Cheryl's Art And Music Guide

The   Upstairs Art Gallery   in Healdsburg, California, currently has an exhibit called   My Furry Valentine . Art, jewelry, and crafts, inspired by animals, are on display through the 23rd of February. Pet portraits are also available, with demonstrations this Saturday, when the gallery hosts an open house. It runs from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the  Humane Society of   Sonoma County . A sampling of the art can be found here: www.upstairsartgallery.net/ featured-artist--events.html . In another part of California, the  Paws for Love  fundraiser is being held. In Santa Rosa, on February 8, folks can enjoy refreshments and live music, as well as purchase art from local shelter and rescue animals (who were aided by their paws, whiskers, and tails). There will be 40 framed paintings--along with artist biographies--at the  Finley   Community Center .  The hours are 5-9 p.m., and the cost is $50 in adva...

Boulder Parks & Open Space   is currently accepting applications for the 2025   Artist-in-Residence   program at Colorado's   Caribou Ranch . The deadline is February 17. Artists of all skill levels and disciplines are welcome. This includes painters, photographers, illustrators, sculptors, writers, and musicians. Since the program began in 2011, the goal has been for creatives to pursue their work in the inspiring history and nature of  Caribou Ranch .  Selected artists will stay at the ranch's  DeLonde Barn  up to four days and three nights, at any point between mid-July and September. This isn't the site of the famous Caribou recording studio, so participants will find different sources of inspiration.  ,According to  Boulder County.Gov , there's a variety of landscapes and wildlife, not to mention an old silver mine.

London's   Royal Geographical Society  is offering another opportunity to catch  Everest through the lens  at the Pavilion.  The show originally opened in 2022, marking the centenary of the first European expeditions to Mount Everest.  Through March 18, visitors can learn about the role indigenous workers played and see the films produced by  Captain John Noel  of the 1922 and 1924 expeditions. New to the display are letters written by  George Mallory 's wife  Ruth , as well as platinum prints from the 1921 expedition in a new smaller size.  Copies of the Society's book,  Everest24 , featuring photos of the famous mountain and climbers like Mallory and  Andrew 'Sandy'   Irvine,  are available here. The exhibit itself is free, and is open from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

On the 30th of January, music-makers ranging from  Billie Eilish  to   Sting   will perform at a benefit concert for victims of the California wildfires. FireAid  will be held at the  Intuit Dome  and  Kia Forum  in Inglewood, an area of Los Angeles.  Other entertainers are to include  Rod Stewart, Stevie  Nicks , the  Red   Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Joni Mitchell ,  Stephen Stills, Earth, Wind & Fire, Pink, Gracie Abrams  and  Katy   Perry . More names are expected to be announced in the coming days. Tickets go on sale on Wednesday at noon PST.

On January 18, at 10 a.m. Central time,  Julien's Bob Dylan auction  will be held in Nashville as well as online. The collection includes photos of the performer; a denim jacket worn while filming 1987's  Hearts of Fire ; a signed harmonica; and early  Mr.   Tambourine Man  drafts. There are a also a couple of sketches made by Dylan.  Almost all of the items are from the late  Al Aronowitz , who wrote for the  Saturday Evening Post  and  New York Post , and became known as the ''godfather of rock journalism.''  Myles Aronowitz   said his dad was an ''incredible connector,'' who introduced  Allen Ginsburg  to Dylan, and Dylan to the  Beatles .  The sale takes place at the  Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum , where there's currently an exhibition of the highlights..

The  Mountain Empire Community College  in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, will soon host a reception for a new exhibition,  The Tracks of   My   Years . It's an apt title, as the show (which runs for three weeks) features watercolors and photographs from local artist and railroad enthusiast  Ron Flanary .  He began sketching trains at just three years of age, and told  News Wire  he was later inspired by railway artist  Howard Fogg , with whom he kept in touch. Another important figure was   Grif Teller ,  as Ron even copied his style for one of his own creations.  The opening is to be held on the 17th of January, from 2-3:30 p.m. at the  MECC 's  Wampler Library .  Ron will be there to discuss his work, which will be on display at the school's  Slemp Gallery .   The 76-year-old is also a railroad historian who has written or co-authored ten books and contributed to hundreds of magazine articles. He...

There was a time when it seemed that everyone was recording disco music. According to a new book,   Disco: Music, Movies, and Mania   Under the Mirror Ball , even   Mickey Mouse, Ethel Merman , and   Karen Carpenter   joined the bandwagon. So did classic rock veterans such as   Elton John, Rod Stewart , and   Mick Jagger .  The writer,  Frank DeCaro , also came up with a list of ''discofied classics.'' Among them were new versions of  Led Zeppelin 's  Stairway to Heaven ,  Van Morrison 's  Gloria,   Marc Bolan' s  Bang a   Gong (Get It On) , and  Gordon Lightfoot 's  If You Could Read My   Mind . While  Studio 54  will always be associated with the movement, DeCaro says it began in another area of New York City--DJ  David   Mancuso 's downtown loft. David was known for his creative approach to mixing songs and for co-founding a music distribution program which allowed club ...

Christies  is honored to be entrusted with the sale of   The Personal Collection of Barry Humphries   in London next month. The performer was known for portraying  Dame Edna Everage . In addition, he was a collector who sought out Australian paintings, Victorian and 19th century works, and Impressionist and modern art. Leading the February 13th sale is  Sand Dunes, Ambleteuse . The painting, by  Charles Conder , could fetch as much as 300,000 pounds.   Eyeglasses worn by ''Dame Edna'' will be auctioned off as well. Barry was 89 when he died in 2023. He began collecting art when he was a teenager. It was also during that time that he created his own pictures: self-portraits and landscapes. 

Andrew Marttila  is a cat photographer married to  Hannah Shaw,  who has written books about kittens. They are also animal advocates who foster dogs and cats.  They decided to take a break and go on a trip together. They wound up spending much of their time with felines--resulting in  Cats of the World , a new book of stories and photographs. A few of the subjects and their surroundings are a perfect match. The color of their fur is so similar, as with a white and ginger youngster posing on the shore in Tanzania, and an older animal sitting by a peach and tan wall in Italy.  Others, unfortunately, were photographed too far away. So they can barely be spotted.  Far better are the shots featuring them in settings like produce markets and bookstores. One proprietor points out that it's more hygienic to keep a kitty around instead of being overwhelmed by rodents.  There's even a picture of one animal looking out of a window where food orders are ...