Arts & Culture

Critic’s Picks: The best of South Sound arts this week

Patty McPhee, “Black Torso,” at B2 Fine Arts Gallery.
Patty McPhee, “Black Torso,” at B2 Fine Arts Gallery. Courtesy

Tacoma Symphony Mini Maestros

It goes fast! It goes slow! It’s “The Great String Thing-a-Machine” — otherwise known as the string section of the Tacoma Symphony — launching the orchestra’s first Mini Maestros kids concert Sunday at University of Puget Sound. Through imagination, narrative and tunes both classic and popular, children ages 2-8 and their families find out just what makes a string section tick. The series continues with concerts featuring brass (March 6), percussion (April 17) and wind (May 22).

2:30 p.m. Sunday, instrument petting zoo at 1:30 p.m. $7 children, $10 adults. Schneebeck Hall, University of Puget Sound, 1501 N. Union Ave., Tacoma. 253-591-5894, tacomasymphony.org, pugetsound.edu.

Sumi at American Art Co.

Dive into the expressive lyricism of sumi art at American Art Company this month, from clouds to forests to shimmering goldfish.

10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays through Feb. 27. Free. 1126 Broadway, Tacoma. 253-272-4327, americanartco.com.

Four Piano Benefit Concert

Q: Where do you get the chance to hear 12 expert pianists on four pianos at the same time?

A: At the annual Four Piano Benefit Concert. Held by the Tacoma Chapter of the Washington Music Teachers’ Association, the concert isn’t just a great way to hear some of Tacoma’s finest piano teachers all playing at once (and to shop for a teacher), it supports the student concerto concert in May. Saturday’s concert features duets, trios and quartets, with popular and classic pieces, plus a grand finale.

7:30 p.m. Saturday. Donation $5-$10. Lagerquist Hall, Pacific Lutheran University, 12180 Park Ave. S., Tacoma. wsmta.org, plu.edu.

Pop-up art at B2 gallery

Biomorphic beings, black stone torsos, hairy baskets … it’s all there in B2 Fine Arts’ Winter Pop-Up show, running for two more weeks and featuring sculpture by Ric Hall, Mary Hosick, Sharon Feeney, Patty McPhee, Steve Sauer and Shannon Weber. “Asian Room,” a show of antiques, follows.

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday (Pop-Up through Saturday, Asian Room opens Sunday.) Free. B2 Gallery, 711 St. Helens Ave., No. 100, Tacoma. 253-238-5065, b2finearts.com.

Rosemary Ponnekanti: 253-597-8568, @rose_ponnekanti

This story was originally published January 28, 2016 at 2:29 AM with the headline "Critic’s Picks: The best of South Sound arts this week."

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