Entertainment Briefs - Nov. 19

'Hank of Hair, Piece of Bone' exhibit to open

The Crossing Arts Alliance group exhibit opens "Hank of Hair, Piece of Bone" with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday at The Crossing Arts Gallery, Suite 114 in the Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd. The public is welcome to attend. The exhibit will be open Tuesday through Fridays through Dec. 4.

The title of this exhibition was inspired by a description in a poem "The Vampire" by Rudyard Kipling from 1865-1936), "To a rag and a bone and a hank of hair, (We called her the woman who did not care)."

The exhibition features creative work by a group of women in different stages of life, with different views and experiences, working in different mediums and styles. Womanhood is the obvious commonality, but each is so much more than a hank of hair and piece of bone.

Carolyn Abbott, Millie Engisch, Bonnie Fercho, Haddie Hadachek, Lisa Jordan, Lonnie Knutson and Ruth Anne Weaver prefer to define themselves by their own perseverance and creative work.

Upcycled elements in some of the artwork were gathered at Hadachek's farm on scavenging adventures and may require a grain of salt. The group meets occasionally to discuss art, artists, and encourage creative grit.

• Abbott is a textile artist who has lived in Brainerd for 40 years. She is stepping outside "her box" to create work for this show.

• Engisch's work in this exhibit was inspired by a paradigm shift, family and artist friends, scavenging and sifting, bonfires, befriending the bartender, and laughter - the best medicine.

• Fercho is a clay artist with a passion for the dimension that art can bring into a highly manufactured world. Ever striving to approach this ideal, her work resides at the border of experience and exploration.

• Hadachek is giving the free rein to her visual imagination that is usually witnessed in her verbal communication.

• Jordan is an artist living under the poplar and pine who needles wool and stitches stones. Her work is inspired by the odd and oft-overlooked details in nature.

• Knutson toils over a variety of mediums with much pleasure.

• Weaver has had a life motivated by seeing and internalizing the wonders of visual, motion, literary, eclectic and statement of the arts. With an art history education and studio studies, it's been her mission to share these important and meaningful aspects of living.

Email The Crossing at info@crossingarts.org or call 218-833-0416 for more information.

Author Candace Simar to host book signing

BAXTER - Author Candace Simar will sign copies of her award winning books, including her latest novel "Shelterbelts" from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday at Book World in Baxter.

"Shelterbelts" is set in a tightly-knit Scandinavian farming community in Minnesota at the close of World War II. Tia Fiskum, the old maid of Tolga Township, struggles to control the family farm after her shell-shocked brother returns from the war. Woven throughout is the man who walks lizards, a grieving father, the neighborhood gossipmonger, a disillusioned preacher, the man who fears being returned to the asylum and the Potato King who prays for a miracle.

In a review by Jonis Agee, author of "The River Wife and The Weight of Dreams," said "Shelterbelts is a wonderful novel, full of vivid writing and fierce characters with a passion for finding their place in the world despite the cruelties of war and the realities of living on the land. Like Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg Ohio, this book explores the secret yearnings of the heart that promise to connect us if we take the time to discover them in each other. Readers are going to fall in love with Simar's Tolga Township."

Simar is the author of the award winning "Abercrombie" Trail Series, "Abercrombie Trail," "Pomme de Terre," "Birdie" and "Blooming Prairie." "Birdie" received the 2012 Spur Award and "Blooming Prairie" was a 2013 Spur finalist. In 2014, Five Star Cengage released the large print/hardcover versions of this series. In addition, she co-authored "Farm Girls," published by RiverPlace Press.

Pinetree Patchworkers Quilts on display at library

The Brainerd Public Library now has Crisis Quilts made by the Pinetree Patchworkers Quilt Guild on display until mid-January. Crisis Quilts made by the Pinetree Patchworkers Quilt Guild and other area quilters are given to children 18 years old or younger through organizations like Crow Wing and Cass County Social Services, Mid-Minnesota Women's Center and Sexual Assault Services.

On average, 100 quilts are donated by the Pinetree Patchworkers Quilt Guild every year. The guild meets on the second Monday of every month at 6:45 p.m. at the Lord of Life Church. For more information or if you are interested in donating fabric or funding contact Cindy at 218-820-4327 or Charlene at 218-963-9407. Pinetree Patchworkers Quilt Guild can also be found on Facebook.

Heartland Poets to meet

Heartland Poets will meet from 6-9 p.m. Friday in the large room at the Brainerd Public Library. Participants are asked to bring a few fall poems to read. The poets will talk about upcoming literary/poetry events and share copies of our poems-in-progress for review and feedback.

