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Nominations sought for 2019 AMOCAT Arts Awards

11 Jul
AMOCAT Arts Award

AMOCAT Arts Award illustration designed by Chandler O’Leary

The Tacoma Arts Commission is accepting nominations for the 2019 AMOCAT Arts Awards, which recognize the people and organizations that positively impact Tacoma with their passion, innovation and commitment to the arts. Nominations will be accepted through Aug. 4, 2019.

The Tacoma Arts Commission will review all nominations and select one finalist in each award category based on the breadth and depth of the nominee’s community impact as well as the quality of the work being done by the nominee. Mayor Victoria Woodards will present the 2019 AMOCAT Arts Awards at Kaleidoscope, the Tacoma Arts Month opening party on Oct. 2, 2019.

Award Categories:

  1. Community Outreach by an Individual– Community outreach, engagement and involvement in the arts in Tacoma by an individual
  2. Community Outreach by an Organization– Community outreach, engagement and involvement in the arts in Tacoma by an organization
  3. Arts Patron– A community partner who significantly supports or contributes to the arts in Tacoma

To Make a Nomination:

Fill out the online nomination form via Submittable: https://tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit. You must create a Submittable account in order to complete the form.

Past Award Winners:

In the category of Community Outreach by an Individual, past winners include: Jackie Fender, Michael Haeflinger, Christopher Paul Jordan, Connie K. Walle, Jessica Spring, David Domkoski, Katy Evans, Stella Haioulani, Oliver Doriss, William Kupinse, Linda Danforth, Lance Kagey & Tom Llewellyn, Laura and Matt Eklund, Jared Pappas-Kelley & Michael S. Lent, and Lynn Di Nino.

In the category of Community Outreach by an Organization, past winners include: Tacoma Little Theatre, Monkeyshines, Tacoma Youth Symphony Association, Tacoma Public Library, Asia Pacific Cultural Center, Puget Sound Book Artists, The Grand Cinema, D.A.S.H. Center for the Arts, Fab-5, Hilltop Artists, King’s Books, Victory Music, Barefoot Studios, Tacoma School of the Arts, Tacoma Art Museum & Museum of Glass Education Programs, and Arts Impact.

In the category of Arts Patron, past winners include: MultiCare Health System, Tacoma Housing Authority, Metro Parks Tacoma, University of Washington Tacoma, ArtsFund, Erivan and Helga Haub and Family, Key Bank, The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation, Urban Grace Church, City Arts, Hotel Murano, The Weekly Volcano, 6th Avenue Business District, Pierce Transit, and Sound Transit Art Program.

More Information:

More information about the AMOCAT Arts Awards is available at cityoftacoma.org/amocat.

Tacoma Arts Month is coming, what do you have planned?

8 Jul Banner of arts activities

Call for Arts Activities
18th annual Tacoma Arts Month
October 1 – 31, 2019

Will you be hosting an arts event in October? Do you want to contribute to the arts programming offered in Tacoma, build community, and benefit from free publicity?
Submit your arts activity for inclusion in the 2019 Tacoma Arts Month online calendar!

The Tacoma Arts Commission is seeking submissions of arts activities happening during Tacoma Arts Month this October. We are looking for a variety of activities spanning all categories of art and culture including but not limited to music, visual art, literary art, dance, theater, and film.

If you will be hosting an exhibition, performance, class, workshop, reception, lecture, tour, artists’ market, celebration, meeting, presentation, or any other programming, let us know. We will list your arts event in an interactive and searchable online calendar of events on tacomaartsmonth.com. There is no cost to you. We will be promoting the many events going on throughout the month through newspaper and magazine advertisements and articles, electronic newsletters, television ads, radio ads, and through a variety of social media outlets.

This month would not be possible without the participation of local businesses, organizations, and community members. We encourage you to participate by hosting your own arts activity or event.

The deadline for the first round of submissions is August 5, 2019. We will accept activities on a rolling basis after that but submitting your information by August 5th will ensure that your activity is included in the first round of information that will go out.

To Qualify:

Your arts activity must be located within the City of Tacoma limits and occur during the month of October.

To Participate:

Fill out the online submission form via Submittable: https://tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit. Please note: If you are submitting multiple events, please fill out an individual form for each event.

Questions? Contact Chevi Chung at (253) 591-5171 or cchung1@cityoftacoma.org or Naomi Strom-Avila at (253) 591-5191 or nstrom-avila@cityoftacoma.org

Call for Tacoma Artists: 2019 Tacoma Studio Tour

17 May

Application deadline: Monday, July 1, 2019, 11:59 pm

Tacoma Studio Tour dates: Saturday, October 12 & Sunday, October 13, 2019

Are you a professional artist that lives in Tacoma and/or has a working studio in Tacoma? Help us advance the visibility of the arts in Tacoma by applying to participate in our 18th annual Tacoma Studio Tour! The Tacoma Studio Tour is an exciting way to open your studio to the public, give demonstrations of how you make your work, or host a hands-on activity for the community.

