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Handforth Virtual Gallery – Hilltop Stories

Intimate reflections reveal the heart of a neighborhood through family and community memories. This online gallery exhibit will feature the visual art by Dionne Bonner and audio documenting the stories of Hilltop residents as recorded by Whitney Brady in a narrative description of an iconic place beloved and uniquely positioned at the heart of a city. Meet the Artist.

Dionne's Artist Statement, opens a new window | Hilltop Exhibit Quotes and Additional Information, opens a new window | Go to the Hilltop Listening Project

For full virtual experience, click on an image to enlarge and navigate through all the images.


The Hilltop Listening Project was a concept developed by Whitney Brady and Jordan Pugsley as a way to document the oral history of the Hilltop by the people themselves. They recorded interviews with 20 people with deep connections to the Hilltop, featuring someone born in every decade from the 1920's through 2000's.

All of the recordings were done in the Spring of 2017.

Additional Information, opens a new window

Track 1, opens a new windowHow has the neighborhood changed? Track 7, opens a new windowPeople Center History - Part 1
Track 2, opens a new windowWhat are your earliest memories? - Places Track 8, opens a new windowMalcolm X Center (Tom Hilyard)
Track 3, opens a new windowFish House origin story, Jone's Glass and Used Materials origin story Track 9, opens a new windowFavorite Places, streets where people grew up, forgotten history (fruit trees, etc.)
Track 4, opens a new windowPeople Center History - Part 2 Track 10, opens a new windowWhat businesses do you remember being on Hilltop?
Track 5, opens a new windowNames and Ages of all interviewees Track 11, opens a new windowCredits
Track 6, opens a new windowHow did you or your family get to Hilltop? - Family History of Hilltop

About Dionne Bonner

Dionne is a visual artist and graphic designer and a graduate of the Art Institute of Seattle. Dionne through art and design creates space for open dialog and reflection by connecting community voice to the creative process. She has worked with a variety of organizations including museums, art collectives, nonprofit educational groups and city and state agencies. As a project-based community engagement specialist with Spaceworks Tacoma, Dionne designed a public art installation to encourage public comment with three chalkboards in the Hilltop community in Tacoma. Other examples of her community art include a temporary public installation on the grounds of the Salishan community to touch on the historical significance of indigenous land and a participatory intersection mural called Paint the Street in collaboration with the Lincoln District Revitalization Project. Dionne lives in Tacoma.

To view more information about the contributing artists you can connect with them at the following:
• Dionne Bonner, dionnebonner.com, opens a new window, dionnembonner@gmail.com, 253-219-1162
• Whitney Brady, w.m.brady@hotmail.com

Learn More About the Handforth Gallery

  • Submissions are reviewed and selected using both the Selection Criteria and the Priorities.  

    Selection Criteria  

    • Artistic merit, as exemplified in samples of past work. Artistic merit can include:  
      • Demonstration of strong technical skills and craft in the execution of past work 
      • An authentic relationship with or connection to the artwork content  
      • Emotionally and intellectually engaging combination of aesthetics, technical skill, and delivery  
    • Compelling storytelling – the work presents a unique perspective and/or explores complex ideas of cultural/social relevance that invite the viewer to question, discover, and explore new concepts  
    • Ability of work to connect with and amplify voices from historically excluded communities  
    • Ability to work in a scale and with materials appropriate for the space 
    • Alignment of work with TPL's , opens a new windowvision, mission, and work must appeal to a broad, multigenerational audience and may contain a variety of viewpoints and artistic expressions

     

    Priorities  

    All applications will be reviewed, and exhibit selections made, using the Selection Criteria. An applicant’s work does not need to meet any of the Priorities listed below to be considered for exhibit. But, as part of the selection process, the panel will prioritize exhibits for artwork that meet one or more of the following: 

    • You are a resident of or student in Tacoma  
    • Artwork that primarily gives voice to one or more of the following:    
      • Racial equity and social justice 
      • BIPOC communities  
      • Economically or socio-economically marginalized communities 
      • LGBTQIA+ communities
      • People with disabilities 
    • Artwork that addresses emergent community needs  
    • Artists who are willing to show with 2 – 3 other artists 
    • Artists who are interested in public engagement like offering a workshop, an experiential activity, artist talk or demonstration.  

  • Please complete the Handforth Gallery Artwork Consideration Request Form, opens a new window. You will need to provide your name, contact info, an artist statement, and 7-10 digital images of your artwork.

    • Applications are accepted ongoing 
    • Decisions are made every 6 or 12 months for the upcoming year 
    • Selections are made at least 1 year in advance of the show 

  • Shows are scheduled 1 – 2 years in advance.  The Handforth Gallery hosts four shows a year.  

    Each exhibition runs for 3 months.  Typically, the available exhibit slots are: January – March, April – June, July – September, and October – December.

View more about Handforth Gallery
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