Tacoma Murals Part 2: City of Paint + Dozens of Photos

By Kelli Jo Hjalseth
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09 Jan, 2019
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In our earlier story about Tacoma's fading murals, we discussed how the importance of murals stretches far beyond simply gussying up buildings that might otherwise fade into the landscape. Murals have the ability to keep history alive, memorialize important events, and unite communities in a particularly tangible way to keep their neighborhoods maintained and thriving. Transforming a disused wall – a nearly invisible pocket of a city's makeup – into a vibrant and positive focal point has proven to be a fun, expressive way to encourage citizens to be invested in their neighborhoods.

*A mural on the side of Hilltop's People's Community Center loosely commemorates the neighborhood's African American History.*

*In 1977, Malcolm X Center was renamed People's Community Center.*

Back in 2010, the City of Tacoma implemented the Tacoma Murals Project, which aimed to create a consistent and professional avenue for this art to decorate the town. Amy McBride, Arts Administrator for the City of Tacoma, recently spoke with us about the development of the Tacoma MuralsProject, which has since produced dozens of evocative works in our fine city.

*Mindy Barker's "Yes" mural on Tacoma Ave. and South 17th. street is a lovely message of positivity. Every winter Solstice (December 21st), locals gather here to watch the sunrise over Mt. Rainier.*

“It started back when Eric Anderson was the city manager,” says McBride. “He was asking us to look for some creative solutions to our civic issues, in general. Murals had already been happening in town, but there was always a couple issues. One, we wanted to be sure we had artists who were trained and capable of painting murals, because it's kind of a different animal; you might be a good painter, but that doesn't mean you know how to paint on scale or use the right materials or make sure it lasts. So, we wanted to train artists and give them access to different opportunities.”

Since its inception, the Tacoma Murals Project has enlisted a deep roster of artists, including local arts mainstays like Jeremy Gregory, Chris Sharp, Bob Henry, Christopher Paul Jordan, and Maria Jost, plus another dozen or two. As McBride says, these are established visual artists who've been trained to make sure that their designs can stand the test of time and read well on a very large canvass. A year or two ago, artist Mindy Barker had a mural of hers defaced, but it was able to be repaired, thanks to the application of anti-graffiti coating and the motivation of folks who wanted to see the painting restored.

*An elegant mural depicting dancing cranes and spying crows adorns the side of a building on St. Helens Avenue in Downtown Tacoma.*

“We wanted to partner with communities to reclaim walls that were either blighted, ignored or vandalized and use murals as a way to address that issue, and also to get artwork in more areas that didn't have any,” says McBride. “Community members identify buildings that they would submit to us, then we partner them with an artist that will work with the community to come up with something that represents the values of both the community and the style of the artist. It can be tricky, because sometimes people will have a particular image or subject that they'd like to see painted, and it's up to the artist and the community to work together to come up with something that fits everyone's needs. We also wanted to make sure that we had a diversity of people and a diversity of works, because the more representation you have of different artwork, the more there is for everyone to appreciate.”

*The Dome District is home to Chris Sharp's whimsical floating umbrella mural. It provides a perfect photo backdrop for Instagrammers to do Mary Poppins impersonations.*

Once the Tacoma Murals Project got up and running, they found that they were able to produce an astonishing five to seven pieces a year, each representing the sensibilities of not only the artists, but the communities they were serving. In 2015, the Tacoma Murals Project developed an extension in the form of the Traffic Box Wrap Project, which decorated those unsightly necessities of public infrastructure that line streets and crowd the areas by crosswalks. Like the murals, artists were given largely free reign to express themselves, resulting in a variety of styles and voices reflected in the art that now adorns what were once drab traffic boxes.

In 2010, Jeremy Gregory and his team painted this imagination inspiring mural on an abandoned building at 23rd. and MLK in Hilltop. It is a lovely celebration of neighborhood and the wonderment of youth.

McBride doesn't play favorites with this art, but she does mention one mural by Jeremy Gregory, dedicated in the first year of the program. Located on 21st St. and MLK Jr. Way, the piece showcases a beautiful little girl laying in a verdant field, surrounded by bustling life. Like Bob Henry's fading mural discussed in our last story, this one features depictions of Hilltop community leaders: Reverend Ivory Crittendon and Morris “Mr. Mac” McCollum, handing out books and toys to clamoring children.

“It was a very fun, delightful way to reflect the community that I don't think anyone had really thought of before,” says McBride. “That one has a soft spot in my heart.

*A mural on the side of McKinley's VFW Hall, celebrates the men and women who have served our country.*

“One thing that we noticed when we first started the program, is that some of those empty spaced don't really have an ownership by anybody, which is why they are ignored and look crappy,” adds McBride. “Now, we've noticed, in the places where there are murals, other artwork starting to pop up. People will say, 'OK, murals are great, but now we'd like a public sculpture, or other piece of art.'”

"If the book of life were opened would you be in it?," asks the comical mural on the side of Stadium District's King's Books. It's a fun depiction that perfectly captures the story seeking feeling that being in a bookstore inspires.

While programs like the Tacoma Murals Project have existed and thrived in other cities around the country, like Philadelphia, San Francisco, and even Seattle, Tacoma doesn't necessarily have as much money to throw around in keeping such a program alive. Recent changes to how money for the arts is doled out and allocated have made it official: the Tacoma Murals Project, as we know it, is on indefinite hiatus, with no murals being created for 2019.

“It's not an open program right now, as we no longer have the funding for it,” says McBride. “That said, we still have the roster of artists, so if the community wants a mural, they can hire these artists directly.”

It's an absolute shame to lose a tangibly valuable and constructive program like the Tacoma Murals Project, but it's an unfortunate fact that those invested in public arts frequently have to fight uphill battles. McBride notes that Spaceworks Tacoma has a program for temporary murals, but there's no current organization providing the kind of long-lasting impact that the Tacoma Murals Project did.

Up and comer, Tiffany Hammonds recently painted an exciting and well-designed mural on the entrance of the old Key Bank building on 11th street in Hilltop. The building currently houses Fab-5's Fabitat, a youth-focused project that has been fostering creative minds in Tacoma's Hilltop for nearly 20 years.

While it's true that those artists on the roster of muralists are still able to provide their services, the financial backing of the city disappearing will make it harder for these works to come to fruition. With any luck, this will be a minor setback in the story of the Tacoma Murals Project, but in the meantime, we suggest you get out there and take in some of the phenomenal art that's been created for our city in the past few years.