Looking Glass Artist Collective hosts Black History Month exhibit

Published 12:00 am Thursday, February 5, 2009

An exhibit, “A Celebration of African-American Culture and History” is currently on display at the Looking Glass Artist Collective Gallery.
The show includes works by James Donaldson, Jimmy Alston and Boyd Smith. Also on display is a collection of civil rights-themed photographs by Richard Henry, a photographer for Time-Life during the 60’s in New York.
The exhibit will remain throughout February. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The exhibit will also provide a backdrop for the Jazz for Justice and Peace event at Looking Glass tonight, beginning at 6 p.m. This program is being held jointly by Sudan Rowan and Rowan Blues and Jazz Society. It will feature speaker John Madut (one of the “Lost Boys” of Sudan) and the music of trumpeter Joe Robinson.
Tickets for the event are $12 in advance and $15 at the door. For advance tickets call 704-636-2811.
The African-American culture exhibit will also be available for viewing Friday evening, 6-8 p.m. during an opening reception for the student art exhibit, “The Future of Art” currently sharing the gallery at Looking Glass Artist Collective. The exhibit features works by a group of award-winning Rowan-Cabarrus Community College students.
For more information, call Curator Stephen Davis at 704-960-6594.Spivey exhibit
An opening reception for an exhibit of art by Katie Spivey will be held 6-8 p.m. Friday in the Creators Gallery of John Calvin Presbyterian Church, 1620 Brenner Ave.
Spivey’s art was recently featured in the “Family Affair” exhibit along with art of her brother, Salisbury artist Jimmy Alston, at Rail Walk Studios and Gallery. She wrote of how her miraculous recovery from bone marrow cancer influenced her life and art in an article published in the Salisbury Post’s Faith section (see www.salisburypost.com/Area/010309-katie-spivey).
Spivey’s work is also online at www.zhibit.org/katiespivey.
The exhibit will remain on display throughout February. Gallery hours are 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesdays, and by appointment by calling 704-633-4333.
Faith Ringgold
WINGATE ó Award-winning artist Faith Ringgold will speak and exhibit 6 p.m. Feb. 10 in the Batte Fine Arts Center at Wingate University.
She is a quilt artist and has written and illustrated children’s books. She received the Guggenheim Fellowship for painting and her book, “Tar Beach,” was a Caldecott Honor book.
Best known for painted storytelling quilts, she is also an art professor at The University of California in San Diego.
Tickets are free, but , call the Batte Center office at 704-233-8300 to reserve a seat.
Visit Ringgold’s website to learn more: www.faithringgold.com.Tiempo LibreCHARLOTTE ó The two-time Grammy-nominated Cuban music group Tiempo Libre has a local connection. Their manager is Kannapolis-born Elizabeth Sobol.
Tiempo Libre will be performing 8 p.m., Feb. 14, at McGlohon Theatre, 345 N. College St. in Charlotte.
The members of the Miami-based Cuban music group, were all classically-trained in Cuba’s premiere conservatories at a time when it was illegal to listen to American songs on the radio. Now they are a sensation in the U.S.
The show is a dynamic and passionate performance of timba music, an exciting and engaging combination of Latin jazz and traditional Cuban son. Their goal is to serve as ambassadors to Cuba’s musical heritage, while celebrating the American experience.
Tickets range from $24 to $39 and may be purchased by calling 704-372-1000 or online at www.ncbpac.org. Student tickets are available for $15 (students show ID when they pick up tickets).
Miss Carillion
Carillon Assisted Living, 1915 Mooresville Road, is holding a “Miss Carillon” pageant at 2:30 p.m., Feb. 17.
Local male EMS personnel and firefighters are needed to participate as contestants and escorts. Prizes will be awarded to the top contestants in this unique fashion show, a benefit for the Justin Monroe Scholarship and Fallen Firefighters funds.
For more information or to RSVP, call Suzanne Rose or Julie Koontz at 704-633-4666.
Local Emmy-winner
Dave Barringer, a Raycom Sports television producer who lives in Faith, received four nominations and three wins in the Midsouth Regional Emmy Awards recently, awarded by the Nashville/Midsouth Chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in a ceremony in Nashville.
Barringer won in the following categories:
“Sports Programs/Series” for “Football Saturdays in the South.” He collaborated with coworkers on this project.
“Editor Short Form” for the video that opened the ACC/SEC football games in 2007 featuring the rock group “Daughtry.”
“Photography/Short Form” for the camerawork on the Daughtry video.
Barringer was nominated, but did not win, for “Breaking News” for coverage of the tornado that hit the Georgia Dome during the SEC tournament. Barringer was the producer.
Barringer began using musical talent with sport shows several years ago. He first used Kid Rock to voice a DVD that he produced about the NASCAR Driver Tony Stuart, “Smoke,” andhas worked with Ricky Scaggs, Three Doors Down, Brooks and Dunn, Sugarland, Lil’ Mama and most recently with Rascal Flatts.
You can view the Daughtry video for the song “Crashed” that Barringer wrote, shot and produced at www.daughtryofficial.com/news/new-lincoln-financial-center-video-daughtrys-crashed.