The Tacoma Arts Commission is seeking professional artists who are willing to open their studios to the public for the Tacoma Studio Tour, one of the features of Tacoma Arts Month this October. The emphasis of this tour is to raise visibility of the arts and provide artistic opportunities for the community to connect to the arts. We encourage artists to have work for sale. Studios will be open on Saturday, October 12th and Sunday, October 13th from 11 am to 5 pm. Artists can choose to be open on Saturday, Sunday, or both days. The Tacoma Arts Commission will produce extensive electronic publicity materials including email newsletters, social media posts, and an interactive website and map. We will also produce a printed brochure for the Tacoma Studio Tour. The studio tours are free to both the artists and visitors. Artists are encouraged to use the Tacoma Arts Month publicity materials to invite personal guests and patrons to attend this event.

This year, we will be continuing the Studio Tour Passport program as an incentive for people to visit new and/or multiple studios. Each studio space will receive a unique stamp to indicate guests’ attendance. Studio Tour artists are encouraged, but not required, to donate a small art item that can be included in the prize packages.

Deadline for applications is Monday, July 1, 2019, 11:59 pm. Applicants will be juried in a competitive process by a sub-committee of the Tacoma Arts Commission and selected based on the quality of artwork and the overall diversity of the work presented, as well as geographic diversity of the studios.

People who are members of historically disenfranchised racial, ethnic, cultural, and other identity groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Eligibility:

  • You must live within the City of Tacoma limits and/or your working studio must be located within the City of Tacoma limits
  • You must provide a demonstration of your art form and/or provide a hands-on activity for attendees
  • You must actively promote the Studio Tour to your own contacts

If you would like to be a guest at another studio, the above guidelines still apply. A studio is defined as a location where artwork is created on a consistent basis.

To Apply:

Eligible artists interested in this opportunity must fill out the online application form and attach the following items via Submittable: https://tacomaarts.submittable.com/submit

  1. Five Work Samples: Submit 5 high quality JPEG files of your past work or 5 video/URL samples of your work, if you work in performance or media. If selected for the tour, we will use the images in materials produced for Tacoma Arts Month. Images must be at least 300 ppi resolution. Images smaller than 600 pixels per side are not recommended
  2. Artist Resume or Bio (if you have not participated in the Studio Tour in the past 2 years)

Please note: each artist in a group studio needs to submit their own application, work samples, and artist bio.

Questions? Contact Naomi Strom-Avila at 253.591.5191 or nstrom-avila@cityoftacoma.org

2017 Tacoma Studio Tour Preview: Part 10

11 Oct


We can’t wait to meet you this weekend at the Tacoma Studio Tour! Visit, see, learn, create, shop. It’s free and for all ages.

What: Tacoma Studio Tour
Where: 42 studio locations around Tacoma
When: October 14 & 15, 11 am – 5 pm
Cost: FREE!

You are invited inside the working studios of 70 local artists to learn about the artistic process, ask questions, and purchase one-of-a-kind creations. Plus, you can even win some fabulous items hand-crafted by a selection of artists on the tour just for getting your Studio Tour Passport stamped at each studio address you visit. All studios will feature demonstrations or will have hands-on activities for visitors. It’s family friendly and free!

Check out TacomaArtsMonth.com for the full list of artists, schedule, your Tacoma Studio Tour Passport, and an interactive map where you can plot your own custom tour course.

Here are this week’s highlights:

Lucia Harrison
  
Lucia Harrison’s artwork focuses on an appreciation for the natural and human history of South Puget Sound. She hopes to inspire conversations about nature and an appreciation of the cultural history and contemporary conservation work by the peoples of this area.

Katie Dean, Little Green
  
Katie Dean is a letterpress artist who focuses on multi-layered linoleum block printing. Mainly using floral and nature themes, she enjoys studying, experimenting and exploring unique color combinations. A sketch of her idea starts the process and she hand carves the design into a linoleum block. Each color requires a separate block and most of her work is printed with a Chandler & Price 10×15 letterpress.

John McCuistion
  
John McCuistion creates artwork about history, myth, storytelling, religion, relationships, ceremony, civilization, and humor. The themes in his current work deal with air, land, water, and the magical natural world around us. He is interested in the language of gesture, expression, texture, form, and color. Through his work, John contributes to the long tradition of the artist as teacher, recorder, and seer.

Yoshiko Yamamoto, The Arts & Crafts Press
  
Yoshiko Yamamoto has been making woodblock prints and letterpress greeting cards for 20 years. Yoshiko was inspired by both the historic Arts & Crafts movement that advocated the importance of handwork in everyday life, and the beauty and craftsmanship in traditional Japanese woodblock prints. Lover of outdoors and gardening, her inspiration comes from her daily walks, occasional hikes with her family, and the time spent in her garden.

Becky Frehse
  
Becky Frehse’s mixed media paintings explore musical themes as they suggest visual patterns and color relationships. Many layers of textured modeling compounds and paint create luscious, colorful surfaces – sometimes on repurposed musical instruments.

