Arts calendar

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• Pick up striking souvenirs from an art gallery

  Pick up striking souvenirs from an art gallery

  “Wish You Were Here,” an exhibit of postcard-inspired — and postcard-size — art, opens Wednesday at South Puget Sound Community College.

• Beats, bachata Not so Random More Vince Brown Natural impressions Classic Nikki Utter-ly surprising Hall of government Making a Splash The big 4-0 Chance to buy

  Beats, bachata Not so Random More Vince Brown Natural impressions Classic Nikki Utter-ly surprising Hall of government Making a Splash The big 4-0 Chance to buy

  At Plum Street and Fourth Avenue, the Eagles Hall Ballroom is on the fringe of the Arts Walk map. But the ballroom has put itself squarely on the metaphorical map with its full schedule of dance performances coordinated by Donna Pallo-Perez of the Eagles board of trustees. There will be 60 performers, live music, a craft fair and refreshments. Donations will be taken for SafePlace. On the schedule for today: Comerford School of Irish Dance, 6 p.m.; Beats Euphorium with belly dance fusion from flamenco to hula, 6:45 p.m.; Tap Cats with vocalist Gretchen Christopher, 7:45 p.m.; shim sham demo and lesson with Pallo-Perez, 8:15 p.m.; a swing dance lesson, 8:40 p.m.; and a bachata and blues community dance ($5 suggested donation for SafePlace), 9 p.m. And on Saturday, there’s a craft fair, 11 a.m.; a beginning flamenco lesson, 11:50 a.m.; a performance and CD signing by Christopher, 1:10 p.m.; a lesson in social dance essentials with Pallo-Perez, 2 p.m.; and belly dance by Troupe O-Wa, 3 p.m. Olympia’s D.I.Y. scene is not just about art, music and fashion. There’s also D.I.Y. dance. A prime example is Radco (Random Acts of Dance Collective), a loose-knit group of dancers with no director, no teacher and no studio affiliation. The dancers meet, dance, play and create, and tonight at Arts Walk, they’ll be showing off what they’re up to. Among the performances tonight at 7 p.m. at Fusion, The Integrated Body, 302 Columbia St. N.W.: a piece set to poetry by Elizabeth Shé and a ritual of atonement in honor of Yom Kippur with dancers Roel Hammerschlag and Susan Gresia and flautist Richard Lopez. Go to fusionolympia.net to learn more. Music fans can get an extra helping of Olympia’s Vince Brown. Catch him with saxophonist Steve Munger from 7-9 today at Swing Wine Bar & Cafe, 825 Columbia St.; with Monica Peabody from noon-2 p.m. Saturday at Cascadia Grill, 200 Fourth Ave. W.; and from 3-4 p.m. Saturday at the Make Olympia Street Market on Washington Street between Fourth and State. Go to vincebrownmusic.com . All three work in pastels on the theme of nature, but artists Susan Glendenning of Olympia, Barbara Newton of Renton and Karen Schroder of Coupeville each have very different styles. The women are featured in the Arts Walk exhibit at The State of the Arts Gallery, 500 Washington St. S.E. Call 360-705-0317 or go to thestateofthearts.com . When “papercuts” and “Olympia” are in the same sentence, it’s not too difficult to guess the artist: Nikki McClure, whose books, posters, T-shirts, storm-drain covers and calendars populate the city almost as thickly as her beloved crows. “In many ways, I think she’s the Norman Rockwell of her generation,” said art collector Sandy Desner of Olympia. “Her work is so iconic.” Art for McClure’s 2012 calendar, “Inherit” (already in stores), will be on view at Bryce’s Barbershop, 198 Fourth Ave. E. This year’s calendar began with a focus on interdependence, McClure said. Go to nikkimcclure.com . Sarah Utter is best known for her “Reading Is Sexy” T-shirts, her letterpress posters and her graphic, stylized paintings of cute and friendly yet somehow hip animals. At Arts Walk, though, Utter has a surprising show that’s quite different in both style and subject from the animals: It’s “Ladies of the Dollar Bin,” which will be on view at Alchemy, 4161/2 Washington St. S.E. The ladies in question include Patsy Cline, Dusty Springfield and jazz singer Nancy Wilson, all found in the clearance section at Rainy Day Records. “The more time I spent sifting through those records, the more I noticed how certain amazing artists were stacking up,” Utter said. Of her new direction in painting, she said: “I set some parameters: fast and loose, each painting just taking one day to complete instead of weeks, and no masking – and I loved it. I’m viewing this series of paintings as highly experimental.” She’s accompanying each of the 10 ladies with a sheet of letter-pressed song lyrics. Call 360-943-5810 or go to alchemy-salonspa.com or sarahutter.com . If you haven’t yet been to the new City Hall, Arts Walk provides an additional incentive to check out the building at 601 Fourth Ave. E. The hall is showing work by city employees including Daisy Curley, Ellen Miffit, Sophie Stimson and Brenda Vance. Curley is a water-quality specialist, and water is the inspiration for her collages, which begin with neighborhood maps and include cake doilies, game pieces, beads and more. “I feel blessed to work with water every day,” said Curley, a graduate of The Evergreen State College. “My artwork celebrates the relationship between humans and the natural resources that enrich our lives every day.” Among new businesses taking part in Arts Walk XLIII is Splash Gallery, a cooperative art space that opened its doors in August. On display are ceramics by Marion Pollman, fabrics by Christine Malek, glass by Janet Schrader, jewelry by Jan Sogge, oil paintings by Thomas Boatright, photography by Anna Boatright and Rick Ranum, sculpture by Irene Osborn, and watercolors by Melodi Cottongim and Heather Taylor. The gallery, at 501 Columbia St. N.W., Suite C, gives 5 percent of proceeds from all sales to local organizations that support the arts. Call 360-943-5177 or go to splashgalleryolympia.com . Childhood’s End has been a staple of Arts Walk — and of downtown. The gallery, at 222 Fourth Ave. W., is celebrating 40 years in business this year. Featured in its Arts Walk show, “Place,” are Susan Aurand, Beth Brooks, Shelley Carr, Alfred Currier, Mary Denning, Lucia Harrison, Keith Lazelle, Ross Matteson, Barbara Noonan and Marianne Partlow. Call 360-943-3724 or go to childhoods-end-gallery.com . We know Arts Walk is about looking at the art — and the throngs of people who are walking the streets downtown. But it also is about shopping. Of course, the galleries and galleries-for-the-weekend have plenty to sell you, but even in a tough economy, Arts Walk brings out more transitory spots for buying. Among them:

