Cheryl's Art And Music Guide

Ozzy Osbourne 's iconic throne is now on display at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery .  The free UK exhibit, titled Working-Class-Hero , runs through the 27th of September. It was extended because of public demand.  The throne, originally built for the star's Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2024, was also used for Ozzy's final performance last summer with Black Sabbath in Birmingham. And it's not the only piece of memorabilia for visitors to check out. Also on view are the singer's gold and platinum records, MTV and Grammy awards, photographs, and tributes from fans. No booking is required. In addition, the museum has been offering related activities. They include a workshop on Sunday, in which people can create their own interpretations of Ozzy's famous cross pendant with recycled materials. Incidentally, a free photo exhibit from the aforementioned concert has just opened at Bullring (Grand Central) in Birmingham: Back to the Beginning ....

Tony Danza is known for starring in TV's Taxi and Who's The Boss . But he is also a musician. In fact, the entertainer has a new show which pays homage to Frank Sinatra (with whom the actor was well acquainted). In February, he brought Tony Danza: Sinatra & Stories to 54 Below in New York City. He returns tonight, as well as July 2-3 and July 23-25, accompanied by his four-piece band and  his ukulele.    The 75-year-old has another show, which is called  Standards & Stories . Here he performs some of his favorite Great American Songbook selections and interweaves stories about his life and personal connection to the music.  The next Standards & Stories is set for Doc-s-Jazz-Club in Houston, Texas, on the 30th of July. 

Annika Hinds thinks her family helped fuel her creativity. If a new table, shed, doghouse or treehouse was needed, they built it themselves.  So when Annika adopted a kitten, she avoided overpriced stores and made Figgy 's toys and accessories herself--even a jungle gym and miniature cabin! The results appear in Chronicle Books ' Crafting For Your Cat .  Each craft is rated with a paw system which indicates the degree of difficulty. So five paws represent more challenges. The DIY guide is also fun for those who aren't handy. It's full of appealing photos with 'models'--including Figgy --posing with Annika's creations.  A couple of scratching posts, shaped like a giant strawberry and mushroom, resemble pop art. Other colorful projects include a crescent moon hammock, crochet bandana, floral tent, and sparkling name tag. There's even a tea party plate. It sounds elegant and complicated, but gets just one paw: All one needs to do is glue a saucer on top o...

The Art And Music Guide was sorry to learn about the passing of Clive Davis . The record executive and producer, known for his ''golden ear,'' was 94 years old.  Clive was with Columbia Records before he started Arista.  This was where he signed up acts like Aretha F ranklin, Barry Manilow, and Patti Smith .  In 2000, he founded J Records , credited with the success of Alicia Keys and Maroon 5 . Clive, who also worked with Janis Joplin, Carlos Santana and Aerosmith , hosted an annual Grammy Week bash which Variety called ''the music business' most coveted social ducat.''

We've all heard of photogenic people, but tornadoes? Storm chaser and author Hank-Schyma thinks they can be, although he is particularly fond of lightning. There are loads of such images in his book, Storm: Chasing Nature's Wildest Weather . There's even lightning-related phenomena: The most common, he says, are sprites. which often resemble jellyfish. They are among the book's best shots. So it's disappointing to learn that light-sensitive cameras are responsible, as sprites aren't too bright close up. When it comes to hail, Hank isn't eager to get up close--though they come in all sorts of odd shapes (even resembling the human heart in one depiction). He explains that storm chasers are not concerned so much about getting hurt. It is more about losing a vehicle window, then being forced off the road while trying to find another one. Hank has had his fill of hurricanes, though. After capturing damage from Ike , which made landfall not far from his home in ...

Forever Stamps tells the story of American history, pop culture and art through hundreds of vibrantly rendered stamps.  The book, due on the 16th of June, includes popular figures like Charlie Brown and Mister Rogers . It also salutes artists who have contributed to U.S. stamps, such as Ruth Asawa and Ellsworth Kelly .  Visit https://www. penguinrandomhouseretail.com/ book/?isbn=9780593797358 for a look inside.  In related news, Ralph Lauren is the first person to be invited to curate a complete, official USPS stamp issuance. The collection is called American Icons . There are 13 stamps, featuring photographs from the 86-year-old's archive and from visuals which have inspired him. A lighthouse, teddy bear, baseball glove, pickup truck, hamburger and barn are among the images.  A dedication ceremony for the stamps was recently held at the James A. Farley Post Office Building in New York City. To purchase, click on https://store.usps.com/ store/home , and to lear...