MICHAEL SWAN: THE ONE TIME YOU WON'T BE BUGGING THEM >>>

Tacoma visual artists let everyone visit their private studios during the annual Art at Work Tacoma Studio Tours. This weekend, meet 73 local artists of diverse specialties and catch them with work-in-progress on the easel in a casual studio setting. It is also a chance to watch demonstrations, ask artists questions, purchase one-of-a-kind creations and, in come cases, even try your hand at creating your own masterpiece.

The studio tours are Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 7-8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Weekly Volcano art critic Alec Clayton highlights a few must-see studios:

Holly Senn is fast becoming Tacoma’s premiere sculpture/installation artist. Her work using cast-off books as material is intelligent, provocative and well designed. Visitors to her studio will be able to create their own collages using pages from old books. 3202 Alder St.

Bill Colby, printmaker. See how woodcuts and etchings are made and ask the artist why blue is his favorite color. 1847 N. Skyline Dr.

Chandler O’Leary, printmaker, book artist and proprietor or Anagram Press. See how she makes her prints and make your own small keepsake print on an antique Kelsey platen press. 634 N. Oakes St.

Oliver Doriss, glass artist and owner of Fulcrum Gallery, named Best Tacoma Gallery two years in a row by this critic as well as by a poll of Weekly Volcano readers. Doriss’ studio is in the gallery so you get to see where he works and see the latest show at Fulcrum in one stop. 1308 Martin Luther King. Jr. Way

Carlos Taylor-Swanson and Steve Lawler are both fine art woodworkers and furniture makers. See their work at Madera Fine Decorative Furnishings. 2210 Court A

Tacoma Community College â€" You can be an art student for a day, make a cast aluminum block tile or throw your own pot on a wheel. TCC art faculty will be on hand to guide you ($5 material fee required). Building 5, near South 12th and Mildred

The husband and wife team of C.J. Swanson and David N. Goldberg open up their home studio. See how they work separately but side-by-side and see if you can spot ways in which they influence one another. Where do you draw the line between stylized imagery and pure abstraction and why is Goldberg’s latest work morphing toward more recognizable imagery? 1101 Lenore Dr.

Some studios are open both days and some one day only. Schedules, maps and descriptions are available in the Art at Work brochure available at many venues around town and at the Art at Work Web site, which has the most up-to-date information about all participating artists and an interactive Google map so you can plan your preferred route. There are also links to a downloadable PDF of the Studio Tour brochure.

LINK: The Weekly Volcano went on the tour last year

BOBBLE TIKI: SUPPORT THE EMERGENCY FOOD NETWORK >>>
 
Are you indecisive?  Do you find grocery shopping frustrating because of the number of options? Are you rich?  Do you wish you had less money simply because it would reduce your options in life?  Well, Bobble Tiki can help you, friend. Help you and help those who can’t afford to eat during the holiday season. 

The demand on the food bank system in Pierce County is up nearly 40 percent this year, according to Jeff Klein, development director for the Emergency Food Network in Lakewood. EFN is on pace to distribute 14 million pounds of food valued at $21 million in 2009.

“We supply food for 65 food banks and hot meal sites and do it with an overhead of less than 4 percent,” says Klein. “We’d love more community support for our efforts in terms of donation drives and food drives at local shows and events.”

Now there’s a rad idea. If you’re hosting a show or community event, consider adding a food drive or donating part of the profits to EFN. Give Klein and his crew a call at 253.584.1040.

Hope this has been helpful.

MICHAEL SWAN: TODAY’S HAPPY HOUR DISCUSSION TOPIC >>>

Discuss the above video over happy hour at:

The Brick on Trosper
709 Trosper Road SW, Olympia, 360.753.6626
Happy Hour: 3-6 p.m. daily
Drink Specials: 50 cents off draft and bottle beer, and wells
Food Specials: half off all appetizers

LINK: More South Sound happy hours

RON SWARNER: NUMBER 15 COMES WITH A BONUS >>>

Vicci Martinez just dropped us a line here at the Weekly Volcano World Headquarters with a bit of exciting news. The Tacoma musician will provide the score for the next MLKBallet MOVE performance - no. 15 to be exact - on the books for Nov. 20 and 21 inside the SOTA Theater. Martinez composed the music for a new seven-piece dance.

The songs include "Breathe," "Chasing," and "I Love You in The Morning," which are on her super secret MySpace site. However, I think she gave us the wrong MySpace address.

Stay tuned for more details.

LINK: Something we wrote on Martinez a while back

MICHAEL SWAN: FRIDAY, NOV. 6, 2009 >>>

1. The Save The Children benefit concert for Darfur featuring Josh Rizeberg (pictured), Interstate Trio, Alexander The Great, J. Bre, Little Horses and Speakeasy begins at 7 p.m. inside the Wheelock Student Center on the University of Puget Sound campus.

2. Lakewold Gardens’ Beautiful Tables Showcase showcases 30 table decorators from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

3. Tacoma Opera presents The Daughter of the Regiment by Gaetano Donizetti â€" sung in French with English dialogue and projected English translation â€" at 8 p.m. inside the Rialto Theater.

