If you haven’t been into the lobby of the Hotel Murano by now, shame on you. It’s the biggest hotel to hit Tacoma in a while, and the scope of the glass art collection there is huge. Here’s the story I did on it back when it opened in March. The list of artists is pretty much a who’s who in the glass art world, from Venetians like Massimo Micheluzzi (the octopus chandelier near reception) and Europeans like Alison Kinnaird to the Japanese Masayo Odahashi and locals like Martin Blank and Dante

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Two members of the Seattle Sounders professional soccer team will be on hand to introduce one of the films at next month’s Gig Harbor Film Festival. The picture, 2007′s “Her Best Move,” about a teen soccer phenom named Sara competing for a spot on the U.S. Women’s National Team, will screen at 6 p.m. Sept. 12, the festival’s first full night of public screenings. It and all other films in the festival will be shown at the Uptown multiplex theater, 4649 Point Fosdick Drive N.W. Festival spokewoman Paula Lillard said the Sounders members, whose names will be announced later, will

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Jeremiah Maddock’s work at Mineral. Image courtesy Lisa Kinoshita.

It’s Luvverly: "My Fair Lady" at Encore Theater

The classic tale of the crotchety old professor and the beguiling flower girl makes a long but fun night at Encore’s outdoor theater. (Bring a blanket, food and bug spray.) 7 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. $15/$11/$8/$6. Encore Theater at Impact Church International, 4819 Hunt St, Gig Harbor. 253-858-2282, www.encoretheater.org

Exquisite Drawings at Mineral

From Tacoma to New York and back to Tacoma: Jeremiah Maddock’s work is back in town, thanks to

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Tall Ships may be over, but there’s plenty more activity going on down at the dock. The Commencement Bay Maritime Fest will celebrate all things watery on Sept. 13 and 14, and part of the fun is the annual Maritime Fest Art Show, which opened last Thursday at the Foss Waterway Seaport Building on Dock St. Local artists submitted art in any media that had a nautical theme, with local institutions from the Tacoma Art Museum to the mayor giving awards for a total of $800, jurored by Al Johnsen.

Here are the winners:

1st Place:

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Dorothy McCuistion, “Chateau Canard #1.” Image courtesy the artist.

The good thing about co-op galleries that showcase every member is that you get to see small but interesting changes in artists from month to month. The bad thing is that you see mostly the same stuff time after time. The Grand Impromptu Gallery fits both of these truisms to a tee. The August show "View Points" highlights new work from printmaker Dorothy McCuistion and new member photographer Peter Serko, but not much else about it is fresh.

Of course, calling

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Bronze moose at Northwest Trek, by Jeff Oens. Image courtesy Northwest Trek.

If you like this life-sized bronze moose out the front at Northwest Trek wildlife park, you might like to see more nature-themed art this fall. On September 27 and 28 the Trek will hold a juried art show featuring 15 Oregon and Washington artists, demonstrations, a silent auction and a visit by the moose’s sculptor, Jeff Oens.

The show is organized by Karen Lucas of Lucas Art, The Gallery on the Hill, in Graham, and focuses on Northwest wildlife.

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The animation bug bit Jerry Seinfeld awhile back, and the result was “Bee Movie,” the star’s first foray into a realm we’ll call ‘Toon World. He gives voice of a talkative honey bee named Barry who falls for Renee Zellweger and sues humanity for honey theft. It’s a cheery picture, though one with a slightly sharper edge to it than most family-orientated animated offerings, thanks to

Seinfeld’s trademark wit.

It was a decent-sized hit when it opened last November, and now it’s coming to Tacoma’s South End Recreation Area (SERA), 6002 S. Adams, at sunset Saturday.

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Martin Blank, left, works with Evan Schauss to create one of several hundred hand-sculpted elements that will comprise “Fluent Steps” in the Museum of Glass’s hotshop last April.(Drew Perine/The News Tribune)

There’s a huge glass sea-serpent inside the warehouse at 309 Puyallup Ave, but it won’t be there for long.

It’s Martin Blank’s glass installation “Fluent Steps,” intended to go up in the Museum of Glass’ main plaza pool this fall. Made of mounding hills of 135 crinkly clear glass shapes on supports–looking rather like the humpy back of a sea-serpent–the

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