As part of KNKX Connects to Tacoma, we are featuring a selection of artists from the City of Destiny. Meet Paige Pettibon, who works with digital art, acrylic, oil, watercolor, graphite, prints making, fiber, and jewelry.
The following Q&A was lightly edited for clarity.
Tell us about your art.
My work is strongly influenced by my mixed heritage as well as growing up on Coast Salish territory. I like to learn and try new mediums and each medium helps shape my artistic expression in a unique manner. It’s important for me to make accessible art, I want my work to resonate with working-class folks and folks of all ages.
How long have you been an artist? Why or how did you decide to start creating art?
I believe I was born a creative. My grandmothers on both side were prolific makers of various mediums. I inherited their creativity. There have been moments in my life where I wasn’t actively creating and my mental health and social capacity declined. I suppose art chose me and when I make time for it I feel as though I’m whole. I became a full time artist in 2020. I’ve been fortunate to earn a living from making art.
photo courtesy of the artist
What’s it like being an artist in Tacoma?
I personally go back and forth on how I feel based on the frequent changes our landscape faces. I would say more individuals support me in Tacoma. As an artist in my mid-thirties, my biggest obstacle is finding space to be creative I have a small home that limits the scale and volume of work. I’ve been leaning on working digitally because my space it so small. I’ve been looking to buy a home with enough room to have a studio but it’s just too expensive.
I’m fortunate to have a great community that supports me in various ways. The city’s infrastructure can be limiting for patrons to access viewing local artists such as myself. I see folks making an effort but it’s also exhausting to find affordable spaces designated for art.
Is there another local artist in Tacoma that you admire? Who deserves a shout-out?
Many! Mary Mann, RYAN! Fedderson, Marit Berg, Jessica Spring, Vanessa Mercedes, Aguilar Harris, Yoshi Nakagawa, Katherine Dawn, Terri Placentia, Chandler O’Leary (who passed away recently but has made a profound impact on art in Tacoma and Western Washington), Chris Sharp, Shaun Peterson, Anthony Duanes, Gerardo Pena, Delaney Saul, Saiyare Refaei. And this is just a short list of visual artists.
Help us fill in the blank. “You think you know Tacoma, but you don’t know about…”
… That it’s actually quite beautiful.
What’s next? Any new work or projects you’re excited to share?
I’m working on a solo exhibition at CORE Gallery in Seattle. I have some work that will be featured at the Seattle Aquarium and Woodland Park Zoo. Currently, I’m working on some pole banners for several Seattle neighborhoods.
