UPDATE: This is one for the books.

Artist Cheryl Rux just told me that the Tacoma Gets Smashed exhibit and benefit is canceled ... because all the piñatas are now smashed evidence.

"Unfortunately, the SMASH benefit for EMPTY BOWLS scheduled for March 27th has been cancelled. Why?? Because at a little after 1 a.m., a crazed drunk woman threw all the piñatas out of the gallery and into the street. She then stomped each piñata to shreds. Then the police arrived," explains Rux.

"We would have raised $400-$500 for our local charities, so we feel that this was a success on many levels and we plan to rebuild next year."

Wow. I need Matt Driscoll back from SXSW to have his Ragnet team write this up.

The original post is after the jump.

UPCOMING POUNDING AT PEABODY >>>

I dropped by the Peabody Waldorf Gallery next to Sanford and Son last night during Third Thursday Artwalk to check out the Tacoma icon piñatas created by local artists Cheryl Rux and Nichole Vandever. The two artists created seven piñatas that they claim were not represented in the Icons of Washington History exhibit at the Washington State History Museum. Rux, who has been creating piñatas for 12 years, took me through the tiny tour of Tacoma: Tap Handle sponsored by the Parkway Tavern, 8-Ball sponsored by Tandom Billiards, a seagull with a Frisko Freeze wrapper in its mouth, the Heidelberg water tower, Tacoma Dome, a tire headed for a pothole and an impressive peacock.

The Tacoma Gets Smashed! exhibit is raising money for local charities including My Sister's Pantry, Washington's Fallen Heroes, Paint Tacoma Beautiful, Tacoma Rescue Mission, Dugan Foundation, MS Walk and United Way. Visitors to the gallery last night bid on the opportunity to smash the piñatas at a special party Saturday, March 27 in the Peabody Waldorf Gallery's backroom. The party will benefit the Empty Bowls Project. Actually, Heidelberg water tower wasn't being bid on last night. The right to smash it will be auctioned off the night of March 27.

The piñatas are on display at the gallery through March 27. For more information on the special party, call Rux at 253.224.6879.

[Peabody Waldorf Gallery, 745 South Broadway, Tacoma, 253.224.6879]

LINK: More photos of the piñatas