By Lisa Pemberton, Puyallup Tribal News Editor
Puyallup Tribal Member Araquin Boome plans to pursue a career in art – that’s probably not a surprise to anyone who knows him.
“I’ve always been surrounded by art, being raised by two very creative people,” said Boome, 18. “It was just kind of inevitable.”
His dad, Peter Boome, is a professional artist. His mom, Lois, is a former wedding photographer who is now a staff attorney for Tribal Admin. They started their art business, Araquin Designs, in 2003 to help offset the costs of going back to school when their kids were little. The art business was named after Araquin when he was not even a year old.
Boome, 18, is attending Tacoma Community College. He has been doing art for as long as he can remember. He enjoys digital art, acrylic painting, and working with graphite pencil.
“I’m a little colorblind, so I like working with not a lot of color,” he said. “It’s just easier that way.”
Boome’s watercolor painting of a snowman wearing a cedar hat, gloves and COVID-19 mask was selected for the 2020 Tribal Council Christmas card. He won $500 for the design.
“The response that I’ve heard (about it) has been pretty positive,” he said. “Not a lot of people know I did the card.”
Boome is also a musical and performance artist. In fact, early in the pandemic, he was supposed to direct a play that he had written. It was canceled, along with the last part of his senior year and graduation from Curtis High School.
For him, the card’s whimsical design was a way to inspire Tribal Members during the pandemic. He hopes it made people smile.
“It’s kind of just the idea that we’re all going through it, and just roll with the punches,” Boome said.
