Love at first sight: the work of artist couples

Artists like to hang out with other artists. Much of the attraction has to do with understanding: People who aren't called to creative endeavors often just don't get what artists are about. Still, when two artists live together, they face challenges as well: how to define their boundaries, who works where, how much to talk about process; how much to criticize or advise. There can be stress about how the success of their individual careers balances out. Each person's work can evolve totally apart, in collaboration or somewhere in between.

All that diversity is what fascinates independent curator Deborah Paine, who organized the exhibition "pARTners: Considerations Rather Than Constraints" for the Kirkland Arts Center. The show puts on display the work of artist couples including Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, Michael Spafford and Elizabeth Sandvig, Jacob Lawrence and Gwen Knight, Robert and Fay Jones, Michael and Marsha Burns, Claire Cowie and Leo Saul Berk, Gaylen Hansen and Heidi Oberheide, Joey Kirkpartrick and Flora Mace, among others. Seattle artists Sherry Markovitz and Peter Millet, whose work is pictured here, agreed to share some insights on their long relationship in art and life.

Living with another person is a relationship of nuance. It is about reading visual and emotional cues. The most important quality about living with an artist is knowing when to engage and when to let the other person alone. Peter and I are lucky because we were both the middle of three. We always knew how to do what we wanted in a quiet, nonconfrontive way while our older siblings were fighting it out. It also helps that we love and respect the other person's work. If called upon, we can speak each other's language and give our input. We mostly go about our business alone. We work in a house with two studios that was designed and built to our needs. Ours is a customized and intentional life. We have both known what we wanted from a young age and have pursued it with intention throughout our relationship. We are both supportive of each other.
- Sherry Markovitz

Until Sherry came along, I had never met anyone who liked to look at everything as intently as I did. We are shameless people-watchers. We constantly study the changing light and sky throughout the year. Old objects and images from other cultures send us on time-travel trips to far-off places. We are thrilled by observing the effects of time, objects rusting, our son growing, paint drying. We are joined at the eyes.
- Peter Millet

Sheila Farr: sfarr@seattletimes.com