ANOTHER CRAMMED-ASS WEEK >>>

Like almost every week in the South Sound, and certainly every week of the all-too-short summer in the South Sound, there are art happenings and opportunities galore this week. The Art on the Ave festival will once again fill Tacoma's Sixth Avenue with art of all kinds - truly something for all of the senses - and that's jus the start.

Here are a few teases from this week's Volcano arts section.

FEATURE: ART ON THE AVE

"Art on the Ave is in its 13th year, so it's one of Tacoma's biggest and best festivals," says festival coordinator Angela Jossy. "It's known for its eclectic and inclusive nature."
Of course, this is an art festival and you can, above all, expect to find art on tap. But the artwork here is not limited to canvas work or sculpture or other things you might only find in a museum. "There will be ALL kinds of art," says Jossy. - Kristin Kendle

FEATURE: JAMES TUCKER & ANDREA TRENBEATH

Together, Trenbeath and Tucker share skill sets and knowledge with each other, and deliver artwork with a collaborative twist, which most recently meant Tucker taking Trenbeath's werewolf sketches and putting his own slant on them. Trenbeath's werewolves are, frankly, amazing - bold lines and a viciousness rarely seen in the realms of fine art. They make my episodes of True Blood seem full of puppies and kittens. Tucker's tweaks give these beasts a robotic edge. These pieces were the focus of their work at Tacoma Art Place and lead directly into their work at Art on the Ave this week. - Kristin Kendle

VISUAL EDGE: SUSAN CHRISTIAN AT CHILDHOOD'S END GALLERY

I've been keeping up with Susan Christian's career for more than 20 years, and during that time I have watched her art change so gradually that it's like watching a mountain grow. I think she has finally reached her maturity as a painter. Her latest works - simple, bare-bones, abstract paintings of doorways and windows and corners of starkly empty rooms - are by far the best I have seen from her yet. - Alec Clayton

PLUS: More local theater than you can shake a stick at

PLUS: The South Sound Arts, Entertainment & Events Calendar to end all South Sound Arts, Entertainment & Events Calendars

PLUS: Kittens