John Morehead art
The Wooden Stone invites the public to a reception welcoming the newest creations by artist John Morehead, 5:50-7:30 p.m. Friday.
Morehead has achieved a following locally for his whimsical sculptures created using recycled objects.
The reception will also feature musician “Blazin’ Blues” Bob Paolino.
The Wooden Stone is located at 106 S. Main St. For more information, call 704-212-5243.
Rail Walk art exhibit
The exhibit “A Family Affair” will be on display Jan. 9-Feb. 7, featuring work by Rail Walk artist Jimmy Alston and his sister Katie Spivey.
A reception will be held noon-6 p.m. Saturday at the studio, located at 409 N. Lee St.
For more information, call 704-232-1467.
‘Ancient Carolinians’
BADIN ó Stanly County has been selected as the first stop for a statewide museum exhibit that examines the lives of North Carolina’s earliest known inhabitants.
“The Ancient Carolinians,” an exhibit developed by researchers at the University of North Carolina with funding from the Alcoa Foundation, will be on display at the Badin Firehouse Museum beginning Sunday, Jan. 11. Admission is free.
The exhibit can be viewed 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday and 2-5 p.m. Sunday through April 28. The museum is located at 60 Falls Road in Badin.
“The Ancient Carolinians” uses artifacts from the historic Hardaway site in Stanly County to provide an intriguing look into the lives of people who lived here more than 12,000 years ago. The Hardaway site, located near Morrow Mountain, is the oldest excavated settlement in North Carolina and one of the oldest and most significant archaeological sites in North America. The site was discovered in the 1940s by an Alcoa engineer. More than 1.5 million artifacts were uncovered by archaeologists and donated by Alcoa to the University of North Carolina.
Schools and other organizations can arrange group tours by calling 704-422-6900 or 704-422-3713.
Alexander Technique
Missy Barnes, certified teacher of the Alexander Technique and assistant professor of theatre arts at Catawba College, will offer an introductory class in the Alexander Technique on Monday, Jan. 12, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. The Alexander Technique is a simple and practical method for reducing unnecessary tension. Sitting, standing, using a computer, participating in athletics, and artistic performance all become easier when one is free from excess effort.
“The goal is to relearn the natural grace with which each of us is born,” says Barnes, who uses a combination of verbal instructions and light guiding touch to help people achieve greater freedom of motion.
The technique can alleviate general tension and stress challenges (tight neck and shoulders, nervousness in social situations) or specific pain issues (back problems, carpal tunnel syndrome, knee problems). Musicians, actors, dancers, and athletes also study the Alexander Technique to enhance their performance skills.
“The technique has changed my life,” Barnes says. “I move and speak with much more freedom than I used to, and I want to share this newfound joy with as many people as possible.”
This introductory class will be held at the Looking Glass Artist Collective, 405 N. Lee St. There is no fee, but donations toward the acquisition of a new sign for LGAC will be accepted.
Barnes will also teach “Body Wisdom,” a four-class workshop in Alexander Technique and other methods of body awareness at Looking Glass beginning Jan. 15.For more information, please e-mail Barnes at mbarnes@ catawba.edu or call 704-638-6493.
Youth theater
Piedmont Players will be offering winter workshops as a fun introduction to theater.
The workshops use theater games and exercises to explore character, improvisation, concentration, voice, and movement while building performance skills and confidence. Debbie Hubbard will lead the sessions.
Classes will be held on the third floor of the Meroney Theater on Jan. 31, and Feb. 7 and 14. Participants should plan to attend all three sessions.
Classes will be 9-10:30 a.m. for 3rd-5th grade beginners and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. for 6th-8th grade beginners. Cost is $40 per student.
For more information, call 704-633-5471.
‘Cosmic Collisions’
Collisions transform. Everywhere in the universe, collisions smash things apart, bring them together and leave planets, stars and galaxies very different that they were before.
On Saturday, Jan. 17 at 5 p.m., the Margaret C. Woodson Planetarium takes a look at these amazing forces with “Cosmic Collisions.” This program was produced at the American Museum of Natural History and is narrated by Robert Redford.
The planetarium is located at Horizons Unlimited, 1636 Parkview Circle. Doors will open at 4:30 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under. Guests should park and enter in the back of the building accessible from Lilly Avenue.
For information, contact Horizons Unlimited at 704-639-3004 between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Jazz weekend
ASHEVILLE ó The seventeenth annual “All That Jazz” weekend at The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa will bring legendary jazz artists to Asheville Jan. 30 and 31.
The two-day event will feature concerts with seven-time Grammy award winner Al Jarreau, Down Beat magazine’s “Male Vocalist Of The Year” Kevin Mahogany, Cyrus Chestnut, Bonnie Bramlett, Vince Lewis and many others.
The weekend will feature evening and afternoon concerts in our Grand Ballroom, numerous jazz artists performing in the Great Hall all weekend long, Meet the Artists receptions following each evening concert and a Saturday morning jazz clinic.
The two-night package price starts at $829 per couple including two nights’ deluxe accommodations and admission tickets to all afternoon and evening concerts, meet the artists’ receptions and clinics.
Individual concert tickets are also available for each night ranging from $50 for Friday evening and $55 for Saturday evening with Saturday afternoon concert tickets priced at $12.
For package tickets and more information, contact The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa at 800-438-5800 or go to www.groveparkinn.com and click on “Concerts & Events.”