Arts
It's getting bad out there. Museums in New York are trying to sell art to make ends meet. That prompted legislation that would prevent New York cultural institutions from selling art to cover everyday operating costs. Museums call it "deaccession," which usually happens when museums want to buy more
Arts
The Museum of Glass is on John McCain's shit list for receiving stimulus money. Senators Tom Coburn and McCain just issued their third list of what they consider misuse of federal stimulus dollars. The report is called Summertime Blues, "100 stimulus projects that give taxpayers the blues". According to the report, arts
Arts
I love the Art Bus. I love Third Thursday Artwalk. I love our museums and galleries. But I also believe we can do more than put art on display for appreciation and gawking through the bottom of a beer or wine glass. Art has power, or it once did, to
Arts
Art and drugs was a hit in last week's column. Apparently Layne Staley was banging all the way through Mad Season, and people like drugs. And apparently I totally missed the point of a recent request to write about art and drugs. The request, which came from a reader, was
Arts
OK. This wasn't my idea. But somebody asked for it. So you all get it. Drugs and art. Art and drugs. Where do the two meet? I don't know. Better question: What do drugs do to my art? Depends on the drug. Different drugs affect your brain, and your creative
Arts
I usually hate homemade hip-hop videos about how much some unknown rapper loves where he or she comes from. But I got an e-mail the other day from someone who appreciated just such a video. So I watched "253" by local emcee Fice. The video is a testament to the beauty
Arts
So I did it. I saw the Banksy movie at The Grand Cinema. Exit Through the Gift Shop was a work of genius. I think. For those who haven't seen it, the film - which recently ended its run at The Grand - follows the escapades of the indie art world's
Arts
So I've heard the rumors. Tacoma's art scene is in a slump. Some say it's dead. Really? Well, yeah. These aren't common haters. These are longtime supporters of the local art scene. But summer is here. That means a lot of outdoor festivals and hefty events like the upcoming Grit
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So everybody's meditating these days. If you're an artist, you may have experienced great floods of creative energy during those rare stretches of time in which you mustered enough discipline to practice relaxing a bit. If not, you weren't doing it right. The following exercises will help you begin to
Arts
So stress is a creativity killer. If you're one of the folks who believe stress makes your art better, you can just stop reading now. For those of you interested in working hard to be the best artist you can be, I am going to share some secret techniques
Arts
We live in stressful times. And stress is a creativity killer. I'm not talking about the economy or wars or crime. Sure, macro-madness adds to our stress levels - lends a sort of ambient, draining buzz, like the hum of fluorescent lights. But that kind of stress is easy to deal
Arts
Don't buy it. God, I love the irony. Thanks to Megan Barney from UW Tacoma for the tip. Barney, who is either an unnaturally curious and enterprising young woman or the girlfriend of one these cart mongers, sent the Weekly Volcano web monkeys some pictures of images that have been appearing
Arts
When we talk about art, most of us mean visual art - painting, drawing, collage. But we have plenty of that stuff, folks. How about laser art, earth art, air art, sound art or fungus art? What about fiber art? Just kidding. Here's the point - let's mix it up.
Arts
Dear Tacoma. I've spoken to a lot of artists lately who feel a little underappreciated. Well, underappreciated is the wrong word. More like taken advantage of. I know Tacoma sells itself as an arts town. We have several "world class" museums, whatever that means; one hard-working arts council; a few struggling non-profits
Arts
Dear little anarchist wheat pasters. Thank you for your contributions to several local buildings in the vicinity of my home. For those who don't know, wheat pasting is an old art used for centuries in bill-posting and poster-bombing circles. Most of you probably learned how to make wheat paste when you
Arts
Don't despair. There is hope for the artist who wants to sell art without giving up their sovereignty, their uniqueness, their artistic soul. Sure it's true the machine manages to absorb, transform and reproduce every trend, innovation and movement within the aesthetic realm. And yes, there seems to be no
Arts
So, selling art without selling your soul. It's not impossible. But it does require a different approach. A really different approach. Creating art that reflects who you are - your soul's uniqueness and unique expression - is hard these days. We're overwhelmed and overloaded with imagery and sound. Ad chatter and
Arts
What's the saying? Dance with the devil, the devil don't change. He changes you. That's a quote for everyone who is trying to figure out how to sell art with out selling their soul. Good luck. It's becoming clear that the machine - you know what I mean by the
Arts
It's tough out there. Making money is hard for just about everyone, especially artists. If you're among the thousands of artists who still have a day job, consider yourself fortunate. If you're among the thousands of artists who still have a day job and are still broke, consider using some
Arts
So, free money part two. Grant applications. If you've got your artist resume and general shit together, you're ready to apply for a grant or two. First, you need a well-planned idea. That means a series or project that requires the kind of money you'll be asking for. If you have a
