Congratulations to Oliver Doriss, this year's recipient of The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation fifth annual Foundation of Art Award. Doriss is well known in Tacoma as both an outstanding glass artist and as the founder of Fulcrum Art Gallery.

"Oliver is deeply committed to art in Tacoma, both as an artist and a gallerist," said Jeremy

Mangan, former Foundation of Art Award winner and the Foundation of Art Committee member

who nominated Doriss for the Award. "His own glass work is as unique and risky as it is beautiful, and Fulcrum Gallery is a vital and dynamic venue where art and community meet in the best way."  

Sixteen Pierce County artists were nominated for the award this year. They are R.R. Anderson, Gabriel Brown, Kyle Dillehay, Spencer Ebbinga, Travis Galindo, Susan Russell Hall, Matt Johnson, Chris Jordan, Maria Jost, Chuck Knigge, Meghan Mitchell, Peter Serko, Kenji Stoll, Sharon Styer and Judy Wagner. 

"I was flattered just to be nominated," said Doriss. "I couldn't have done a better job at identifying the creative community than in the artists that were nominated. To be selected as the winner and have that recognition is very validating."

Founded in 2008, the Foundation of Art Award is one of the most prestigious regional art awards, designed to recognize the talent and commitment of local artists to the Pierce County community. As this year's winner, Doriss will receive a $7,500 award and create a commissioned art piece for the Community Foundation to be unveiled in December 2012 at a five-year culminating art show featuring the work of Foundation of Art Award nominees from the past five years. 

In his other life Doriss is known as DJ Broam. Whether playing music, running an art gallery or making glass art Oliver Doriss is a blessing to the community of Tacoma.

Fulcrum Gallery is currently showing surrealistic portraits by a bevy of Tacoma artists and a photo installation by Foundation Award nominee Sharon Styer. Fulcrum is located in the Hilltop neighborhood at 1308 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. They're open noon to 6 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and by appointment.

Previous award winners are Chris Sharp, Jeremy Mangan, Lisa Kinoshita and Jessica Spring.