Lyz Kurnitz-Thurlow, Lyz and Jewel
  
Lyz and Jewel primarily work with kimono and haori (shorter jackets). Garments are embellished with beads and embroidery to enhance their patterning. Lyz and Jewel also make fabric wall hangings, using Japanese fabrics, or Latin-American milagros, or Indonesian batiks.

Ann Darling, Kennedy Road
  
Simply put, Ann Darling loves textiles! When other people bring home treasures from travels – she brings fabric. She designs and makes custom clothing and accessories from fabric clients bring to her, or from the collection she has gathered, as well as from fabric printed from her own photographs. Seeing her ideas and clients dreams become reality wearing handmade, individual garments is what brings her joy.

Check out these other artists on the tour:
Studio Tour Preview: Part 1
Studio Tour Preview: Part 2
Studio Tour Preview: Part 3
Studio Tour Preview: Part 4
Studio Tour Preview: Part 5
Studio Tour Preview: Part 6
Studio Tour Preview: Part 7
Studio Tour Preview: Part 8
Studio Tour Preview: Part 9


Tacoma Satellite Studio Tour

Add the Satellite Studio Tour to your Tacoma Arts Studio Tour! Several artists grouped at four core Tacoma locations will show work on the same dates/times as the main tour – October 14 & 15, 11 am – 5 pm.

Includes these artists: Christopher Paul Jordan and Kenji Stoll (1212 S. 11th Street); Lisa Kinoshita and Nicholas Nyland (MINKA, 821 Pacific Avenue);  Dion Thomas, Umi Wagoner, and Perris Wright (eTc, 907 Pacific Avenue); Ed Kroupa, Carolyn Osborne, Sharika Roland, and more (Creative Forces at Hotel Murano, 1320 Broadway Plaza).


Tacoma Studio Tour Passport – Visit and Win!

Make sure to have your Studio Tour Passport stamped at each studio address you visit. Once you’ve collected at least 8 stamps, send us the passport and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of several fabulous prize packages containing artwork hand-crafted by a selection of artists on this tour including:

Grace Amundsen – Acrylic ornaments 
Terry Bader – Small watercolor painting 
Joe Becker – Set of notecards 
Carolyn Burt – Small scratchboard artwork 
Bill Colby – Small framed woodcut 
Kris Crews – Mini photo cards 
Ann Darling – Ice dyed silk and linen scarf 
Katie Dean – Collection of greeting cards and a small print 
Alice Di Certo – Pair of earrings 
Kyle Dillehay – Alternative-process photograph 
Michaela Eaves – Greeting cards 
Lynne Farren – Painting, cards, bracelet 
Becky Frehse – Small painting 
Deborah Greenwood – Handmade cards 
Henry Haneda – Small color print 
Hilltop Artists – Glass bowl and glass plates 
Han-Yin Hsu – 3D printed nylon earrings 
Mark Hudak – Pottery bowl 
Marie Jensen – An 8 x 10 print 
Fumiko Kimura – Greeting cards 
Juan La Torre – Thank you cards 
Roberta Lowes – Cards or small scarf 
Dorothy McCuistion – Small handmade book 
John McCuistion – Set of 4 coaster tiles 
Naarah McDonald – Upcycled fingerless sweater gloves, small tote bag, reversible apron 
Dane Meyer – Small framed print 
Roxann Murray – Save the Bees sticker 
Chandler O’Leary – Tacoma temporary tattoos & Tacoma coloring cards 
Sylvia Omero-Rogstad – Set of cards 
Reid Ozaki – Vase 
Karen Perrine – Set of marbled paper collage cards 
Liz Pulos – Small tapestry 
Claudia Riedener – 5 small handmade tiles
Mauricio Robalino – Small wall hanging mosaic
Penny Russell – Set of 4 Blooming Wine Glasses
Jessica Spring – Small book or print
Susan Thompson – Mug
Lorraine Toler – Signed print
Helen Tran – Washington shaped soap bar and greeting card
Audrey Tulimiero Welch – Small painting on paper
William Turner – Set of 5 art cards
Karen Utter – 2 handmade books
Elayne Vogel – Pair of earrings
Jeff Libby & Adrienne Wicks – Pair of reclaimed wood and steel book ends
Snow Winters – Small cross stitch lamp
Yoshiko Yamamoto – 2018 calendar
Lois Yoshida – Box of hand painted cards

One entry per person. The Tacoma Studio Tour Passport can be found in the Tacoma Studio Tour brochure (available at all studio locations during the tour and at many cultural institutions ahead of time) or download and print your own Tacoma Studio Tour Passport.


Tacoma Arts Month Sponsors

Premier Sponsors: Click! Cable TV, The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
Media Sponsors: KNKX, Northwest Public Radio, ParentMap, Sounds Fun Mom, South Sound magazine, Tacoma Weekly, Weekly Volcano
Social Media Sponsor: ARCADE

2017 Tacoma Studio Tour Preview: Part 9

4 Oct


This is part 9 in our series highlighting the artists participating in the Tacoma Studio Tour this October.

What: Tacoma Studio Tour
Where: 42 studio locations around Tacoma
When: October 14 & 15, 11 am – 5 pm
Cost: FREE!

