BOBBLE TIKI: ALLEZ ART! >>>

While Bobble Tiki’s television watching habits are usually frowned upon here at Weekly Volcano World Headquarters (something about “4 hours of TV a day being bad for you,” or some crap like that), in this instance it proves a blessing. When the Tacoma Art Museum called and asked us to help spread the word about the upcoming Iron Artist Competition â€" which is part of TAM’s A Midsummer’s Night Community Festival on Friday, Aug 8, and will coincide with Showcase Tacoma â€" Bobble Tiki instantly got the reference. Others at the office, not as familiar with the Food Network or Iron Chef Mario Batali’s masterful work, weren’t as quick to get it.

That makes Bobble Tiki the perfect candidate to sound the alarm.

Organized much like the Iron Chef television program, TAM’s Iron Artist Challenge puts local artists in a timed, toe-to-toe art smack down â€" giving all contestants an hour and a pile of surprise material â€" then waiting to see what happens. At the end of that hour, the new “works of art” are displayed to all on hand, and popular vote determines the winner. May the best artist prevail and fun had by all.

Naturally, space is limited and only so many artists can compete. However, TAM’s Public Relations Coordinator Alyssa Rosso tells Bobble Tiki that, as of right now, there’s still room and still time to sign up and compete. Applications can be downloaded here. The deadline to apply is Aug. 1.

While everyone enjoys the thrill of victory â€" even artists â€" the Iron Artists Challenge will only be intensified by its surroundings on Friday, Aug 8. Hordes of people should be downtown anyway â€" thanks to TAM’s A Midsummer’s Night Community Festival and (of course) Showcase Tacoma â€" and the eyes of those hordes will all have a chance to judge the competitions work. That’s a lot of pressure, and a lot of exposure. Throw in a beer garden across the street at Tollefson Plaza, and TAM’s Iron Artists Challenge has the makings of something quite spectacular.

And if we’re lucky maybe something like this will happen again at this year’s Iron Artists Challenge.

From last year’s event, it’s simply known as the “glue gun incident.” 

LINK: Tacoma Art Museum
LINK: Iron Artist Challenge application (pdf)
LINK: Showcase Tacoma
LINK: The Helio Sequence to play Showcase Tacoma