If I could have fit an item about Richard Michelson, picture book author, poet and art gallery owner, into a small blog item I would have. But all I can tell you is that my story about the remarkable Richard touches on Mr. Spock, how he got NPR host Carl Kasell to put his voice on his answering machine, his take on Walt Whitman's career as a sports journalist, how he turned the spooky bedtime story he told his son into his first picture book and the life of the first Jewish baseball star, who happens to be the hero of his picture book Lipman Pike America's First Home Run King.

You can meet Richard for free Thursday at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington and Saturday at Allen Public LIbrary. You can get all the details along with my full story here.

PHOTO: Author, poet and art gallery owner Richard Michelson will be at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington Thursday and Allen Public Library Saturday to talk about his picture books, including the award-winning Lipman Pike America's First Home Run King.

If you haven't seen "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk," the gorgeous, mind-boggling exhibit currently up at the Dallas Museum of Art, you've got just a few more days: It closes Feb. 12. If you're looking for a bargain, go Feb. 7, when the museum offers its monthly First Tuesdays program, with free museum admission all day. The DMA is also offering $10 tickets to the exhibit that day. So for 10 bucks, you get all the wonders of the DMA including "Gaultier." Woot! The show is thrilling, with tricked-out mannequins whose video-screen eyes follow you, and all the outrageous, sexually provocative and innovative designs for which fashion's enfant terrible is both admired and reviled. You may love it, you may hate it, but you won't be bored. For more information on other First Tuesdays programming, see Free Fun in our Family Fun section, on Page XX.

- Joy Tipping/Guide

Free general museum admission and $10 "Gaultier" tickets on Feb. 7 at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood St., Dallas. Regular prices for "Gaultier," through Feb. 12 (prices include general museum admission): $20 weekends, $16 weekdays; discounts for students and seniors; free for children under 12. Extended final-weekend hours of 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. will be in effect for "Gaultier" on Feb. 10-12. 214-922-1200. www.tickets.DallasMuseumofArt.org.

Do you know of a hot deal that you'd like to see featured in Deal of the Week? Email us the details at guide@dallasnews.com (be sure to include your full name and city).

The Nasher Sculpture Center sets the bar for extraordinary shows. It marks its 2012 debut with "Elliott Hundley: The Bacchae," which opens Jan. 28. The Los Angeles-based artist is known for a daring array of "bulletin board" collages and sculptures. In this case, Hundley's work seeks to make a commentary on the Greek tragedy The Bacchae, written around 406 B.C. by Euripides. Nasher director Jeremy Strick credits Hundley for bringing together "in novel fashion an extraordinary array of materials." His exhibition offers works, Strick says, "that are at once remarkable technical achievements and powerful meditations on topics both primal and contemporary."

Michael Granberry

Opens Jan. 28 and runs through April 22 at the Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora St., Dallas. $10, $7 for seniors 65 and older and students and military with ID, free for children 12 and younger. 214-242-5100. nashersculpturecenter.org.

Openings and Events

'SUSAN LECKY: ECHOES OF REMEMBERED GARDENS'
Lecky's work livens up the winter landscape with vibrant, geometric patterns and colors. Working with both acrylic on canvas and colored pencil on paper, she hints at natural patterns and botanic prints.

Opening reception is Jan. 27 from 6 to 8 p.m. and the show runs through April 29 at Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park, 3601 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Dallas. Free admission for visitors attending the reception. Otherwise, $8 for adults, $6 for ages 60 and up, $4 for ages 3 to 11. 214-428-7476, ext. 230. texasdiscoverygardens.org.

'THERE ARE NO STRAIGHT LINES'
Dallas artist Monique L. Roberts offers a new exhibition of photos at the Magnolia Gallery, tucked inside the Magnolia theater. "As a pedestrian in a car-centric city," Roberts' presenters say, "she finds her inspiration from what others may view as the mundane to-and-fro of everyday life. Roberts studied film at the University of Texas and pays the bills as a personal stylist." Her new show explores the beauty of modern culture and urban living, her hosts say, through vibrant, simplistic imagery.

Opening reception is Feb. 2 from 8 to 11 p.m. and the show runs through March 7 at the Magnolia Gallery, 3699 McKinney Ave., Dallas. Free. 214-683-9134. magnoliagallerydallas.com.

Ongoing Highlights

A good friend of mine, complimenting my story on the upcoming Dale Chihuly exhibit at the Dallas Arboretum that appeared in this morning's paper, said she loves it when I get to "break a good news story." I suspect arboretum and Chihuly officials would prefer not to hear "breaking news" in relation to this show, which will feature gazillions of pieces of glass, all displayed outdoors during not one, but two, Texas storm seasons. (The show runs May 5 to Nov. 5 at the arboretum on White Rock Lake in East Dallas.)

