Tag Archives: Tacoma

January 25, 2019 · 4:50 pm

Tacoma Focus: Destiny City Comics & Arts Festival on February 16, 2019

Destiny City Comics & Arts Festival on February 16, 2019

If you are in the Tacoma area, do plan to visit Destiny City Comics & Arts Festival on Saturday, February 16th, from 2-8pm, located at 218 St Helens Ave. This will be an intimate comic arts festival gathering of a dozen or so local creators.

The following are just a few samples of the poster I created for the show making the rounds. While this show is in Tacoma, our neighbors in Seattle are certainly welcome. So, here are some examples of my canvassing around Seattle with at least one landmark clearly visible!

Long Live Destiny City Comics!

The Comics Journal #303

The special guest is RJ Casey editor of the long-awaited new edition of The Comics Journal #303 from Seattle publisher, Fantagraphics. I definitely look forward to the return in print of the venerable publication that has a long history of covering the comics scene. Pre-order your copy of The Comics Journal #303 right here. And visit the journal’s website right here.

For more details, visit Destiny City Comics right here.

2 Comments

Filed under Comics, Destiny City Comics, Fantagraphics, Tacoma

Tagged as comic books, comics, Destiny City Comics, Entertainment, Fantagraphics, graphic novels, Media, Pacific Northwest, Pop Culture, Publishing, Seattle, Tacoma

February 2, 2018 · 10:45 pm

Tacoma Focus: Tinkertopia

Tinkertopia 24-Hour Comics Day Book for 2015

On a recent trip to Tacoma, I went to visit my dear friend, Dalton and his family. Our first stop was Tinkertopia. Dalton said it was just the place to go and he was so right. This place has everything in the way of quirky and functional art supplies and curios and such. Well, there’s a very practical and worthwhile side to this. Tinkertopia plays a vital role in the community as it is in the forefront of the reuse and do-it-yourself movement. Much of what is on display and for sale has been salvaged and recycled in some way in order to enjoy a new life as alternate artwork and arts & crafts supplies. Tinkertopia is also a prime location for workshops of all kinds, especially for kids.

As a cartoonist, I was quite taken with the mini-comics on display which, after a closer look, were the results of numerous 24-Hour Comics Day marathons. I am something of an expert of 24HCD, I suppose, as I’ve been creating comics during that event for a number of years. It’s always fun to see what comes from these comics experiments. The merry band of cartoonists that congregate at Tinkertopia enjoy a perfectly built-in ecosystem for such endeavors. The books on display are by R.R., that’s short for Rerun (aka RR Anderson), the master of ceremonies at Tinkertopia.

A fine and dandy drawing style by Rerun!

Many comics fans, young and old, are familiar with Rerun’s cartooning antics which feature the Hairy Mermaid. Rerun has as a clean and polished style. His sense of humor is highly irreverent and just a lot of fun. Rerun’s fluid line makes it all looks effortless and graceful. But I can see that he’s put in the elbow grease necessary to have a facile way with drawing trucks and squids flying through space from one panel to the next. A nice crisp style like Rerun’s comes from dedication and a genuine tireless love for the comics medium.

If you have a young inventor in the family, or want to throw a unique birthday party, or maybe need help with recycling, come to Tinkertopia. Founded by two Tacoma artists, Tinkertopia is all about resource conservation in partnership with local industries, educators, and activists. There’s always something on to inspire and to educate. In March, for example, you can take part in a workshop to build Tiny Treehouses and Leprechaun Lairs! There are numerous workshops and events at Tinkertopia that will have something for everyone. Go visit Tinkertopia right here.

And one final note: You want to know more about RR Anderson? Well, he’s the real deal trifecta: a cartoonist, inventor, and author. Check out his book, “The Tacomic.” As he puts it himself: “RR Anderson is one of the most curious alternative political cartoonists in FeedTacoma.com history. He fought bizarre underground beings in the lava tubes of Juneau, Alaska; was wounded by a laser before it was invented; and was a founding father of the Cartoonists League of Absurd Washingtonians (C.L.A.W.). Questions? Seek him out drawing on the sidewalk at Friday’s Frost Park Chalk Challenge in the center of downtown Tacoma. Ultimately his work is about friendship, need and other timeless values.” Visit RR Anderson right here.

