Sharon Carr, “Five Koi.”

…on the Gig Harbor Open Studio Tour. Artists in Gig Harbor, Fox Island and the Key Peninsula open up their studios for two days for you to see just what they do and how they do it, plus buy the art if you like it. Disciplines range from painters like Sharon Carr (above) to printmakers, sculptors, jewelers and more.

The tour runs 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and you can download a self-guided map and artist links from www.gigharboropenstudiotour.org.

Barefoot dance collective creates "Footfalls"

Newly-reorganized, the Barefoot Collective kicks off a contemporary dance season and studio with "Footfalls," two new works from local choreographers Stephanie Kriege and Katie Stricker. Expect henna, floor seating and low-hung artwork. 8 p.m. Sept. 19 and 20, 2 p.m. Sept. 21. $20 general/$17 student, senior, artist, military. 1604 Center St., Tacoma. 253-627-BARE, www.barefootcallous.org

TAM opens new Eastern art shows with "Saffron" party

Tacoma Art Museum opened two Eastern-themed shows recently: Donald Fels’ South Indian signwriting and Western views of the Ottoman Empire. But the "Saffron" opening party tomorrow

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Daniel Clayman, “Pierced Volume.” Photo: Mark Johnston.

There’s some great new glass down on the waterfront. No, not outside (you’ll have to wait longer for that) but inside the Museum of Glass and Traver Gallery, where new shows highlight a trio that couldn’t be more contrasted: Dale Chihuly and Daniel Clayman (at MoG) and Richard Marquis (at Traver.)

Clayman’s the first one you see at MoG. Seven huge white glass sculptures inhabit the space like Platonic ideals of geometry and perspective, an architectural drawing come

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Over at the Adventure Guys blog, I’m writing about my Olympic Peninsula trip. I’ve lived in Washington for almost 35 years, but I’m a Peninsula noobie.

In a strange twist of fate, about two weeks before I left, Bob Stokes’ spokeswoman sent me a note about some of the things the Northern California artist is doing up in Port Angeles. Under optimal circumstances, I don’t think The News Tribune is delivered in that part of the state. But since I was about to trek around “the loop,” I decided to check out some of Bob’s artwork.

According

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MLKBallet, that sterling institution offering free ballet lessons around the Hilltop area, obviously needs money from elsewhere than tuition to succeed. They usually hold contemporary dance concerts (the MOVE!) series as a way of doing this (here’s what I wrote about the last MOVE! show), but this week they’re branching out: Friday night sees gospel singer William Demps take the stage to benefit not only MLKBallet, but their temporary home, Urban Grace Church, which looks after the homeless and elderly in Tacoma as well as providing a home for many

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A family movie about a teenage soccer star, a documentary about a vivacious 93-year-old actress and a drama about two women, one Jewish Orthodox and the other Muslim, finding common ground and friendship, were the top draws at the Gig Harbor Film Festival, which wrapped up Sunday. Screenings were held at the Galaxy Uptown multiplex.

The soccer movie "Her Best Move," shown Friday, was the best attended picture on the schedule, nearly selling out its 6 p.m. showing, said festival president Marty Thacker. Seats were mostly filled with young girls in soccer jerseys, drawn both by the subject matter

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He hung out with the goofy pooch in "Scooby-Doo and "Scooby-Doo 2." He came to an ugly end in "Scream." He first made his mark in movies playing the gorehound son of a murderous suburban matron in "Serial Mom." And Friday Matthew Lillard was in Gig Harbor playing three roles: star, co-producer and celebrity guest of the community’s first-ever film festival.

He was there at the behest of his real-life mom, festival board Vice President Paula Lillard. He was there to answer questions about two of his movies that were on the festival’s Friday night schedule: the aforementioned "Serial

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