Farm Fresh To You (www.farmfreshtoyou.com), the local, organic CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) produce delivery program, announced its 2013 event season today.

The March Farm Tour at Capay Organic Farm inYoloCountyon Saturday, March 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. will kick off the 2013 event season. The farm’s address is 23800 State Highway16, Capay, Calif.,95607. Nearly 7,000 people visited the farm last year throughout the event season.

The farm’s tractor tram will tour guests around the farm to see spring veggies growing in the fields and fruit trees in bloom. Visitors can harvest kale fresh from the field and take it home for dinner. There will also be a sustainable agriculture talk led by chief farmer Thaddeus Barsotti.

“For over 35 years, our farm has worked to change the food system by providing a direct link to the farm that grows your food,” said Barsotti. “We welcome guests to our land to see sustainable agriculture in action to learn how it benefits our local economy and community.”

There will be an organic produce market stand where guests can also buy farm fresh produce in bulk. Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic and spend the afternoon. Admission is $5 for per adult. Kids 12 and under are free.

Save the dates for the following upcoming 2013 farm events:

Farm Tours

• Saturday, April 13
• Saturday, August 10, Customer Appreciation Day
• Saturday, October 12

Special Events

• 2nd Annual Cinco de Mayo, Saturday, May 4
• 6th Annual Capay Tomato Festival, Saturday, July 13
• 3rd Annual Capay Crush, Saturday, September 21

Directions:

The farm is located 90 miles northeast of San Franciscoand 30 minutes northwest of Sacramento. For more event details, go to the Farm Fresh To You Facebook page events tab. (http://www.facebook.com/farmfreshtoyou).

From the Bay Area:

Take Interstate 80 East to Interstate 505 North. Go approximately 20 miles; exit on Highway 16/Esparto, turn left at the light. Follow Highway 16 through Esparto and Capay. The farm is a 1/4 mile past the town ofCapayon the right. Look for the Farm Fresh To You event signs and turn onto the gravel road that leads to the parking area.

From Sacramento:

Take Interstate 5 North throughWoodlandto the Highway 16 W/Esparto exit. Take the exit and turn left; then travel three miles to the second stoplight. Turn right onto Highway 16. Follow Highway 16 through Esparto and Capay. The farm is a 1/4 mile past the town ofCapayon the right. Look for the Farm Fresh To You event signs and turn onto the gravel road that leads to the parking area.

About Farm Fresh To You

Farm Fresh To You is an organic farm and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) home and office delivery program connecting families with the source of their produce. Farming since 1976, this second-generation company that pioneered the organic food movement is owned by brothers Noah Barnes and Thaddeus and Freeman Barsotti. Growing up on the farm, the brothers were instilled with a good understanding of the shortcomings of modern agriculture and are excited to be changing the food system for the better.

POPPY CANOPY BY FLORENCE SKIADAS (CROPPED)

The creativity of the county’s and region’s senior citizens will be in the spotlight at Gallery 625 in March.  The group exhibition on the gallery’s main floor, “Generations of Artistry” will feature the paintings and photography of Claire Haag from Esparto, Florence Skiadas of Sacramento, Matt Connors and Ann Privateer from Davis.   On the gallery’s second floor the mixed media art work of Davis Senior High School student Henry Anker will be featured in a show called “As Age Comes On.”

For Connors, Privateer and Skiadas, work as an artist is a second career of sorts.  Connors, retired from a medical career, has been watercolor painting full time  since 2000 and has been involved in local, regional and international art shows, in addition to teaching watercolor classes at the Davis Senior Center.

“There is an emotional release, freedom and excitement in creating a watercolor painting. It is certainly a major change from the seriousness and responsibilities of medicine, ” Connors observes in his artist statement.

Privateer is a retired teacher and has a longtime interest in photography, including the development of a lesson using digital cameras for her students when she was still teaching.

“These days I carry a camera at all times.  Learning about photography never fails to pique my interest,” Privateer stated.

Skiadas spent several decades working in computer science, a career from which she has been retired since 2001, and is now able to fulfill a lifelong desire to focus all of her time and energy on painting, an interest of hers since childhood.  She has exhibited in a number of juried and open group shows locally and in Los Angeles, and is a two-time California State Fair Fine Arts award winner.

Contemporary landscape painter Haag is a native of San Francisco and found her artistic fascination within the illustrations of Howard Brodie in the sports pages of the San Francisco Chronicle.  She has taken studio classes with Jerry Concha and John DiPaolo at San Franciso’s DeYoung Museum, taught graphic design and off-set printing for the San Francisco Community College District, and has exhibited at the cooperative gallery of San Francisco Women Artists.   Her landscape work began later, following a move to Esparto, where she lives and works.

“Art does not seem to me to be about any age…if it is really good, it is forever young and forever fresh no matter the age of the artist who created it,” Haag expressed in her artist statement.