Review: DISCOUNT DEMON DEALS by Michael Koehler

DISCOUNT DEMON DEALS by Michael Koehler

“Discount Demon Deals” is a hilarious mini-comic devoted to demons by Michael Koehler. Done is a wacky style that would fit right in on Cartoon Network, Koehler’s demons are at once hideous and whimsical. The idea here is that this is a catalog presenting the latest in appealing demons. All you need is your demon credit card and a reasonable number of souls in stock in order to properly catch up on this season’s demons. For more details, visit Michael Koehler right here. And, if you are in Tacoma, be sure to stop by and see an art show featuring Koehler’s artwork this Saturday, February 3rd, from 6-8pm at Destiny City Comics:

Lore of the Lords – Showcasing the Art of Michael Koehler

Here are some more details from Destiny City Comics:

Lore of the Lords – Showcasing the Art of Michael Koehler
February 3 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Free

A strange look into the modern folklore and fantastic characters imagined by artist Michael Koehler, Lore of the Lords takes a tour through the tribes residing within the elusive cult realms.

“You enter through a dark whirlpool to find yourself at the mouth of a great trench. As you look around, you find this world is full of strange and mystical creatures. They seem to be some sort of ancient looking, animalistic people. Suddenly a large reptilian scout spots you and bellows out a deafening screech as you try to find your footing along the loose, rocky chasm. You see flying in the cloudy sky above, a bat like figure quickly descending upon you. You scramble out of the way just as it swoops down at your feet. Looking up at you with three crazed eyes and psychedelic features, it lets out several high pitched chirps and begins lurching toward you. A gang of grotesque bat faced creatures surrounds you as you look for an impossible escape. Each wretched bat drips with slimy plasma and is armed with arcane tools and primitive looking weapons. As a tall, fiery red faced man-bat leans into your face and sniffs piggishly, you utter, “What… where am I?” It lets out a wild cackle and replies, “You have entered our world through the black void, and so now, you are ours. Just as everything that enters… Into the Cult Realms.”

Be sure to visit and experience this highly original art firsthand. Facebook Event Page is right here.

2 Comments

Filed under Art, Comics, Destiny City Comics, Michael Koehler, Tacoma

Tagged as Art, Artists, arts, Demons, Entertainment, graphic novels, Horror, Image Comics, Media, Painters, Painting, Pop Culture, Publishing, Tacoma

July 28, 2016 · 11:00 pm

Tacoma Focus: Joey Kirkpatrick and Flora C. Mace at the Museum of Glass

Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington

You can steam bend pieces of alder wood to create beautiful and haunting images. The artist team of Joey Kirkpatrick and Flora C. Mace offer various compelling examples such as enigmatic birds. Their outline frames are positioned so the light casts intriguing double shadows. They beg you to ask endless existential questions. We were so lucky to view them and a wide assortment of other artworks reviewing the careers of Kirkpatrick and Mace. This show is on display through September 6, 2016 at Tacoma’s Museum of Glass.

Birds formed out of Alder Wood

“Joey Kirkpatrick and Flora C. Mace: Every Soil Bears Not Everything” exemplifies what the Museum of Glass is all about. Kirkpatrick and Mace met as students at the Pilchuck Glass School in 1979, at the height of the studio glass movement, and have been creating compelling work ever since. Known for their oversized fruit and vegetable glass sculptures, examples of these begin the show. We then move on to works utilizing various unconventional, or understated, materials such as alder wood.

Oversized Fruit Sculpture by Kirkpatrick and Mace

There is an overall calming and introspective nature to this show. I don’t know that being calm is as essential a prerequisite for an artist as making daring use of unusual materials. I will say that, while glass can certainly be shattered, and we can definitely get cut by glass, the overwhelming quality of glass, the quality we seem to seek out the most in glass art, has to do with states of serenity and quiet contemplation.