Local radio announcer writes first book

Randy Kennedy has been heard on the Christian airwaves from St. Cloud since 1987 on 91.5 FM, KCFB and more recently from the Brainerd Lakes area on 102.7 FM, KTIG and 104.3 FM The Pulse. Now he's written his first book, "Kingdom Invaders: Postmodern Threats to Biblical Christianity."

"I didn't want to scare anybody with the title, but postmodernism carries with it the idea that there are no absolutes," Kennedy said in a press release. "This mindset has been having a devastating impact on our modern churches. We have been forgetting that with God there are absolutes and his truths never change."

Kennedy said he started writing the book more than two years ago when he found himself in a state of deepening depression.

"It's disappointing when non-Christians do not follow the precepts in the Bible, but that's to be expected. However, when I saw self-professed believers in Jesus increasingly questioning or ignoring the clear, unambiguous foundations of the faith, discouragement really set in."

That's when Kennedy said he felt God's prompting to write Kingdom Invaders It includes discussion on the authority of the Bible, the existence of hell and Satan, God's design for marriage and sexuality and a comparative analysis of other religions.

"These have become controversial topics in the church today, but at one time they were not controversial at all," Kennedy said. "I know I can't change the minds of everybody. I'm just praying that my book will be thought provoking enough to convince many to recommit their lives to biblical Christianity, and maybe draw some people to the faith for the first time."

Kennedy will be participating in two book-signing events from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Bethany Book and Gift in Baxter.

AHS fall concert planned

AITKIN - The Aitkin High School concert and jazz band will present a fall concert at 7:30 p.m. today, Nov. 19 at the high school.

The concert will feature a wide variety of music. The concert band will perform Ed Huckaby's "Declaration, Ballade and Finale," Michael Sweeney's "Due North," composed for the 2014 University of Minnesota Duluth Junior High Honor Band Festival, "An American Celebration" a medley of favorite patriotic music and "Marches of the Armed Forces" to honor veterans.

The jazz band will perform "The Opener" by Carl Strommen, "Chameleon" and "The Theme from Rocky (Gonna Fly Now)" and "Cathy's Song" featuring Abel Palkie.

Donations will be collected at the door with a suggested minimum amount of $2 per adult and $1 for students over the age of 12 to support band student's participation in honor bands and other special opportunities which extend beyond the school day.

Cuyuna annual concert planned

DEERWOOD - The Cuyuna Range Community annual Christmas concert will be at 3 p.m. Dec. 13 in the Deerwood Auditorium. Raffle tickets will be sold and food shelf items will be collected.

Christmas Marketplace in full swing

AITKIN - Christmas Marketplace at the Jaques Art Center in Aitkin is in full swing with one-of-a-kind gifts galore made by Minnesota artists and crafters. Gifts include handmade pottery; wooden wine stoppers; scarves and mittens; toy wooden airplanes, trucks and tractors.

This year a new dimension will be added to the traditional holiday shopping at the Jaques. Two "Angel Trees" will be available for people to join in the spirit of giving. One tree will be dedicated to donation of funds which will help the ongoing work of "Sylvia's Children," a school and orphanage in Uganda started by Sylvia Allen, owner of the Butler Building in Aitkin. Allen will be the guest speaker at the annual Christmas St. Nicholas Day Teas on Dec. 8- 9. Tickets may be purchased over the phone with a credit card by calling 218-927-2363.

The second "Angel Tree" will be focused on helping Aitkin Area Rescue Services whose purpose is to facilitate placement of displaced dogs and cats into new homes. The organization has a long wish list for all the animals they care for while waiting for new families. People can come in and pick an ornament, buy the suggested item and bring it back to the Jaques and place it under the tree. Anyone who would you like be an "angel" in a dog or cat's life can contact Kelli at 612-559-4279.

Free staged reading event planned in Nisswa

NISSWA - Award-winning Los Angeles playwright Phil Olson will direct a free, staged reading of his latest work in-progress, "A Nice Family Christmas" at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1 in the Journey Church at Nisswa.

Olson's humor is familiar to audiences in Pequot Lakes through productions such as "Don't Hug Me," "A Don't Hug Me County Fair," "Mom's Gift," and "Crappie Talk."

Minnesota native Olson, who is also a screenwriter, has published 13 plays that have been staged in more than 300 productions around the country as well as in Canada and Australia. Some, published by Samuel French, have been staged by Pequot Lakes Community Theatre.

The event is sponsored by Greater Lakes Area Performing Arts.

Seven actors from the area will perform the quirky, comedic satire. Olson is looking for feedback from audiences as he finishes the latest script. He will invite comments and questions from attendees following the show.

For information, call Pequot Lakes Community Education at 218-568-9200.

1/2: Candace SImar

2/2: The Crossing Arts Alliance group exhibit opens “Hank of Hair, Piece of Bone” with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday at The Crossing Arts Gallery, Suite 114 in the Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd. (Submitted)