ART

The Bancroft Library Gallery presents “California: Captured on Canvas” – an exhibit of 43 remarkable paintings from the library’s collection highlighting the state’s history and culture that have drawn people to California. The exhibit runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through March 6, UC Berkeley Campus, Doe Library Annex.

Jennifer Perlmutter Gallery presents a solo exhibit with artist Julie Schumer. “Without Hesitation” focuses on recent work in the artist’s bold expressive style. Landscapes are constructed in an intuitive manner in the tradition of post-modern expressionism. The show runs through Feb. 14. For more info, visit www.jenniferperlmuttergallery.com or call (925) 284-1485.

Orinda Library Art Gallery Exhibitors 2015 - February: Carla Gelbaum, paintings; Shirley Sanderson, photography; Whitchurch Glass Designs; Joan Ibaroll, ceramics.

The Lafayette Art Gallery kicks off the new year with the exhibition, “Voyages,” which runs through Feb. 28. Artists show works depicting their travels, as well as the journeys they undertake to create their art. In January, featured artists will be Dalia Alekna and photographer Warren Emmett Rice. In February, the featured artists will be Marsha Ramp and Susan Erickson. The gallery will also be hosting a special Jewelry exhibit, “A Jewelry Extravaganza! Baubles and Bling!” Jan. 27 through Valentine’s Day, with a reception scheduled from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6. For info, call (925) 284-2788 or visit www.lafayetteartgallery.com.

Valley Art Gallery features “New Faces” through Feb. 28. Valley Art Gallery, located at 1661 Botelho Drive, Walnut Creek, offers over 300 original works of art in many mediums and styles. Open Tuesday - Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.  For info, visit valleyartgallery.org.

Diablo Valley College presents Anna Zusman, “Do You Think You Can Tell if It’s Heaven or Hell?” through March 7 in the DVC library.

Town Hall Theatre in association with the Lamorinda Arts Alliance is proud to announce the opening of its latest art exhibit, “Beyond the Brush,” through March 7, with a reception from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb 8. “Beyond the Brush” is a collection of works by East Bay women who gather each month to critique, share and support one another as they grow as artists. Free.

Bedford Gallery’s next exhibition, “The Object and the Void: West Coast Metal Sculpture,” will run from Feb. 17 to April 12, with an artist reception on Feb. 19. This show gathers works from renowned artists Bella Feldman, Linda Fleming, Yoshitomo Saito, and Clay Jensen. The exhibition will feature both large and small scale works, made using techniques from cast bronze to cut steel, demonstrating the artists’ masterful command of their media.

Lamorinda Arts Alliance presents “Business Models for Artists” at 7:30 on Thursday, Feb. 5 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette. Three LAA members who have very unique and interesting business models for their art will be speaking. David Vander Jagt and Olga Jusidman will talk about how they have set up their own ceramic studio which is shared with other ceramic artists. Magaret Lucas-Hill will talk about her business model for marketing her silk paintings. Free.

MUSIC

Flute, Clarinet and Piano Concert at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette. The OSLC Concert Series presents “Duo Camaraderie” with Sharon Lee Kim, piano, and Laura Scarlata, flute, with special guest Rebecca D’Alessio, clarinet. Works by Larson, Liebermann, Delibes and Martin, with the world premiere of a piece by Bay Area composer Omid Zoufonoun. Free. For more info, call (925) 283-3722 or email martin@oslc.net.

THEATER

Saint Mary’s College Performing Arts Department presents “Pinocchio” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28 and at 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29 at LeFevre Theatre, Saint Mary’s College, 1928 St. Mary’s Road, Moraga. Tickets: $8 for the general public; $5 for Saint Mary’s students, faculty and staff. www.stmarys-ca.edu/performingarts or www.brownpapertickets.com. For more info, call the Performing Arts office at (925) 631-4670.

DVC Drama presents Shakespeare’s classic comedy “The Taming of the Shrew,” directed by Kathleen Normington from Jan. 30 to Feb. 15. Sweet tempered daddy’s girl Bianca has her pick of suitors, but not until her sister, the fiery-tongued Kate, is married off. Show times are 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. For tickets, call (925) 969-2358 or visit www.dvcdrama.net. DVC Drama is located at 321 Golf Club Rd, Pleasant Hill. Free parking for all performances.

Diablo Ballet’s Enticing Beauty Program features works by Christopher Wheeldon, George Balanchine, Sonya Delwaide and Robert Dekkers, and will run Feb. 6-7 at Del Valle Theatre. The performances, which place the audience within close proximity of the stage, feature live music and a lively, interactive Q&A with the dancers, hosted by local celebrity moderators. A dessert reception will give audience members an opportunity to get up close and personal with the artists. Playtimes are 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6 and 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Del Valle Theatre, 1963 Tice Valley Boulevard, Walnut Creek. Purchase tickets online at www.LesherArtsCenter.org or by calling (925) 943-7469.

