ART

The Moraga Art Gallery announces the opening of a spirited new show, "Singularities," a title derived from the unique visions of the show featured member artists: Orinda’s Linh Kang and Walnut Creek's Susan Erickson. Feb. 2 to April 10, also consists of paintings. etchings, prints, ceramics, jewelry, woodworking, glasswork and photographs by the gallery’s other members and additional guest artists.  432 Center Street in Moraga's Rheem Shopping Center, open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. www.moragaartcallery.com, or call 925-376-5407.

Start the New Year by viewing the Lamorinda Arts Alliance exhibit, “New Beginnings” at the aRt Cottage in Concord, open Jan. 5 – Feb. 25. Please come meet the artists at the reception on Saturday, Jan. 8 from 2-4 p.m. The gallery, located at 2238 Mt. Diablo Street, Concord, is open, Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 1 a.m.-5 p.m. https://laa4art.org.

19th High School Visual Arts Competition Registration is Open! Registration is open for the High School Visual Arts Competition (HSVAC). Deadline is midnight, Feb. 22. Cash awards, merit citations, in-person exhibit in the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library and online public exhibit. Hosted by the Lamorinda Arts Council. For information and registration, visit www.lamorindaarts.org/vac. Questions? Call 925.359.4490.

Art Gallery at the Orinda Library: 15th Arts Ambassadors In-Person Exhibit. The Lamorinda Arts Council features K-8 student artwork from Orinda and Moraga schools in its 15th Arts Ambassadors exhibit in the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library during February. Orinda artwork is exhibited Feb. 1 – 15; Moraga artwork is exhibited Feb. 15 – 28. Instead of a public reception to award AA ribbons, art educators David Wilson of Orinda and Moose Wesler of Moraga will award the ribbons within the students’ classroom. Learn more at https://lamorindaarts.org/student-exhibits/.

Art Gallery at Wilder: Virtual Exhibit – Abstract Artist Valerie Corvin Held Over. The Lamorinda Arts Council invites you to view Valerie Corvin’s virtual exhibit at www.lamorindaarts.org/online-
galleries through Feb. 28. She has added new abstract work to her show, which is held over from January. Corvin builds "layers of marks, first bold dark marks, and then colorful shapes … that communicate unique shapes in nature.” For in-person viewings, email Aniston Breslin at wildergallery@lamorindaarts.org.

LITERATRE

February events at Orinda Books, 276 Village Square, Orinda: Thursday, Feb. 3 at 11 a.m. Pat's Book Club will read and discuss via Zoom “We Run The Tides” by Vendela Vida. Sign up at info@orindabooks.com or call 925-254-7606 for the Zoom link.

THEATER

“Cinderella’s Wedding” performs at the Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek. Performances are: Friday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Single tickets are on sale ($25 - $52) with senior and youth pricing available. Diablo Ballet will also present a virtual option, which will be a recording of the live performance, streaming Feb. 18 – 27 and available for viewing at any time during this timeframe. Price $37 per household. For in theatre or virtual tickets, call 925-943-SHOW (7469) or visit www.lesherartscenter.org or www.diabloballet.org. For a link to the Lesher Center for the Arts safety protocols that are currently in place, please visit: www.lesherartscenter.org.

OTHER

AAUW-OML is sponsoring two Girls4STEM webinars for high school girls.  “Why Studying Materials Science is Like Playing Tetris” presented by Maritza Sanchez, PhD Candidate, Materials Science and Engineering, will be held on Sunday, Feb. 6 at 4 p.m.  Sheryl Mordo, P.E., B.S., Civil Engineering from UC Davis, will talk about her career path from math classes in high school to a career as a construction project engineer and manager at Intuit, one of the world’s largest business software companies, with an internship at DisneyWorld along the way.  Her webinar is on Sunday, March 6 at 4 p.m.  Get more information at https://oml-ca.aauw.net/girls4stem-webinars/

Acalanes High School Class of 1971 - 50 year reunion. April 9, at the Coop in LaFiesta Square. For more information please contact: Katrina Neblett Silvani 71Acalanes@gmail.com

Registration for the free online Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour and Green Home Features Showcase is now open.  This year there will be four days of inspiration: two days online, and two days in-person.  This tour will also showcase green home features. Saturday and Sunday, April 16 and 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Bestselling author Doug Tallamy will kick off the April 16 event. The online Tour will feature beautiful, water-conserving native plant gardens, as well as visits to homes with Tesla solar panels and Powerwall backup batteries, heat pumps for heating and cooling the house and heating water, induction ranges, and more. www.BringingBacktheNatives.net

GARDEN

The Montelindo Garden Club, membership open to all, presents landscape designer Katie Creighton talking about Early Bloomers — the Harbingers of Spring, Feb. 18, email montelindogarden@aol.com to learn if the meeting is via Zoom and to request a link. For further information, including times and in-person location, see the website at montelindogarden.com. Programs are free and open to the public. Masks and proof of vaccination, including booster, are required for in-person events. 10 a.m. via Zoom; 9 a.m. if in person at the Lafayette Library, 3491 Mt Diablo Blvd., Lafayette.

Free Seed Library at Moraga Public Library (1500 St Mary's Road), to open Feb. 15 for Lamorinda residents to obtain free veggie, flower, herb and milkweed seed. Plant seeds indoors 6 -8 weeks for plants ready to go into the garden at last frost (typically April 15 in Moraga). Six packets per visit. A joint venture of Moraga Garden Club and the Moraga Library. For info or to help: MoragaSeedLibrary@gmail.com

The Orinda Garden Club is pleased to host a free online discussion with famed local master gardener and writer, David George, who will discuss natural ways to deal with fruit snatching rodents and other pests in our gardens at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 24. George is a famed local master gardener with UC and Contra Costa County and a writer. His monthly sustainable gardening column is featured in the Diablo Gazette, known by his pen name, The Naked Gardener. Naked from pesticides, not clothing! His column delves into eco-friendly, all-natural gardening techniques. For more information and to register (required to attend) please visit: www.orindagc.org/community-meeting.html

Moraga Garden Club. Feb. 17 general meeting program “Good Bug, Bad Bug, features Master Gardener John Pike. Anyone is welcome to join on this Zoom meeting. Please, contact moragagardenclub@gmail.com and you will be provided a Zoom link. New in Town? Want to learn about our organization, improve your gardening skills, volunteer or join? See our website: www.moragagardenclub.com for more information.

 

 

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