You are invited inside the working studios of 70 local artists to learn about the artistic process, ask questions, and purchase one-of-a-kind creations. Plus, you can even win some fabulous items hand-crafted by a selection of artists on the tour just for getting your Studio Tour Passport stamped at each studio address you visit. All studios will feature demonstrations or will have hands-on activities for visitors. It’s family friendly and free!

Check out TacomaArtsMonth.com for the full list of artists, schedule, your Tacoma Studio Tour Passport, and an interactive map where you can plot your own custom tour course.

Here are this week’s highlights:

Roberta Lowes, Fibers Etc
  

As for many artists, inspiration for the work of Roberta Lowes is taken from the colors of nature and is translated into textiles that are both practical and beautiful. Wearables that are hand-dyed, hand-knit, and hand-woven include scarves, shawls, hats, vests, and jackets. Home decor items such as blankets, placemats, and table runners are also part of the collection.

Reid Ozaki
  
For more than forty years, Reid Ozaki has been creating finely crafted work influenced by the ceramic traditions of Japan combined with his interest in the natural world. His work endeavors to synthesize both using Western materials and techniques.

Chandler O’Leary, Anagram Press
  
Chandler O’Leary is a RISD graduate and the proprietor of Anagram Press, specializing in lettering and illustration. Chandler is the author and artist of the illustrated travel blog, Drawn the Road Again, and one half of the collaborative team behind the Dead Feminists book and broadside series. She is currently working on her next book, an illustrated atlas of the West Coast, to be published by Sasquatch Books in 2019.

Helen Tran, Wasoap
  
Helen Tran was making Washington shaped soap bars for her visiting relatives and friends in 2016. The Washington shaped soap bars were a hit. After countless hours of testing and experimenting, Helen developed a recipe and techniques to make glycerin soap with decorative designs. Helen also makes greetings cards.

William Turner
  
Native Tacoman William Turner studied with Bill Colby, Jacob Lawrence, Alden Mason, and Michael Stafford, and has also been influenced by Deibenkorn and Matisse. His works are in local, national, and international collections. Rising early in the morning, he paints daily spending mornings and afternoons in his studio with dogs Buttons and Charlie, then returning home to have lunch and garden. His upcoming exhibits include Ryan James, Kirkland & Art Spirit Gallery, and Coeur d’Alene.

Dorothy McCuistion
  
Dorothy McCuistion uses a variety of printmaking techniques to create monotype prints, small print editions, and handmade books. She layers the personal with the universal, the local with the far-flung, and the mundane with the exotic. Observational drawings, random marks, and images captured in photographs are all grist for her art making. Her artwork comments on topics ranging from human environmental impacts to the fusion of cultures in contemporary society.

Kris Crews, Crews Creative
  
Crews Creative assists local businesses and independent artists in the creation and delivery of digital media including photography, video production, and web design. Kris Crews is an independent filmmaker, photographer, and multimedia artist. His work has been featured at a variety of local venues including The Grand Cinema, Fulcrum Gallery, Broadway Center for the Performing Arts, Tacoma Film Festival, Tacoma Art Museum, and Seattle Art Museum.

 

Check out these other artists on the tour and watch for future previews:
Studio Tour Preview: Part 1
Studio Tour Preview: Part 2
Studio Tour Preview: Part 3
Studio Tour Preview: Part 4
Studio Tour Preview: Part 5
Studio Tour Preview: Part 6
Studio Tour Preview: Part 7
Studio Tour Preview: Part 8


Tacoma Studio Tour Passport – Visit and Win!

Make sure to have your Studio Tour Passport stamped at each studio address you visit. Once you’ve collected at least 8 stamps, send us the passport and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of several fabulous prize packages containing artwork hand-crafted by a selection of artists on this tour including:

Grace Amundsen – Acrylic ornaments 
Terry Bader – Small watercolor painting 
Joe Becker – Set of notecards 
Carolyn Burt – Small scratchboard artwork 
Bill Colby – Small framed woodcut 
Kris Crews – Mini photo cards 
Ann Darling – Ice dyed silk and linen scarf 
Katie Dean – Collection of greeting cards and a small print 
Alice Di Certo – Pair of earrings 
Kyle Dillehay – Alternative-process photograph 
Michaela Eaves – Greeting cards 
Lynne Farren – Painting, cards, bracelet 
Becky Frehse – Small painting 
Deborah Greenwood – Handmade cards 
Henry Haneda – Small color print 
Hilltop Artists – Glass bowl and glass plates 
Han-Yin Hsu – 3D printed nylon earrings 
Mark Hudak – Pottery bowl 
Marie Jensen – An 8 x 10 print 
Fumiko Kimura – Greeting cards 
Juan La Torre – Thank you cards 
Roberta Lowes – Cards or small scarf 
Dorothy McCuistion – Small handmade book 
John McCuistion – Set of 4 coaster tiles 
Naarah McDonald – Upcycled fingerless sweater gloves, small tote bag, reversible apron 
Dane Meyer – Small framed print 
Roxann Murray – Save the Bees sticker 
Chandler O’Leary – Tacoma temporary tattoos & Tacoma coloring cards 
Sylvia Omero-Rogstad – Set of cards 
Reid Ozaki – Vase 
Karen Perrine – Set of marbled paper collage cards 
Liz Pulos – Small tapestry 
Claudia Riedener – 5 small handmade tiles
Mauricio Robalino – Small wall hanging mosaic
Penny Russell – Set of 4 Blooming Wine Glasses
Jessica Spring – Small book or print
Susan Thompson – Mug
Lorraine Toler – Signed print
Helen Tran – Washington shaped soap bar and greeting card
Audrey Tulimiero Welch – Small painting on paper
William Turner – Set of 5 art cards
Karen Utter – 2 handmade books
Elayne Vogel – Pair of earrings
Jeff Libby & Adrienne Wicks – Pair of reclaimed wood and steel book ends
Snow Winters – Small cross stitch lamp
Yoshiko Yamamoto – 2018 calendar
Lois Yoshida – Box of hand painted cards

