DO THE ARTWALK >>>

If you find yourself inexplicably irritated and anxious lately, maybe you need a time-out. By "time-out, " I don't mean standing in the corner or sacking out on the couch like some little munchkin.  I'm talking about tonight's Third Thursday Artwalk in Tacoma, officially from 5-8 p.m. Step one: You can never experience too much art, and tonight businesses hang art in honor of the Artwalk, museums allow free admission, and the galleries haul out the nibbles and sips.  Step two: Screw walking - take the ART BUS!

Here are a few stops to make tonight:

BKB & COMPANY: The gallery of wearable art and contemporary craft on Pacific Avenue hosts Mukilteo artist Robin Larson's fused glass exhibit through July. Larson's tables, sculpture and tableware reflects her fascination with the art of kiln formed glass, a process that requires cutting the glass, layout design and slumping and firing the pieces - the stuff Fawn Lebowitz dreamed of before her horrible accident. Expect hand painting and metal recesses in her glass pieces. Also, just for Artwalk, BKB will sell two tokens for the Art*o*mat machine for $5. 5-8 p.m., 1734 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.6884

MAD HAT TEA COMPANY: The downtown Tacoma teashop will pull art gems out from the "Private Collection" for Artwalk night. However, owners Maureen and Tobin main focus will be on throwing artist/designer/musician Daniel Blue a birthday slash going away party featuring music by Andrew Sherbrooke. 7-9 p.m., 1130 Commerce St., Tacoma, 253.441.2111

MINERAL: Mineral opens a new exhibit featuring small survey of works by Nicholas Nyland includes watercolor paintings and ceramic sculptures titled Nicholas Nyland: Ceramics and Works on Paper. An embrace of color characterizes all of the work, with paintings that resemble tangled webs of marks; and hand-built, glazed ceramics that range from loose, organic abstractions to small pyramids. 5-8 p.m., 301 Puyallup Ave., two doors down from Tacoma Bike, 253.250.7745

253 COLLECTIVE: Hot on the heels of her contributions to the Korean Art Exhibition at the Pierce College Fine Art Gallery in Lakewood, Tacoma artist Lorraine Toler continues paint the story of her mother Kim, Okchun, and her escape from North Korea as a young girl - leaving behind her entire family - with a show at the 253 Collective. Toler's art will be available for purchase by silent auction with 10 percent of all proceeds donated to Tacoma Art Place. 4-8:30 p.m., 1901 S. Jefferson, Suite 100, Tacoma, 253collective@gmail.com

LINK: More visual art viewing opportunities in the South Sound