At a press conference this afternoon officially announcing the show, Britt Cornett, head of exhibitions for Chihuly Studio in Seattle, seemed unfazed by the idea of tornadoes, golf-ball-sized hail or thrashing rainstorms attacking the artwork. "It's surprisingly hardy," she said of the blown glasswork, "which is not to say that glass can't break." But over the course of several major outdoor garden exhibits the last few years, she says, "We've had surprisingly little breakage." She did say that there is "some insurance involved."

Luminaries attending the press conference included Mayor Mike Rawlings, who said that "matching the creation and work of God [the arboretum's grounds] with the creation and work of man [Chihuly] should be very unique, very special, seeing how botany and nature and glass and art all come together."

PHOTO by Kye R. Lee: Mayor Mike Rawlings speaks at a press conference Thursday afternoon.

AMON CARTER MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
817-738-1933. cartermuseum.org.

"Masterworks of American Photography: Landscape" features works from the museum's holdings of landscape photography that have been assembled to chronicle the vivid tale of Americans' changing encounters with the land from the mid-19th century to the present. Through Feb. 5.

"Work" surveys photographers' documentation of work and how people relate to their jobs from the medium's earliest days. The show features works from the museum's permanent collection. Through Feb. 19.

CROW COLLECTION OF ASIAN ART
214-979-6430. crowcollection.org.

"Fabled Journeys in Asian Art: East Asia" features paintings, carved jades, porcelain sculpture, ceramic horses and more. Through Aug. 5.

"Qualities of Jade" matches Chinese carved jades from the Crow Collection with passages from Confucius, who 2,500 years ago compiled a list of "likenesses between particular sensual qualities of carved jades such as luster, surface angularity, and veining patterns and qualities of perfected human character such as benevolence, loyalty, and virtue." Through Jan. 6, 2013.

"Qiu Anxiong: Animated Narratives" shows paintings that have become integrated into unique B&W videos. The solo exhibit is by Shanghai-based artist Qiu, who uses a stop-motion animation technique to create an ever-changing series of what organizers call "hauntingly beautiful moving images that range from mythical stories to urban transformation." Videos will be on view in the Garden Gallery and Mezzanine, and a selection of Qiu's paintings will be on display in LinkAsia. Through Feb. 5.

DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART
214-922-1200. DallasMuseumofArt.org.

"Mark Manders: Parallel Occurrences/Documented Assignments" is the first major North American exhibit of work by the acclaimed Dutch artist. The show features a body of new sculptures and works on paper created specifically for it. Manders' installations employ everyday objects -- sugar, tea bags, a pencil, a toothpaste tube -- as narrative subjects, ultimately creating mysterious, uncanny sculptural tableaux that curators call "part still life, part exquisite corpse." Through April 15.

"The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk" showcases the French couturier's cone bras (including one on a teddy bear), tattoo prints, corsets, skirts for men and other cheerfully subversive signatures. Related attractions include Polaroids by Andy Warhol and video clips of Gaultier's collaborations with creative souls from Pedro Almodóvar to Lady Gaga. Through Feb. 12.

"Form/Unformed: Design From 1960 to the Present" reveals the transformation of ideology and forms that have shaped design of the last half-century. It features pieces that reflect the relationships among function, aesthetics and material expression. The show includes more than 30 works. Through fall 2012.

"Encountering Space" presents 11 works of art from the museum's collections and is designed to encourage visitors to consider how space is used and how space affects the viewer, physically and emotionally. Through fall 2012.

MODERN ART MUSEUM OF FORT WORTH
817-738-9215. themodern.org.

"Focus: KAWS" shows the work of Brooklyn-based artist Brian Donnelly (a.k.a. KAWS). His work includes graffiti, murals, paintings and sculpture -- all critiques of contemporary consumer culture, curators say, blurring the boundaries between it and the art world. Through Feb. 19.

MUSEUM OF BIBLICAL ART
214-368-4622. biblicalarts.org.

"Marc Chagall: Understanding the Bible," approximately 40 etchings with watercolor and stone lithographs by the world-renowned Jewish artist. Through March 31.

"Frederick Hart," 15 works in clear acrylic, marble and bronze by the master American sculptor. Through June 30.

"The King James Bible Exhibit," original editions from the private collection of Charles Ryrie, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. Through June 30.

"The Michelangelo Exhibit," 16 exact bronze sculpture castings after the Italian Renaissance artist's masterpieces. Through Dec. 31.

"Torah I and II," 30 etchings with watercolor by the Polish-born 20th-century artist Ira Moskowitz. Through March 31.

