Temporal Terminus: Marking the Line - an awesome temporary public art exhibit that celebrates the important transformation of the Prairie Line Trail from rail to linear park - opened Saturday, Nov. 12 in downtown Tacoma. On the rainy opening afternoon, the Tacoma Arts Commission, staff from the University of Washington-Tacoma and the artist teams behind the eight installations guided approximately 60 people through the outdoor exhibition, which traverses downtown from South 25th Street to the Thea Foss Waterway.

The exhibition features amazing sculptural work by Austin-based national design team, Thoughtbarn (composed of Lucy Begg and Robert Gay), as well as a who's who from the Tacoma arts scene: Jennifer Renee Adams, Kyle Dillehay, Kristin Giordano, Jeremy N. Gregory, Diane Hansen, Christopher Jordan, Lance Kagey, Lisa Kinoshita, Ed Kroupa, Bret Lyon, Janet Marcavage, Maria Olga Meneses, Nicholas Nyland, Chandler O'Leary, Elise Richman, Claudia Riedener, Holly A. Senn, Chris Sharp, James Grayson Sinding and Kenji Stoll.

The City of Tacoma received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to give the historic rail line a facelift, shining an artistic light on the line the Northern Pacific Railroad built in 1873. Temporal Terminus - in partnership with the City of Tacoma's PA:ID (Public Art In Depth) multi-faceted program and the University of Washington-Tacoma - is the inaugural installation, with Philadelphia-based award-winning urban designer Todd Bressi and the team Thoughtbarn wearing the conductor hats. Up until 2003, trains pounded the historic rail corridor from the Thea Foss Waterway to the Brewery District, passing rickety warehouses and dens of iniquity before UW-Tacoma rang the school bell. Today, feet and bikes traverse the line, passing installations titled TacomaBall, Rogue Rhizomes and Ghost Prairie. When all said and done, some $5.83 million will be pumped into the half-mile Prairie Trail Line, creating a living and breathing interpretive trail connecting the waterfront with downtown Tacoma, which will also include a storm water purification system for the polluted runoff from Hilltop.

Below are a few photos of Temporal Terminus I snapped during yesterday's rainy afternoon tour. Due to the City of Tacoma's budget cuts to the Megaphone Department, and my frozen hands, I'm forced to add descriptive paragraphs written by the Tacoma Arts Commission. I have no idea what McBirde and the artist said through that crappy megaphone.

Dock Street: Zero Down

From a series of "footprints" that occupy the grassy area, colorful shadows extend. The images are rendered in temporary paint and continued in chalk; the forms span the grass and onto the concrete morphing into forms human and imagined. Each brightly colored shadow represents the diversity and complexities of humans' personalities. Artists: Chris Jordan, Chandler O'Leary, Claudia Riedener

15th Street Overpass: TacomaBall

The curve of this overpass is the inspiration for TacomaBall, a monumental, temporarily interactive pinball style game. Balls are bowled down the curve interacting with various obstacles depicting various national and local icons. Racing stripes and imagery reminiscent of the game will remain on the ramp through the course of the exhibit making every pedestrian a player in the game. Artists: Kyle Dillehay, Lisa Kinoshita

Under I-705: Wild Wilderness

This work comments on the diminishing open spaces in our world and that impact on animal habitat. In addition, it calls attention to the wild spaces that exist within our urban midst. A variety of animals that would be hard pressed to co-exist inhabit this newly created environment. Artists: Jennifer Adams, Kristin Giordano, Kenji Stoll

Hood Street: Rogue Rhizomes

This section of the Prairie Line Trail is a ragged remnant of an industrial heritage that has witnessed dynamic transformation all around, while remaining itself, virtually unchanged over the last 100 years. The fringes of this space are a competition between structured plantings and wildness trying to reinsert itself into the landscape. This installation explores the rogue elements of organic invasiveness, between city and wildness. Using brightly colored markers and a three-dimensional letterform the eye is drawn from a distance and evoke ideas of giant flora. Organic patterns around the base of each light pole emanate outwards over time making use of positive and negative space and ‘invade' the surrounding area. Artists: Chris Sharp, Lance Kagey, James Sinding

