Telling Stories: Selections from the Permanent Collection

Press Release

This thematic selection from Tacoma Art Museum's permanent collection explores how artists capture the spirit and essence of narrative tales. Following closely the narrative structure of stories, themes include character (portraiture), setting (landscape and still life), and plot development and resolution (figurative works). The exhibition includes many favorites from the museum’s collection, surveying works made from the late 1890s to the present in a vast array of media. Highlights include well-known paintings such as The Two Sisters by Pierre-Auguste Renoir and Ballet in the Park by Everett Shinn. The art of the Northwest is showcased with works by Jacob Lawrence, Joseph Park, Barbara Earl Thomas, Patti Warashina, and others.

This exhibition is organized by the Tacoma Art Museum. Telling Stories is generously supported by Robert Half International and the members of Tacoma Art Museum’s Patron circle. Additional support is provided by the Nilan family in honor of Winona Nilan, a woman wise with words and stories, and a strong supporter of the arts.