Tacomans carry on about their lives as if nothing were amiss, but all the while  two artists plan our demise in the month of February with the Zombie Tacomapocalypse. While stores stock up on chocolates in heart-shaped boxes, Kendra Breeden and Stuart M. Dempster of Treefish Studio in Tacoma plot to bring a hoard of zombies to Amocat Cafe in the Stadium District. They attempt to pass it off as an art show, but the truth is plain the see - Tacoma is going to be overrun with brain-slurping zombie goodness and there is nothing any of us can do to stop it.

"In a way, the zombie theme was because we really don't do Valentine's Day," says Breeden, with a quick echo from Dempster, who emphasizes, "We really don't." Dempster and Breeden are a husband and wife team determined to make the month of love just about the opposite of everything warm and fuzzy. Both are artists who dedicate their lives to making everything they do creative, and this is Treefish Studio's first show.

"We live in our art, we live on our art, we eat our art, we share our art with friends, and now we're selling our art and making sure other people can sell their art as well," says Dempster, "and doing our part to strengthen the art community."

"This is just our first event so it's kind of small and chaotic," continues Dempster. "But it is just our first event and we have plans. And we have plans for bigger and better. We're being very tongue in cheek, not serious at all, very irreverent, very, very nontraditional."

While Breeden and Dempster are putting on an art show, local zombies may have other ideas of what this event will bring.

"There are rumors of other things going on like a zombie tourist group that will be paying us a visit," says Dempster. "They're here in Tacoma checking out all the great shuffling locations, meaning shuffling and staggering and other zombie kinds of activities. There's something about zombie rights going on."

There will be at least one zombie pirate showing up at some point. There will be a zombie puppet. And apparently there are rumors of a flash mob showing up - think "Thriller" right in the middle of the Stadium District. Breeden and Dempster  have no idea exactly how many zombies, zombie hunters and other creatures of the night might show up, or exactly when. But be warned. Zombies are coming.

The Zombie Tacomapocalypse is at its core an art show, featuring the art of Breeden, Dempster and at least six other artists, and most likely more than that, including a few of the artists who participate in the Frost Park chalk offs. The show will blend media of all sorts. There will be 2-D and 3-D art, and a number of multimedia pieces as well, including a zombie mannequin head. By the end of the month of February, there will be a video/YouTube version of the event on display. All artwork will be honoring zombiekind, as well as at least one vampire piece, but they are quick to specify that their vampire has nothing to do with Twilight.

"We don't do sparklepires," says Breeden.

Opening night for the Tacomapocalypse is Feb. 4 from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., but most likely will go later. Zombies are night people, after all. Entry is free. There will be zombie snacks and snacks for the living, as well as Amocat Cafe's selection of microbrews, wine and food. There will be zombie music and they are hoping to have a DJ as well. Tacomapocalypse goes beyond the opening event, though, and there will be creepy zombie fanfare and artwork at Amocat throughout February.

"While other shows will be talking about how they want you for your heart or your body," says Dempster, "we're only out for your brains."

Zombie Tacomapocalypse

Friday, Feb. 4, 4:30-8 p.m., free
Amocat Cafe, 625 Saint Helens Ave.,Tacoma
253.722.5373