One entry per person. The Tacoma Studio Tour Passport can be found in the Tacoma Studio Tour brochure (available at all studio locations during the tour and at many cultural institutions ahead of time) or download and print your own Tacoma Studio Tour Passport.


Tacoma Arts Month Sponsors

Premier Sponsors: Click! Cable TV, The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
Media Sponsors: KNKX, Northwest Public Radio, ParentMap, Sounds Fun Mom, South Sound magazine, Tacoma Weekly, Weekly Volcano
Social Media Sponsor: ARCADE

2017 Tacoma Studio Tour Preview: Part 8

27 Sep


This is part 8 in our series highlighting the artists participating in the Tacoma Studio Tour this October.

What: Tacoma Studio Tour
Where: 42 studio locations around Tacoma
When: October 14 & 15, 11 am – 5 pm
Cost: FREE!

You are invited inside the working studios of 70 local artists to learn about the artistic process, ask questions, and purchase one-of-a-kind creations. Plus, you can even win some fabulous items hand-crafted by a selection of artists on the tour just for getting your Studio Tour Passport stamped at each studio address you visit. All studios will feature demonstrations or will have hands-on activities for visitors. It’s family friendly and free!

Check out TacomaArtsMonth.com for the full list of artists, schedule, your Tacoma Studio Tour Passport, and an interactive map where you can plot your own custom tour course.

Here are this week’s highlights:

Mark Hoppmann
  
Mark Hoppmann has always been curious. That curiosity has resulted in an eclectic accumulation of bric-a-brac, memories, experiences, and books, all of which in turn, inspire his art. With apologies to Rudyard Kipling, his intent is to design illustrated books for those, “with satiable curiosity.” Simple and sometimes unadorned, but thoughtfully creative book designs hide a treasury of illustrations within.

Jason Sobottka
  
Jason Sobottka’s current work, Adventures Through the Anthropocene, depicts multiple organisms in a mutually beneficial relationship. Symbiotic mutualism rather than parasitism. Flora and fauna work so closely in tandem that they nourish or protect each other. His illustrative and ornamental work focuses on detailed figural renderings, often shifting in between different dimensions. Often the drawings gradate from detailed naturalism towards abstraction. While there is great whimsy there is also dark humor.

Carolyn Burt, Creative Expressions by Carolyn Burt
  
Carolyn Burt works with museum quality archival scratchboard and a wide variety of engraving tools, X-Acto knives, and tattoo needles to create detailed images. To add color she uses scratchboard ink or transparent watercolor. Each piece is finished with Krylon acrylic spray and thus becomes protected from further scratching and does not need to be covered with glass.

Roxann Murray, A Touch of Wanderlust
  
Roxann Murray is an award-winning photographer, illustrator, and graphic designer. She enjoys road-tripping and spends a lot of her time in the national parks. Her international travels include the Philippines, the Marshall Islands, Costa Rica, Thailand, London, and Bali. While she does not limit herself to what she photographs, she prefers the natural world. Roxann’s life goal is to visit every continent on the planet.

Bill Colby
  
Nature and its great variety – rocks, trees, mountains, and water – have been Bill Colby’s constant inspiration. In his woodcut printmaking, the wood grain serves as a natural source of imagery as well as texture. He combines natural sources in his compositions and prints his woodblocks with oil base ink colors that look like watercolors. Colby creates works that invite thought, provide pleasure, and combine technique and color.

Toni Snyder
  
Toni Snyder is primarily a self-taught artist. She loves to create landscape paintings in oils. Toni also has a passion for photography. Her photographs of landscapes – taken at various locations throughout Washington – have not only won her awards but she also uses them as a reference for future paintings.

Henry Haneda
  
Henry Haneda has received international awards and invitations for his photographic works. Henry uses medium and large format films, and high resolution digital cameras, which convey detailed impressions to large prints. Visit his studio on Sunday to see his photography.

 

Check out these other artists on the tour and watch for future previews:
Studio Tour Preview: Part 1
Studio Tour Preview: Part 2
Studio Tour Preview: Part 3
Studio Tour Preview: Part 4
Studio Tour Preview: Part 5
Studio Tour Preview: Part 6
Studio Tour Preview: Part 7


Tacoma Studio Tour Passport – Visit and Win!