Compiled by Joy Tipping

Looking for a different way to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Monday? How about an Oli and Cotton holiday camp where kids will make an arts project? That's one of the many cool things you can do with the kids this week. Michaels stores are showing kids how to build model cars, the Texas Brahmas are offering an arts-and-crafts station at their game for Kids' Day, Adventure Landing presentsTeddy Bear Thursdays, where kids can stuff teddy bears, and the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary will give a free child's ticket with each paying adult Tuesdays through Fridays from 2:30 to 4 p.m. I've got all the details here.

PHOTO: Oil and Cotton is offering a kids holiday camp for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

I was so moved by 17-year-old Molly Franco, who plays Anne in Monday's opening night performance of The Diary of Anne Frank at WaterTower Theatre in Addison. The more she brings Anne to life -- the effervescence, the mischievous humor, the joyous life force -- the more I found myself wincing because I know how the story of this young girl captured by the Nazis ends -- and you keep hoping that just this one time it could end differently.

But one thing I have learned from this play and from two other remarkable works about children of the Holocaust -- Through the Eyes of a Friend at the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center and the "Every Child Has A Name" exhibit at the Dallas Holocaust Museum -- is that we all can play a role in making sure the story of what happens to kids in the face of bigotry and hate does end differently in the future. To that end, I felt lifted up by the contribution local children made to the "Every Child Has A Name" exhibit -- a collection of 1.5 million pennies, one for each child who died in the Holocaust. The idea, says Sheryl Pidgeon of Plano, the mom of Bryce and Jaxie Plano who spearheaded the efforts to raise the last 300,000 pennies, is that "every penny represented a child's soul."

Just when I find myself consumed with sadness about what did happen, it helps me understand what Anne meant when she wrote, "In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart."

You can read my story about The Diary of Anne Frank, Through the Eyes of A Friend and Every Child Has A Name here.

PHOTO: Molly Franco and Travis Pope star as Anne and Peter in The Diary of Anne Frank at WaterTower Theater in Addison

The new show at Cohn Drennan Contemporary takes a clever approach. "Sublimation Simulacrum" pairs the three-dimensional works and installations of Fort Worth artist Angel Fernandez with pieces by Dallas artist Kit Reisch, who now lives in Prague. Reisch's sculptures were last seen in the "Here, There and Beyond" exhibition at Dallas Contemporary. Reisch says the work in the new exhibition is based largely on the viewpoint of an American living in the formerly Communist Czech capital. Fernandez's soft sculptural works and installations "explore masculinity," the artist says, "as shaped by the three most influential women in my life: my mother, grandmother and aunt."

Opening reception is Jan. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. and the exhibition runs through Feb. 11 at Cohn Drennan Contemporary, 1107 Dragon St., Dallas. Free. 214-708-8051. cohndrennancontemporary.com.

Michael Granberry

I felt so inspired after talking with illustrator and caricaturist C.F. Payne -- and not just because his artwork is so intricate and exquisite. Chris shared his struggles in high school and the critical place creativity played in his life. The boy whose guidance counselor told him he would flunk out by his second semester of college went on to become an illustrious illustrator and a teacher himself.

He's a professor and chairman of illustration at Columbus College of Art & Design. And he's looking forward to coming to Dallas, which is where says he first found himself as an artist, and encourage younger kids to discover their creativity, too. Chris will be at the Daimond Club at Rangers Ballpark Jan. 12 and Allen Public Library in Allen Jan. 14. The events are free and he will sign books purchased at these events. You can get all the details in my Family Fun column here.

I found some great free things to do with kids of all ages this week, from Pictures and Pages at the Kimbell Art Museum for preschoolers to Junior Players acting workshops at Dallas Public Library locations for the teens. And then there's juggler David Slick at NorthPark Center, Critterman at Galleria Dallas and Norman Rockwell and the Art of Scouting exhibit at the National Scouting Museum in Irving. I've got all the details here.

OPENINGS & EVENTS

'ART IN CONTEXT' LECTURE: 'CATHERINE DE' MEDICI' Catherine de' Medici is the focus of a upcoming lecture at the Kimbell Art Museum. It's titled "Catherine de' Medici: How an Italian Merchant Princess Became Majestic Queen of France." Ruth Wilkins Sullivan, research curator emeritus at the Kimbell, is presenting the lecture as part of the museum's "Art in Context" series. The talk will examine Catherine's tempestuous early years along with monumental works of art, by artists such as Michelangelo and Raphael, that were commissioned by her Medici uncles, popes Leo X and Clement VII. Jan. 11 at 12:30 p.m. at 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth. Free. 817-332-8451. kimbellart.org.

