Illustration exhibit in Benton Saturday

Artist, illustrator and cartoonist Ron Wing will host his annual exhibition at The West Creek Gallery in the historic Cole's Mill in Benton on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 5 to 9 pm. (Benton is about half an hour's drive from Bloomsburg.)

Guest artists will include Cheryl Fallon, Jody Fallon and Mary Ellen Minnier. The show is one night only.

Wing's work will be familiar to many people with children as he illustrated many Choose you Own Adventure books. He was  born in 1929 in San Diego, studied fine art for several years before serving in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. After three years in the Navy, he returned to Pratt Institute and graduated in 1954. He lived and worked in New York City for most of the 50’s, where he earned his living as a cartoonist and illustrator. During this time he continued to paint and periodically sell his fine art. He left NYC for Red Bank, New Jersey and then moved to Columbia County, Pennsylvania in the early 60’s. As a commercial artist and cartoonist for over 50 years, Ron Wing’s work has been published in such magazines as Business Week, Argosy, Pageant, Coronet, Reader’s Digest and The Saturday Evening Post. For the last 45 years, Ron has lived in the historic Cole’s Mill in Benton.

This news comes from Cheryl Fallon, who write that a GPS may not get you there, so here's the directions: From Bloomsburg take Rte 487 to Benton. Turn LEFT onto Rte 239N. The mill is located on the LEFT side just after the bridge after Fritz Hill Road and Cole's Creek Mill Road. 

More details are here: https://www.facebook.com/events/419824211470145/

Exhibits: Downtown and on campus

The Moose Exchange on West Main Street is hosting an exhibit of artists who are, or formerly were, connected with the Pajama Factory in Williamsport through Sept. 26. There will be a closing reception Thursday, Sept. 26, from 6 to 8 pm.

The exhibit covers a wide range of mediums by many artists and artisans, including Chad Andrews, Juan Arata, Rebecca Armstrong, David W. Becker, Lynne M. Becker, Valerie Beggs, Aaron Bellve, Rita Bower, Robert Bower, Steve Bower, Alex Callender, Lynn Estomin, Phil Evans, Casey Gleghorn, Tommy Grieco, The Williamsport Guardian, Jennifer Gunlock, Jeremiah Johnson, Laura Knorr, Jennifer Leidhecker, Todd Lim, Keeley Loy, Vaughn Mallery, John McKaig, Curt Miller, Lawrence C. Miller, Tim Miller, Ron Moreland, John Nicholson, Misako Oba, Jill Ostrowski, Liz Parrish, Matthew Parrish, Veera Pfaffli, Michael Pilato, Marsha Turner Pluhar, Holly Patton Shull, Brian Spies, Dave Stabley, Mark Stabley, Andrea McDonough Varner, Ralph Wilson, Mark Winkelman, and Luke Yocum.

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Sage Dawson will exhibit her work in BU's Haas Gallery through Oct. 11. In her show, Home Sweet Ruin, Dawson uses cartography as a visual metaphor and style. The gallery is open free of charge from 9 am. to 4 p.m. weekdays and from noon to 2 p.m. Saturdays. A closing reception will be held from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10, with an artist lecture and presentation by Dawson at 3 pm. Dawson was recently featured in “From Here to There” published by Princeton Architectural Press and “Cosmologies of the Self” in Elephant Magazine.

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BU's Gender Studies Minor is sponsoring a series of six French films. The first film, La Vie en rose, will be shown at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, in McCormick Center, room 2303. The film depicts the life of the French singer Edith Piaf, who lived from 1915 to 1963. This film series is free and open to the public.

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Open Mic Night, featuring a performance by host Griffen Alexander, will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, in Bloomsburg University’s Scranton Commons Amphitheater. The rain location is the Kehr Union Fireside Lounge. Each act in this “unplugged” event must include at least one BU student, faculty or staff member. Open Mic Night is open to the public free of charge and sponsored by BU’s Program Board and Community Government Association.

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Justine Ayuk, a lecturer in the gender studies department at the University of Buea, Cameroon, will talk about Gender and Development in Cameroon at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, Bloomsburg University’s Andruss Library, Schweiker Room. Ayuk is one of four University of Buea faculty visiting BU during September. The lecture, open to the public free of charge, is sponsored by BU’s College of Liberal Arts and Gender Studies minor. 