Davis high school senior, Henry Anker, is showing his collection of memories created when his grandmother came to live with his family. The series of fourteen mixed-media images illustrate the value of inter-generational experiences and combine both text and image to depict the physical and emotional aspects of eldercare.  Anker is the art director for his school newspaper “The HUB” and has had work published in The Blue Moon Literary and Art Review and Polyphony
Literary Journal.  His art has been displayed at Davis Community Gallery and at the Davis Art Center.

The exhibit’s opening reception, featuring Bogle Vineyards wine, will be from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., Friday, March 1, coinciding with downtown Woodland’s  First Friday Art Walk and will be attended by the exhibiting artists.

“Generations of Artistry” opens February 27 and will run through April 3 at Gallery 625, the public art gallery curated by YoloArts and located in the Erwin Meier Administration Building, 625 Court Street in Woodland.  Regular gallery viewing hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  For additional information, call YoloArts at 530-406-4844, or visit the website at yoloarts.org.

UC Davis Department of Theatre and Dance is proud to present MFA Thesis Choreographies: “Ligilo” by Jarrell Iu-Hui Chua, in collaboration with Bobby August Jr., travels through the worlds of memories, dreams and present realities to investigate touch and its effects on relationships; “Transmutation” by Christine Germain, in collaboration with Andrea del Moral and Deirdre Morris, examines questions of personal identity and shifts in identity. MFA Thesis Choreographies opens at Mondavi Center’s Vanderhoef Studio Theatre on Thursday, Feb. 21 and runs through Sunday, March 3.

The title of Jarrell Iu-Hui Chua’s work “Ligilo” means “link” in Esperanto, a language that represents the choreographer’s ethnic sensitivities. She and collaborator Bobby August Jr. are both “hapa,” a term that Chua lovingly uses to describe their half-Asian heritage. Their hapa experiences of prejudice growing up in America are a core element in the choreography as is personal trauma from which Chua is recovering.

Emanating from these painful themes, “Ligilo” portrays anger and violence as two performers, Chua and August Jr., physically connect and disconnect. Most emphatically, the piece explores the positive dimensions of human touch in erotic love, humor, tenderness and other aspects of humanity and healing. The spiritual touch of bathing a loved one conveys hope and tranquility. This is both the heart of “Ligilo” and the basis of its foreign title as Esperanto (literally meaning “one who hopes”) was intended to foster peace among peoples of differing cultures.

The dimensions of “Ligilo” are furthered by Chua’s use of long shreds of white paper forming a sea that the performers must navigate as well as creating a sculptural soundscape. “The paper represents the majority status quo that Bobby and I tried so hard to fit into,” explains Chua. “And the paper scenesexpress the confusing back and forth of rejection and self-rejection.”

“Transmutation” by Christine Germain in collaboration with Andrea del Moral and Deirdre Morris, also has an autobiographical base. The work draws from all three choreographers’ lives including French-Canadian Germain’s various experiences as an alien living in the U.S and other countries.

“Relocating a number of times, I found myself frustrated not speaking the language well, being misunderstood, and misunderstanding others,” said Germain. “Injuries also affected how I saw myself. I became sensitive to, and interested in, the shifting of identity occurring after trauma (both psychological and physical) which can be experienced in so many diverse ways.”

In “Transmutation,” three women, portrayed by Germain, del Moral and Morris, respond in different ways to identity changes including the learning orrelearning of who they are and their relationships with others, space and the world. The work is largely formed by Germain’s study of Feldenkrais Method—an experiential system providing tools for self-observation through movement enquiry used to improve habitual and repetitive physical patterns. The audience is invited to participate in exercises along with the performers. This gives the viewer an opportunity to try on new perspectives, seeing and feeling elements of identity in fresh ways.

Both new works have benefited from the mentorship of professional choreographers Kim Epifano (visiting UC Davis lecturer) and Joe Goode (UC Berkeley professor). Each is enhanced with lighting design by Heather Basarab. Unique soundscapes are created by Gretchen Jude (through manipulated traffic sounds and voices) and the group Glou-glou for “Transmutations,” and by Cheryl Leonard for “Ligilo” through the use of recorded Antarctic ice sounds, movement through shredded paper, wine glasses and violin.

MFA Thesis Choreographies is rated R for nudity and violence.

Bios

Jarrell Iu-Hui Chua choreographs, performs, directs and devises physical theater, dance and video performance. She has presented her work at the San Francisco International Arts Festival, Apature, Asian American Dance Performances, ODC Summerfest, Yugen Presents, Somafest (L.A.), Highways Performance Space (L.A.), Sea Ranch and various site-specific locations in the U.S. and Europe.  As a performer she has danced with Anna Halprin, Ledoh and Salt Farm, Dandelion Dancetheater, Headmistress, Plaza and Labayen Dance. Currently she is excited about developing projects with collaborators Terre Parker, Dan Kwong, Christine Germain, Bobby August Jr. and Maria Candelaria. Parker and Chua recently created a dance film that is touring internationally with Videoholica’s International Video Art Festival as a Special Selection Finalist. Chua has also received a grant with Susan-Jane Harrison from the Consortium for Women and Research for their work “Divided.” She is a graduating Master of Fine Arts candidate in Dramatic Art (Choreography) at UC Davis.

