MEDIA RELEASE October 3, 2013 Media Contact: Lisa Terry, Public Relations and Communications Manager, 253.272.4258 x3047, LTerry@TacomaArtMuseum.org <mailto:lmckeown@TacomaArtMuseum.org> October and November Events and Programs at Tacoma Art Museum SPECIAL OFFERS Tacoma Museum Pass Spend a day in Tacoma's Museum District in the heart of downtown Tacoma. Connected by the Chihuly Bridge of Glass, Museum of Glass, Washington State History Museum, and Tacoma Art Museum are all within easy walking distance of one another. Enjoy all three museums with one discounted ticket any day of the week! Adults, $25; Military/Senior/Student, $20. Click here to learn more about the Tacoma Museum District. <http://tacomamuseumdistrict.org/> Museums on Us® First Weekend of Every Month, October 5-6 and November 2-3 Bank of America bankcard holders and employees receive free admission the first weekend of every month as part of Bank of America's national Museums on Us program. Visit museums.bankofamerica.com <http://museums.bankofamerica.com/> for details. PROGRAMS Educator Evening at the Museum Hosted by Washington State History Museum Thursday, October 3, Open House, 5:30-8:30 pm Explore the educational resources of Tacoma Art Museum and more than 20 other Pierce County arts, culture, and science organizations during this free annual event. Visit www.WashingtonHistory.org <file:///\\TAM-FS2\SHARED\Communications\Public%20Relations\FY14%20Releases\General\www.washingtonhistory.org> to learn more or to RSVP. Beauty of Watercolor Saturday, October 5, 10 am-1 pm Celebrate Austere Beauty: The Art of Z. Vanessa Helder by experimenting with watercolor and creating your own art that is inspired by her work. Cost: $35 ($25 for members) This workshop is open to the public. Teachers can earn four clock hours by attending the three-hour workshop and the following one-hour lecture about the art of Z. Vanessa Helder at 2 pm. Click here for tickets <https://ticketing.tacomaartmuseum.org/public/show.asp?shcode=365> The Women of the WPA Federal Art Project Saturday, October 5, 2 pm The Federal Art Project in Washington State under the Works Progress Administration (WPA) supported the work of many artists during the economic depression of the 1930s. It particularly offered women artists new opportunities to pursue professional careers in the arts. Learn more about the women such as Z. Vanessa Helder who played integral parts in the WPA program in the Northwest and elsewhere. Join curator Margaret Bullock as she explores the impact of the federal program on their lives and careers. Cost: $15 ($10 for members, $5 for students). Click here for tickets <https://ticketing.tacomaartmuseum.org/public/show.asp?shcode=369> Artist Lecture: Steve Davis Saturday, October 12, 1:30 pm Join us as nationally recognized photographer Steve Davis shares his motivation and personal insights about his work. He'll explain why he chose to work with portraits and how he selects his subject matter. You'll also learn about the portraits in his Captured Youth series that are featured in Sitting for History: Exploring Self-Identity through Portraiture. Cost: $15 ($10 for members, $5 for students). Click here for tickets <https://ticketing.tacomaartmuseum.org/public/show.asp?shcode=370> Show us Your Identity: Create a Mask Third Thursday Activity Third Thursday, October 17, 5-8 pm Create a mask showcasing your identity as we gear up for Halloween. While you create your mask, learn about Jet City Comic Show and Día de los Muertos. Cost: Free as part of Third Thursday. University of Puget Sound Presents: Art + Sci Salon Third Thursday, October 17, 6-8 pm See Pecha Kucha Presentations featuring five artists and five scientists each speaking for five minutes. After the presentation join in the conversation and enjoy a light snack. Theme will be the elements fire, water, earth, and air. Cost: Free as part of Third Thursday. The Architecture of Z. Vanessa Helder Third Thursday, October 17, 5 pm Learn about the region's changing architecture trends that transpired during the life and work of Z. Vanessa Helder. Witness how the cities and buildings have changed from the 1930s to today. Michael Sullivan and Andrew Cox will present Recaptured City. By viewing these images of the past that have been carefully recomposed with photographs of the present you'll see how Tacoma has achieved its current appearance. Hear about the politics, economics, environment, and cultural advances that affected the Northwest's most functional art. Cost: Free for Third Thursday. Día de los Muertos Exhibition Installation Sunday, October 20, 10 am-5 pm Help us welcome Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) to Tacoma Art Museum for the ninth consecutive year. Observe or participate while school and community groups and individuals install thematic altars that honor loved ones and raise social awareness. Cost: Free with museum admission. South Sound Wedding Workshop Thursday, October 24, 6-8 pm Plan your day, your way! Learn cost-saving and time-saving tips from wedding professionals who have worked with hundreds of engaged couples on their weddings. Meet skilled wedding professionals who will answer your questions. Sample delicious appetizers. Engaged couples are invited along with their families and wedding parties. Cost: Free Día de los Muertos Free Community Festival Sunday, November 3, 10 am-4 pm For the ninth consecutive year, join thousands of your friends and neighbors to celebrate Day of the Dead at Tacoma Art Museum with art-making, performances, and exhibitions of a tapete (sand painting) and community altars as we honor the cycle of life. Cost: Museum admission free. Beginning Bonsai workshop Saturday, November 16, 11 am Learn the art of Bonsai care. With the help of an expert you will learn all the techniques and tips to caring for the beautiful and wonderfully artistic plants. Cost: $75 ($65 for members), includes supplies and Bonsai