Poetry and song Sunday in Northumberland

Poet and musician Lester Hirsh will read from his work accompanying himself on guitar Sunday, Sept. 1, from 9:30 to 10:10 am at Joseph Priestley Memorial Chapel, 380 Front Street, Northumberland. Hirsh is a guitarist, singer/songwriter, and poet who plays on Spanish 6-string and acoustic 12-string guitars in styles ranging from classical, country, and folk, to Brazilian jazz and Flamenco.

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More poetry in September

The 5th annual Stillwater Poetry and Music Festival will be Saturday, Sept. 7, under a  tent in the Stillwater Memorial Park. The event will feature award-winning poets from across Pennsylvania, including:

• Julia Spicher Kasdorf, Associate Professor of Women’s Studies and Creative Writing at Penn State University. Kasdorf is the author of three volumes of poetry, Sleeping Preacher, Eve’s Striptease, and Poetry in America.
• Sheryl St. Germain, a Louisiana native and director of the MFA writing program at Chatham University, Pittsburgh. St. Germain is the author of Going Home, The Mask of Medusa, Making Bread at Midnight, How Heavy the Breath of God, and The Journals of Scheherazade, as well as her latest Let it Be a Dark Roux: New and Selected Poems.
•  Jack Troy, professor emeritus of Juniata College and author of Calling the Planet Home.

The theme of this year’s festival is agriculture and nature writing. Several other poets completing the roster are farmer/poets who write of the land and its importance in their lives.

Additionally, Benton’s Fort Ricketts Post #8317 is supporting the festival with the sponsorship of a veteran poet who, in addition to reading at the festival, will make a visit to the Benton Area School District for a reading. Two open mic sessions allow anyone with a poem to share it from the festival stage. Live acoustic music will also be part of the festival. Local and organic food will be available.

Free admission, rain or shine. For more information contact: stillwaterpoetry@yahoo.com.

Back to school. Here's what going on in art this week.

I've taken a bit of a break from posting over the summer, but school's back and there's lots going on. — EGF.

Clay and Cloth

Ceramist Sara Baker and fabric artist Denise Richards are the featured artists at Artspace, 221 Center Street, Bloomsburg, through Sept. 29.  

Catch it while you can

Current exhibiting artist at BU's Haas Gallery Lisa Corine Von Koch and her show 'DAD' will be having a closing reception Tuesday, Aug. 27, from 11 am to 2 pm. She will give a lecture at 11:15 and 1:15 pm.

A hike in the evening

Bloomsburg University’s Quest Program will offer a night hike from 9 a.m. to midnight, Wednesday, Aug. 28, meeting at the Quest office on BU’s Upper Campus. Quest events are open to members of the campus community and the public. For information, see www.buquest.org.

Maybe this is your ball of yarn

If you are an adult who knits, or who would like to learn how, the Bloomin’ Knitters want you. They meet every Monday at the Bloomsburg Public Library on Market Street in the Fireplace Lounge at 6 pm. Bring your latest project and come prepared for chat.

And looking farther ahead ...

The Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble will stage Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice in October. I'm really curious to see what they do with this.

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Manga illustration by Sarah Foster. She does commissions. Inquires? Contact me.

A preview of concerts and shows at BU

Here's the schedule of concerts and plays at BU for the 2013-2014 academic year. Most concerts are free. There's a modest admission charge for most plays. It's early, so there may be adjustments to the schedule down the line.

For myself, I'm particularly interested to see what the Chamber Orchestra does with guitarists Matt Leece and Victoria Hummer and the theatre shows, which seem to include a number of new pieces and a provocative classic by Lillian Hellman. — EGF.  

University-Community Orchestra: Young Person’s Concert, Oct. 1, 10 a.m., Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts. Mark Jelinek, conducting.

Fall Choral Festival: Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, 345 Market St., Bloomsburg. Featuring Women’s Choral Ensemble, Husky Singers and the Concert Choir Alan Baker conducting.

Chamber Orchestra Concert: Oct. 27, 2:30 p.m. Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, 123 N. Market St., Bloomsburg. Featuring Victoria Hummer and Matthew Leece, guitar. Mark Jelinek conducting.

Percussion Ensemble Concert: Nov. 7, 7:30 p.m., Mitrani Hall, Haas Center Gifford Howarth, directing.

Theatre: Avenue Q, by David A. Miller Performed by Bloomsburg Players Nov. 7, 8, 9, 10. Alvina Krause Theatre, 226 Center St, Bloomsburg.