Christine Germain, UC Davis Master of Fine Arts candidate in Dramatic Art (Choreography), is a movement explorer, dancer, choreographer and Feldenkrais instructor. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in contemporary dance at Montreal’s Concordia University.  In 2006, she moved to California and received a CA$H grant from Dancers’ Group and Bay Area Theatre. She created her company Christine Germain & Dancers as she became fiscally sponsored by CounterPULSE. She participated in the ODC Dance Pilot mentorship program, presented her work at the American Dance Guild Festival in New York City and was recently invited by Scott Wells to be an artist in residence at DanceGround Keriac studio in San Francisco.Germain was selected among artists worldwide to receive a DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) scholarship in 2011. She was awarded Most Promising Choreographer at the 2012 Montreal Fringe Festival and received the UC Davis and Humanities Graduate Research Award for the 2012-13 academic year.

What: MFA Thesis Choreographies by Master of Fine Arts candidates Jarrell Iu-Hui Chua and Christine Germain: two new works explore the realms of human touch and identity.

Where: Vanderhoef Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center.

When: Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 21-23 and Feb. 28-March 2, 8 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 24 and March 3, 2 p.m.

Tickets: General $17/19; Students, Children & Seniors $12/14.

Purchase tickets: 530.754.2787 or 866.754.2787; http://tickets.mondaviarts.org.

More information including group ticket rates: theatredance.ucdavis.edu.

Spring, Summer & Fall Hours Start
Friday, Mar. 1, 2013 – Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Beginning March 1, Fairytale Town will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the spring, summer and fall seasons, weather permitting. Weekday admission is $4 for adults and children ages 2 and older. Weekend admission is $5 for adults and children ages 2 and older. Children ages 1 and under are free. For more information, visit www.fairytaletown.org or call (916) 808-7462.

Dr. Seuss’ Birthday Celebration

Saturday, Mar. 2

11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

“Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.” And there was no one quite like Dr. Seuss! Celebrate Theodore Seuss Geisel’s birthday at FairytaleTownwith Seuss-themed hands-on activities around the park and a nonstop read-aloud of your favorite Seuss books. “If you never did, you should. These things are fun, and fun is good.” This program is free with paid park admission. Weekend admission is $5 for adults and children ages 2 and older. Children ages 1 and under are free. For more information, visit www.fairytaletown.orgor call (916) 808-7462.

Spring Eggstravaganza

Saturday & Sunday, Mar. 30 & 31

11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

This popular, fun-filled family weekend features egg hunts, prizes, spring-themed hands-on activities and pictures with Peter Cottontail (additional cost). Daily egg hunts are held promptly at 12 p.m., 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Hunt areas are separated by age groups as follows: 0 – 3 years, 4 – 6 years, and 7 – 12 years. The Fairytale Town Troupers will also open their sixth annual season with performances of “Beauty and the Beat,” a retelling of the classic fairytale with music, magic and mid-century mod (additional cost). This program is free with paid park admission. Weekend admission is $5 for adults and children ages 2 and older. Children ages 1 and under are free. For more information, visit www.fairytaletown.org or call (916) 808-7462.

The Fairytale Town Troupers present: “Beauty and the Beat”

Saturdays & Sundays, Mar. 30, 31, Apr. 6 & 7

Show times at 12:30 & 2:30 p.m.

The Fairytale Town Troupers begin their sixth season with “Beauty and the Beat,” a retelling of the classic fairytale with music, magic and mid-century mod. At the corner coffee house, beautiful Beatrix is beloved by all–until her faltering father is forced to sell out to a big-time brute who is all business. Performances will be held in the Children’s Theater. Tickets are $2 for nonmembers in addition to park admission; tickets are $1 for members. Tickets can be purchased at the FairytaleTownmain gate or at the entrance to the Children’s Theater. For more information, visit www.fairytaletown.org or call (916) 808-7462.

About Fairytale Town

FairytaleTownis a 501(c)(3) nonprofit children’s park and educational center in LandParkwhose mission is to promote the imagination, creativity and education of children. Established in 1959, FairytaleTownis home to 25 three-dimensional play sets based on favorite fairytales and nursery rhymes, a family of 22 rare and miniature breed animals, three interactive learning gardens and two performing arts stages. From March through October, the park is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. From November through February, the park is open Thursday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. For more information, visitfairytaletown.org or call (916) 808-7462.

Citizens Who Care presents its 21st annual benefit concert “Yes Indeed! The Great Songs of Bing Crosby,” at the Veterans Memorial Center Theatre, 203 E. 14th St., Davis, Saturday, February 23,  at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, February 24  at 2:00 p.m.

To most Americans, Bing Crosby was the eternal Crooner, a much-celebrated and beloved performer of unparalleled popularity.

