A Tacoma Moment

Last weekend Tacoma really stepped up the love. The amount of quality interactions and experiences confirmed to me that I was living in the right city in the right time line. It was one of those particular nights where everything lined up just right. A beautiful spring evening, vibrant bar scene and an art opening at Tacoma Art Museum were just a few of the elements I had to look forward to.

Now I’m local, living in the Hilltop neighborhood not far from downtown. So I marched my butt on down to Pacific Avenue to check out the art show. As Tacoma is a big small city it was inevitable that I would run into a number of it’s amazing citizens along the way. First to roll up on me was Kharen Nakauye AKA DJ Special K racing up the hill to Tacoma Urban Performing Arts Center. I then happened upon artist Holly Senn  shopping at a local design store. We stopped for a brief chat before I continued on my way down town. At the corner of 11th I turned at the site of the late Luzon Building built in 1890, demolished in 2009. As I rounded the now empty lot I was struck by how lovely and inviting this seemingly manicured empty lot appeared. A series of bonsai like shrubs graced the landscape and were accompanied by unique sculpted openings at the base of each. It reminded me hobbit shire from J.R.R. Tolkins Lord of  the Rings. The whole place had an intimate calm about it similar to that of a zen garden. To complete the magic of this forgotten space I was pleased to meet the guardians of this forgotten realm. Cute furry mammals playing and chasing one an other, going on about their daily routine.

After tearing myself away from the Zen Rodent Shire I navigated onward to Tacoma Art Museum. The main entrance was closed so I gained access through the rear of the building.  Upon exiting the elevator I found myself in a crowded hallway behind the glass cases on the main floor. That’s when it hit me. Although I was invited by a donor this was a members only RSVP event… Time to blend in and act natural.

 GATHER: 27 years of Hiltop Artists at Tacoma Art Museum is a showing of both current and alumni artists from the unique Hilltop Artists Glass program. Dale Chihuly, a Tacoma native started this program 27 years ago as a way to bring the glass craft the the under served population of Tacoma. As I have worked intimately in the Tacoma art scene for over 20 years, I am quite familiar with many of these artists and their works. This event truly captured the energy and importance of the Hilltop Artists program. What I didn’t expect from this exhibition was the generational factor. Glass artist Trenton Quiocho who is also the current shop manager at the Hilltop Artists Program curated GATHER. This was his first experience putting together a show of this size. His choices and selections addressed the community and reflected the art current art scene in Tacoma. However it really hit home for me during the address by our mayor Victoria Woodards thanking those who worked to bring this event together. She addressed the tired trope, “the youth are the future” as incorrect. The youth are our present and we need them as leaders and to follow the insight they provide .

I left this event riding high and happy with my choices. Many of the young artists that were on display that evening will be part of a show at Fulcrum Gallery in May. This exhibition is titled Riff Raff and is part of the Glass Art Society international conference in Tacoma Washington. It is a show that I have personally curated to feature many of my favorite artists in the area. Artists outside of the usual cannon of glass. The true backbone of the glass community. -Oliver Doriss

Continue Reading

The Art of the Cup

Variations on Cups from RAM’s Collection
January 27 – August 7, 2021

I have been curated into a show at the Racine Art Museum located in Racine, Wisconsin, a historic community on the shores of Lake Michigan. It is home to the largest contemporary craft collection in North America, and the Wustum Museum of Fine Arts.  They are running an exhibit featuring fun and exotic takes on the “Cup.” One of the most intimate vessels known to our species. We use cups every day, measuring, drinking, even holding ones tooth brush.

 

The Art of the Cup: Variations on Cups from RAM’s Collection

Unlike the teapot, whose functionality and meaning has been challenged or reframed repeatedly, the cup has not been the source of as many philosophical investigations within the field of contemporary craft. This does not mean it has been marginalized or avoided. In fact, handmade cups are ever popular as serving ware and the cup as a subject continues to be an organizing theme for numerous exhibitions in galleries and museums.-RAM

MORE ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

Exhibition Notes
Press Room

ARTISTS IN THE EXHIBITION
Wesley Anderegg, Robert Arneson, Jeri Au, Karl F. Borgeson, Cynthia Bringle, Alan Caiger-Smith, Nadeige Choplet, Eugene Deutch, Oliver Doriss, Jack Earl, Lea Embree, Léopold L. Foulem, Willem Gebben, Katherine Gray, Erik Gronborg, Jon Groth, Melanie Guernsey-Leppla, Dorothy Hafner, Tony Hepburn, Steven Hill, Martha A. Holt, Margaret Ponce Israel, Georg Jensen, Geo Lastomirsky, John Leach, Zachery Lechtenberg, Robert Levin, James Makins, Paul Mathieu, Richard Milette, Ron Nagle, Matt Nolen, Donovan Palmquist, Nichibei Potters, Ken Price, Douglass Rankin, ROY (Rosemary Gialamas), Will Ruggles, Judith Salomon, Michael J. Schunke, Yoko Sekino-Bové, Andy Shaw, Peter Shire, Anna Silver, Judith Strong, Toshiko Takaezu, Akio Takamori, Susan Thayer, Rosalyn Tyge, Kurt Wallstab, Patti Warashina, Kurt Weiser, John Whitney, and Irina Zaytceva.

Continue Reading