JOHN HATHORN, LINDA McCALL, NORMAN KARY Craighead Green Gallery's latest three-artist exhibition features a new body of McCall's figurative paintings, along with Hathorn's "Cardinalis Sketches." Kary delves further into his fascination with found objects. Opens with a reception Jan. 7 from 5 to 8 p.m. Runs through Feb. 11 at 1011 Dragon St., Dallas. Free. 214-855-0779. craigheadgreen.com.

'MANTOS: NEW PAINTINGS BY ANTONIO MURADO' The Holly Johnson Gallery welcomes Murado, whose career is steeped in contemporary abstraction. His paintings are characterized by luminosity and color, with seductive, smooth surfaces, tinged with veils of green, ochre, turquoise and plum. He's an artist fascinated with the alchemy of paint. Opens with a reception Jan. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. Runs through Feb. 11 at 1411 Dragon St., Dallas. Free. 214-369-0169. hollyjohnsongallery.com.

JOHN RANDALL NELSON, STEVEN MILLER, EDWARD RUIZ Conduit Gallery also has a new display of works by three artists: Miller's "Fish and Fowl," Nelson's "Fraught, Simply Fraught, With Narrative ...," and Ruiz's "Seen Through a Window." Miller's small-scale acrylic paintings are, gallery officials say, "straight landscape paintings of an imagined, not-too-distant future in a world that may or may not be our own." Nelson embraces the concept of the artist as storyteller and mystic, and Ruiz couples his artistic interests in digital video-mapping and real-time sound analysis "to seamlessly marry geometric sculpture, music and mathematic technology." Opens with a reception Jan. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. Runs through Feb. 11 at 1626 C Hi Line Drive, Dallas. Free. 214-939-0064. conduitgallery.com.

'YEAR OF THE DRAGON' Chinese brush-stroke paintings and floral displays by members of TAO Arts and the Dallas and Fort Worth Ikebana International chapters share the spotlight in this exhibit, which celebrates the upcoming Year of the Dragon. The show is presented by the Association of Oriental Arts. Jan. 8-23 at the Irving Arts Center, Main Gallery, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving. Free. 972-252-2787. irvingartscenter.com.

The architect of Dallas' Latino Cultural Center and IBM in Southlake has died.

OPENINGS & EVENTS

'MAGNOLIA AT THE MODERN' This series introduces folks to the bold offerings at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, while also letting them see critically acclaimed films. The drama Margin Call is the latest, and it's a winner, set in corporate America just before the 2008 financial collapse. Kevin Spacey leads a stellar cast. As Justin Chang wrote in Variety: "J.C. Chandor's precocious writing-directing debut is fastidious, smart and more than a bit portentous as it probes the human costs of unchecked greed." It's rated R for language. Dec. 30 at 6 and 8 p.m.; Dec. 31 at 2, 5 and 7:30 p.m. 3200 Darnell St., Fort Worth. $8.50. Advance sales begin two hours before each show. 817-738-9215. themodern.org.

ONGOING HIGHLIGHTS

'ARCHITECTURE FOR THE ARTS' She's the mom of Hollywood actors Owen, Luke and Andrew Wilson, but Laura Wilson is a gifted artist in her own right. A protégé of the great Richard Avedon, she was commissioned by the Dallas Architecture Forum to photograph original images that celebrate 12 of the Dallas area's most architecturally significant cultural buildings. All 12 photos are on display at the One Arts Plaza office building lobby. Her subjects include the Meyerson Symphony Center, designed by I.M. Pei, and the Kimbell Art Museum, designed by Louis Kahn. Through Jan. 12 in the lobby of One Arts Plaza, 1722 Routh St., Dallas. Free. 214-764-2406. dallasarchitectureforum.org.

'CROWBARS' Dallas-based artist Leighton Autrey offers 17 pieces in the new show at Mokah Gallery. Her work relates, in her words, "to the Bible and how the human condition corresponds to it." Crowbars, as she explains, are tools used in construction and demolition. "With force, they pry and loosen two objects held together," she says. "In the same way, these works are made to pry and loosen the viewer's perspective of the Bible in a new contemporary way." Through Jan. 27 at the gallery, inside the Deep Ellum Cultural Center, 2803 Taylor St., Dallas. Free. 214-651-0633. leightonautrey.com.

AMON CARTER MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART 817-738-1933. cartermuseum.org.

"John Marin: Modernism at Midcentury" prompts reconsideration of Marin's place in modern art via more than 60 works from the artist's last 20 years (he died in 1953). Visitors will see the influence of cubism, but also a quintessentially American ruggedness. Through Jan. 8.

"Masterworks of American Photography: Landscape" features works from the museum's holdings of landscape photography that have been assembled to chronicle the vivid tale of Americans' changing encounters with the land from the mid-19th century to the present. Through Feb. 5.

