Parks Anderson, a longtime Dale Chihuly collaborator, opened a civic-themed exhibit called "Commit and Vote" at his South Tacoma studio on Saturday, Oct. 10. The show features teddy bears, toy guns and other objects sourced from Goodwill, assembled into pieces that reflect on voting rights, political power and the future left for younger generations, according to South Sound magazine.

Anderson spent 33 years as creative manager of Chihuly Studios. Born in Seattle in 1942, he earned his Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from the University of Washington in 1973, according to the Tacoma Art Museum's collection records. His working relationship with Chihuly began in 1987, when the two completed the Rainbow Room Frieze installation at Rockefeller Center in New York, according to a Chihuly Studios chronology.

That chapter ended in the early 2020s. On his Traver Gallery artist page, Anderson described the shift: "Covid and time ended my 33-year working for Dale Chihuly, wherein all my creative focus was on his work and the arc of his success. I had allowed myself to become fallow as an artist without my own challenges."

He returned to his own studio practice and began working with found objects. For "Commit and Vote," Anderson assembled pieces from Goodwill donations. The exhibit includes provocative imagery that may be disturbing, according to a Visit Pierce County event listing.

The exhibit continues on three more Saturdays (Oct. 17, 24 and 31) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 3001 S. Huson St., Studio B-2. Visitors who cannot make a Saturday can email [email protected] to arrange a Tuesday-through-Friday viewing.

The show lands during Tacoma Arts Month, the city's free, annual celebration of arts and culture now in its 25th year. The Tacoma Studio Tour, part of Arts Month, takes place Saturday and Saturday, Oct. 17 and 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with more than 100 artists opening their workspaces.

"Commit and Vote" closes Oct. 31, three days before Election Day.