Role Players Ensemble presents “The Ladies Man” by Charles Morey, from a farce by Georges Feydeau Jan. 30 to Feb. 15, 8 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays at the Village Theatre, 233 Front Street, Danville. In Belle Époque Paris, the newly married Dr. Molineaux tells “one tiny, little lie” to cover an innocent but embarrassing indiscretion. Tickets: $20-28; online at www.RolePlayersEnsemble.com; at Danville Community Center, 420 Front St, Danville; or call (925) 314-3400 Free Sneak Peek: 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan.21, Danville Library.

LECTURE & LITERATURE

The Lafayette Library and Learning Center is sponsoring a Book-to-Action series featuring “Dear Primo: Letters to our Peers.” Meet Author Duncan Tonatiuh from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5 in the Lafayette Library Community Hall, with a free book giveaway of “Dear Primo” at the information desk.  Decorate your letter in the style of the ancient art of the Mixtecs from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11 in the Children’s Area.

Many Faces of Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11 at Walnut Creek Library - Oak View Room, 1644 N. Broadway. An event focusing on the unique issues of patients with blood cancer, Diablo Valley Oncology/Hematology Medical Group’s specialists Robert Robles, MD, and Kasra Karamlou, MD, will discuss and share exciting new research, treatments and therapies recently announced at the American Society of Hematology’s annual meeting. Q&A session to follow presentation. Free. Space limited, to register call (925) 677-5041.

KIDS, PARENTS & TEENS

Orinda Teen Advisory Council (OTAC) - Teens are invited to join OTAC anytime. The Orinda Teen Advisory Council (grades 6 to 12) meets at 4 p.m. the first Monday of the month, from September to June, at the Orinda Community Center, 28 Orinda Way. Work with other teens and teen councils in the Lamorinda area to provide input about programs and events for area teens. For more info, call (925) 254-2445 or email orindateenadvisorycouncil@gmail.com.

For girls 4 to 9 years old, bring your mom (or other female role model) to the Hacienda de las Flores from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 to celebrate the special relationship between mother and daughter in a pleasant tea party setting. Enjoy a variety of teas and delectables while sharing quality time with each other. In addition, your daughter will be able to create a wonderful craft to take home and memorialize this special day. Cost: $50 per couple, $27 for each additional guest.  Cost includes tea, assorted beverages, finger sandwiches, pastries, fruit, sweet treats, child’s craft and memories to last a lifetime. Pre-registration required at (925) 888-7045.

The annual Poetry Out Loud competition, a national recital program for high school students, is under way, with the countywide finals scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 at Las Lomas High School Theatre, 1460 South Main, Walnut Creek. This year, 14 high schools in Contra Costa County are participating, including a co-op of home-schooled students. Winners of school competitions advance to a county-wide and then state competitions, and ultimately to the National Finals.

Contra Costa Camp and School Fair – Third annual free event with booths for camps, schools, preschool, daycare, sports, martial arts, gymnastics, enrichment, performing arts, scouts and family vacations from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22 at Acalanes High School, 1200 Pleasant Hill Rd., Lafayette. Activities and exhibitions. Free. For info, visit www.ContraCostaCampFair.com.

Oakland Museum of California presents Lunar New Year Celebration and Other Asian Traditions: Year of the Sheep from noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, at Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street. Bring the whole family to OMCA to welcome the Year of the Sheep. Enjoy a daylong festival with dance, music, crafts, food, and more for all ages. Cost: $15 adults; $10 students and seniors with valid ID; $6 youth ages 9-17; free ages 8 and under. OMCA Members always get in free. For more info see http://www.museumca.org or call (510) 318-8400.

OTHER

Come to Miramonte High School’s annual Public Speaking Showcase at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29 and Friday, Jan. 30 in the Miramonte theater. Enjoy listening to persuasive, theatrical and inspiring performances by some of the brightest stars in the program, followed by a reception in the beautiful Art Center filled with visual art, tasty treats and great conversation. Tickets: $5 available at the door or at the Miramonte web store.