Tollefson: Link

"Link" makes visible the connection between the rail lines and highlights how the Prairie Line Trail linked Tacoma to the communities of Tenino, McIntosh, Wetico, Rainier, Yelm, Roy, Hillhurst, Lakeview, and South Tacoma. Floating yellow orbs, iconic of the yellow and black railroad signs will re-enact the stops along the line that connected with these communities. Artists: Bret Lyon, Janet Marcavage, Holly Senn

UW-T Campus: Ghost Prairie

Thoughtbarn installation speaks to the railroad line's namesake. Inspired by the mysterious Mima mounds located in southern Washington and the plight of the prairie, our public art installation introduces a piece of ‘artificial prairie' along the rails of the Prairie Line Trail in downtown Tacoma. It is a playful referral to both the railroad's history and its new landscape-driven future as a bike and pedestrian path through the city. For its duration the colorful, intriguing object(s) will catch the eye of local pedestrians and drivers. They will draw attention to the oft-overlooked railroad that nonetheless defines Tacoma's history. Those most curious can get up close to run their hands along the "grasses," which will also glow at night. Artists: Thoughtbarn (Lucy Begg, Robert Gay) with help from Tacoma School of the Arts students

UW-T Pedestrian Bridge: Envision

Gigantic eyes look down on the campus from the pedestrian bridge. Are they benevolent? Visionary? Judging? That depends. The eyes are those of Abraham Lincoln, the visionary whose dream it was to complete a transcontinental rail that would meet the Pacific. Is he overlooking his accomplishment or wondering about this particular routes demise and our crazy modern lives? Walking over the ped bridge, one experiences a different viewpoint and inspiration for the endurance of vision. Artists: Jeremy Gregory, Diane Hansen, Ed Kroupa

UW-T Grassy Areas: Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny was a phrase that justified the territorial expansion of the United States as if it were a divine sanction. A series of markers reminiscent of the Northern Pacific Railroad signs act as a historical timeline of Tacoma, starting in 1870, three years before Tacoma was designated as the western terminus for the transcontinental railroad. A stepping-stone begins the journey and the subsequent signs track the growing population of the city over 140 years at intervals that represent the largest jumps in population. Artists: Maria Meneses, Nicholas Nyland, Elise Richman

Temporal Terminus: Marking the Line temporary public art exhibit will dot the downtown Tacoma landscape through Nov. 30, 2011. A map of the public art exhibit can be found here.

LINK: More Temporal Terminus opening day photos

Tacoma is a living, breathing example of the powerful positive impact art can have on a community. So it's not surprising to see Saturday bringing an event at Tacoma Art Place simply known as Community Art Day. And the title pretty much says it all. Expect workshops, demonstrations and family fun all day, and all for free. There's a raffle and silent auction too! The Weekly Volcano is a proud sponsor of Community Art Day.

All day

Plein Air Drawing: Large easels under a tent outside all day long for anyone who wants to draw.

Pin Design: Bring your own objects (old earrings, a small odd object, small handmade pieces) or use TAP supplies and leave with a wearable piece of art.

Clay Medallions: Learn to work with clay and how to use glazes.

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Community Scarf Project: Knit a few rows on the community scarf.

Clay Orchid Pot Demo ...

Quilting demonstration: See how fabric scraps become a useful work of art.

Kid's Corner with Lori: Origami, paper collage and glitter galore.

Noon to 5 p.m.

Digitally-altered Portraits: Selma will take your picture and give you an opportunity to pick the background. The photos will be printed later for pick up at TAP.

2-6 p.m.