• Wednesday Swing with big-band sound Saturday Folk music reinterpreted Tuesday Undersea world of Kenny Broad ToDay–Oct. 11 Catch a show … or four

  Wednesday Swing with big-band sound Saturday Folk music reinterpreted Tuesday Undersea world of Kenny Broad ToDay–Oct. 11 Catch a show … or four

  Celebrate America’s Greatest Generation through the music of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, The Andrews Sisters, Frank Sinatra and more at the music revue “In The Mood,” a 1940s-style big-band show with six vocalists/dancers. The show has been revamped with more musical arrangements, costumes and choreography. See it at 7 p.m. Wednesday at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. S.E., Olympia. Tickets are $21.50-$39.50. Call 360-753-8586 or go to wcpa.squarespace.com . Born in Madrid, raised in Chicago, and residing in Ireland since 1994, Sarah McQuaid has made her mark reinterpreting traditional Irish and Appalachian folk songs, Elizabethan ballads and more. 8 p.m. Saturday at Traditions Café & World Folk Art, 300 Fifth Ave. S.W., Olympia. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and those with low income. 360-705-2819. National Geographic’s Beyond the Invisible: Secrets of the Blue Holes explores the depths of some of the most dangerous and scientifically significant caves in the Bahamas. Kenny Broad will screen the film, slideshow and presentation of his explorations in these natural wonders at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at The Washington Center for the Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. S.E., Olympia. Tickets are $8.50-$27. Call 360-753-8586 or go to wcpa.squarespace.com . Live theater is in full swing in South Sound:

• Today Dance with the dead Saturday Ahoy, moms and sons Saturday Masterworks pairs with Lyons, Zhao Saturday Celebrate good times, c’mon ToDay–Oct.22 Comedy, country or vampire bunnies Wednesday Bumpy path to enlightenment

  Today Dance with the dead Saturday Ahoy, moms and sons Saturday Masterworks pairs with Lyons, Zhao Saturday Celebrate good times, c’mon ToDay–Oct.22 Comedy, country or vampire bunnies Wednesday Bumpy path to enlightenment

  Get your ghoul on at ZomProm tonight at the Olympia Ballroom, 116 Legion Way S.E., Olympia. Sponsored by the Olympia Zombie Association, the fun night supports Thurston County Food Bank. Get your frightful pictures taken, dance your socks off and have an all-around good time from 7-11 p.m. A food donation will get you a discounted ticket price – $8 versus the regular admission of $10. Tickets are for sale at Danger Room Comics and Burial Grounds Coffee in downtown Olympia, plus at the door the night of the event. Go to oly-zombie.com for more information. Jump aboard a pirate adventure where you can make hats and eye patches to complete your look, build a pirate ship, raise a Jolly Roger flag, test your skills at finding treasure and walk the plank obstacle course at the Mother Son Adventure Night at 6 p.m. Saturday at Hands On Children’s Museum, 106 11th Ave. S.W., Olympia. HOCM staff will be on hand to guide you through the fun, and the evening includes dinner. Call to register at 360-956-0818. Activities are included in the admission price of $5.95-$7.95. Kicking off its new season, Masterworks Choral Ensemble will present a concert titled “For the Beauty of the Earth” on Saturday night. They will share the stage with guest artist Dana Lyons, a songwriter who has become a leading musical spokeswoman for the environmental movement. The concert also will include a performance by Youth Soloist award winner Danzhu Zhao on piano. The show is at the Washington Center for Performing Arts, 512 Washington St. S.E., Olympia. Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for seniors or students. Call 360-491-3305 for more information. The band has been together since 1964 and is best known for hit singles such as “Celebration,” “Jungle Boogie” and “Hollywood Swinging.” Kool and the Gang will bring its upbeat funk and jazz sound to Little Creek Casino at 7 p.m. Saturday. The casino is at 91 W. Highway 108, Shelton. Get your tickets in advance for $30-$50 by calling 360-432-7300 or going to little-creek.com . South Sound continues to have an embarrassment of theatrical riches. Here is what’s still on stage this weekend:

• Gallery well beyond Childhood’s End

  Gallery well beyond Childhood’s End

  Downtown Olympia’s Childhood’s End Gallery has weathered several recessions and in the process has worked with and introduced South Sound to several hundred Northwest artists.