Tacoma Playing Cards: The Red Deck

Tacoma came out in full force to support the Tacoma Makes Kickstarter for playing cards last year, and we love our oh-so-collectible deck of blue cards decorated with original artwork from local artists.  But wait, now there’s going to be a second deck - a red deck.

The Kickstarter last year was so successful that Tacoma Makes was not only able to produce the original run of # decks, they raised enough to produce # additional decks for sale.  The sale of those blue decks has also been a success, raising enough funds to create a second deck with all new artwork from new artists of new Tacoma locations, icons, and stories.  

The 14 artists invited to be a part of “The Red Deck” are already at work creating the artwork for the new deck, which will feature the same design (with some slight changes) on the box and the back of the cards, this time in red.  Tacoma artists participating include Rick Matthies, Sean Alexander, Karen Doten, Maria Jost, Chuck Knigge, Noah Struthers, Mary Mann, Jeremy Mangan, Stan Shaw, Marit Berg, Betty Ragan, Michaela Eaves, David Boe and Chandler O’Leary.  Chandler O’Leary is the designer of the playing card box and back of the cards as well as the only artist that also participated in the inaugural blue deck of cards.

Co-founders of Tacoma Makes Maija McKnight and Amy McBride are aiming to have the new deck of Tacoma Playing Cards ready some time this October, along with an exhibition and opening celebration to showcase the original artwork.  

So, if your favorite Tacoma locale, artist, or tale didn’t make it into the blue deck, you may still get to see it this time around.  Pre-sales of The Red Deck are available on the Tacoma Makes website, along with a limited pre-order of uncut sheets of the cards, pulled straight off the printing presses before it can be cut into a deck.  Some of the original artwork from the blue deck cards is still available.  Images of the new card artwork will be posted at www.tacomamakes.com and on the Facebook page as they are completed.

We loved the blue deck, and we’re looking forward to loving the red deck - and to seeing what Tacoma images will appear on its cards…  What would you like to see?