Pot Throwing: Susan will show you how to use the wheel

[Tacoma Art Place, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., free, 1116 S. 11^th St., Tacoma, 253.238.1006]

ONE CITY. 30 DAYS. WHAT WILL YOU DO? >>>
 
November 2011 marks the 10th anniversary of Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month. There is something for everyone to enjoy throughout the month: lectures, music, dance performances, readings, workshops, theater performances, visual art exhibits and more.

Here are today's highlights:

TUESDAY FILM SERIES: The Grand Cinema yanks a worth film from the archives and fill your popcorn bucket every Tuesday. Today, The Grand screens Green Fire, a documentary about the life and legacy of conservationist Aldo Leopold, who helped develop modern, scientifically-based wildlife management. Sink in a seat at 1:45 and 6:30 p.m. today.

REGENCY CONCERT SERIES: The Regency String Quartet performs at 8 p.m. inside Lagerquist Concert Hall on the Pacific Lutheran University campus. Admission is $3-$8.

VICTORY MUSIC OPEN MIC: Yea, like you're going to have an arts month and not include one of the longest running open mics in the state. Victory Music pulls out the microphones from 7-10 p.m. inside the Antique Sandwich Company.

PLUS: Classical Tuesdays concert and Cat Grey Tuesdays listed in our 5 Things To Do Today

LINK: Art at Work 2011 feature story

ART AT WORK MONTH >>>

Last night during the Art at Work Opening Party at the Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Arts Commission Board of Commissioners Chair Sarah Idstrom and Vice Chair Traci Kelly spent several minutes listing all the accomplishments of the 2011 AMOCAT Arts Award for "Community Outreach by an Artist" winner Stella Haioulani, which included filmmaker, DJ, poet and, of course, founder of Free Ya Mind and its popular last Friday open mic.

Haioulani's introduction seemed to go one forever, longer than the introductions of her fellow accomplished AMOCAT winners: Candi Hall of D.A.S.H. ("Community Outreach by an Organization"), MaryAnn Anderson with The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation ("Arts Patron") and David Fischer of the Broadway Center ("Arts Leadership"). You may read all the accomplishments of the AMOCAT Arts Award winners here.

Then Haioulani stood at the podium with her award - happy, humble and down to earth like most of the folks that make up Tacoma arts scene - and read a poem SHE WROTE THAT MORNING about what AMOCAT meant to her.

To hear her poetic words, click the audio player above (click here if you can't see it, or dowload it here).

To see a few photos from last night's ceremony, click here.

LINK: Art At Work Tacoma Studio Tours Nov. 5-6

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS LIKES TACOMA >>>

The National Endowment for the Arts has come clean with $10,000 for the Tacoma's Arts Commission's über awesome Art at Work program. Securing the money on its first effort (nice!), the Commission will have a bit more cash to make next year's Art at Work – its 10^th anniversary of the month-long arts extravaganza – more awesome. Here's the press release:

Read more...

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COMMUNITY ART DAY TOMORROW >>>

The Tacoma Arts Commission's Art at Work month has been raising awareness of the city's cultural offerings among natives and visitors alike since the beginning of this month. "It's amazing to me how many people living here don't really know about Third Thursday Artwalk," points out Speakeasy Arts Cooperative Director Angela Jossy as we toured galleries and businesses last night on the Art Bus, adding that anyone who hasn't experienced the Tacoma Artwalk is truly missing out on a cool urban experience.

That's the issue the Tacoma Arts Commission aims to change. Bringing awareness to Third Thursday Artwalk as well as the Tacoma Studio Tours, the Arts Symposium weekend, Art Slam, and hundreds of arts, musical and educational events is the main objective of Art at Work month. The month-long arts focus is a way of saying, "Stop your moaning, Tacoma: Here's what you've been missing!"

To that end, one of the coolest annual events during Art at Work month goes down this Saturday on Hilltop Tacoma. Tacoma Art Place, the non-profit art center that provides creative types access to affordable equipment and training, hosts its annual Community Art Day Nov. 20 - an offering free to the community. The no cost workshops include:

• 10.m. to 1 p.m.: card making and printing
• 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: rip art with Linnea Granryd
• 1:30-4:30 p.m.: 3-D weaving with video tape

That's just a sample of the workshops available this Saturday. Keep an eye on TAP's website for additions. Also, all supplies will be provided.

