Some literary as well as visual art from the heart will be featured in Red Deer during the First Friday gallery openings for February.
With Valentine’s Day in mind, authors Kimmy Beach, from Red Deer, and Fran Kimmel, from Lacombe, will read about love in its various guises from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday at the Kiwanis Gallery in the Red Deer Public Library. Refreshments will be served and visual art will also be shown from the library’s Borrowing Art lending program.
Beach will read from her latest book of poetry inspired by superspy James Bond, The Last Temptation of Bond, which was published by the University of Alberta Press. Beach, who has been writer-in-residence for writers’ guilds in Alberta and Saskatchewan, will also read some selections from her four other books: Nice Day for Murder: Poems for Jimmy Cagney, Alarum Within: Theatre Poems, Fake Paul and In Cars.
Kimmel, a CBC literary award finalist and Journey Prize nominee, will read excerpts from her debut novel, The Shore Girl, published by NeWest Press. It has a theme of dealing with the weight of family and the past.
Some more Art from the Heart will be exhibited at The Hub on Ross. Ceramicist Judy Weismiller, who taught art at Alberta Hospital Ponoka (now the Centennial Centre), will be exhibiting works influenced by her move to Red Deer in 2010.
The opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday.
From 7 p.m. at The Hub, Red Deer area saxophonist Claude Godin and singer/songwriter/guitarist Darren Johnson will pair up for a jazz and blues concert. Tickets are $15 ($30 per family) at the door — cash only.
An exhibit of artworks from Red Deer College’s visual art instructors, and RDC’s own art collection is showing the RDC library’s The Panels gallery. Each of the 11 members of the RDC Visual Arts faculty and staff selected one piece of their own art to show and one piece from the college’s permanent collection that they feel relates to their own work. The relationship might be thematic, historical or personal.
This Conversations with the Collection exhibit is on until Jan. 28. The opening reception will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. on Friday.
Also showing at Red Deer College is an exhibition of ceramics by Carlene Larue and Kt Furness in the PortHole Gallery, just outside the library’s front doors.
Alberta will be celebrated through various works created by members of the Alberta Society of Artists at the Marjorie Wood Gallery at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre. Red Deer photographer Michele King has three prints in this exhibit.
An opening reception will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday.
Art of the Peace, a travelling exhibit of works by artists from Alberta’s Peace River Country is showing at the Harris-Warke Gallery in Sunworks. The 20 pieces by 18 artists include sculptural works, photographs, paintings and prints. A reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday.
Art From the Streets is featuring a group exhibit at 4935 51st St. A reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday.