Star Time
- — November 1, 2008
We cast a spotlight on the stellar achievements of the 2008 AMOCAT award winners.
How do you spell excellence? A-M-O-C-A-T! If you are a backward speller, anyhow. Or, if you are attentive to the awards of that name presented annually by the Tacoma Arts Commission to recognize those in the community who have made distinctive contributions to the quality of cultural life hereabouts. For three years now this award has been given in three categories: Community Outreach by an Artist, by an Organization and by an Arts Patron. Here are the three AMOCAT award recipients for 2008. Their commitment to creativity is good news in difficult times. We salute them with a simple but heartfelt . . . sknaht. —Rebekah Ellis
Linda Danforth
Community Outreach by an Artist
Photography by Jennifer Richard
She is a designer. She is a community organizer. She is an activist. She is an artist. No matter what hat she's wearing at the moment, Linda Danforth wears it passionately.
Growing up in the South Sound and making jewelry connected her to the world-at-large. As the founder and president of Tacoma Art Place, Danforth continues to make connections through her art. And she is paving the way for emerging artists, kids from underserved neighborhoods and many others to explore and grow their own art. "My dream is to establish a cultural center here in Tacoma," she says, "a larger enclave where many entities come together."
Danforth draws her inspiration from the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild in Pittsburgh. Tacoma should and can duplicate that model, she believes. Thus the TAP plan: provide artists of all kinds with low-cost studio space. Danforth is especially proud to note that the all-volunteer staff at TAP has enabled her to provide scholarships to everyone who is interested in participating but lacks resources to pay. "I continue to be inspired by the generosity of our community in these tough times," she says. "Whether from individuals or granting organizations, it's really nice to see."
In addition to TAP, Danforth has invested her time and finances to establish two productive artists co-ops in Tacoma. The Jet Artist and Broadway Artist cooperatives provide affordable workspace for artists in an open-concept environment. The idea is to encourage budding artists to bring their talent to Tacoma. "Seeing these artists 'graduate' into their first studios and begin to get visibility in the area is so important," Danforth explains.
King's Books
Community Outreach by an Organization
The annual Wayzgoose is probably enough to justify civic acknowledgment of the importance of King's Books. This gathering of letterpress and book artists from around the region is, in and of itself, an important, valuable - and amusing - event. (cf. the giant printmaking that takes place outside the store employing a steam roller)
But there's lots more: King's Books is Tacoma's largest used and new independent bookstore. Duck into the maze of bookshelves and look in any direction: you'll see what makes the store so delightful and essential. Co-owners John Schoppert (above, left) and Pat McDermott (right) have taken their combined fourteen years of experience at Powell's in Portland and created a sanctuary for booklovers in the heart of downtown Tacoma.
And there's always plenty to stick around for in this haven of creative inspiration. sweet pea (center) - one of the store's resident booksellers - works hard to cultivate a culture of "word nerds" here. "We really push the boundary of 'what is a book' and 'what is art,'" he says. "We want to showcase the beauty of old-style letterpress, hand-stitched binding - everything it takes to make a piece of book art."
In addition to "almost a square block of books" that runs the proverbial gamut from auto mechanics to zucchini, King's Books partners with and supports the work of local book artists and also raises money for local public school libraries. It's all part of building community through the art of the book.
King's Books celebrates a passion for words and books by engaging local writers and artists and readers. The store opens its doors wide and invites all Tacoma in for a browse, a chat, a daydream in a comfortable chair - an enriching experience with books.
Hotel Murano
Community Outreach by an Arts Patron
Walk into the new Hotel Murano and all you see of the old Tacoma Sheraton are handsomely refurbished architectural bones. The 80s décor is gone. Now guests are welcomed by work of master glass artists from around the globe. Costas Varotsos' Orizon is at the entrance and Massimo Micheluzzi's chandelier is in the lobby. Guest room floors are each themed to an individual artist. In all, Hotel Murano is a compelling part of Tacoma's ongoing story of rebirth; an extension of the Chihuly-inspired cult of art glass. In its intention and execution the revitalization of the hotel is "enough to inspire a sense of awe and wonder," according to Jim Staicoff, interior designer on the project.
Provenance Hotels has taken over the property and is the patron that has underwritten the art inside and out. Denise Corso, co-designer and partner in the design firm CorsoStaicoff that received the assignment to transform the hotel's public space, praises Provenance: "they allowed us to design an experience, not just a hotel." A noteworthy detail is the etched glass walls on the upper floors created by Dardi Troen, which provide biographical information on the artists on exhibit and a backdrop for their work.
Tessa Papas curated the hotel's collection and sees the Murano as an attraction for anyone visiting the Northwest. "These are not just pretty pieces of art," she says, "each one tells a story." The quality of art on view at the Murano is unusually high - and there's plenty of it to see. "Many extraordinary artists under one roof," observes Papas, and she doesn't need to add that you can sleepover, if you like.
