ARTS + COMMUNITY = CULTURE >>>

Oliver Doriss is the last light on at the block of 13th Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Way on Hilltop. During his three years running the Fulcrum Gallery there, he's watched other storefronts on the block shut down and projects in the area stall out. But no one stops Doriss. This is largely why the Tacoma Arts Commission recently selected Doriss for the AMOCAT Arts Award for 2010 Community Outreach by an Artist.

"The ways I outreach to my community are a byproduct of what I do. Glass art is a kind of community thing, especially in this area," Doriss says. "There is no separation between arts and community; they are the same thing. Arts plus community equals culture."

If you haven't heard of Doriss, he is a major player in the local glass scene. His gallery is one of the coolest in town, featuring modern and contemporary glass art set right smack in the middle of Hilltop-providing what can only be described as a damn interesting contrast and a definite boost to a neighborhood that needs some love. Doriss has been a glassworker for 19 years, and is the mastermind behind those pleasantly creepy Baby Head Cups. Originally from New England, he has traveled far and wide honing his creativity. His projects include working with the Museum of Glass hot shop staff, and working as an instructor at the M-Space Glass Blowing Facility in Tacoma.

To read the full article by Kristin Kendle click here.

[Fulcrum Gallery, 1308 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Tacoma, fulcrumtacoma.com]