LAST CHANCE: "Will Barnet: Relationships, Intimate and Abstract, 1935-1965" marks the 100th birthday of acclaimed printmaker, painter and educator Barnet. The exhibit features about 50 works examining the evolution of his art from realism to abstraction. Through Dec. 31.

"Work" surveys photographers' documentation of work and how people relate to their jobs from the medium's earliest days. The show features works from the museum's permanent collection. Through Feb. 19.

CROW COLLECTION OF ASIAN ART 214-979-6430. crowcollection.org.

"Fabled Journeys in Asian Art: East Asia" and "Fabled Journeys in Asian Art: South and Southeast Asia" feature paintings, carved jades, porcelain sculpture, ceramic horses and more. The "South and Southeast Asia" show runs through Jan. 8; the "East Asia" show runs through Aug. 5.

"Qualities of Jade" matches Chinese carved jades from the Crow Collection with passages from Confucius, who 2,500 years ago compiled a list of "likenesses between particular sensual qualities of carved jades such as luster, surface angularity, and veining patterns and qualities of perfected human character such as benevolence, loyalty, and virtue." Through Jan. 6, 2013.

"Qiu Anxiong: Animated Narratives" shows paintings that have become integrated into unique B&W videos. The solo exhibit is by Shanghai-based artist Qiu, who uses a stop-motion animation technique to create an ever-changing series of what organizers call "hauntingly beautiful moving images that range from mythical stories to urban transformation." Videos will be on view in the Garden Gallery and Mezzanine, and a selection of Qiu's paintings will be on display in LinkAsia. Through Feb. 5.

DALLAS MUSEUM OF ART 214-922-1200. DallasMuseumofArt.org.

The artist, whom Talley Dunn was showing in December, has died. Here's part of a release from the publicist.

With profound sadness, the family of Helen Frankenthaler announces the death of Ms. Frankenthaler on December 28, 2011, at age 83, following a lengthy illness. Frankenthaler, whose career spanned six decades, has long been recognized as one of the great American artists of the 20th century. Heir of the first-generation Abstract Expressionists, she brought together in her work--always with prodigious inventiveness and singular beauty--the idea of the canvas as both an arena of gesture and a formal field. She was eminent among the second generation of postwar abstract American painters and is widely credited for playing a pivotal role in the transition from Abstract Expressionism to Color Field painting. One of the foremost colorists of our time, she produced a body of work whose impact on contemporary art has been profound.

John Hardman of Le Theatre de Marionette told me many wonderful stories when I interviewed him in 2008. But my favorite was when he aimed his zingers at a man in green plaid pants only to find out, later, that the man was Raymond Nasher. For those who get a kick out of his Scrooge's curmudgeonly ways, you may want to check out his last performance on Dec. 24 when Scrooge, after reading Dickens' A Christmas Carol, starts to have a change of heart. You can read all about it in my Kids' Corner here.

PHOTO: Scrooge at NorthPark Center will have a change of heart at the last performance on Dec. 24.

Got the time? We've got the activities! Kids can do a science camp next week, catch a comedy/magic show, visit the dinosaurs, sign up for a cool New Year's Eve ice hockey party and honor the remarkable efforts of local kids who collected 1.5 million pennies in honor of the 1.5 million children who died in the Holocaust. Get all the details in my Family Fun briefs here.

PHOTO: Dinosaurs Live! are guarding the trails at The Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary

'CREATIVE KIDS ART SHOW GALA' It's a clever idea. The Just-Us League has teamed with ArtLoveMagic to devote an evening to creating art right on the spot, then selling it at auction to raise money for ArtLoveMagic. ALM is a nonprofit that conducts cool, free art workshops for kids. The group is billing this event as a collision of Dallas' "edgy underground art community" and the well-to-do. Artists will work in various media to create holiday-themed pieces in exactly 111 minutes. At the end of the evening, 11 artists will come together to create "a larger-than-life portrayal of a snow-frosted landscape of downtown Dallas."

Dec. 19 from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Hilton Anatole, 2201 N. Stemmons Freeway, Dallas. Free. 469-877-1533 (Amber LaFrance). www.artlovemagic.com (for general information only).

'I VITELLONI' 1953's I Vitelloni is the last in the Kimbell's free film series "Italian Realism, Redux." The movie's title refers to a sort of provincial Italian Rat Pack whose members idle away the hours and spend the lire doled out by indulgent families on drink, women and nights at the local pool hall. This "semiautobiographical masterpiece" marks what series organizers call Federico Fellini's "first definitive plunge into some of his most dominant themes" and a showcase for his "brilliant ability to reveal the deepest emotions and motives of his characters."

Dec. 18 at 2 p.m. at the Kimbell Art Museum, 3333 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth. Free. 817-332-8451. www.kimbellart.org.

