RON SWARNER: STORY BEHIND STORYTALE >>>

Maria Jost, among many other traits, is known around Tacoma for being wicked smart, fun, adventurous and her contribution to The Helm’s Juried Show back in March. Remember her tree silhouettes and body part collage combinations illustrating the biological connection that all living things share? So beautiful. So cool.

Jost has a new solo show, Storytale, hanging at the Black Water Café through October. This show is inspired by her tree silhouettes, except reversing the concept â€" body parts with elements (leaves, waves) as the collage treatment. 

The body parts?

Faces. Beautiful, eerie, wonderful faces.

“The show took me three months to complete,” explained Jost at the opening Friday inside the Black Water. “I studied faces for all angles â€" maybe too long â€" as I had to power through the work at the end to make the show opening.”

The rush doesn’t show.

The 12 collage-infused ink and watercolor paintings are, as she claims, “open to viewer interpretation and embellishment.” I recognized a few faces â€" both on the wall and during her packed opening night party.

“The project consumed my life,” adds Jost. “But I’m extremely please with the results.”

You will be, too.

[Black Water Café, Storytale, through Oct. 31, 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, 747 Fawcett Ave., Tacoma, 253.404.0000]

LINK: ViVA South Sound arts and entertainment calendar