Yet he was far more than that. He was an architect of 20th century entertainment, a force in the development of three industries that barely existed when he came into the world–recordings, motion pictures, and broadcasting.

Throughout much of his career, he dominated the music charts with nearly 300 hit singles to his credit.  To this, he added stardom in movies, radio, and television. His work helped to transform and define the cultural life not only of the United States, but of the world.

“Yes, Indeed! – The Great Songs of Bing Crosby” captures the highlights of Crosby’s unparalleled 50-year career, stretching from his early jazz roots with “Bix” Beiderbecke and Paul Whiteman, through his crooner years of the 1930s, his movie hits of the 1940s and 50s, and beyond.

Stephen Peithman tells the Crosby story with the help of performers Joe Alkire, Bob Bowen, Gwyneth Bruch, Martha Dickman, Paul Fearn, Lisa Derthick, and Lenore Sebastian, accompanied by musical director LuAnn Higgs and percussionist Jim Nakayama.

Songs include “Swinging on a Star,” “Three Little Words,” “Sweet Georgia Brown,” “Brother Can You Spare a Dime,” “It’s Easy to Remember,” “Don’t Fence Me In,” “Pennies from Heaven,” “What’s New?”, “Yes, Indeed!”, “Blue Skies,” “Play a Simple Melody,” “How Deep is the Ocean?”, “Too Marvelous for Words,” “Dear Hearts and Gentle People,” “When Irish Eyes are Smiling,” “Imagination,” “The Second Time Around”, “In the Cool, Cool, Cool of the Evening,” and “Star Dust,” among others.

All proceeds will benefit Citizens Who Care, a nonprofit agency in Yolo County, dedicated to providing social support programs and respite services for the frail elderly and their family caregivers.

All seats are $35. For tickets and information call (530) 758-3704 or go to www.citizenswhocare.us. Tickets are also available at the Citizens Who Care office, 409 Lincoln Avenue, Woodland, CA 95695.

More on Citizens Who Care:

The Yolo County charity Citizens Who Care (CWC) has offices in Woodland at 409 Lincoln Avenue; Executive Director Joanne Bell heads the professional staff. CWC seeks to improve the quality of life for the frail elderly of Yolo County and their family caregivers through social support programs and services. Trained, caring volunteers, with the support of our professional staff, provide these services.

CWC offers three kinds of social support programs and services:

THE IN-HOME RESPITE VISITING PROGRAM provides family caregivers of older adults with a weekly break from care-giving. We provide companionship and social support to both the older adult and the caregiver. Our respite volunteers are trained and supported by CWC’s professional staff.

THE CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL VISITING PROGRAM provides companionship and mental stimulation to socially isolated elderly residents. Volunteers of all ages are matched with residents. Some visiting volunteers bring their friendly, well-behaved pets to lift the spirits of residents. Our Director of Volunteers trains each convalescent hospital volunteer.

THE TIME OFF FOR CAREGIVERS PROGRAM offers site-based social respite (time off) activities at the Davis Senior Center on two Saturdays each month, giving caregivers a five-hour break each program day. The program includes a healthy lunch and a variety of stimulating activities. Our professional staff provides periodic individual assessments of the participants.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER BY MARY NERI KING (CROPPED)

Davis Downtown’s 2nd Friday ArtAbout is a monthly evening of art viewing and artists’ receptions at galleries and businesses in Davis. All receptions and viewings are free and open to the public. Many showings include complimentary refreshments and opportunities to converse with featured artists. For more information about Davis Downtown and ArtAbout, visit DavisDowntown.com, or e-mail ArtAbout@DavisDowntown.com.

Special Events, Live Music, Performances & Venue Updates:

The February 8 ArtAbout is HeArtAbout, a special art walk celebrating Valentine’s Day with special exhibitions—some more traditional like ciocolat’s “Whimsical Hearts” featuring the works of Mary Neri King and non-traditional like Spa Central’s “Kim Stein Photography – Seasons in Paris” and The Artery’s “Camp Barbera,” works by Tomas and Sara Post that both feature the love of a particular location—and treats—such as Armadillo Music that is partnering with Sugar Daddies to have ice cream and cupcakes. Please enjoy the Valentine’s Day themed exhibitions and treats (like wine, chocolates, and more) at Armadillo Music, The Artery, Best Western Palm Court, ciocolat, E Street Plaza, French Cuff Consignment, Nelson Gallery, Paulina’s Boutique, Pence Gallery, Radiate Art Collective, Spa Central, Studio 21, Whole Foods Market, and Yolo SPCA Thrift Store

Davis Downtown welcomes new venues Best Western Palm Court, Radiate Art Collective, and Studio 21 to 2^nd Friday HeArtAbout. Also enjoy live music, DJ, and/or special events at Armadillo Music, Best Western Palm Court, Davis Art Center, Davis Developmental Pediatrics Group, E Street Plaza, Pence Gallery, The Wardrobe, and Whole Foods Market Davis.

