About this Event
The Clark County Historical Museum invites you to the final installment of our 2026 History on Tap series: The Lavender Palette, presented by renowned art historian and curator David F. Martin.
Join us Thursday, October 15, at the historic Old Liberty Theater in downtown Ridgefield for an exploration of the LGBTQ artists who helped shape the cultural identity and artistic heritage of the Pacific Northwest.
Martin’s talk draws from more than thirty years of original research that culminated in his landmark publication and exhibition, The Lavender Palette: Gay Culture and the Art of Washington State. Beginning as far back as the 1910s, Martin’s research brings greater attention to pioneering gay and lesbian artists whose contributions have often been overlooked or understudied.
Through artwork, photographs, archival materials, and stories drawn from his extensive research, Martin will explore the lives and work of artists who helped define a distinctive regional aesthetic. His research was strengthened by personal relationships with several of the artists as well as connections with their families and descendants, providing access to previously unpublished biographical materials and photographs.
Originally produced in conjunction with an exhibition at the Cascadia Art Museum in Edmonds, The Lavender Palette features essays and biographies of thirteen artists. The book examines the ways these artists navigated their identities and careers while contributing significantly to the artistic life of Washington State.
About David F. Martin
David F. Martin is Curator for the Cascadia Art Museum in Edmonds, Washington, and a leading authority on Washington State art history. For more than thirty years, he has researched the contributions of women, Asian Americans, LGBTQ+ artists, and other historically underrepresented artists active between 1880 and 1970.
Martin is the author of numerous books and exhibition catalogues and has contributed essays and catalogue entries to national and international publications covering painting, printmaking, and photography. He has lectured throughout the United States and Europe on Northwest regional art.
His landmark 2020 publication, The Lavender Palette: Gay Culture and the Art of Washington State, was the first American art history publication of its kind.
Martin received an Honorary Doctorate in Fine Arts from Cornish College of the Arts in 2017 and the Pacific Northwest Historians Guild's 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Event Details
Thursday, October 15, 2026
Doors: 6 PM
Presentation: 7 PM
Old Liberty Theater
115 Main Avenue
Ridgefield, WA 98642
Admission:
Free for Clark County Historical Museum members
$5 for non-members
Presented by the Clark County Historical Museum.
Sponsors: Old Liberty Theater and Ridgefield Main Street
Media Sponsor: The Columbian
History on Tap is a free or low-cost public history series presented by the Clark County Historical Museum, bringing engaging conversations about the history and heritage of Clark County and the Pacific Northwest to venues throughout the region.
Event venue & nearby stays
Old Liberty Theater, 115 North Main Avenue, Ridgefield, United States
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