Make sure to have your Studio Tour Passport stamped at each studio address you visit. Once you’ve collected at least 8 stamps, send us the passport and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of several fabulous prize packages containing artwork hand-crafted by a selection of artists on this tour including:

Grace Amundsen – Acrylic ornaments 
Terry Bader – Small watercolor painting 
Joe Becker – Set of notecards 
Carolyn Burt – Small scratchboard artwork 
Bill Colby – Small framed woodcut 
Kris Crews – Mini photo cards 
Ann Darling – Ice dyed silk and linen scarf 
Katie Dean – Collection of greeting cards and a small print 
Alice Di Certo – Pair of earrings 
Kyle Dillehay – Alternative-process photograph 
Michaela Eaves – Greeting cards 
Lynne Farren – Painting, cards, bracelet 
Becky Frehse – Small painting 
Deborah Greenwood – Handmade cards 
Henry Haneda – Small color print 
Hilltop Artists – Glass bowl and glass plates 
Han-Yin Hsu – 3D printed nylon earrings 
Mark Hudak – Pottery bowl 
Marie Jensen – An 8 x 10 print 
Fumiko Kimura – Greeting cards 
Juan La Torre – Thank you cards 
Roberta Lowes – Cards or small scarf 
Dorothy McCuistion – Small handmade book 
John McCuistion – Set of 4 coaster tiles 
Naarah McDonald – Upcycled fingerless sweater gloves, small tote bag, reversible apron 
Dane Meyer – Small framed print 
Roxann Murray – Save the Bees sticker 
Chandler O’Leary – Tacoma temporary tattoos & Tacoma coloring cards 
Sylvia Omero-Rogstad – Set of cards 
Reid Ozaki – Vase 
Karen Perrine – Set of marbled paper collage cards 
Liz Pulos – Small tapestry 
Claudia Riedener – 5 small handmade tiles
Mauricio Robalino – Small wall hanging mosaic
Penny Russell – Set of 4 Blooming Wine Glasses
Jessica Spring – Small book or print
Susan Thompson – Mug
Lorraine Toler – Signed print
Helen Tran – Washington shaped soap bar and greeting card
Audrey Tulimiero Welch – Small painting on paper
William Turner – Set of 5 art cards
Karen Utter – 2 handmade books
Elayne Vogel – Pair of earrings
Jeff Libby & Adrienne Wicks – Pair of reclaimed wood and steel book ends
Snow Winters – Small cross stitch lamp
Yoshiko Yamamoto – 2018 calendar
Lois Yoshida – Box of hand painted cards

One entry per person. The Tacoma Studio Tour Passport can be found in the Tacoma Studio Tour brochure (available at all studio locations during the tour and at many cultural institutions ahead of time) or download and print your own Tacoma Studio Tour Passport.


Tacoma Arts Month Sponsors

Premier Sponsors: Click! Cable TV, The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
Media Sponsors: KNKX, Northwest Public Radio, ParentMap, Sounds Fun Mom, South Sound magazine, Tacoma Weekly, Weekly Volcano
Social Media Sponsor: ARCADE

2017 Tacoma Studio Tour Preview: Part 7

20 Sep


This is part 7 in our series highlighting the artists participating in the Tacoma Studio Tour this October.

What: Tacoma Studio Tour
Where: 42 studio locations around Tacoma
When: October 14 & 15, 11 am – 5 pm
Cost: FREE!

You are invited inside the working studios of 70 local artists to learn about the artistic process, ask questions, and purchase one-of-a-kind creations. Plus, you can even win some fabulous items hand-crafted by a selection of artists on the tour just for getting your Studio Tour Passport stamped at each studio address you visit. All studios will feature demonstrations or will have hands-on activities for visitors. It’s family friendly and free!

Check out TacomaArtsMonth.com for the full list of artists, schedule, your Tacoma Studio Tour Passport, and an interactive map where you can plot your own custom tour course.

Here are this week’s highlights:

Han-Yin Hsu, ANNXANNXDESIGN
  
Han-Yin Hsu likes to think of the body as a landscape for jewelry. Her designs are focused on expressing the elegance of this landscape and exploring the gesture of each element as it rests on the skin.

Naarah McDonald, Revisioned – an urban boutique & Productivity Parlour for Artful Living
 
Naarah McDonald has produced costumes and clothing for 30 years. Her studio is an active learning textile maker space, in addition to a personal work space. From contemporary clothing and historical costumes to cloth accessories, she offers a wealth of experience and resources for developing skills or commissioning custom work. Offering classes and alterations, the studio complements the retail space.

Hilltop Artists
  
Hilltop Artists is a nonprofit organization with hot shops located in Tacoma Public Schools. At Hilltop Artists, students have the chance to explore the glass medium through fusion, mosaics, flameworking, and glassblowing. All of Hilltop Artists’ programs are tuition-free. Hilltop Artists’ mission is using glass art to connect young people from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds to better futures.

