Tag Archives: public art

Floating Life Forms, Art in Tacoma

It has been a summer for seal. Every time I have dined on the waterfront, I see their little heads pop up. When I took my very first kayaking adventure, there was a harbor seal nearby. And there they were at the Vancouver Aquarium. And yesterday I found their likeness on some new to me art titled Floating Life forms at 1515 Dock Street. The seals are joined with other aquatic life in a series of six bronze balls by Tacoma artist Ed Kroupa. The News Tribune article tells me that “The Tacoma Arts Commission in 2012 selected Kroupa through its Public Art: In Depth program, which teaches local artists how to make art for the public rather than solely go off their own creative vision.”

The craftsmanship is really worth seeing in person and I love that my city values the arts. There is a fascinating video showing how the art was made and more of Ed Kroupa’s works can be found here.

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Great mural at Tacoma’s Fire Station #16

Fire Station No. 16 at 7216 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, WA, 98406, is the site of art by Bob Henry titled Wilson Rams. The Tacoma-Pierce Co. Public Art Tour site (http://wspdsmap.ci.tacoma.wa.us/website/Art2/viewer.htm) says that the medium is Paint on canvas and the size is 10′ x 30′.

I love the bright colors and the fact that it is a local artist and a local scene! What I don’t like is that it is primarily visible from a small side street that leads to the driveway of the firestation and a small apartment complex. It would be great if more people could enjoy it!


Hilltop-McCarver Mural

 

Originally uploaded by Gexydaf

 

Today I stopped at one of Tacoma’s newest installations of public art, the 60 foot long Hilltop-McCarver Mural at 2143 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Since this mural was dedicated recently on October 16th, I had seen a couple of photos. The mural itself is bold, whimsical and very well done. But I guess I had been assuming that it was the background for a park or public space and it is really just the background for a vacant lot that was pretty muddy when I took the photo. So lingering isn’t encouraged, which is a shame because there is so much detail to examine. The building that provides the wall space for the mural is vacant.

For two great sites that discuss the mural, go here:

http://marlinpeterson.com/mural-unveiling-in-tacoma/

http://spaceworkstacoma.wordpress.com/2010/10/15/hilltop-mural-unveiling-saturday-october-16-at-4pm/