Art Receptions & Viewings:

• Armadillo Music,205 F St., 530-758-8058; reception, 6-9p.m., “Art by: Katie Brownell,” prints and paintings, through February 28. Sugar Daddies will be providing special Valentine’s Day treats of ice cream and cupcakes. Live music by The Young Vintage Band from 6:30-7:30p.m. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10a.m.-10p.m.; Sunday, 11a.m.-8p.m.
• The Artery, 207 G St., 530-758-8330; reception, 7-9p.m., “Camp Barbera,” Tomas and Sara Post, photographic collages (Tomas) and mixed media paintings and prints (Sara), through March 5. Both artists invite you experience their piece of utopia as they fill the gallery with “love of place.” Hours: Monday-Thursday & Saturday, 10a.m.-6p.m.; Friday, 10a.m.-9p.m.; Sunday, 12-5p.m.
• Best Western Palm Court, 234 D St., 530-231-5919; reception, 7-9:30p.m., featuring art from local artists in their atrium, various media, ongoing. Wine pouring and morsels as well as live music by Easy Living featuring Diana Craig and Sergei Shkurkin, jazz and contemporary. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 7:30a.m.-7p.m.; Sunday, 9:30a.m.-5p.m.
• Bohème Hip Used Clothing, 409 Third St.; reception 6-8p.m., “strangers,” DHS Senior Claire Evans, a collection of recent acrylic and embroidery over acrylic pieces, through February 22. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30-5:30p.m.
• ciocolat, 301 B St., 530-753-3088; reception, 6-8 p.m., “Whimsical Hearts,” Mary Neri King, acrylic and mixed media, through March 31. Hours: Sunday-Saturday, 7:30a.m.-9p.m.
• Cloud Forest Café, 222 D St., Suite 10, 530-753-2164; reception, 4-7p.m., LaVille Logan, pastels & watercolor, through February 28. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 7:30a.m.-7p.m.; Sunday, 9:30a.m.-5p.m.
• Crepeville,330 Third St., 530-750-2400; viewing, 7a.m.-11p.m., Frankie Hansbearry, sculpted paintings, through March 31. Hours: Monday-Sunday, 7a.m.-11p.m.
• Davis Developmental Pediatrics Group, 760 Fifth St., 530-758-3374; reception, 6-9p.m., Rotating art show from “Team Davis” students, through February 28. Kids are welcome to create art at reception. Hours: Monday-Friday, 9a.m.-5p.m.
• Delta of Venus, 122 B St., 530-753-8639; reception, 7-9p.m., “Roots and Connections,” MariaVictoria Rojas, acrylic, silkscreen, and mixed media works, through February 28. Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 7:30a.m.-10p.m.; Thursday & Friday, 7:30a.m.-12a.m.; Saturday & Sunday, 7:30a.m.-6p.m.
• French Cuff Consignment, 130 G St., 530-756-3724; reception, 5-9p.m., Darnell Horton, acrylic paintings and sculptures, through March 6. Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10a.m.-6p.m.
• International House, 10 College Park, 530-753-5007; reception, 6-8p.m., “Warp, Weft, and Shuttle – Functional Weavings,” Verena Borton, weavings (blankets, shawls, scarves), through March 4. Hours: Monday-Friday, 9a.m.-4p.m.
• Logos Books, 513 Second St., 530-400-1083; viewing, 10a.m.-8p.m., “Vitae et Historiae,” Helen DiCarlo, painted images of people, through March 31. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10a.m.-8p.m.; Sunday, 10a.m.-6p.m.; closed Monday
• Megan Wilkinson Photography, 132 E St., Suite 140 (Mansion Square), 530-219-4058; reception, 6-9p.m., “Jake Klein Photography,” color, film and digital, no manipulation or enhancement, one night only (February 8). Hours: by appointment.
• John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St., 530-756-3938; reception, 7-10p.m., “Bark!” Robert Arneson, Wayne Thiebaud, David Gilhooly, Robert Ransom, Arthur Gonzales, Esther Shimazu, Jeffrey Downing, Stephen Braun, Avery Palmer, Amber Aguirre, Rene Martucci, and others, and featuring work by the renowned artist of dogs and their world, Roy de Forest, various media, through February 24. Hours: Wednesday-Thursday, 11a.m.-5p.m.; Friday, 11a.m.-10p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 12p.m.-5p.m.
• Nelson Gallery, Nelson Hall, UC Davis, 530-752-8500; reception, 5:30-7:30p.m., “Design + Build,” an open call exhibition for all to exhibit their original vision, ideas and designs for the new Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art, through March 17. A $500 prize will be awarded to the entry that best represents the future and history of art at UC Davis. Special Valentine’s Day themed treats. Check website (nelsongallery.ucdavis.edu) for general hours.
• The Paint Chip, 217 F St., 530-753-5093; reception, 6-8:30p.m., Sue McClurg, photography, through February 28. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9:30a.m.-6p.m.; Sunday, 11a.m.-5p.m.
• Paulina’s Boutique, 207 F St. #A; reception, 6-8p.m., Jose Luis Rodriguez, paintings, through March 31. Wine and food at the reception. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30a.m.-5:30p.m.
• Pence Gallery, 212 D St., 530-758-3370; reception, 6-9p.m., “By Hand: Extraordinary Fine Craft in California,” a juried exhibit of the best in contemporary art, including work in fiber, wood, ceramics, and metal, by California artists, as juried by the Oakland Museum’s Curator of Decorative Arts Julie M. Muniz, sponsored by the Creative Arts League of Sacramento, through April 5; and “Valentine’s Day Exhibit,” through February 28. Live classical music by the Davis High School strings quartet from, 7-9p.m. and chocolates. Hours: Tuesday-Sunday, 11:30a.m.-5p.m.
• Radiate Art Collective, 231 G St. (Court-N-Cedar), 530-304-5821, www.radiate-art.com; reception, 5:30-9p.m., Bill and Amy Habicht, Jan Wolf, and Thelma Weatherford, painting, drawing, photography, and textiles. Wine during reception. Studio space still available. Hours: by appointment.
• RE/MAX Gold, 408 Second St., 530-756-1212; reception, 6-8p.m., William Kenefick, black & white photography, through February 28. Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30a.m.-5:30p.m., closed for lunch 12-1p.m.
• Spa Central,213 F St., 530-758-7400; reception, 7-9p.m., “Kim Stein Photography – Seasons inParis,” photography prints, through February 28. Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10a.m.-6p.m.; Saturday, 10a.m.-5p.m.
• Studio 21, 231 G St., Suite 21 (Court-N-Cedar), lauren@laurenbrandy.com; reception, 6:30-9:30p.m., “Sweets @ Studio 21,” Lauren Brandy, oil paintings (two shoes studio) + Valentines Ceramics (alluvial), and Thelma Weatherford, acrylic and mixed media. Studio 21 is a new collaboration between the artists Lauren Brandy and Thelma Weatherford. In an open studio setting, the space features landscapes and abstracts in oils and acrylic as well as small ceramics–expressions of each individual artist but complementing each other in the shared gallery. Come by and enjoy artwork, drink wine, nibble on sweets and see their creative studios in person. Hours: by appointment.
• UC Davis Craft Center, South Silo Building, UC Davis, 530-752-1475; reception, 6-7p.m., “2.5 Dimensional,” Joanna Kidd, ceramic bas-relief sculpture, through February 8. Hours: Monday-Thursday, 12:30-10p.m.; Friday, 12:30-7p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 10a.m.-6p.m.
• The Wardrobe, 206 E St., 530-756-1128; reception, 4-9p.m., “Sara D Designs,” Sara Deshan Reinhart, fine jewelry, through March 1. Music by The Sound of Fashion. Hours: Monday-Friday, 11a.m.-7p.m.; Saturday, 11a.m.-6p.m.; Sunday, 12-5p.m.
• Yolo SPCA Thrift Store, 920 Third St., 530-758-0544; reception, 1-6p.m., Jennifer Foss, dog and other animal paintings, and Mamadu, mixed media. Free refreshments! Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10a.m.-7p.m.

