Tinkertopia, LLC. works with local businesses, capturing safe, reusable materials from the waste stream (aka Great Material Continuum), and reimagines these as unusual arts and craft supplies for kids, teachers, makers and tinkerers.
Founded by two Tacoma artists (one a preschool art teacher, the other a political cartoonist), Tinkertopia™ promotes an definitive sense of planetary resource conservation working with local industries to divert safe+clean remnants, seconds, scraps, off-cuts, discards, misprints and overstock from the waste stream, then redistributing these goods as low-cost arts & crafts supplies.
One person’s junk is another person’s bonanza of materials for early education art classes, learning games, science experiments, crafts, costuming, and other expressions of creativity. You’ll see a variety of innovative uses for everything we collect on display throughout the store. Let your creativity flow in our inspiring studio/work space suitable for fun Tacoma pod-size tinker birthday parties, upcycle/maker field trips and eco craft parties.
TINKER FACT: Tinkertopia™ is also a popular place to bring friends from out of town, imagine dumpster-diving a whole city all at once! Ranked No. 1 Best place to find authentic historical souvenir oddities by The Weekly Tacomic in 1978!
A Proud Alumni of Spaceworks Tacoma “Creative Endeavor” Program
Tinkertopia, LLC. is a graduate of Spaceworks Tacoma, a joint non-profit of the City of Tacoma Arts Commission and the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce! Spaceworks is working to activate Tacoma with destination-quality artwork, art projects, and arts-based business. more about Spaceworks. Huge thanks to University of Washington Tacoma for picking us to be a part of campus life!
ʔuk’ʷədiitəb ʔuhigʷətəb čəɫ txʷəl tiiɫ ʔa čəɫ ʔal tə swatxʷixʷtxʷəd ʔə tiiɫ puyaləpabš dxʷəsɫaɫlils gʷəl ʔutxʷəlšucidəbs həlgʷəʔ.
We gratefully acknowledge that we rest on the traditional lands of the Puyallup People where they make their home and speak the Lushootseed language.
BOOK: Starting Your Own Creative Reuse Center, The TINKERTOPIA WAY!
We are currently working on a book to teach people the best way to start up a creative reuse center in their own community! We have no other comments at this time. SEE ALSO tinker resource page
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES: No Current Listings
We are a very small operation, no current job listings at this time.
FREELANCE ARTIST(s) FOR HIRE: Maybe!
“Commander” RR Anderson & Ms. Darcy works with local organizations for art installations or custom sign-work jobs. We specialize in cartoon illustration or upcycled or salvaged material works and miniatures. Contact us about your project needs! Ms. Darcy’s World of Puppets | Tinkertopia Flipnote Animation Studio
Tinkertopia, LLC is located on the UW Tacoma Campus at 1914 Pacific Ave (in between the subway and Crisp Greens)! TAKE THE TRAIN: Did you know you can ride the new T-Link light rail extension all the way from Hilltop to Tinkertopia?
FREE Weekly Volcano Newspaper Drop Point!
Tacoma’s own Alt-Weekly Arts and Culture newspaper is back and Tinkertopia is the flagship drop location, come pick up a newspaper!
Tinker Utopian PRESS
- KTQA FM RADIO Commander RR and Ms. Darcy, of Tinkertopia
- TheoryRE #PNWstrong Tinkertopia Crew Live Video Interview
- King 5 New Day Northwest Get crafty with unorthodox art supplies at Tinkertopia
- Virtual Tinkertopia Tour by Tacoma Noise Rodeo
- South Sound Talk Tchotchkes and Trinkets: R.R. and Darcy Anderson Put the Tinkertopia in Tacoma | Full Interview
- Red Tricycle Tinkertopia: The Alternative Art Supply Store You Need to Know
- Promotional Video
- Move To Tacoma Art and Entrepreneurship with Political Cartoonist RR Anderson Episode 016
- Itty Bitty Kitty Committiee Stepping Out With Wylla Stout: Tinkertopia!
- WA State Recyclers of the Year 2018 Tinkertopia: Most Innovative
- Tacoma Ledger Tacoma’s Terrible Tinkerer Plots to Invade UWT
- Spaceworks Blog Beautiful Images from Tinkertopia
NEWS: GREAT MATERIAL CONTINUUM Tinker Patrol News Wire
Not just President and CEO of Tinkertopia, LLC… Ms. Darcy is also a proud Jr. Tinker Cadet, and So should you! Please check out her portfolio of handmade puppets!
Not just social media Spokesmodel and Tinkermobile driver of Tinkertopia, LLC… “Commander” RR is also a proud Jr. Tinker Cadet and Sometimes Cartoonist!