Alphabet Animals

Kirkpatrick and Mace consistently invite us to enter a meditative state. Whatever the medium, each piece seems to raise more questions than provide answers. Or perhaps the overriding answer is that we can only see so much. Nature will only reveal itself so much. We are left to understand as best we can. And, through art, we can attempt to express our limits.

The limits of our vision to understand nature.

The limits of our means to process nature.

The limits of our means of expression.

The Museum of Glass is located at 1801 Dock St., in the heart of Tacoma’s Museum District. For more information, visit the website right here.

2 Comments

Filed under Dale Chihuly, Museum of Glass, Museums, Tacoma, Travel

Tagged as Art, arts, Dale Chihuly, Glass, nature, Philosophy, Pilchuck Glass School, Tacoma, Travel, Washington state, Writing

July 28, 2016 · 12:00 am

Tacoma Focus: Washington State History Museum

On the Wagon Train! Illustration by Henry Chamberlain.

Wandering through Tacoma can be like time travelling with so many finely restored historic landmarks. Add to that all the classic cars driving down the avenues. And add to all that the Washington State History Museum. It is a massive fortress filled to the brim with all sorts of pathways and portals into the past.

Yes, I gravitated to the pop culture!

I know that I love novel uses of words and pictures. It’s not just because I create comics and graphic novels. As both a writer and artist, and as a lifelong learner, I have always cherished the unique place that museums of all kinds have in our lives.

Washington State History Museum

I am especially grateful for the Washington State History Museum as an essential resource for state history. It serves as the state’s attic, a very special venue for all manner of items, large and small, a place for careful study.

Watercolor painting of Chief Leschi

Museums are for all ages. It could not be any other way. Mentors and cubs alike make great use of museums. But it is no secret that museums hold a special place for the kids. The great push forward from one generation to the next must always include quiet contemplation amongst the artifacts of bygone eras.

A small drama plays out at the train set.

And when you come right down to it, I love good visuals, which this museum has plenty. And, among them all, I love that massive train set! Like any elaborate train set worth its weight, this one has some unexpected dramatic scenes peppered about, even an accident site complete with ambulance and accident victim. We can only hope it was a minor accident!

Train Set at the Washington State History Museum

The train set exhibit brings to mind a fellow who has dedicated a big portion of his life to creating what is probably the world’s longest and most complex train set display encompassing football fields of space. That’s Northlandz in New Jersey. But this is not a competition. He has his train set and this wonderful museum has its train set, which is pretty massive!

Brass Lantern Clock, circa 1630

Vintage Women’s Suffrage Placard

Washington State History Museum is located at 1911 Pacific Avenue in the heart of Tacoma’s Museum District, adjacent to Union Station. For more details, visit the website right here.

6 Comments

Filed under Education, History, Tacoma, Travel, Washington state

Tagged as Education, Entertainment, History, Media, Museums, Pop Culture, Tacoma, Trains, Washington state

July 27, 2016 · 1:00 pm

Tacoma Focus: LeMay – America’s Car Museum

“Route 66: Dream of The Mother Road,” currently on view at America’s Car Museum

America’s Car Museum has the proud distinction of being the largest car collection in North America with 165,000 square feet of exhibit space for a 350 car gallery. For anyone who loves the open road and has a sense of adventure, you will definitely want to see “Route 66: Dream of The Mother Road,” currently on view. Take your time to wander and enjoy all the exhibits. This is the place to celebrate automobiles of all kinds dating back to the earliest vehicles all the way up to the present and beyond.

Next to a Plymouth Barracuda

To get a sense of the spirit behind this dazzling collection, you’ll want to see “Lucky’s Garage,” a tribute to the LeMay family that has made this collection possible. Here you can imagine Harold LeMay leisurely toiling away as he works on his latest car project. “Lucky” was Harold’s nickname. As he saw it, a lot of hard work finally led to being “lucky.” That said, Mr.LeMay was hard working indeed amassing a collection of over 3,000 vehicles and thousands of artifacts, earning him a place in the 1997 Guinness Book of World Records.

