Cheryl's Art And Music Guide

A food-related display is slated to open in Ludington, Michigan, this fall.  Painters, photographers, sculptors and other artists are invited to apply. However, there's an entry fee of thirty dollars (for up to two pieces). Andrew Skinner , Executive Director of the  Ludington Area Center for   the Arts , explained that the fee helps support their general operating costs.  ''These operating costs include not only the presentation of monthly exhibitions but also year-round arts programming that  benefits our community. This includes youth-oriented initiatives such as our  After-School Art-Ventures  program which provides area children with a safe, creative. and enriching place to go after school.'' Andrew also told the  Guide  this will be  LACA 's first food-oriented show, but they regularly offer engaging themes. Whether it's  Hot   Topics   or  Cut, Paste, Create: A Collage Exhibition,  the center has...

Interested in purchasing clothing worn by stars like Chris Cornell, Lady Gaga, George Michael , and George Harrison ? They are part of Sotheby' s  Rock & Pop Sale , running through the 23rd of April. So are instruments once owned by Bill Wyman, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and Randy Rhoads .  But the axes played by Elvis Presley and Noel Gallagher have been getting the most press. The former's cherry-red guitar was used during his 'Comeback Special' in 1968, and is expected to fetch between one and two million dollars. There are two listed which were owned by Noel. Each contains his autograph, and has an estimate of between sixty and eighty thousand dollars.  There's even a smashed guitar fragment, courtesy of Pete Townshend .  The most unusual lot consists of Jim Morrison 's handwritten will. It's accompanied by a photo of Jim and his beneficiary/girlfriend. All of his ''worldly possessions'' are left for ''my only compani...

Tim Yanke   is known for his dragonfly imagery and representations of the American flag . . . AKA 'Yanke Doodles'! Tomorrow he will be Grand Marshal of the   Cherry Blossom Parade  in Washington, DC. Tim was also chosen to create the official artwork for this year's festival.  While it's no surprise to see cherry blossoms and the Washington Monument, the piece also contains butterflies and hidden lyrics from songs like  God Bless America .  The Michigan resident's new art is available at an  online store  as well as during Saturday's parade, which runs from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The merchandise includes hats, hoodies, shirts, pins, posters, mugs and totes. 

Railways have inspired artists for many years. While the arrival of a train was depicted in an 1872 Japanese woodcut block and, five years later, in a  Claude Monet  painting, others focused on problems. Third-class train travelers, for instance, had little room to maneuver. And in the early days, everyone had to contend with smoky conditions caused by coal-burning boilers.  The aforementioned appears in  The Rise of the Railroad - How Trains Changed the World , and so do promotional posters, an attractive postage stamp commemorating mountain locomotives, and loads of photos. The latter really bring history to life, starting with a horse-drawn line in Austria. Others range from railway employees offering a demonstration of hand signals to the interior of a Budapest underground station, illuminated by a glazed dome.  The author is  Christian Wolmar , whose source material includes his own series of railroad history books. His next book will be  Fast Tra...

Ne xt month--on the 29th and 30th of May-- Julien 's   Music Icons  auction will take place.  There are over 700 lots, with personal items and instruments from  Mick Mars, Lita Ford, Bill Ward, Dave Mustaine ,  B.B. King , and others. One of the main attractions is  Ace Frehley 's 1975  Gibson Les Paul , as it's expected to fetch at least half a million dollars.  Another highlight is a jumpsuit, originally a silver/white number owned by  Arthur Kane  of the  New York Dolls . But he gave the jumpsuit to Ace, who dyed it purple before wearing it on stage. Folks in London can enjoy a preview at the  Hard Rock Cafe Piccadilly   Circus  through April 13. Two weeks later, the items will be exhibited at the  Hard Rock Cafe Tokyo .  The main event is to be at New York's  Hard Rock Cafe Times Square , where fans can check out the memorabilia from the 13th of May. Starting April 27, online bids will be accepted. ...

Gered Mankowitz   has been a photographer for over six decades. While he has worked in advertising and taken promotional shots of movie stars, the 79-year-old is best known for his collaborations with the likes of  Elton John , the  Yardbirds , and  Kate Bush . He has also taken pictures of  Annie Lennox , whose foreword appears in  the new book, Photographs , out next month. According to the publisher, this is the most comprehensive collection of Mankowitz imagery in book form, and includes rare and never-before-seen photographs. In addition, there are recollections from  Dave Stewart. Noddy Holder ,  Susie Quatro , and Mankowitz himself. And through the 27th of July, the artist's works can be seen at London's  ME Hotel , in conjunction with the  Iconic Images  gallery.