A GALLERY EVERY 15 MINUTES KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY >>>
What's considered chic one week is trashed by the trend setters the next. It's in this blink-and-you-missed-it environment that Tacoma's Third Thursday ArtWalk has become something of an institution. Nothing more than an intermittent and amorphous congregation of people who enjoy original art, the monthly night has managed to snowball into a downtown Tacoma support system for the visual arts. Or something like that. Here's a primer for tomorrow's ArtWalk, which officially takes place from 5-8 p.m.:
Tacoma Art Museum: We don't yet know what photographs will be in the show Mighty Tacoma: Photographic Portrait 2010, but the title tells us they will reference Tacoma and will be mighty. Billed as an "interactive celebration and creative exercise in commemoration of Tacoma Art Museum's 75th Anniversary," the show will feature digital portraits by Tacoma-based artists that will be projected in the gallery and posted on the museum website. The show will also include a photographic survey of the city's neighborhoods, families at the museum, community groups and businesses. And visitors can add their own pictures to the website using Flickr, Facebook and other Internet networks. A beer garden featuring Harmon's Mighty Tacoma Ale will be mighty fun. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., 75 cents before 5 p.m., free from 5-8 p.m., 1701 Pacific Ave., 253.272.4258
ART BUS: Tacoma's Little Engine That Could continues to chugs along offering another tour of Third Thursday ArtWalk via a yellow school bus. Pay your $10, jump on the bus at 5 p.m. in front of the Speakeasy Arts Cooperative and tour Embellish Multispace Salon, Brick House, Brownie Morrison, Tacoma Art Supply, Handforth Gallery, 253 Collective, The Swiss Pub and B2 Gallery. Friendships are born. Flasks are passed. And an occasional singalong busts out. 5-9 p.m., $10, 746 Broadway St.
Fulcrum Gallery: The ability to truly see a plant or flower in its utmost detail and then express it visually with creative flair never ceases to amaze us. Tacoma scientist/artist Maria Jost excels at this talent. She's been planting her artistic botany prints around Tacoma for several years. Beginning today, her garden will be Fulcrum. 6-9 p.m., 1308 MLK Way, Tacoma, 253.250.0520
Mineral: Shelf your rough draft plea to Tim Burton begging Mr. Creepy to remake The Wizard of Oz and check out Justin Hillgrove's lighter-side-of-morbid works of art. Hillgrove's phantasmagorical cast of famous writers should satiate your need of all things odd. Yes, J.R.R. Tolkien! 6-9 p.m., 301 Puyallup Ave., Tacoma, 253.250.7745
Mavi Contemporary Art: William Turner shows 15 small scale oil paintings under the title, The Canyon Series. Climb in. 6-9 p.m., 502 Sixth Ave., 253.759.6233
BKB & Company: They have a stash of Halloween candy! Oh, and ceramics by Tom Hatton. And candy! 5-8 p.m., 1734 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.272.6884
Handforth Gallery: The group show BIG: an exploration has been up for a while. It's the show that asks, Why does BIG sometimes seem so small? Anyhoo, they're busting out an artist reception for the show the night of ArtWalk. 5:30-8 p.m., Tacoma Public Library Main Branch, 1102 Tacoma Ave. S., 253.591.5661
Spaceworks Tacoma: You know it. You love it.
Brick House Gallery: Painter Richard Turner and his son, neon artist Galen McCarty Turner, join up for The Father and Son Show at the Brick House. No word if Galen will jump his bike through the window. The Brick House always has the best food. 5-9 p.m., 1123 S. Fawcett, 253.627.0426
Not so much in downtown ...
Proctor Art Gallery: Last month you learned how to be a psychic. So you already know that the Proctor Art Gallery will teach you how to be an art critic Thursday night. Classical guitarist Jasper Tollefson (awesome name!) will mess with your thoughts. 4-8 p.m., 3811 N. 26th St., Tacoma, 253.759.4238