Bruce Clayton Tom is a photographer. Courtesy of Bruce Clayton Tom
Good morning. It’s Thursday, June 18, and everyone’s got gardening on the brain, including Bruce Clayton Tom, one of the most talented photographers in the city.
In addition to various projects associated with Cafe Nordo, DAIPAN Butoh, and Degenerate Art Ensemble, Bruce has a very beautiful garden. Would you like a tour? You’re in luck. It is literally the most relaxing video anyone has made for Message to the City.
And it features an adorable one-eyed dog. The cutest thing you’ve ever seen.
After you watch it, scroll down and see some of the photographs Bruce has been taking in the streets of Seattle the last few weeks. They are works of art.
Bruce didn’t want to talk about this and stress everyone out, but he’s been protesting, and he got hit with rubber bullets, and a flash bang exploded at his feet, and he was bleeding from his injuries. But you know what? He’s fine. He made it through okay. Thank god he was there with his camera, and documenting what he sees.
Look at these pictures.
The umbrellas on the front line after SPD switched on their large lights. Photo by Bruce Clayton Tom
Protest leaders front and center of the barricade. Photo by Bruce Clayton Tom
Some kind of pepper bomb or flash-bang grenade launched by SPD. It is flying at Bruce. Photo by Bruce Clayton Tom
“There was lots of yelling and cursing coming from both protestors and police. I could hear panicked screaming as protestors tried to run away from the Seattle police and National Guard soldiers. Before they attacked, the Seattle police scolded the protesters for not taking three steps backward when told to do so. SPD also claimed that bottles were being thrown, and one bottle struck a National Guardsman. I witnessed absolutely no bottle throwing,” Bruce says. “The police announcer declared the protestors an unlawful assembly, and within a minute attacked.” Photo by Bruce Clayton Tom
A cloud of tear gas billows over retreating protestors. Photo by Bruce Clayton Tom
Advancing Seattle police and National Guard moving down Pine Street, pushing the protestors back to 11th Avenue. Photo by Bruce Clayton Tom
A selfie Bruce took at a happy point. “It seemed to me that the majority of protestors were young, students, perhaps in their 20s, and remarkably ethnically diverse. People were passing out water and sharing snacks. The mood of the protestors was almost festive.” Photo by Bruce Clayton Tom
The Black Lives Matter March of Silence on June 12. Photo by Bruce Clayton Tom
Thank you for immortalizing this revolution with your stunning photography, Bruce.
Thank you so much.
#BlackLivesMatter
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Previously in this series:
Isaac Gutierrez’s message to the city on June 17.
Markeith Wiley’s message to the city on June 16.
Aleksa Manila’s message to the city on June 15.
Derrick Ryan Claude Mitchell’s message to the city on June 12.
Bret Fetzer’s message to the city on June 11.
Kyle O’Quin’s message to the city on June 10.
Elisheba Johnson’s message to the city on June 9.
Michael Jinsoo Lim’s message to the city on June 8.
Brandon Ivie’s message to the city on June 5.
Kimya Dawson’s message to the city on June 4.
Jennifer Nelson’s message to the city on June 3.
Erin Jorgensen’s message to the city on June 2.
Brangien Davis and Daniel Spils’s message to the city on June 1.
Timothy De Clue’s message to the city on May 29.
Elizabeth Aquino’s message to the city on May 28.
Christopher Frizzelle’s message to the city on May 27.
Elby Brosch’s message to the city on May 26.
Mila Skyy’s message to the city on May 22.
Michael Lee’s message to the city on May 21.
SassyBlack’s message to the city on May 20.
Seattle Symphony horn section’s message to the city on May 19.
Lori Goldston’s message to the city on May 18.
Ibidunni Ojikutu’s message to the city on May 15.
RL Heyer’s message to the city on May 14.
Garth Stein’s message to the city on May 13.
Okanomodé’s message to the city on May 12.
Zoe Scofield’s message to the city on May 11.
Aham Oluo’s message to the city on May 8.
Pete Rush’s message to the city on May 7.
Trent Moorman’s message to the city on May 6.
Renée Valencia’s message to the city on May 5.
Justin Huertas’s message to the city on May 4.
Charles Mudede’s message to the city on May 1.
Kathryn Rathke’s message to the city on April 30.
Anthony White’s message to the city on April 30.
Miss Texas 1988’s message to the city.
Matt Bishop’s message on April 27.
Cherdonna’s message to the city on April 26.
Shenandoah Davis’s message to the city on April 25.
Lorena González’s message to the city on April 24.
Clyde Petersen’s message to the city on April 23.
David Ritt’s message to the city on April 22.
Sara Porkalob’s message to the city on April 21.
Julia Sweeney’s message to the city on April 20.
Linda Derschang’s message to the city on April 19.
Molly Sides’s message to the city on April 18.
Nick Garrison’s message to the city on April 17.
Tomo Nakayama’s message to the city on April 16.
Rebecca M. Davis’s message to the city April 15.
Heather McHugh’s message to the city on April 14.
Brandon O’Neill’s message to the city on April 13.
Kate Wallich’s message to the city on April 12.
Rebecca Brown’s message to the city on April 11.
Lucien Postlewaite’s message to the city on April 10.
Betty Wetter’s message to the city on April 9.
Amanda Morgan’s message to the city on April 8.
Nancy Guppy’s message to the city on April 7.
Jonathan Biss’s message to the city on April 6.
Chris Jeffries’s message to the city on April 5.
Lesley Hazleton’s message to the city on April 4.
John Roderick’s message to the city on April 3.
Bill Carty’s message to the city on April 2.
Price Suddarth’s message to the city on April 1.
Kary Wayson’s message to the city on March 31.
Ellen Forney’s message to the city on March 30.
Major Scales’s message to the city on March 29.
E. J. Koh’s message to the city on March 28.
Ken Jennings’s message to the city on March 27.
Demarre McGill’s message to the city on March 26.
Lynn Shelton’s Message to the City on March 25th.
Timothy White Eagle’s message to the city on March 24.
Cookie Couture’s message to the city on March 23.
Sarah Rudinoff’s message to the city on March 22.
John Osebold’s message to the city on March 21.
Ben Gibbard’s message to the city on March 20.
Nathan Chan’s message to the city on March 19.