'SATURDAY AT THE DMA' The Dallas Museum of Art routinely opens its doors on the weekend for all sorts of activities. Dec. 17 brings "Sketching in the Galleries for Kids," where families are invited to sketch original works of art from 1 to 3 p.m. "Studio Creations" takes place from 1 to 3:30 p.m. that same day, allowing visitors to "discover the different types of hats worn in traditional African societies in the "African Headwear: Beyond Fashion" exhibition. At 2 p.m., see The NOTcracker, a dance show that sidesteps the typical holiday fare.

Dec. 17, with the day's activities beginning at 1 p.m., at the Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood, Dallas. Free with general admission of $10; discounts available. 214-922-1200. www.DallasMuseumofArt.org.

TALLEY DUNN OPEN HOUSE Talley Dunn Gallery, which is home to some of the city's best artists, is conducting an open house, urging visitors to "splurge with art treasures large and small, straight from the artists' studios." Artists whose work will be featured include Vernon Fisher, Erick Swenson, Trenton Doyle Hancock, Joseph Havel, David Bates and Helen Altman. The gallery also recently announced that its Philip Pearlstein (paintings) and Helen Frankenthaler (woodcuts) exhibitions have been extended through Dec. 22.

Open house is Dec. 17 from noon to 6 p.m. at the gallery, 5020 Tracy St., Dallas. Free. 214-521-9898. www.talleydunn.com.

ONGOING HIGHLIGHTS

For those who are used to looking at one-media pieces, such as a painting or photograph, it may be a bit difficult to comprehend r. mateo diago's work. But in his upcoming solo show at Ro2 Art (110 N. Akard, Dallas; 214-803-9575), the idea is simple: reflecting on past moments and how they compare with and affect the present.

From the artist's statement:

How far back would you go? How much would you examine? To identify that constant buzz?

The common expression "every now and then" references the occasional occurrence. Here, the simple switching of words to every then . . . and now, is intended to reflect more regular patterns or events and their lasting effects. At the close of r. mateo diago's 2011 exhibit, junk drawer, something became clear to the artist: surrendering history is a choice, a conscious decision; however, the lasting imprint remains ingrained, ready to reemerge without notice. It is 'here' that every then . . . and now picks up. For the artist, slipping back into old behaviors required examination as to why his new programming was not sticking, why previous conditioning prevailed. In that sense every then and now is not only used to reference habitual occurrences, it sets the stage for comparison of past and present.

In the exhibit, which opens Dec. 17 and runs through Jan. 28, Diago uses assemblage,
photography, typography, journaling and found objects. He received his Advertising Design degree from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, has worked as a graphic artist, art director and creative director, and has been based in Dallas for the past 15 years.

Take a look at some of his installation pieces and sculptures here before checking out the opening reception Saturday.

Even Santa can't resist the aroma of fresh-baked bread. He'll be landing his sleigh at Mrs Baird's Bakery, where kids can get free photos with him, color pictures and take home one of Mrs Baird's sweet treats. I've found lots more free fun for the kids, too, this week -- Le Theatre de Marionette's The Little Drummer Boy at the Latino Cultural Center, a Curious George exhibit at the Mesquite Arts Center (paired with a Curious George craft time at the Mesquite Main Library), Nutcracker excerpts, a folklorico performance and a chance to adopt pets at NorthPark Center. Kids can also give back as they celebrate Christmas the old-fashioned way, stringing popcorn and cranberries and hanging them on real trees for the birds to enjoy at Trinity River Audubon Center. I've got all the details in my Family Fun Free Fun column here.

PHOTO: Ballet Folklorico will be performing for free, along with the Texas Ballet Theater School, Dallas and Dallas Ballet Company. The ballet companies will be doing excerpts from The Nutcracker.

Kirk Hopper Fine Art is unleashing a pair of new exhibitions, one involving the work of Gary Bishop, the other the art of Martin Delabano. Bishop says he seeks "to invoke a dialogue" between his art and the viewer. Delabano is a Dallas-based artist, teacher and community activist who in 2010 received the Distinguished Texas Artist award. He grew up in a house chock-full of pre-colonial African and New Guinean sculptures, which he says carried a "profound influence."

-Michael Granberry / Staff Writer

Gary Bishop's "Language ... Images and Text" and Martin Delabano's "2011 Selected New Works" open with a reception Dec. 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and run through Jan. 7 at Kirk Hopper Fine Art, 3008 Commerce St., Dallas. Free. 214-760-9230. www.kirkhopperfineart.com.

"Poet's Delight" by Martin Delabano

Visual minds, rejoice! Recently we added to dallasnews.com/arts a special section for photos, where you'll find shots from our staff photographers of plays, musicals and exhibits, as well as spotlights on local artists.