Besides the awesome free workshops, TAP will host an hourly raffle with such prizes as annual TAP memberships, TAP T-shirts and free admission to future TAP classes. Also, a silent auction will run throughout the day with the opportunity to bid on a three-course dinner for two at Pacific Grill; a print by artist Michaela Eaves; a one-of-a-kind purse by fiber artist Bo Chambers; spa services from Electraspa and more.

Community Art Day

Saturday, Nov. 20, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., free
Tacoma Art Place
1116 S. 11^th, Tacoma
253.238.1006

THURSDAY, NOV. 18>>>

1. Just when you thought the farmers market season had faded to an end, the Tacoma Farmers Market and Multicare Health System come to the rescue with an official Pre-Thanksgiving Farmers Market this Thursday from noon to 5 p.m. at South Fourth and I Street in Tacoma. According to hype, 15 vendors will be dealing in most of the tasty, fresh, local stuff you've come to expect from the Tacoma Farmers Market, while live performers dabble in folk and bluegrass action.

2. It's the one-year anniversary of Tacoma Metal Arts Center - and they're having a party! Everyone is invited to catch jewelry demonstrations, munch on food, sip beverages, and revel at all the goodness Tacoma Metal Arts Center has to offer. Expect hands-on activities from 4-7 p.m., and an artist reception from 5-8 p.m.

3. Like a good throttling to kick off your weekend? Start tonight at Hell's Kitchen - where Tacoma punks the Americommies will no doubt engage in all sorts of blasphemy ... to the delight of all in attendance.

4. The Tacoma Weavers Guild is celebrating 75 years of existence this year - something you're aware of if you've recently visited the downtown Tacoma Public Library's Handforth Gallery - where "The Art of Weaving" is currently on display, or the library's Northwest Room, where there's a historical display to commemorate the Guild's impressive achievement. Tonight, as part of Art Walk, there's an opening reception for both displays. Expect weavers aplenty.

5. That reminds us! Let us not forget it's Third Thursday Art Walk today in Tacoma. There are numerous sights to see and experiences to be had throughout the City of Destiny this evening. In case you're new at this, here's a decent place to start.

FRIDAY, NOV. 12, 2010 >>>

1. This one's so big they're literally going to shut down the street in front of the Capitol Theater. Help launch the 27th Annual Olympia Film Festival in style beginning at 5 p.m. at its Opening Night Gala. Acrobats, artists, dancers, freaks, psychics and geeks are promised - along with the unmatchable Romanteek and a showing of Fritz Lang's ultra-classic Metropolis. It's going to rule. Trust us. And it kicks off nine days of Olympia Film Fest magic.

2. The Tacoma Weavers' Guild celebrates its 75 anniversary with a huge textile show opening today inside Handforth Gallery and historical displays in the Northwest Room - both at the Tacoma Public Library Main Branch from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. What originated around campfires hundreds and thousands of years ago lives on as an important art form. And the Tacoma Weavers' Guild's show isn't just for weavers. It's really for anyone that loves fiber. And we're not talking about Wheaties, folks.

3. Poet Jody Zorgdrager will take the spotlight at 7 p.m. for the monthly Distinguished Writer Series gathering inside King's Books. After Zorgdrager demonstrates why she's been published in numerous journals, the floor opens up for everyone to lay some words down.

4. Comedian Geoff Lott performs at 8:30 pm. inside the Big Whisky Saloon as part of the Tacoma Comedy Underground show.

5. Rare Groove, a night of intelligent soul, funk, jazz and rare grooves spun by DJs Bobby Galaxy and dAb every second Friday of the month, kicks off at 9 p.m. inside the Tempest Lounge.

