Local artist Tait has received a $5000 grant from the California Dream Fund to help build his comic business. The grant was obtained by working with Eureka’s Small Business Development Council and writing a proposal that was submitted to the Dream Fund program.
The California Dream Fund’s goal is to grow new small businesses in the State of California. Entrepreneurs and small businesses who complete a training and consultation course become eligible to apply for a microgrant of up to $10,000. Tait is among the first of recipients in this $35,000,000 project.
The artist is currently creating a comic series called Pacifica which is inspired by his love of Humboldt County. The comic incorporates local environments and wildlife with fairy tale elements to create an 1800s fantasy adventure setting of mountain men, monsters, and magic. The comic is an ongoing series that can be read online at www.pacificacomic.com as well as being available as physical books.
Feedback from local residents and readers across the internet have been very positive for the initial issue of Pacifica:
“This is phenomenal!”
BT, Grammy nominated musician
“This is definitely a beautiful comic. I love the colors, the dark atmosphere of the woods.”
Diana Kennedy, creator of the comic Riverboat
Tait is a lifelong resident of Humboldt County who studied art at College of the Redwoods and Cal Poly Humboldt. He obtained his BA in Art and minored in English with the goal of creating comics. Sequential art has been part of Tait’s life since before he could read and he hopes to increase interest in the medium locally.
