This weekend your Dallas Stars take on the New Jersey Devils on their home rink. Which is good, because on the Devils' ice, we sometimes don't receive all our deserved points. Also, I'm beaming with pride that I know this much about sports. My dad would be so proud if ever read my blog. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $15, but spring for better seats. Let the nosebleeds be on the ice.
Thursday, December 11 Rapid Readings Did you know Dallas has a budding poetry scene? Yeah, we didn't either. A poet is like an ivory billed woodpecker -a rare beautiful thing. Which is why we were excited to hear about the newest event at Wild Detectives (314 W. 8th St.) that features the word-driven up and comers in what is being called "the new SMU poetry scene." Hear what they've mined from their lives at 7 p.m. Thursday during Rapid Readings, organized by Greg Alan Brownderville, who happens to be their professor. More information at thewilddetectives.com Blade Runner, 35mm Print This is a "Texas Theatre Certified Fan Favorite" so they're bringing it back tonight. 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $10.50.
2nd Annual Juried Artists Books Art Books can be hard to come by. The lovely little objects made by artists around the world are hard to display next to an expensive leather couch, and besides books are headed for extinction, right? Wrong, says WoCA Projects. Now in its second year, this juried exhibition of art books contains the work of 20 artists, one of whom will receive the Purchase Prize and be added to the University of Texas at Arlington's Art/Art History & Rare Books Collection. Stop by the opening reception from 6-9 p.m. Thursday at WoCA Projects, 2902 Race Street in Fort Worth. Or see them through January 31. More at wocaprojects.com.
Serial Listening Party Last week, we attended the Serial Podcast listening party at Sundown at the Granada and were thrilled to find people similarly obsessed. They sell drinks at the bar and strongly discourage talking during the event. If you missed episode 10, they'll play that at 7 p.m. followed by tonight's episode. Catch up at serialpodcast.org.
Black Nativity The Langston Hughes play pops up at the Bishop Arts Theater (214 S. Tyler St. ) this weekend, just in time for Christmas. Think Gospel music meets baby Jesus. It opens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and shows run through December 21. Tickets are $15-20. More information at tecotheatricalproductions.org.
Andrea Bocelli If you're into famous opera singers, he's playing the American Airlines Center.
A Very Nouveau Holiday 10 new plays. All about Christmas, or at least the holidays. The array of companies who use the Margo Jones Theatre throughout the year team up for an evening of plays. Opens at 7:30 p.m. and runs through December 21. Tickets are $15. Friday, December 12 Works of Heart Those talented employees at Dallas-based Fossil make some of the prettiest watches, and don't even get me started on my love for their purses. It should come as little surprise that many of the designers are artists in their own right. This weekend, they're throwing a little party to celebrate their art, and support Big Thought's Thriving Minds program, an after school program that provides arts education for underprivileged children. Grab a drink, see the art, and enjoy the good company - all for a cause. Party takes place from 7-10 p.m. Friday. Tickets on eventbrite.com. Search "Works of Heart 2014."
Five to Watch RO2 Art partners with the City of Addison to present the work of five emerging artists, Rachel Fischer, Biumin Kim, Yuni Lee, Kai Peter Martin, and Michelle Thomas. All from the Master of Fine Arts program at University of North Texas. See the work in its opening reception from 6-8 p.m. Friday at the Gallery at Visit Addison (5100 Belt Line Road, Ste. 400). More info at ro2art.com.
Saturday, December 13
Between Dog and Wolf and Drawings It's highly possible you've seen the French idiom: entre chien et loup. It roughly translates to Between Dog and Wolf, inspiring the name for artist Danny Williams exhibition at Barry Whistler Gallery (2909-B Canton St.). It refers to the way dusk can obscure the outline of a friendly dog to make it appear wolflike. His works in charcoal are meant to demonstrate what lies "between wild and tamed, pastoral and industrialized or nature and culture." See the pieces at the opening reception at 6 p.m. Saturday or through January 10. In conjunction there will be a drawing show featuring Linnea Glatt, Lawrence Lee, Andrea Rosenberg, Lorraine Tady (Dallas), Jay Shinn (NY/Dallas), Michael C. McMillen (LA), Adam Raymont (Berlin), John Wilcox, and Mark Williams (NY). More information at barrywhistlergallery.com.
Bildungsroman As an English major at SMU, one of my favorite moments was when I learned the word "Bildungsroman." It was guttural, sounded slightly obscene and became like a secret handshake with fellow English majors. I'll let you in on it just this once, it's a coming of age story. Which is why it's the perfect name for a group exhibition of University of Texas at Arlington students. Jururs have selected 12 works from 80 submissions of student artists to be displayed from 7-10 p.m. Saturday in a downtown gallery located at 2614 Elm St. See what's on the minds of artists as they themselves are coming of age.
Ansen Seale's Ever Wonder and Bryan Florentin's Cryptic Title Kirk Hopper Fine Art presents dual exhibitions of untraditional photographers Ansen Seale and Bryan Florentin. Both use the medium in wildly different ways to present their perspectives on landscape and how humans interact and intervene with space. They're masters of the camera and their work is unlike photography you're used to seeing. Opening reception from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. Saturday. Remains on display through January 10. More information at kirkhopperfineart.com.
Pawliday Presence Pup Party Bring your pups to Kettle Art Gallery Saturday afternoon from 2-5 p.m. for a holiday party. There will be a complimentary photo booth, snacks for the pups, and drinks and snacks for you. Plus, you can see the Holiday Presence show and mingle with the artists.
Lauren Woods at Zhulong Gallery Lauren Woods' art can be difficult to pin down. In medium, she's all over the place, her work is varied, but very interconnected. Combine her dynamism as a conceptual artist with the track record of Zhulong Gallery (1302 Dragon St.), and this is an exhibition you'll want to catch. In her solo exhibition that opens at 6 p.m. Saturday, her work includes video, works on paper, and more traditional pieces. Her work falls into the artistic categorization, "interventions," which is to say that they work both in the space they are placed and in the viwer's personal context. See the work in opening reception at 6 p.m. Saturday or through January 24. More information at zhulonggallery.com.
Cat Show Mighty Fine Arts presents a fun group exhibition dedicated to our feline friend. Best I can gather by looking at the list of participating artists there are no purring critters on the list, but the names include Brian Scott, Clay Stinnet, Brian Jones, Teresa Megahan, Steve Cruz, and many more. The art pays tribute to perspectives on pussycats. Additionally, Wordspace will host its final Artspeak event of the year at 9 p.m. Reception starts at 6 p.m. Saturday at MFA, 409A N.Tyler.
Sunday, December 14 Dallas Marathon Heads up, Dallas residents. The marathon is this weekend. And while we're not sure our readers are the type to get up early on a Sunday and run 26.2 miles, we're pretty sure you won't want to get stuck in the traffic. Maybe find somewhere along the route that you can post up for brunch and laugh at the fools spending the day of rest running.
Let Them Eat Cake! Art's never been so delicious. At 5 p.m. Sunday, RO2 Art presents artist Chelsey Antoinette's work in - of all places - a cupcake shop. It's the perfect setting for the aptly named Antoinette's work, which delectably combines art and fashion. You'll see her lavish hats, which were inspired by, well, cupcakes. The work will be on display at Fluellen Cupcakes (1408 Elm St.) and will open with a champagne and cupcakes reception from 5-7 p.m. Sunday. Entry is free. More information at ro2art.com.