The VALA Art Center will host Ekphrastic Assimilations, an exhibition of painting, photography, poetry and mixed media visual art by six Chinese artists and six Washington state artists.

Poets from both locations will react to the art by writing poems, which are ekphrastic responses. The exhibition has come to fruition through a partnership with the following organizations: VALA Art Center, Ryan James Fine Arts, Seattle Asian Art Museum Gardner Center for Asian Art and Ideas, Pacific Lutheran University and the Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange.

The show opens Thursday and will run through Oct. 30. All artwork will be available for purchase.

VALA Art Center will also be offering family friendly workshops throughout the exhibition.

“This is our most ambitious exhibition to date and is a wonderful opportunity for VALA to broaden community and cultural relationships and expand our programs. Programming at the art center includes poetry writing and reading workshops, a calligraphy writing class that encourages ‘ekphrastic’ response to the visual art in the exhibition and a Paint a Panda community painting event. All programs and classes are free and open to the public,” said VALA Art Programs Director, Dawn Laurant.

The opening reception and viewing for the Ekphrastic Assimilations will be from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday at the VALA Art Center, 7325 166th Ave. N.E. in Redmond Town Center. The event is free, but there is a$5 suggested donation.

Ekphrastic Assimilations is presented by Marriott Seattle-Redmond and supported by 4culture, OneRedmond, Puget Sound Poetry Connection, RASP, Redmond Town Center and the Washington State China Relations Council.

For more information and workshop dates, visit www.ekphrasticassimilations.org.