Cheryl's Art And Music Guide

  A picture of a disco ball in a desert; a ring shaped like a flower; a ''crying'' mask; an installation of milk crates; and psychedelic paintings . . . just a sample of Inside Job , Christie's Staff Art Auction. The online sale starts tomorrow and runs through the 19th of August. It features art created by talented employees at Christie's New York headquarters. They include photographers, administrators, and specialists. With estimates starting at a hundred dollars, the auction is an opportunity for seasoned collectors and those just starting out. Pieces will be on view at the Rockefeller Center galleries from the 14th through the 18th of the month.  The buyer's premium from this sale will be donated to Publicolor , a nonprofit which harnesses the power of art and design to engage students in revitalizing education programs and community spaces. 

The Art and Music Guide is now four years old! Also making news--a Jimi Hendrix book due on the fourth of August, and an upcoming auction to benefit disadvantaged and at-risk youth in Michigan. The Hendrix book is called Experienced and was written by the star's former road manager, Eric Barrett . Eric, who was at Woodstock and the Isle of Wight with Jimi, has also toured with Madonna, David Bowie , and George Michael .  As for the auction, all proceeds go to the Marshall Mathers Foundation. Eminem (whose real name is Marshall Mathers ) is selling over a hundred pairs of signed sneakers from his personal collection on the 25th of August. You can check them out or register to bid here: https://www. juliensauctions.com/en/ auctions/marshall-mathers- foundation-auction .

Next month, the Vision Gallery in Chandler, Arizona, is hosting a couple of Make and Take events. On August 8, people can create pet snakes out of pipe cleaners, beads, and other materials. And on the 22nd, they can opt for bugs. The activities are related to the Unlovable exhibit, running through August 15. Over sixty Arizona-based artists submitted paintings, sculptures, and other pieces depicting creatures deemed 'unlovable' by the public. The subjects range from arachnoids to marsupials, and much of the art is charming rather than repulsive or scary. In June, the gallery hosted a Creepy Crawler Day with bug and animal crafts as well as live exhibits from the Phoenix Zoo . 

A 95-year-old actor is making his live debut with his new metal band in September. William Shatner will play Chicago's Riot Fest   on the 20th of September, along with The *uckers .  He provided a list of tongue-in-cheek requests for concert organizers as well as the city of Chicago. These range from providing fire breathers for his performance to being allowed to sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame at a local baseball game.   Incidentally, Shatner has released quite a few albums over the years, even collaborating with Ben Folds in 2004 and for a 2018 Christmas LP, attracting guests like Elliot Easton, Todd Rundgren, Ian Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Judy Collins , and Iggy Pop. The latter will also be at Douglass Park . Morrissey , the Sex Pistols, Alanis Morissette , and Twenty One Pilots are among others appearing at the three-day festival (September 18, 19, and 20).

How would you like to meet Art Garfunkel, Al Jardine, Justin Hayward , or the Smashing Pumpkins ? These opportunities--along with concert tickets--are part of the Museum of Broadcast Communication 's Front Row Experiences Charity Auction. Proceeds benefit the Chicago museum's educational mission and preservation efforts.  Other interesting lots include a private lunch with actor Henry Winkler and an I Dream of Jeannie bottle signed by the star of the show, Barbara Eden .    Bids will be accepted at CharityBuzz until 4 p.m. CT on July 28. Visit   https://www.museum.tv to learn more. 

On the Fourth of July, there were all sorts of celebrations. One artist even imagined a moose, bunny, dog, and other creatures joining in.  Sharon Brotz , whose online gallery is called  Little Face Art , has been writing and illustrating children's stories for many years (although her work also appeals to adults). She told the Art and Music Guide that she always has had an optimistic view of the world where everyone gets along (people and animals).  ''I paint in a naive and whimsical style with the hope of having those who look at my paintings smile.'' So her pieces have included a camera-ready koala, a flute-playing panda, a snowman welcoming the signs of spring, a pair of lovestruck penguins for Valentine's Day and a woodpecker peeking out of a tree. The artist even came up with a different version of a ferris wheel--called Ferrets' Wheel .   Sharon, who also creates images of flowers, said she is influenced by impressionist painters ''but with ...