Lynn Di Nino, Di Nino Fabrications
  
The artwork Lynn Di Nino creates is all over the map. She’s known for her expertise in specialized concrete yet she also loves working on the sewing machine – her most recent preoccupation. Her love of recycling coupled with her wearable art background results in coats anyone would love wearing every day of the week. Now that she’s lived in Tacoma for sixteen years you could call her a permanent fixture.

Juan La Torre, La Torre Art Studio
  
Juan La Torre is a Peruvian award-winning artist who has been residing in the United States for nearly 20 years. Juan believes that art is the best path to learning any field. He says if you feel like an artist you should work deeply and lovingly for your creativity.

Fumiko Kimura
  
Fumiko Kimura’s interest in sumi ink and its use does not end in the pursuit of traditional painting or brush writing. Instead she is exploring the use of sumi techniques in Western watercolor, mixed media collage processes, and “absolute art” which is also called non-objective painting. Each piece had its beginning. Each piece takes on a direction and spirit of its own and Fumiko responds accordingly.

JW Harrington, JW Harrington Fine Art
  
In his figurative paintings, JW Harrington brings playful (or at times wry) animation to people’s faces and even to inanimate objects. These paintings show the ubiquitous rhythm in landscapes and the unintended expressions of people. Harrington’s abstract paintings express drama through the juxtaposition of bold swaths of saturated, complementary colors – while giving the viewer authority to determine what (s)he’s seeing and what it brings to mind and heart.

 

Check out these other artists on the tour and watch for future previews:
Studio Tour Preview: Part 1
Studio Tour Preview: Part 2
Studio Tour Preview: Part 3
Studio Tour Preview: Part 4
Studio Tour Preview: Part 5
Studio Tour Preview: Part 6


Tacoma Studio Tour Passport – Visit and Win!

Make sure to have your Studio Tour Passport stamped at each studio address you visit. Once you’ve collected at least 8 stamps, send us the passport and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of several fabulous prize packages containing artwork hand-crafted by a selection of artists on this tour including:

Grace Amundsen – Acrylic ornaments 
Terry Bader – Small watercolor painting 
Joe Becker – Set of notecards 
Carolyn Burt – Small scratchboard artwork 
Bill Colby – Small framed woodcut 
Kris Crews – Mini photo cards 
Ann Darling – Ice dyed silk and linen scarf 
Katie Dean – Collection of greeting cards and a small print 
Alice Di Certo – Pair of earrings 
Kyle Dillehay – Alternative-process photograph 
Michaela Eaves – Greeting cards 
Lynne Farren – Painting, cards, bracelet 
Becky Frehse – Small painting 
Deborah Greenwood – Handmade cards 
Henry Haneda – Small color print 
Hilltop Artists – Glass bowl and glass plates 
Han-Yin Hsu – 3D printed nylon earrings 
Mark Hudak – Pottery bowl 
Marie Jensen – An 8 x 10 print 
Fumiko Kimura – Greeting cards 
Juan La Torre – Thank you cards 
Roberta Lowes – Cards or small scarf 
Dorothy McCuistion – Small handmade book 
John McCuistion – Set of 4 coaster tiles 
Naarah McDonald – Upcycled fingerless sweater gloves, small tote bag, reversible apron 
Dane Meyer – Small framed print 
Roxann Murray – Save the Bees sticker 
Chandler O’Leary – Tacoma temporary tattoos & Tacoma coloring cards 
Sylvia Omero-Rogstad – Set of cards 
Reid Ozaki – Vase 
Karen Perrine – Set of marbled paper collage cards 
Liz Pulos – Small tapestry 
Claudia Riedener – 5 small handmade tiles
Mauricio Robalino – Small wall hanging mosaic
Penny Russell – Set of 4 Blooming Wine Glasses
Jessica Spring – Small book or print
Susan Thompson – Mug
Lorraine Toler – Signed print
Helen Tran – Washington shaped soap bar and greeting card
Audrey Tulimiero Welch – Small painting on paper
William Turner – Set of 5 art cards
Karen Utter – 2 handmade books
Elayne Vogel – Pair of earrings
Jeff Libby & Adrienne Wicks – Pair of reclaimed wood and steel book ends
Snow Winters – Small cross stitch lamp
Yoshiko Yamamoto – 2018 calendar
Lois Yoshida – Box of hand painted cards

One entry per person. The Tacoma Studio Tour Passport can be found in the Tacoma Studio Tour brochure (available at all studio locations during the tour and at many cultural institutions ahead of time) or download and print your own Tacoma Studio Tour Passport.


Tacoma Arts Month Sponsors

Premier Sponsors: Click! Cable TV, The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
Media Sponsors: KNKX, Northwest Public Radio, ParentMap, Sounds Fun Mom, South Sound magazine, Tacoma Weekly, Weekly Volcano
Social Media Sponsor: ARCADE

2017 AMOCAT Arts Award winners announced

15 Sep

The Tacoma Arts Commission has announced this year’s AMOCAT Arts Award winners: Tacoma Housing Authority (Arts Patron), Monkeyshines (Community Outreach by an Organization), and Michael Haeflinger (Community Outreach by an Individual). The AMOCAT Arts Awards honor the people and organizations that positively impact the community with their passion, innovation and commitment to the arts.