If you are an artist based in Dallas-Fort Worth with an upcoming show locally and would like to be considered for an Artist Spotlight photo gallery or blog feature, email me (1) a short bio, (2) 1-2 photos or a link to your work, and (3) info on your upcoming exhibit with "Artist Spotlight" in the Subject line at least two weeks before the show's opening date.

Compiled by Michael Granberry

'ANNE C. WEARY: WHERE THE PACIFIC MEETS THE CLIFFS AT TORREY PINES'
Valley House Gallery & Sculpture Garden is one of Dallas' most enticing destinations, even if you don't stop in to see the art and the gallery. It contains one of the city's most alluring gardens, a landscape that changes with the season. And the art its curators bring in is consistently some of the city's finest. Weary grew up a Texas cowgirl but became an artist known for the powerful mysticism in her drawing. In 2008, she left Texas for a sabbatical in Southern California, where she was drawn to the Torrey Pines Natural Reserve. She preserved her memories with red Conté crayon, a departure from the black charcoal and graphite of her drawings of Texas creek beds and trees.

Opens with a reception Dec. 9 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Show runs through Jan. 7. 6616 Spring Valley Road, Dallas. Free. 972-239-2441. www.valleyhouse.com.

From The Associated Press ....

LONDON -- A Scottish artist whose work harks back to the innovators of 20th century Modernism has won this year's Turner Prize -- Britain's best-known and most provocative art award.

Martin Boyce, 44, won the 25,000-pound ($41,000) prize, awarded annually to a British artist younger than 50.

His entry -- compared to an indoor park complete with paper leaves -- combined interior design and high modernism. He was the bookmakers' favorite to win the award, which was presented by photographer Mario Testino on Monday.

"I appropriate subjects from popular culture into my shabby, impaired paintings, rendering them loosely on and with lousy materials in self-conscious protest to empty visual perfection in contemporary American culture and partiality in art toward elegance and heroicism," writes 23-year-old painter Daniel Kurt in his artist statement about his work currently on display at Plush Gallery.

Daniel Kurt: Saving Knowledge Stimpy, the Texas A&M University at Commerce graduate's solo debut, runs through Dec. 17 at Plush (918 Dragon St.; 214-915-0925). Also showing in the exhibit are Bloom, a new sculpture by Val Curry, and Josh Elliott: Self-Portraits.

The first week of the month is always a favorite because that's when museums offer their amazingly fun and educational free family programming. So we've got Target First Saturdays at the Nasher Sculpture Center (with art scavenger hunts, yoga in the garden, crafts), an AdventureAsia collaboration with the Crow Collection of Asian Art AND the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University (with yoga, face painting, Bodhi leaf cookie decorating), First Tuesdays at the Dallas Museum of Art (with a chance to make a glitter-filled winter snow globe and hear storytellers and musicians) and Kimbell Story Time at the Kimbell Art Museum for the younger ones (with a story, craft and tour).

The Allen Public Library and Storyopolis Global Entertainment also have a great time planned with children's book illustrator David Catrow, who worked on the film Horton Hears a Who!, coming to the library to talk, answer questions and show how he creates his art. You can get all the details in my Free Family Fun column here.

PHOTO: First Tuesdays, which includes visits with Arturo, are always a blast at the Dallas Museum of Art

The McKinney Avenue Contemporary, also known as the MAC, has made innovative use of the Mercantile Coffee House as a hip, airy alternative space. The MAC calls it part of its community outreach program, an effort to "extend its contemporary artistic vision and educational support" to a downtown destination. Its newest Mercantile show is "The Sum of Its Parts," Jerry Skibell's incorporation of a wide range of materials and collage elements to make a statement about Skibell's life as an artist and inventor.

Opening reception is Dec. 8 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and the show runs through Jan. 14 at the Mercantile Coffee House, 1800 Main St., Dallas. Free. 214-953-1212. www.the-mac.org.

-Michael Granberry / Staff Writer

Dallas-based Cuban-American artist Rolando "Ro" Diaz is part of Euforia Live, which is a live performance where Diaz paints an original oil-on-canvas while pianist Seth Simmons plays original compositions. Diaz's annual art show "Stare" opens at Janette Kennedy Gallery on Dec. 3 with an artist reception at 7 p.m. The free-to-see exhibit, which runs through Dec. 28, focuses on the lives of vagabonds and how people see them.
Portions of the proceeds from paintings sold will go to Eat Art.

Take a look at some of Diaz's paintings here.

Exhibit details: "Stare" at Janette Kennedy Gallery

Video: Rolando Diaz creates work of art in time-lapse video

Compiled by Joy Tipping and Michael Granberry

SOUTHWEST GALLERY SILENT AUCTION BENEFITING GALT
The pooches of Greyhound Adoption League of Texas will benefit from this silent auction of works by professional and emerging artists in a variety of media. Some works will be greyhound- and canine-related. Items can be viewed in advance at the website, and proxy bids may be submitted through Dec. 3 at noon by emailing marjy@lagesseauctions.com.

