Art critic Sheila Farr's favorite memories

Most inspiring interviews

You might guess that the most thrilling interviews would be the art stars. Not so. Among my favorite subjects were:

• Maine sculptor John Bisbee, bouncing off the walls at Suyama Space with all his wacky energy.

• Then 93-year-old painter Mary Henry, with her frank appraisal of life as an artist and a woman.

• Painter James Lavadour, talking about art with wit, insight and utter conviction.

• Autistic savant Gregory Blackstock, whose unique view of the world is expressed in his art.

Most difficult interview to get

No contest: Portland architect Brad Cloepfil, designer of Seattle Art Museum's expansion.

Brushes with royalty

There was only one, actually: That intimate little luncheon at Seattle Art Museum for the King and Queen of Spain. Just me — and a hundred or so other guests. OK, so maybe I didn't get to meet their highnesses, but how often do you get to talk to a real Spanish aide-de-camp?

Most popular rant

Approval poured in when I took Paul Allen to task for showing selections of his pricey art collection in the cramped, unsuitable galleries of his (also pricey) Experience Music Project.

Saddest obituary

Jason Sprinkle — aka Sub-Culture Joe — the talented and troubled artist who paralyzed downtown Seattle in 1996 when an art event he initiated turned into a rush-hour bomb scare. He died in 2005 in Long Beach, Miss., hit by a freight train. He was 35.

Brushes with journalistic royalty

Waiting for the George Polk Awards luncheon to begin, a gaunt, intense woman strode up to me and stuck her hand out: "Hi, I'm Anne Garrels." I couldn't believe it! The NPR foreign correspondent was the one person I'd hoped to meet there. This was 2004, and when she stepped to the podium, she spoke briefly of her coverage of the Iraq war and the escalating violence. She closed by quietly stating she was scared to death to go back — then left to catch her flight to Baghdad.

Sheila Farr