Arts Patron Award

This award goes to Tacoma Housing Authority (THA)  for its sustained commitment to investing in public art in its affordable housing projects.

Established in 1940, THA helps Tacoma meet the growing need for affordable housing. It does this in several ways: it develops and manages real estate; it provides rental housing; in partnership with thousands of landlords, it helps families pay the rent in the private rental market; and it delivers supportive services to help families succeed not just as tenants but also as parents, students, wage earners and builders of assets who can live without assistance. It seeks to do its work in ways that help neighborhoods be attractive places to live, work, attend school, shop and play, and that help its city be safe, vibrant, prosperous, attractive and just.

THA believes that art helps this work in several ways. Art beautifies the landscape, and beauty is contagious. Art helps residents view their neighborhood as a distinctive place, and welcomes others to the neighborhood while allowing them to feel like the community is theirs. Art can do this especially if the residents are engaged in the process.

THA’s commitment to including public art has resulted in three projects at Bay Terrace: Yuki Nakamura’s “TransFORM” benches, Diane Hansen & Jennifer Weddermann’s “Seabranches & Pearls” metal and glass wall sculpture, and Christopher Paul Jordan & Kenji Stoll’s “Home Court” basketball court. It has also resulted in music programming at Bay Terrace led by Will Jordan, and a playground mural at Bergerson Terrace.

Community Outreach by an Organization Award

This award goes to Monkeyshines for mobilizing the public to explore Tacoma and create community through the act of giving.

Monkeyshines began in 2003 as a one-time event with the simple thought that we all have the ability to positively impact each other. In that first year, a small group of individuals created over 200 glass floats, embossed with the face of a monkey, and hid the pieces all over Tacoma. Their hope was that the joy of finding a treasure would ripple throughout the community and uplift it.

The excitement generated that first year spurred the anonymous artists to commit to 12 years of the Lunar New Year cycle. After the first 12 years had passed, the ever-growing band of anonymous Monkeyshiners committed to a second 12-year cycle.

Today, glass studios donate shop time; glass artists, painters, sculptors, writers, elementary school children, and other creatives make gifts for the city; and volunteers wake up early to hide the small pieces of art throughout Tacoma. In addition, the community adds their own art, contributing original photographs and prints, sculptures, jewelry, stories, songs, folklore, laser cut treasures, glass marbles, and more.

Monkeyshiners are proud to be in Tacoma, a city that not only embraces this event, but asks itself, “What can I share?”

Community Outreach by an Individual Award

This award goes to Michael Haeflinger for his commitment to the literary arts and youth of Tacoma.

Haeflinger is Executive Director for Write253, a non-profit literacy arts organization that serves Pierce County youth by providing workshops, poetry festivals, and publishing opportunities, including Louder Than a Bomb: The Tacoma Teen Poetry Festival and The Tacoma Poetry Festival Youth Day.

He began writing poetry in high school under the encouragement and guidance of his junior year English teacher, Ms. Rene Gabbard. Like her, Haeflinger hopes he can help introduce young people to writing that helps them define their lives.

Haeflinger is the author of two collections of poetry: Love Poem for the Everyday and The Days Before, both published by Dog On A Chain Press. In 2016, he released Let’s Don’t Be Crazy, a spoken word album partially funded by the Tacoma Arts Commission.


Kaleidoscope – Tacoma Arts Month opening party and AMOCAT Arts Awards celebration

This year’s awardees will be honored at Kaleidoscope, the annual Tacoma Arts Month opening party, on Oct. 4, from 6 – 9 p.m., at The Spire (710 S. Anderson St.). Mayor Marilyn Strickland along with Council Members Keith Blocker and Marty Campbell will present the awards starting at 6 p.m.

In addition, there will be live entertainment at this event that includes music by Will Jordan, Smokey Wonder, Travis Barker, Ben Wildenhaus, and Chromatography; West African dance and drumming by T.U.P.A.C.; Taiwanese dance by Asia Pacific Cultural Center; contemporary dance by Barefoot Collective; poetry by Tacoma Poet Laureate Kellie Richardson and Jinx Jones; and a staged reading of “CLOSE” written by Nick Stokes and directed by Jose Amador. Attendees can also experience a series of multimedia art exhibits by Mauricio Robalino, Qin Tan, Gillian Nordlund, and Erika Ray; film screenings and popcorn by The Grand Cinema; hands-on art making with Tacoma Art Museum; and more. The event will include appetizers and a no-host bar.

This free public event is presented by the Tacoma Arts Commission and Spaceworks Tacoma, hosted by Tacoma Musical Playhouse, and sponsored by Northwest Stage and The Grand Cinema. Tacoma Arts Month premier sponsors are Click! Cable TV and The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation. Media sponsors include KNKX, Northwest Public Radio, ParentMap, Sounds Fun Mom, South Sound magazine, Tacoma Weekly and Weekly Volcano.