WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30 2014 >>>

1. Art is most effective when it can evoke the essence or the spirit, of a person, place or event without necessarily looking like that person, place or event. More often than not it is most effective when it does not look like the subject because illusory depiction often detracts from the core of the artistic statement. Coastal Alchemy at Museum of Glass beautifully, inventively and powerfully evokes the natural world of our Pacific Northwest in painting, sculpture and poetry by artists Anna Skibska, Meg Holgate and Trenton Flock. Read Alec Clayton's full review of "Coastal Alchemy" in the Music & Culture section, then see the show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

2. For those interested in something with a more scientific take on, er, science, than Star Trek has to offer, a fascinating documentary hits The Grand Cinema screen at 1:55, 4:25 and 6:50 p.m. Particle Fever is the exploration of the development and launch of the Large Hadron Collider. Ten thousand scientists from all around the world collaborated to create the Collider, which was designed to recreate the conditions that existed in the wake of the Big Bang. Those following the news of the past couple years know that the result was the discovery of the Higgs boson (AKA the "God particle"), which has long been the missing link in our understanding of just why we exist.

3. Pour at Four wine bar in Tacoma's Proctor District will pour complimentary tastes from Southard Winery. This small, boutique winery located in Selah, Wash., has flown under the radar, but makes outstanding wines. Meet Scott Southard and enjoy tasty wines from 5:30-8 p.m.

4. Ah, the clarinet. It's the godfather of the woodwinds. You only have, say, a half-inch diameter to blow through. If you don't blow properly, it makes a loud, annoying noise. But if it's blown through properly, it's a beautiful instrument. The sound is so mellow, and soothing, and healing and quiet and serene. Unless Eddie Daniels is blowing. While an accomplished classical musician, Daniels is best known as the rarest of rare, hard-bop clarinetist. He's the modern Benny Goodman. And the Grammy winner will sit in with the University of Puget Sound Jazz Band at 7:30 p.m. in Schneebeck Concert Hall.

5. Philly folk-punkersMike Bell & the Movies join Handwritings and Trout Stream for an 8 p.m. show at Northern in downtown Olympia.

LINK: Wednesday, April 30 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area