Al Smith, a prolific Seattle photographer whose work documented life in Seattle’s Central District for more than six decades.
Seeing his work displayed in the museum felt especially meaningful for me.
At Converge Media, our iconic interview wall features many of Al Smith's photographs, images that capture the soul of Seattle's Black community during multiple transformative eras of the historic Black neighborhood.
Smith documented over 65 years of life in the Central District, photographing jazz musicians along Jackson Street, community gatherings, nightlife, weddings, and everyday neighborhood moments. His "On the Spot" photography business captured more than 40,000 images between the 1930s and 1990s, creating one of the most important visual records of Seattle's Black history.
His work is now preserved at the Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI), offering an intimate look at a cultural era that helped shape the city. Seeing those photographs in the context of “Beyond Mysticism” at the Seattle Art Museum reminded me of how powerful documentation can be, not just as art but as memory.
Walking Into a 1950s Living Room
Another highlight of the exhibit was something called "The Living Room.” My wonderful tour guide Symone Sanz, the Integrated Marketing Manager at the Seattle Art Museum, explained that many artists during that time would gather in each other's homes to share ideas, critique work, and spend time together as a creative community. The exhibit recreates what one of those artists' living rooms might have looked like in the 1950s.
As a designer, I absolutely loved this part. The details were incredible, from the paint colors on the walls and the vintage wallpaper to the furniture, books, records, and era-appropriate electronics. Every detail was thoughtfully curated by the museum’s Interpretation Team to immerse visitors in the environment where many of these artists lived and created.
It truly felt like stepping into a time capsule. For a moment, I could almost imagine the conversations happening there, artists debating ideas, sharing inspiration, and shaping the creative culture of the Pacific Northwest.
Photo: Erik Kalligraphy
Why You Should Visit ‘Beyond Mysticism’
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed every piece featured in the exhibition. “Beyond Mysticism” does a beautiful job of exploring not just art itself, but the cultural ecosystems that allowed artists to thrive throughout the 20th century in the Northwest.
The show is currently open at the Seattle Art Museum and will run through August 2, 2026. If you love art, history, design, or want to deepen your appreciation for the cultural roots of the Pacific Northwest, I highly recommend adding this exhibition to your list.
Seattle remains a city rich in creativity and storytelling, and experiences like this remind me of how fortunate we are to have institutions like the Seattle Art Museum preserving and sharing these narratives.
Until the next gallery visit.
— Ashleigh, The Sanctuary
