Kristie Maxim

Kristie Maxim is one of this year’s Dave McKay Artists and is an experimental multi-disciplined artist working in bronze sculpture, watercolor, ceramics and costuming. Her work has been in several past parades, including Alice of Wonderland/Day of the Dead in 2014, Sol Train in 2013, and Ice Queens in 2011. This year, her theme is “Eliz-a-beast-in”. Kristie says “This wild and crazy bunch wants to encourage human interaction with the beasts to secure our world. Man and Beast are tied together for their existence on earth. Humans must work to be the stewards of our animal friends and to protect our planet for our own survival as humans.” The concept is half man half beast; paper Mache animal heads/masks with Elizabethan style costumes with whacky pull toys. The float will be a large automata animal that moves by a crank.

Denise Henrikson

Denise, a Dave McKay grant recipient for 2022, is a community-centered artist whose goal is to inspire cultural re-visioning, while providing opportunities to become actively engaged in the collaborative work of transformation. Originally from the East coast, she was in Seattle in 1989 to see a slide show (with real slides!) to promote the first Fremont Summer Solstice Parade. She got involved in the parade that year- and every year since!

Visions that inspire hope and provide opportunities for real connection and engagement are perhaps more important now than ever. This year, she is planning to collaborate to create a large ensemble of Salmon windSockeye for the Fremont Summer Solstice parade. After the parade, “schools” of these Salmon will be shipped throughout Cascadia (Including Clayoquot Action in Canada!) to help bring attention to the need to protect critical Salmon habitat.

Denise received a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and an MA in Human Development from Pacific Oaks College. She lives and works in West Seattle and her current passion is collaborating to create affordable, resilient villages via ecoTHRIVE Housing. The first pilot village is being built in Burien, Washington! 

Sarah Lovett

Sarah, a Dave McKay grant recipient for 2022, is a past parade participant specializing in giant puppets and 3D reed construction. This year, she is planning a new giant reed puppet project, which will be magical and feline like. A playful Creature - influenced by a Cloud Leopard and maybe other cat like forms. It will be around 7 - feet tall and 10-12 feet long, plus tail with a lightweight design that allows for active street play.

Katie Kurkjy

Katie Kurkjy is a 2022 recipient of the FAC’s Emerging Parade Artist grant. Born in California, her family settled outside of Seattle when she was ten. Growing up, she spent time immersed in Seattle’s rich art and music scenes. She attended Cornish College of the Arts where, in 2008, she created the first piece in what would become her signature style. In 2014 she dedicated herself to being a full-time artist and built her studio. Focusing on keeping objects out of the landfill, local musicians donate broken and discarded instruments for her to create her unique sculptures. She exhibits work, takes on both public and private commissions, and creates both small and large-scale installations. Today her work challenges the mind’s concept of a familiar object while breathing new life into something that would be thrown away.