Current Artscapes

Pete Goldlust / Bismo’d
Woolworth Windows #2, Broadway & 11th
August, 2017 – November, 2017

I strive to produce work that fosters a sense of wonder, joy, and play. I look to draw out these qualities, often dormant within the history of each site. The work is firmly rooted in pop-surrealist tradition, with plenty of influence from Dr. Seuss and independent comics. I enjoy drawing inspiration from a variety of western and non-western art and design traditions, to create intricately patterned imagery.

These works are often populated by imaginary hybrid beings—animals sprout buds, plants harass animals, and the landscape is engaged in a power struggle with the lawn furniture. Since receiving my MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2001, I have exhibited work in numerous gallery and museum settings. This has included solo shows at galleries in Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as international exposure. My work has been featured in a broad range of publications that spans from Art in America to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!, and from Elle Belgium to Raising Arizona

Shared Housing Services / Cityscape – Everyone Needs A Place To Call Home
Woolworth Windows #4, Broadway & 11th
August, 2017 – November, 2017

The window depicts the vibrancy of the city’s skyline while providing a brief overview of SHS’s programs and services we provide for community members in need. The goal of this playfully executed window is to engage the passerby with awareness of how they can participate in solving the homelessness crisis.

SHS strives to make a difference in Tacoma and the Woolworth Window is a creative outreach to this endeavor. We are thankful for the vision of our board member, Lynn Pollock, for the creative inspiration and execution of this project as well as SHS Executive Director, Mark Merrill for his support and implementation of the display. Additionally, SHS recognizes Nadine Hamil of Artful Dreamer Studio for her creative help and studio space.

A heartfelt thank you to all local artists and volunteers who shared their time, creativity, and talents in making this project a reality. Shared Housing Services wishes to thank Spaceworks Tacoma, the City of Tacoma, and the Tacoma/Pierce County Chamber of Commerce for allowing us this opportunity to showcase our organization and programs to a broad audience through the Artscapes program. www.sharedhousingservices.org

LiftPort Group / Space Elevator Concept Portfolio 
Tollbooth Gallery, Broadway & 11th
August, 2017 – November, 2017

We at LiftPort Group have a dream to build a Lunar Space Elevator, the biggest thing ever constructed by humans. As such, we believe that there is inherent value in having concept art for our projects. These works highlight important aspects of our 17-year journey that has lead us to where we are today while simultaneously encouraging community involvement. Art is our bridge to understanding the Lunar Space Elevator and we believe that our imagery provides striking visuals that help bring our elevator to life. www.liftport.com

Tacoma Wayzgoose / Lucky Unlucky: 2017 Tacoma Wayzgoose Steamroll Prints
Woolworth Windows #1, Commerce St. & 11th
August, 2017 – November, 2017

On display is a collection of the steamroll prints that were created during Tacoma’s 13th annual Wayzgoose letterpress and book arts celebration. The imagery was inspired by lucky and unlucky events that have occurred in Tacoma’s past. www.tacomawayzgoose.com

Anthony Duenas / syayayəʔ ʔə tiiɫ x̌ʷiqʷadiʔ
Court C alley side of 953 Market St. Building
March 1, 2017 – July 20, 2017

As a member of the Puyallup tribe I feel that art is a very important part of my culture. My goal is to bring back the art form to the southern Puget Sound.

In this mural I’m sharing an old story of Thunderbird and his fight with 5 brothers. After fighting all 5 brothers then he realizes that he would like them to be a part of his family and turn them into humans.

Saiyare Refaei & Tiffanny Hammonds / 5 Stages
11th Street side of 953 Market St. Building
March 1, 2017 –  July 20, 2017

“5 Stages” encapsulates our version the Stages of Grief: (1.) Shock,(2.) Anger, (3.) Acceptance, (4.) Action and (5.) Gratitude. This wall in particular has been a turning point in Tacoma murals to uplift the truth and possibilities. We wanted to continue that momentum.

These five stages enabled us to pace ourselves in a strategic way, to make the wall interactive and also helped us go through the process of grieving so many things that have happened over the course of this past year. We hoped to represent these stages with (1.) painting the initial wall red to represent Shock. (2.) and (3.) are demonstrated through a call to local poets to share short poems around the themes of Anger and Acceptance.

A big thank you to all of the selected contributing writers who shared their truths: Danielle Jordan, Quinn Brenfleck, Whikid Matticuless, Juliet Meggs, Jessica Rychael, Vanessa Williams, LennEe Reid, Quenessa Long, and Gloria Muhammad. Then came (4.) and (5.) where we chose visual representation of real people living and working near this mural sight who are constantly going above and beyond to do the good work, reminding us to keep an open mind and see the world through a child’s eye, to love ourselves and share our harvest with others. They, so many others and even the most random things remind us to keep moving forward and enjoy the little life-giving things that make our day amidst the heartache and turmoil in this world.

RYAN! Feddersen / WHAT WILL HAPPEN? (WHAT HAPPENED?)
Happenings Kiosk, S 13th & Market
January 2017 – July 2017
ryanfeddersen.com

Passersby and viewers were invited to participate in the creation of RYAN! Feddersen’s mural on the HAPPENINGS kiosk at the corner of 13th and Market in downtown Tacoma. The work invited viewers to interact by using QR Code Reader or mobile browser to visiting the artist’s website www.ryanfeddersen.com/what-will-happen where the answered this prompt:

“Please share a hope, aspiration, prediction or other words (500 character limit) that you would like to contribute as inspiration for a public artwork that will be installed on this kiosk. It  can be based on something real, or something fictitious. To submit an image (3MB limit), please use the file upload…” 

Feddersen incorporated elements of viewer submissions into the final artwork within the theme of a fictional bulletin board. Mural was updated April 1st, 2017 as a public artwork generated through fusion of technology and imagination.

Tim + April / Advertisemounts
Corner of 6th Ave. & Ainsworth
April 2016 – completion of site construction

Over 2,000 feet of up-cycled vinyl billboards depicting where the sky meets the mountains around Tacoma. Tim + April is a creative duo based in Tacoma, WA. Much of their work is inspired by the cities and landscapes they are surrounded by and the places they have travelled through. They like to turn the old into new and the grayscale into color. This art installation was funded and facilitated through a partnership between WC Studio Architecture Agency and Spaceworks Tacoma. www.timplusapril.com

New Artscape at 6th and Ainsworth -Spaceworks blog