SACRAMENTO RIVER WITH 32 PALM BY GREGORY KONDOS (CROPPED)

Over the course of his career Gregory Kondos has painted extensively in the American Southwest, Greece, and France, but he has found his most enduring inspiration in the richly varied landscape of California. In California, Kondos has portrayed the state’s incredible range. His plains and hillsides are both wild and cultivated; his settings include those that are urban as well as those that are undeveloped; his locales range from the supremely tranquil to the awe-inspiringly magnificent. This exhibition on view February 24 through May 19, 2013—held on the occasion of the artist’s 90th birthday—features approximately 70 of the artist’s signature works and surveys more than 50 years of his production.

“In depicting such a variety of terrain, Kondos has moved between abstraction and representation, and yet his commitment to the land has never wavered,” says Scott A. Shields, Ph.D., Chief Curator and Associate Director at the Crocker Art Museum. “His paintings simultaneously celebrate the terrain’s inherent formal, abstract properties, as well as the beautiful possibilities of the paint itself.”

Not only does Kondos typically include signs of humanity’s presence, but he frequently paints topography that has been shaped and altered by development. This is true of his agricultural paintings of cultivated vineyards and fields, and especially of his well-known paintings of the Sacramento region’s man-made levee system. In other works, particularly in his Yosemite images and those featuring the desert regions of Arizona and New Mexico, he uses the eternity and wonder that such places inspire as his elemental theme. In these paintings, humanity is dwarfed by comparison with nature.

Kondos aims to capture views of personal significance, believing that by rendering what he knows best he can perhaps capture and convey something universal. His ability to realize on canvas the land that he so uniquely envisions gives viewers the opportunity to see things differently and to find magnificence in places they may have forgotten to look.