University-Community Orchestra: Nov. 10, 2:30 p.m., Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts. Featuring Todd Hunter, trombone. Mark Jelinek, conducting. A trombone master class will be offered Nov 9. Email mjelinek@bloomu.edu for information.

Wind Ensemble: Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts Stephen Clickard, conducting.

Theatre: An Evening of 10-Minute Plays,  Student-Directed Projects, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m., Theatre Lab, University Bookstore Annex.

Jazz Ensemble: Dec. 3, 7 p.m. Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts Stephen Clickard, conducting.

Guitar Ensemble: Dec. 4, 7 p.m. Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts Matthew Slotkin, directing.

Carols by Candlelight: Dec. 5 and 6, 7:30 p.m. First Presbyterian Church, 345 Market St., Bloomsburg. Featuring the Concert Choir, Husky Singers, and Women’s Choral Ensemble. (Admission free, but tickets required; pick up at Performing Arts Box Office located in lobby of Haas Center.)

Theatre: An Evening of One-Act Plays, Student-directed projects, Dec. 6, 7:30 p.m. Theatre Lab, University Bookstore Annex

SPRING 2014

Spring Music Residency, PROJECT Trio: Feb. 7 to 9.

Theatre: February Festival, 30 Plays in 60 Minutes: Original scripts by the BU Players. Feb. 13-15, 19-20, Alvina Krause Theatre.

Theatre: 24-Hour Plays, Feb. 22, Alvina Krause Theatre.

Theatre: The Children’s Hour by Lillian Hellman, April 11-15, Alvina Krause Theatre.

Fourth Annual Dance Minors Concert, April 27-28, Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts

Honors Recital: Feb. 13, 7 p.m. Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts

Chamber Orchestra: March 9, 2:30 p.m. St. Matthew Lutheran Church 123 N. Market St., Bloomsburg

Jazz Festival: April 4, noon Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts

Spring Orchestra Concert: April 6, 2:30 p.m., Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts. Mark Jelinek directing. A piano master class will be offered April 5. Email mjelinek@bloomu.edu for information.

BU Choirs Spring Concert: April 12, 7:30 p.m. First Presbyterian Church 345 Market St., Bloomsburg

Concert Band: April 13, 2:30 pm Kenneth S. Gross Auditorium, Carver Hall

Guitar Ensemble: April 15, 7 p.m. Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts

Percussion Ensemble: April 17, 7:30 p.m. Mitrani Hall, Haas Center for the Arts

Summer concerts in Town Park

Bloomsburg Town Park will host a series of concerts again this summer. Most are on Wednesday's starting at 7 pm. Here's the schedule of upcoming shows:

Wednesday, June 12, 7 pm - 8:30 pm 

THE DANVILLE COMMUNITY BAND

John Collins, III, Director

Wednesday, June 19, 7 pm - 8:30 pm 

CABIN RUN

Bob Knorr, Leader 

Pennsylvania Blue Grass Music

Wednesday, June 26, 7 pm - 8:30 pm 

CATAWISSA MILITARY BAND

Jessica Martz, Conductor

Wednesday, July 3, 7 pm - 8:30 pm 

MCNETT COUNTRY

Tim and Shawn McNett 

Entertainment & Square Dancing

Wednesday, July 10, 7 pm - 8:30 pm 

CLICKARD CONSORTIUM 

Dr. Stephen Clickard, Composer 

A Ten Piece Ensemble Playing Music from Swing to Modern Jazz 

Wednesday, July 17, 7 pm - 8:30 pm 

MEMORY LANE 

Fritz Dabulis, Leader 

Music of the 50's, 60's and 70's 

Wednesday, July 24, 7 pm - 8:30 pm 

SEASONED SOUNDS

Todd Hunter, Director 

Music of the Big Band Era 

 Thursday, August 1, 5 pm until dark 

 56th ANNUAL ICE CREAM & CAKE FESTIVAL 

Featuring the Catawissa Military Band and Covered Bridge Cloggers Bill Bitler, Director 

Come and share this community event featuring games, prizes, food, music and fun for all!

Poetry: Harry Humes featured reader Thursday

Harry Humes will be the featured reader for the River Poets Thursday, June 6, at 7:30 pm in the Bloomsburg Public Library. Humes' most recent collections of poetry are August Evening with Trumpet (2004) and Butterfly Effect (1998). MC will be Dave Barsky and there will be time for open readings.