LINK: The Furniture Series dance performance is in The Weekend Hustle

LINK: Tacoma Art at Work events

LINK: Concerts go on sale today

LINK: New movies open today

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

THURSDAY, NOV. 11, 2010 >>>

1. If you can't say it in 6 minutes and 40 seconds, don't say it at all. That's the theory behind Pecha Kucha, a sort of mini lecture series that started in 2003 when Tokyo architects invented it to make their PowerPoint presentations less dreadful. Tacoma's version of Pecha Kucha Night - volume 8 - hits the Harmon Taproom at 5:30 p.m. featuring some of PK's favorite past presenters. Michael Sullivan, Derek Lunde, Michael Stoddard, Antonio Edwards, Jeremy Gregory, Kris Crews, Patricia Lecy-Davis and Geoff Weeg.

2. The Tacoma Freedom Fair Patriotic Pizza Party to raise funds for the Fourth of July celebration runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Round Table Pizza locations in Tacoma and University Place. The Round Table franchises are a big supporter and has committed a large percent of today's sales to support next year's Freedom Fair.

3. As in conjunction with their Street Botany show, Maria Jost and Bobby Smith will discuss their art and ecology in reference to, and possibly inside, their recently installed geodesic dome interpretive center at 6 p.m. inside Fulcrum Gallery.

4. Chandler O'Leary is kind of infatuated with Mt. Rainier - and this is a good thing. For one, it resulted in Local Conditions, O'Leary's interactive book. With 120 image flats and a viewing box, Local Conditions allows readers to literally create millions of Rainier-related scenes. From 7-9 p.m. O'Leary will chat about her work and love of the mountain in Room 020 in the Collins Memorial Library's basement.

5. DJ Toner spins vintage rock and soul beginning at 8 p.m. inside The Brotherhood Lounge in Olympia.

LINK: It's Art at Work month!

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

ENJOYING ART AT WORK MONTH IN THE DARK >>>

As of this posting, only 20 days remain of Art At Work, which has Tacoma cramming its every cranny with arts-related activities throughout November - which includes film. You will find something watchable among the eclectic batch of films planned for the coming weeks.

Maybe future literary historians will dub the last decade "Harry Potter Era." Sorcerer's Stone came out in 2001, and next summer's Deathly Hollows: Part Two closes out the monolithic franchise. Until then, HP fans can unite (hopefully in costume) at the Moore Library this Saturday Nov. 13, 1-4 p.m., for a free Half-Blood screening [place clever inside joke here].

Hitchcock always finds his way back to our town; eventually we all reacquaint ourselves with his films. Vertigo may have puzzled critics and fans upon its 1958 release, but today this deeply moving film about desire and identity ranks among the director's masterworks, and for me one of the greatest films. It plays at 3 p.m. Nov. 14 in Broadway Center's Theatre on the Square.

Last month the History Museum began a new series, Community Cinema Tacoma, making it one of only 75 venues in the country screening diverse documentaries before they air on PBS's acclaimed Independent Lens. Deep Down's tale of a Kentucky community in schism over a coal mine has "universal applications," says public programs curator Susan Rohrer. She looks forward to a good turnout at 6 p.m. Nov. 18 for Deep Down.

On Nov. 20, The Grand Cinema continues its long-running Click! Family Flick program. This month's free installment is 2004's star-studded feature Shark Tale. Take the kids and show them Scorsese voicing a fish with massive digital eyebrows. It begins at 10:30 a.m.

Thirty-five years ago a film called The Sound of Music forever changed our views on singing nuns. About his ebullient costar Christopher Plummer commented: "Working with [Julie Andrews] is like being hit over the head by a Valentine's Day card." Yes, Nov. 27's Sing-Along at the Pantages will be unbearably saccharine, but how else can do you expect us to fend off National Socialism without deploying dance and three-part harmony? It begins at 3 p.m. followed by the downtown tree lighting at 6.

LINK: More Tacoma Art at Work events