Public Art for Old Town Dock

We wrote this morning that the design process to add restrooms to the Old Town Dock project is listed under this week’s purchase resolution. The project will also include a public art component.

Tacoma resident and artist Chandler O’Leary will be designing a “series of intimate, illustrated pieces that draw the viewer into a playful search around the Old Town Dock space” according to a recent Tacoma Arts interview. According to O’Leary, she plans a number of small pieces depicting life and work around the dock throughout its long history, and into the present day. The small pieces will be scattered, some hidden, some in plain sight, inviting visitors to seek them out. At least one will be visible only to visitors approaching from the water.

If you haven’t heard of the PA:ID program (we hadn’t), it was launched last year. Public Art: In Depth is a free training program from the City for Tacoma artists who have a desire to learn how to translate their current studio practice into the creation of public art.

PA:ID is designed to provide Tacoma artists, who already have a serious studio practice and wish to learn how to develop artwork for the public realm, with the training and experience necessary to be competitive when applying for public art projects locally, regionally and nationally.

If Chandler O’Leary’s name rings a bell, it could be, among other things, because she is one of the artistic minds behind the Tacoma playing cards that have been getting so much buzz lately. But that’s not all; learn more about her at her website: www.anagram-press.com.

The Old Town Dock will remain closed this summer, but with work expected to start this August, and an anticipated end date of June 30, 2013, with any luck it’ll be open in time for the 4th of July next year. Fingers crossed…

Read more on the Old Town Dock public art project from the Tacoma Daily Index.