Cooperative studio to open

Photo by Meghan Erkkinen

COOPERATIVE ART. Local photographer Chip Van Gilder donated an entire darkroom’s worth of photography equipment to Tacoma Art Place, a new location for artists to use equipment, network and take classes for a minimal cost.

A space is opening up Nov. 3 for all Tacoma artists – even those who can't afford their own kilns and enlargers.

Tacoma Art Place, located on the corner of Martin Luther King, Jr. Way and South 11th Street, is a new non-profit organization looking to benefit local artists.

Founder Linda Danforth hopes the place becomes a destination for artists to practice their craft as well as to network and learn.

"The mission is to provide affordable art equipment to the community," Danforth said, adding that she hoped the place would become like a cooperative art studio.

"Not everybody needs to own everything," she said.

For an annual membership of $48 – only $4 a month – artists can take advantage of the facility and art equipment as often as they like. The price is even less expensive for some people.

Danforth got the idea for Tacoma Art Place from a trip she took last summer to Mali. There, she noted that women would go to places and pay a certain fee to use equipment they couldn't afford on their own, such as sewing machines. The use of this equipment would allow the Malian women to not only make clothing for their families, but to make items to sell as well.

When she returned to the United States, Danforth, who has opened two other working spaces for artists, decided to open Tacoma Art Place based on the same ideas as the cooperatives in Mali.

She searched for six months to find a perfect place and found one in the location of the former Friday's Cookies facility. The location had sprinklers – which Danforth said was necessary for the place to have a kiln – as well as concrete walls and flooring.

"It was just the best spot," Danforth said, noting that it was also a location very central to the Tacoma art community. "There's going to be some really great synergy" with other art venues, and the location also makes it a potential ArtWalk stop, she added.

The front room will be used for art classes that will be taught by local artists, Danforth said. The larger back room will have several working spaces for different art media, from painting to ceramics. There will also be a fully-equipped photography dark room.

All of the equipment has been donated by community members or purchased by Tacoma Art Place volunteers.

"It really has been amazing, the community support," Danforth said.

Eowyn Grubbs, a local artist who said she dabbles in various art forms, donated an easel that was made by her uncle for her grandmother, also an artist. Grubbs received the easel when her grandmother moved into a retirement community. She has since dragged the easel from place to place but has never found room to use it. She first heard about Tacoma Art Place on its Myspace page.

"As soon as I read about this project, I was totally excited about it," said Grubbs, who will be applying for a membership to Tacoma Art Place. "Now I'll actually be able to use it (my easel)."

Local photographer Chip Van Gilder donated photography equipment to the project.

"Digital is truly the commercial direction to go," Van Gilder said. "It is a step forward. But (at Tacoma Art Place) they can choose [film photography] as an art form."

Tacoma Art Place is still accepting donations of equipment, supplies and money. Danforth also said she is looking for volunteers to work four-hour shifts at the location, as well as people to serve on the board of directors and several committees. She is looking for people to help with outreach, development and partnership building. Tacoma Art Place is supported 100 percent by volunteers, Danforth said. All donations are tax-deductible.

Memberships take effect Dec. 1. Tacoma Art Place will be open Wednesday-Friday, 1-8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Those interested in volunteering or becoming a member may call Tacoma Art Place at (253) 238-1006 or e-mail . Visit tacomaartplace.org for more information.

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