tree. This workshop is open to the public. Teachers can earn three clock hours for attending this workshop. Click here for tickets <https://ticketing.tacomaartmuseum.org/public/show.asp?shcode=372> Artist Lecture: Jennifer Steinkamp Saturday, November 16, 1:30 pm Internationally recognized artist Jennifer Steinkamp speaks about her work in digital art. Join Tacoma Art Museum as the artist explains how her imagery has evolved and describes her inspiration for the pieces she creates. Cost: $15 ($10 for members, $5 for students). Click here for tickets <https://ticketing.tacomaartmuseum.org/public/show.asp?shcode=371> University of Puget Sound Presents: Art + Sci Salon Third Thursday, November 21, 6-8pm Art Science salons look into the intersection of the Arts, the Sciences, and all the interdisciplinary conversations that emerge from that niche. We hope to foster collaborations and cultivate innovative ideas by bringing together people from these "diverse" areas. Cost: Free as part of Third Thursday. Franke Tobey Jones Senior Art Show Reception Third Thursday, November 21, 5:30 pm Come enjoy the latest installation in the Community Art Space. Meet many of the artists involved in the Senior Art Show and learn more about Franke Tobey Jones. While on the Third Floor, visit the Open Art Studio and take part in a free art-making activity. Cost: Free for Third Thursday. Franciscan Polar Plaza Friday, November 22, 2013-January 12, 2014 Join us for art, ice, and everything nice this winter when the Franciscan Polar Plaza comes to downtown Tacoma for its third year of holiday ice skating. There will be live music every Saturday night from 7 to 9 pm, an appearance by the Seattle Thunderbirds on Sunday, November 24, and more! Click here <http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/Page.aspx?cid=9292> for hours and more information. EXHIBITIONS Creating the New Northwest: Selections from the Herb and Lucy Pruzan Collection <http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/Page.aspx?nid=116> CLOSING THIS WEEKEND! On view through October 6, 2013 The art collection that traces the rapid evolution of Northwest art began in 1958 with the purchase of one oil painting that Herb and Lucy Pruzan selected to help make their first apartment feel more like a home. In the years that have followed, the Pruzans have built a distinguished art collection that reflects the advancement of artistic excellence in the Pacific Northwest. Creating the New Northwest: Selections from the Herb and Lucy Pruzan Collection includes more than 100 works in all media by some of our most beloved regional artists, such as William Cumming, Gaylen Hansen, Paul Havas, William Ivey, Fay Jones, James Martin, Alden Mason, Ginny Ruffner, Preston Singletary, Akio Takamori, and more. Austere Beauty: The Art of Z. Vanessa Helder <http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/Page.aspx?nid=116> On view through October 20, 2013 Startlingly rich hues and sharply focused images welcome you to Austere Beauty as we rediscover Z. Vanessa Helder's work and unique personality. A masterful watercolorist born and raised in the Northwest, Helder was a critically acclaimed, nationally recognized artist whose name and artworks have all but been forgotten-until now. Sitting for History: Exploring Self-Identity through Portraiture <http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/Page.aspx?nid=116> On view through January 12, 2014 Portraiture has come a long way. Once reserved as a privilege for the upper class, portraits are now just a camera phone and Facebook upload away. Sitting for History delves into this shift and examines how our use of portraiture has drastically changed over the years. Visitors can sit at a drawing table in the gallery and sketch their own portraits or those of friends and family with the help of a mirror and frame attached to the table. Chihuly: Gifts from the Artist <http://www.tacomaartmuseum.org/Page.aspx?nid=145> Open for extended exhibition Tacoma Art Museum's extensive permanent collection of artwork by world-renowned glass artist and Tacoma-native Dale Chihuly is in a gallery of its own. Tacoma boasts more installations of Chihuly's artwork than any other city in the world. Optic Nerve: The Art of Perception November 2, 2013-April 20, 2014 Encounter pulsating patterns, eye-dazzling colors, and disorienting forms and try a whole new way of seeing in Optic Nerve. The artists featured in the exhibition hope to trick the viewer's mind or confuse their eye so that they experience art in unexpected ways. These artworks are designed to heighten awareness of the physical and mental acts of looking at art, inviting viewers to consciously rather than passively participate in the interaction. Shimmering Tree: A Projection by Jennifer Steinkamp November 9, 2013-January 26, 2014 Jennifer Steinkamp is a nationally recognized artist working in digital media. This much anticipated exhibition presents Mike Kelley, an homage to the artist's friend and mentor and a meditation on the themes of cycle and change. The work is exclusively context-sensitive, and the artist reconsiders the work for each installation space. ### HOURS - Wednesdays-Sundays 10 am-5 pm, Third Thursdays 10 am-8 pm ADMISSION - Adult $10, Student/Military/Senior (65+) $8, Family $25 (2 adults and up to 4 children under 18). Children 5 and under free. Third Thursdays free from 5-8 pm. Members always free. CONTACT - 253.272.4258, www.TacomaArtMuseum.org <file:///C:\Users\lmckeown\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary%20Internet%20Files\Content.Outlook\pkeleman\Local%20Settings\Temporary%20Internet%20Files\FY09%20Releases\General\www.TacomaArtMuseum.org> , info@TacomaArtMuseum.org <file:///C:\Users\lmckeown\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary%20Internet%20Files\Content.Outlook\pkeleman\Local%20Settings\Temporary%20Internet%20Files\FY09%20Releases\General\info@TacomaArtMuseum.org>