“Lucky’s Garage,” a tribute to Harold E. LeMay

America’s Car Museum is certainly a testament to Harold E. LeMay’s dedication to his community and his passion for cars. Walk through the four stories of display space and you can’t help but get caught up in the heady mix of vivid history and a sense of excitement. Just letting my imagination run wild and thinking about all the heart and humanity behind all these classic cars made my head spin.

Wow, a 1931 Auburn Boattail Speedster!

What a beauty, a 1960 Chevrolet Corvette!

You get lost in them, decade by decade. Do you want to know how to instantly gain some insight into American history? Just go back to our love affair with cars.

You don’t have to know anything about cars to understand how so many have fallen under the automotive spell. You will find favorites among so many wonderful dream cars. Hey, here’s one you can’t help but love, an undisputed classic, the DeLorean DMC-12, which gained immortality when one of them appeared in “Back to the Future.”

LeMay – America’s Car Museum is located at 2702 East D. St. in Tacoma. It is adjacent to the Tacoma Dome. You can find easy access to it via the link rail. Be sure to visit the website right here.

16 Comments

Filed under Cars, Classic Cars, History, Museums, Route 66, Tacoma, Travel, Washington state

Tagged as American History, Entertainment, History, Museums, Pop Culture, Route 66, Tacoma, Traval, Washington state

July 27, 2016 · 12:00 am

Hotel Review: Hotel Murano in Tacoma, Washington

Hotel Murano is Stimulating!

Sometimes you need to take a detour and see where it takes you. I chose Hotel Murano in Tacoma Washington, for a refreshing change of pace.

Hotel Murano in Tacoma, Washington, for a refreshing change of pace.

This week we focus on Tacoma, Washington, home to a unique glass art culture linked directly to Tacoma native and world-renowned glass artist, Dale Chihuly. For those of you considering a visit to the Pacific Northwest, it is Tacoma where you can find an intriguing blend of old and new including the Washington State History Museum, America’s Car Museum, and the Museum of Glass.

Bite, the restaurant at Hotel Murano

Glass is about openness and clarity. I love how Hotel Murano plays with the theme of glass. Looking down from Bite, the hotel’s restaurant perched on the fourth floor, you can take in quite a spacious view.

A playful and inviting use of space in the lobby of Hotel Murano

You sense that open feeling all around, accented with smartly placed art like the full scale horse standing by the bar. You feel as if you could ride that regal black horse, trot around the lobby, and canter down the hall. With that lampshade on its head, you just know it’s a whimsical, or magical, horse. If it were a nightmare, it would not make very good company with your scotch and soda.

Mysterious Black Stallion as Sentry at the Bar

Friendly and courteous service count for everything in a hotel stay. Hotel Murano comes away with high marks. Beginning with the front desk service, all our requests were promptly met and all our questions were thoughtfully answered.

A friendly and helpful front desk at Hotel Murano

There’s an old favorite home style restaurant from many years back that I had difficulty recalling but the front desk was able to reconnect me with Southern Kitchen! If you are looking for some good catfish, that’s the place to go. And, if you do wander off, you may also want to treat yourself to the local art house movie theater, Grand Cinema.

A Comfy Bed Awaits

Our room at Hotel Murano was just what we had hoped for: stylish, comfortable, and with a sense of fun. The bed was comfy and spacious. I rested on a pile of pillows and read for a while. I found myself reading three chapters without any disturbance. The book I was reading is about a man on a business trip. He checks into an inn but becomes restless and wanders off into the woods where trouble soon finds him. At Hotel Murano, you won’t become restless. You can either enjoy the hotel or quite easily walk over to check out some fun spots for a bite to eat in the Museum District like Elemental Pizza or Pacific Grill. And you can certainly take the nearby link rail and venture further out. And, like I say, you definitely won’t get restless with plenty to see and do.

Find Your Creative Side at Hotel Murano

The Murano islands in Venice are a center for glassmaking dating back to 1291. Overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, Murano brings to mind clear blue waters and skies. The name Murano itself evokes wanderlust and adventure. It is a fine name for a hotel that helps each guest find their own special Murano experience.

When your travels bring you to Tacoma, be sure to stay at Hotel Murano.