In 2012 my I had an idea to create a deck of artist illustrated playing cards of Tacoma’s beautiful and iconic locations. I invited in a collaborator, Amy McBride, and started scheming and planning and launched a successful Kickstarter campaign and the idea became a reality. First a blue deck (featuring 14 Tacoma artists) and then a red deck (featuring 14 Tacoma artists) was created and sold for several years throughout Tacoma and became more popular than I could have hoped or imagined.
Around 2016, however, I moved from Tacoma – and the cards stopped being distributed to area stores and the business closed. Inventory does remain and in fact moved with me three times from one spot to the next. It’s now time to get the remaining decks out of my studio space and into the hands of people that will use and enjoy them.
It has been an incredible project to lead and am very proud of what we were able to create. This project would not have been possible without the late and great Chandler O’Leary who designed the box, the back of each of all the cards as well as illustrated the Queens in each of the decks (which was a specific request prior to agreeing to be commissioned for the project – as she is and will always be the queen!) Chandler wrote and documented the development of the project on their blog: https://chandleroleary.com/deal-me-in/.
Also, none of this would have been possible without the incredible artists who created beautiful original works of art as part of this project. Artist that participated in the inaugural blue deck of cards: RR Anderson, Art Chantry, Kristin Giordano, Brian Hutcheson, Lancy Kagey, Audra Laymon, Meghan Mitchell, Chander O'Leary, Shaun Peterson, Elise Richman, Chris Sharp, Jessica Spring, Britton Sukys, and Otto Youngers. Red deck of cards include artwork by: Sean Alexander, Marit Berg, David Boe, Karen Doten, Michaela Eaves, Maria Jost, Chuck Knigge, Jeremy Mangan, Mary Mann, Ric Matthies, Chandler O'Leary, Betty Sapp Ragan, Stan Shaw and Noah Struthers.
Thanks to everyone who made this possible - Kickstarter supporters, customers, Tacoma retailers, Facebook followers, participating artists – it’s been a true honor to be a part of. And of course thanks to Tacoma for being the star and having so many interesting and beautiful places to be able to illustrate!
Summer 2024 will be a “last chance” to purchase remaining inventory of both the decks both blue and red and a few uncut sheets. They will not be reprinted, ever.
Grab some while you can!