“A Touch of Blue: Landscapes by Gregory Kondos” is accompanied by a 288-page, hardcover catalogue written by Shields, the exhibition’s curator.

The Crocker Art Museum was the first art museum in the Western U.S. and is one of the leading art museums in California today. Established in 1885, the Museum features one of the country’s finest collections of Californian art, exceptional holdings of master drawings, a comprehensive collection of international ceramics, as well as European, Asian, African, and Oceanic art. The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Tuesday–Sunday; 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Thursdays. Every third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday” sponsored by Western Health Advantage. For more information, call (916) 808-7000 or visit crockerartmuseum.org.

PURPLE WINDOWS BY CHUCK WARNER (CROPPED)

Artist and art educator Chuck Warner was a great influence and mentor to the thousands of students he taught, and was an artist of significant talent.  His teaching career was largely spent at Woodland High School until his death in 2005.  Referred to as “Warner” by friends and students, he loved to paint, to push the boundaries, and to see what his medium would do, while subscribing to Marcel Duchamp’s notion that an artist sets in motion a creative process that the viewer must complete.

Warner was born in Sacramento to parents who would influence his future – his father, Earl, a well-known commercial artist, and his mother, Wilma, a teacher.  He graduated from Sacramento State University in 1966 and did post-graduate work at the California College of the Arts in Oakland, where he had the opportunity to study with the important painters of the sixties.

“One of Chuck’s most important legacies was his contribution to the world of art through education,” stated Warner’s wife, Marion Cantor, in the exhibition’s artist statement.  “He was active on a team that developed curriculum for public school art education, and instrumental in adding art to the UC system entrance requirements.”

Warner’s career as an educator was distinguished by his patient and caring approach with students as he often took on difficult pupils who then went on to become successful artists.

“World of Chuck Warner: A Celebration of Art” will run through January 30 at Gallery 625, the public art gallery curated by YoloArts and located in the Erwin Meier Administration Building, 625 Court Street in Woodland.  Regular gallery viewing hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.  For additional information, call YoloArts at 530-406-4844, or visit the website at yoloarts.org.

OIL PAINTING BY DEE CONWAY (CROPPED)

Davis Downtown’s 2nd Friday ArtAbout is a monthly evening of art viewing and artists’ receptions at galleries and businesses in Davis. All receptions and viewings are free and open to the public. Many showings include complimentary refreshments and opportunities to converse with featured artists. For more information about Davis Downtown and ArtAbout, visit DavisDowntown.com, or e-mail ArtAbout@DavisDowntown.com.

Special Events, Live Music, Performances & Venue Updates:

Davis Downtown welcomes Bohème Hip Used Clothing to its new location on Third St. featuring the paintings and illustrations of Davis High School Junior Gregory Shilling-Goins and the music of Crow Canyon. (Note: Paulina’s Boutique is still at its D St. location for now and will be open during ArtAbout with the mixed media art of Tatyana Bychkov.) Also enjoy live music, DJ, and/or special events at Armadillo Music, Bohème Hip Used Clothing, Davis Developmental Pediatrics Group, Davis Odd Fellows Lodge, Logos Books, LYON Real Estate, John Natsoulas Gallery, Pence Gallery, Ray Johnston Photography Studio, The Wardrobe, and the Yolo SPCA Thrift Store.

Art Receptions & Viewings:

