JD Miller — Absence of Color
Samuel Lynne Galleries
1105 Dragon St.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays until Nov. 11
Free
Far from his usual vibrant paintings, local artist, musician and gallery owner JD Miller embraces a monochromatic palette in his latest exhibit, aptly titled Absence of Color, which he created to challenge himself artistically after two decades relishing in polychromatic themes. Playing with grays, whites and blacks, the impressionist pieces evoke just as much excitement as his kaleidoscopic works. And that can’t be easy. Unafraid of using thick layers of oil paints to create 3D effects in his works, in Absence of Color he explores various textures and shapes but the pieces remain simple at their core. They also embody Miller’s unique style of painting, “reflectionism,” which he founded and considers to be inspired by psychology, spirituality and meditation. See Absence of Color free from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays until Nov. 11 at Samuel Lynne Galleries, 1105 Dragon St. — Diamond Victoria
Writer's Bloc
Deep Vellum Books
3000 Commerce St.
6-8 p.m. Wednesday
Free
Anyone who’s sat down at a computer and stared long enough at the blinking line knows the agony of writer’s block. It happens to every writer, from poets to fiction writers to journalists. Perhaps one method of remedying this creative frustration could be a glass or two of wine. But if you’re really looking to get some constructive feedback on existing work or newly conceived ideas, you need insight from other wordsmiths. And from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, writers cut from all cloths will meet at Deep Vellum Books, 3000 Commerce St., for the Writer’s Bloc writing workshop hosted by poet and writer Craig Nydick. This biweekly workshop aims to help anyone who needs to get his or her creative juices flowing. The event is free to attend, and more information can be found at the bookstore's Facebook page. — Diamond Victoria
Sing and Swing
Sons of Hermann Hall
3414 Elm St.
8 p.m. Wednesday
Free
With the amount of paint available in craft stores and the many episodes of The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross available on Netflix, taking up a new hobby is easier than ever. But what about a hobby that gets your heart pumping and your feet moving? Mixing fun with exercise never hurt anyone. (Plus, those Bob Ross paintings usually end up looking like a 12-year-old’s art project, and the cleanup is enough to have you say “never again.”) Sons of Hermann Hall, 3414 Elm St., helps everyone in need of a good time with its weekly Sing and Swing nights. Learn the basics of swing dancing or show off your Lindy Hop skills from 8 p.m. to midnight Wednesday, June 21. Beginners should arrive an hour early to learn some essential steps in the venue’s upstairs ballroom before the real fun begins. Dress up or down, but prepare your feet with some comfortable shoes. Karaoke also takes place from 8:30 to 11:30 p.m. downstairs in the bar. Tickets are $8 for the night and can be purchased at the door. For more information, visit sonsofhermann.com. — Diamond Victoria
Adding Machine: A Musical
Theatre Three
2800 Routh St.
Through Sunday
$10 and up
Mr. Zero has a problem we can all relate to. The protagonist in Elmer Rice's 1923 play, Adding Machine, finds out his job of 25 years is being eliminated because a new piece of technology has made it obsolete. In 2007, Joshua Schmidt and Jason Loewith chose to adapt Adding Machine into a musical, which is onstage at Theatre Three, 2800 Routh St., through Oct. 22. But that's not where the story ends. In his anger, Mr. Zero takes things a wee bit too far. As in, he kills his boss too far. Yeah, whoops. The funny, dark and poetic musical, which influenced Tennessee Williams, follows Mr. Zero through his trial and death and into the afterlife. Adding Machine: A Musical opens at 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Tickets start at $10 at theatre3dallas.com. — Caroline North
Arts & Ale: A Pop-Up for #TexasArtistsStrong
The Better Block
700 W. Davis St.
6-10 p.m. Friday
Free
Join Little D Markets, the Better Block Foundation and Houston-based Fresh Arts for an evening of live music, shopping local, a painting workshop and eats and drinks. This would be a great event in-and-of-itself, but the fact that a portion of the proceeds will go to help Houston artists affected by Hurricane Harvey makes it a no-brainer. So go paint some Frida sugar skulls, buy some cool art and enjoy a Revolution Artisan Pops popsicle knowing that as you do you're not the only one benefiting. — Kathryn DeBruler
McKinney Wine & Music Festival
The Sanctuary
5601 E. Side Ave.
Noon-4 p.m. Saturday
Free
Winos and musicophiles alike will flock to McKinney this Saturday for the inaugural McKinney Wine & Music Festival. This festival will feature 12 North Texas wineries as well as bites from area restaurants, a grape stomp, local vendors and musicians. And unlike similar events, admission is free. Tastings are $1 while full glasses range from $5-$7. — Kathryn DeBruler
Texas Veggie Fair
Reverchon Park
3505 Maple Ave.
11 a.m. Saturday
Free
Dallas is nary in short supply of meat-based celebrations. If it used to be slowly moving and has since been brought to an internal temperature of 150 degrees, then the great citizens of DFW have no doubt booked a venue, reserved a cover band and thrown a party in its honor. But there will be one festival this Saturday where the only meat you are likely to see is on the front of someone's "Meat is Murder" T-shirt. The annual Texas Veggie Fair at Reverchon Park aims to promote the veg-lifestyle by featuring vegetarian and vegan food vendors, chef demonstrations, a beer garden and yoga. So go, hippies, go. Tempeh samples await. — Kathryn DeBruler