4. The Olympia Film Festival begins its nine-day run at the Capitol Theater with a 6 p.m. Opening Night Gala featuring the typical street performance followed by the film Nothing Lasts Forever with its director and Saturday Night Live alum Tom Schiller in the house for a Q&A and capped with a DJ dance party.

5. Weight of the World and VIII Days Clean performs an all-ages metal show at 8 p.m. inside The Liberty Theater in Puyallup.

LINK: Live music and DJs in the South Sound

LINK: Local movie starting times

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide

MICHAEL SWAN: ONE CITY. 30 DAYS. WHAT WILL YOU DO? >>>
 
Art at Work Month: Friday, Nov. 6

November 2009 marks the eighth anniversary of Art at Work: Tacoma Arts Month. There is something for everyone to enjoy throughout the month: lectures, music, dance performances, readings, workshops, theater performances, visual art exhibits and more.

Here are today’s highlights:

The Tacoma Opera performs The Daughter of the Regiment at 8 p.m. inside the Rialto Theater.

The Manitou Art Center hosts a one-day Holiday Glass Works workshop from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for $10-$40.

Artist Patricia Davidson is in the Hot Shop at the Museum of Glass from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There are many more events today. For a complete Art at Work schedule, click here.

BOBBLE TIKI: A SAD DAY >>>

Dear Tree In Our Office Parking Lot,

We see each other every day, sometimes twice a day. You know Bobble Tiki. You know that Bobble Tiki works below you. You sometimes whisper strange things to Bobble Tiki when he’s forced to take out the garbage. You whisper endearing things such as "Your spring is a perfectly medium length," or strange things such as, "You and I are headed for the wood chipper soon."  Bobble Tiki must tell you that he is saddened to see that you tried to take your life today.

Why Tree In Our Office Parking Lot? Why did you throw half of yourself to the ground?

Bobble Tiki takes a little blame for the situation. Bobble Tiki should have listened more closely. Bobble Tiki should have paid more attention to the signs. You tossed pine cones at Bobble Tiki daily. You covered his car with debris. You place your needles under Bobble Tiki’s car wipers irritating the hell out of him.

Remember that Bobble Tiki has only shouted at you once. But now, Tree In Our Office Parking Lot, this game has gone too far.

You nearly crushed Bobble Tiki’s car this morning. Why? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life spread below a jungle gym? You realize children will not respect you. They will pee on you without a second thought.

Bobble Tiki doesn't want to hash out all of the other recent troubles you have caused; Bobble Tiki believes we might still be able to work this out since half of you still stands.

One last request: could you stop throwing pine cones at Bobble Tiki’s social worker when she comes to visit? It’s not helping.

Kind regards,

Bobble Tiki

MICHAEL SWAN: NPR SONG OF THE DAY >>>

Seattle rock band Visqueen’s song “Hand Me Down” is NPR’s Song Of The Day. Here is the description on NPR’s Web site:

In Visqueen's crunchy, urgent power-pop song "Hand Me Down," crunchy guitars and Rachel Flotard's incomparable voice simultaneously destroy and mesmerize. As its title suggests, "Hand Me Down" is rooted in a singular bond that spans generations.

Check it out here.

RON SWARNER: PIERCE COUNTY ARTS COMMISSION WAS ALL BUSINESS >>>

What do Lynn Di Nino and Candi Hall have in common?  How about Linda Danforth and David W. Craig? Or all four? They and Barbara Lee Smith (not present and had a stand in) were all recipients of this year's Margaret K. Williams Arts Awards, which were presented last night at the Tacoma Art Museum.

In a ceremony that can be described as well organized and on time the five Pierce County artists spoke a little, posed a little and thanked the capacity crowd.

The Commission selected worthy candidates, as you may discover here.

Also impressive was the performance by Reality Check, a group of kids from Candi Hall’s D.A.S.H. Center. (D.A.S.H. Center is still short on funds to remain open. Please donate before the end of the year deadline.)

Margaret K. Williams, for whom the awards are named, spent many years building the arts community in Pierce County, as well as shaping the Commission, before her death in 1990.

MATT DRISCOLL: SORDID SENTINELS PLAY THE JIVE TONIGHT >>>

Sordid, as defined by Merriam Webster dictionary: 1) marked by baseness or grossness: vile, 2) a: dirty, filthy b: wretched, squalid. Now, while I wouldn’t go as far as to describe South Sound rock band Sordid Sentinels as any of the things the first half of their name implies, I will applaud the foursome for choosing such a charged adjective when it came time for a band name. As our society has proven time and time again, there’s nothing we’re more captivated by than a little sordidness. We practically lap it up like a kitten with a bowl full of cream. Mmmmm. Filth.

Coming like a sentry in the night championing the foundation blocks rock was built on â€" like guitar solos, screaming and chest thumping drums â€" Sordid Sentinels may have just the “baseness” or “grossness” you’re looking for. Oh, and before you go knocking the name â€" consider the fact the band’s previous name was Plague Doctor.

Sordidness beats the plague any day.

[Bob’s Java Jive, with Shrouded in Veils, Atomic Bride, Siren, Friday, Nov. 6, 8 p.m., cover TBA, 2102 S. Tacoma Way, Tacoma, 253.475.9843]