Fall in love with a kitty! See the friendly felines of Community Concern For Cats this weekend, Jan. 31-Feb. 1 at Pet Food Express in Lafayette, Pet Food Express Pleasant Hill and Petco Walnut Creek. On Saturday, cats can be adopted from 12 to 3 p.m. at Lafayette and from 1 to 4 p.m. in Walnut Creek and Pleasant Hill. On Sunday, the adoption hours for all locations are 1 to 4 p.m. For info, visit www.communityconcernforcats.org.
Oakland Museum of California presents “Bees: Tiny Insect, Big Impact” from Jan. 31 to Sept. 20, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland. A new family-friendly exhibition on the intricate world of one of the most important creatures to human agriculture and the natural environment. Cost: $15 adults; $10 students and seniors with valid ID; $6 youth ages 9-17; free ages 8 and under. OMCA Members always get in free. For more info, specific days and hours, visit http://museumca.org/bees or call (510) 318-8400.

Crab Feed and Dance from 6 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Holy Trinity Cultural Center, 1700 School Street, Moraga. Bring your appetites and dancing shoes. Dinner and Dance: $50; Dance only: $15. For non-crab lovers, chicken is available by special advance order. Dinner tickets must be purchased in advance. For tickets and reservations, call (925) 672-6799.

Vote for Summer Movies Now - Enjoy the movie choices from last summer? The City of Orinda will be selecting the movie picks for this year and would like the community to help. For those interested in ranking their top movie choices from a pre-selected list for the Summer Movie series, a survey has been created and posted online. To complete the survey, visit the Parks and Recreation webpage on the city’s website at www.cityoforinda.org. The survey will conclude on Feb. 9.

The Saint Mary’s College Guild will celebrate its traditional “Fun and Games Day” scholarship fundraiser from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 at the Soda Center on campus, 1928 St. Mary’s Road, Moraga. Everyone is invited to attend this Bridge and Bunco event; a buffet lunch will be served. Call Shirley at (925) 376-6588 for details.

Orinda Woman’s Club is accepting applications for the major beneficiary awards of 2015. Accepted applicants will reach the criteria: Serving youth and women and children primarily in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties, and is a 501c-3 organization with an income of no greater than $2 million annually. Application forms can be acquired from Orinda Woman’s Club, Beneficiary Chair, at (925) 254-1162 or adeline@mcclatchie.com. Applications are due by 7 p.m. March 2.

SENIORS

Free Computer and eReader Help from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays for seniors and other adults ages 18 and up. Are you new to computers? Do you need help setting up an email account? Would you like to learn how to write a letter on the computer? Would you like help downloading library ebooks and audio books onto your eReader or mobile device? Visit the Information Desk at the Orinda Library, 26 Orinda Way to set up your appointment, or contact Melanie McCallum for information at (925) 254-2184.

Sons in Retirement Lamorinda Branch 171 meets at 11 a.m. the first Wednesday monthly at Holy Trinity Culture Center 1700 School Street, Moraga. The after-lunch speaker on Feb. 4 will be Thomas S. Marnane, president of Targeted Solutions LLC and sr. vice president of Steamguard LLC. Marnane will address the energy challenges facing the United States. He has had more than 30 years of firsthand experience in his field and his discussion should be very informative. For attendance and membership info, call Larry at (925) 631-9528.

Cultivating Your Creativity - facilitated by Ted Fuller, Lafayette author and editor. This 5-week course will include exercises and challenges that generate ideas, creations of innovative, even quirky, individuals and problem-solving guidelines. Field trip – a guest speaker or two and myriad resources are all part of this innovative class. Limited to 15 participants. Please call Lafayette Senior Services at (925) 284-5050 to sign up. Classes are held from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays from Feb. 25 to March 25 in the Toyon Room, Lafayette Community Center. Members: free; non-members: $10 per meeting.

GARDEN

The Walnut Creek Garden Club will hold its general meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 9 at the Gardens at Heather Farm located at 1540 Marchbanks Road in Walnut Creek. The topic of the program is The Mission Blue Butterfly Project. Price Sheppy is the Community Manager of Golden Gate Park and he will speak about the effort to protect the endangered Mission Blue butterfly. For more info, visit mslittle44@gmail.com.

The Lafayette Garden Club will meet from 9:30 to noon on Thursday, Feb. 12 at Lafayette Veterans Memorial Hall, 3780 Mt. Diablo Blvd, featuring Rebecca Sweet, who will discuss “Refresh Your Garden Design with Color, Texture, and Form.”  Sweet has been featured in numerous publications and shares her many secrets in her popular blog, Gossip in the Garden. She is owner of design firm Harmony in the Garden and author of two wonderful garden books, both of which will be available for purchase. For info, email cpoetzsch@gmail.com.

Montelindo Garden Club Meeting will meet at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 20 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 66 St. Stephens Drive, Orinda. Visitors welcome. Speaker Susan Morrison, a landscape designer, master gardener and co-author of Garden Up will discuss Smart Space.  For info, visit www.montelindogarden.com.