• Armadillo Music, 205 F St., 530-758-8058; reception, 6-9p.m., DK Osorio, ink on paper, through January 6, 2013. Live music starting at 7p.m.
• The Artery, 207 G St., 530-758-8330; viewing, 10a.m.-9p.m., “Annual All Member Holiday Gift Show,” all different media, through December 31.
• A Better Place to Bead, 132 E St., Suite 150 (Mansion Square), 530-759-8038; reception, 5-8p.m., CK, oil painting, through December 31.
• Bohème Hip Used Clothing, 409 Third St.; reception 6-8p.m., Davis High School Junior Gregory Shilling-Goins, paintings & illustrations, through December 22. Crow Canyon (Riley Donahue, Nathan Puckett, and Drew Thomsen) will play acoustic music.
• Cloud Forest Café, 222 D St., Suite 10, 530-753-2164; reception, 4-6:30p.m., “Nor Cal Blooms,” Cindy Lewis, photography, through December 31.
• Crepeville, 330 Third St., 530-750-2400; viewing, 7a.m.-11p.m., Doreen Irwin, paintings, through January 31, 2013.
• Davis Developmental Pediatrics Group, 760 Fifth St., 530-758-3374; reception, 6-9p.m., “One Red Dot,” Peregrine Elementary School students from preschool to seventh grade, developmental art show, various media, through December 31. Kids are welcome to create art at reception.
• French Cuff Consignment, 130 G St., 530-756-3724; reception, 5-9p.m., “Land & Sea Abstracts,” Dee Conway, oil on canvas, through January 8, 2013.
• International House, 10 College Park, 530-753-5007; reception, 6-8p.m., “In retrospect,” Winifred Madison, oil, through February 6, 2013.
• Logos Books, 513 Second St., 530-400-1083; reception, 5-8p.m., “Whimsical Art World of Marguerite Schaffron,” varied art, through December 31. Special Happy Holiday Art Sale with hot cider and candy canes.
• LYON Real Estate, 401 Second St., 530-758-0720; reception, 5:30-7:30p.m., Suzanne Bell, encaustic painting, through January 1, 2013. During the reception, Suzanne will demonstrate encaustic painting from 6:30-7p.m.
• John Natsoulas Gallery, 521 First St., 530-756-3938; reception, 7-10p.m., Louis LaBrie, oil paintings, through December 29. Live Music.
• nestware, 207 F St., 530-757-6400; reception, 6-9p.m., “Lloyd Johnson at nestware,” hand colored linoleum relief prints and watercolors, through December 31.
• Nina’s Studio, 241 F St., 530-758-9221; reception, 6-8p.m., “Emotions,” Lucinda Gabriela Aguilar, oil, through February 28, 2013.
• The Paint Chip, 217 F St., 530-753-5093; reception, 6-8:30p.m., Jan Solorzano, ceramics, one night only (December 14).
• Paulina’s Boutique, 222 D St., Suite 9A; reception, 5-7:30p.m., Tatyana Bychkov, mixed media, paint and straw, through December 31.
• Pence Gallery, 212 D St., 530-758-3370; reception, 6-9p.m., “Holiday Market,” Cheryl Lobenberg, Lisa DeFehr, Nancy Shapiro, and Lauren Brandy, along with many more, enjoy unique and affordable work for the holidays, including ceramics, textiles, home décor, jewelry, and seasonal, through December 23; “Our Stories: Judith Lowry’s Artistic Reflections of Native California,” mixed media art, through January 27, 2013; and “Teapots,” through December 30. Music by the Maidu Independent Theater, 7-7:45p.m.
• Ray Johnston Photography Studio, 803 Second St., Suite 302 (Chen Building), 530-756-0499; reception, 6-10p.m., “Simple Gifts,” Lisa Langell, nature and wildlife photography, “Around Town,” Ben Tuason, photography, one night only (December 14).  DJ Lounge Beat, refreshments.
• RE/MAX Gold, 408 Second St., 530-756-1212; reception, 6-8p.m., Laville Logan, pastels & watercolor, through December 28.
• Spa Central, 213 F St., 530-758-7400; reception, 7-9p.m., “Fall in Paris,” Kim Stein, photographs, through December 31.
• UC Davis Store Downtown, 630 Second St., 530-297-4450; viewing with artist present, 5-8p.m., Barry Hannah, hand turned wood bowls made from campus grown wood, ongoing.
• The Wardrobe, 206 E St., 530-756-1128; reception, 7-9p.m., “A Holiday Trunk Show featuring Sorrelli and Escape From Paris,” jewelry, one night only (December 14). Live Celtic music from The Blackbird.
• Yolo SPCA Thrift Store, 920 Third St., 530-758-0544; reception, 1-6p.m., “it’s David Tsai”, Brandon Ivey, and Mamadu, mixed media. Santa will be here to take photos 1-4p.m.!

Other Events during ArtAbout:

• Davis Odd Fellows Lodge, 415 Second St.; 6-7:30p.m., ODD POETRY, somewhere inside or immediately outside the Odd Fellows Lodge, you will find the Odd Poets.  Stop by for a few minutes or for the full 90 minutes to listen to live performances of a wide range of poems, from the brand-new to the classic, and from the guffaw-inducing to those deeply moving. And since this is an open mic event, this is your chance to grace the stage with your presence, and share with us your own favorite poems (original and otherwise)!

The Vocal Art Ensemble presents “Frankincense & Myrrh–A Caravan of Exotic Choral Treasures”

Friday December 7, 2012, 7:30pm @ Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (2620 Capitol, Sacramento)

Saturday, December 8, 2012, 7:30pm @ The Woodland Presbyterian Church (1324 Columbia, Woodland)

Sunday, December 9, 2012, 4:00pm @The United Methodist Church of Davis (1620 Anderson, Davis)

Follow the Vocal Art Ensemble into the mesmerizing sounds of the East as they gather silken songs, choral gems, instrumental spices, and exquisite tapestries of vocal beauty. This rich and varied concert experience sets ancient jewels from the Old and New Worlds, melts divine male plainchant with luscious Eastern European women’s chorus, and weaves together elegant Polish Magnificats with vibrant Zambian celebrations. The creative ethnic flavors of Fiesta Dance N’ Fitness: Multicultural Arts & Wellness will join our caravan, stirring your sense of adventure on a musical journey of minstrels and dance under the Magi’s crystal skies.

Suggested donation $6-20. For more information http://www.vae.trug.com/home.html or (530) 757-2396.