Dec. 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Southwest Gallery, 4500 Sigma Road, Dallas. Free. 972-960-8935. www.swgallery.com.

'FRESH FACES 2 X 2'
Rita Barnard, a Dallas-based visual artist who also works in visual-arts management and design, curated this show of fresh talent. More than 40 local and regional artists will be represented in a variety of media.

Opening reception Dec. 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. Exhibit runs through Jan. 28. Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther Drive, White Rock Lake, Dallas. Free. 214-670-8749. www.bathhousecultural.com.

'RECURENCE RELATION: THREE GENERATIONS OF 500X'
Leslie Murrell curated this show by three 500X Gallery alumni -- Vincent Falsetta, Paul Booker and Brian Spolans -- whose works are characterized by "captivating repetition of forms in distinct ways."

Opening reception Dec. 3 from 7 to 10 p.m. Exhibit runs through Jan. 8. 500 Exposition Ave., Dallas. 214-828-1111. www.500x.org.

Google Offers launches in Fort Worth today with a one-day discount at the Kimbell Art Museum -- $5 admission to "Caravaggio and His Followers in Rome" exhibition.

I stumbled across this quiz last night looking for some insight into what to do with my creative tendencies, and discovered that my medium is sculpture. "Well duh!" said my husband. "What did you think with all these little paper things around the house you're always making?" (see example) Oh, I see your point.

Anyway, it was a very fun discovery and I encourage you to take the 15-question quiz and do the same. Heck, take it a step further and share your results on this post so we can see what kind of creativity is energizing this city.

From Scott Cantrell:

The Amon Carter Museum of American Art has acquired a significant painting by Mary Cassatt, Woman Standing, Holding a Fan. Dating from 1878-79, it's one of only two known canvases she painted almost entirely in distemper, a tricky, fast-drying mix of pigments, water and glue.

Until now, an important painting by Cassatt, an American impressionist who lived from 1844 to 1926, had eluded the Fort Worth museum. This work was painted during a period of collaboration with Edgar Degas, whose pastel palette strongly influenced Cassatt's.

The museum declined to reveal the painting's price, but experts have valued it between $3 million and $6 million. It is on display in the second-floor paintings and sculpture galleries.

Do you remember when the KidRobot store in Mockingbird Station closed last year and we were all sad for weeks? We lovers of alternative art forms and collectibles had to go back to comic shops or Urban Outfitters to find blind packs of Dunnys. But then a beam of hope: In November 2010, ATAMA opened up in the same shopping center breathing a new life into the pop art craze taking over twentysomethings' book shelves - collecting vinyl toys.

As is with the collecting of any art form (paintings, sculptures, pottery), what makes this trend so popular is the exclusivity of it, and it's affordable. Example: dunnys. For usually less than 10 bucks you can buy a random toy from a limited-run series that's been designed by an exclusive artist. Each character in the set is made from the same mold but looks completely different. Some artists only paint the figures; some give them accessories, some manipulate the form by adding, removing or warping parts.

Local artist Cody Phillips and local fan Shelby Miller are all about this stuff. They have joined forces to put on Dallas' first event showcasing so many local vinyl artists together at the free and public "Vinyl Thoughts Custom Toy Art Show" on Thursday night. Stop in at The Quixotic World (2824 Main St., Dallas, 469-879-7319) anywhere between 7 and 11 p.m. Sept. 15 for a chance to see, buy and win prizes, T-shirts and custom toys, and meet the artists who make them.

Keep reading for more about the event and photos of pieces to be displayed at the show.

Top image: "Late for the first day of school" by Shell Meggersee
Bottom image: "Kilemonu" by Paul Sirmon

Nic Noblique. Remember that name. Not just because it sounds cool, but because he designs some wicked cool things. Like a new center point concave skateboard that's now produced by major skateboard manufacturers as the industry standard. (Awesome, right?!) And candy-colored chairs. But mostly remember the name because he's bringing his sculpture pieces to a solo show at Rising Gallery (800 Jackson St., Dallas, 214-559-4158) this week. Texas Suburban Wasteland Blues opens Friday, Sept. 2, with an artist reception 7-10 p.m.

The gallery notes: "Noblique bases his work on the idea of 3/5/8 mathematical beauty, suggesting everything in nature can be broken down into those proportions and is a structural spiral." I think we should all send a big Thank You to high school Geometry right about now.

The exhibit closes Sept. 28 and can be viewed for free during regular gallery hours: Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and by appointment. Go check it out then report back on what you saw in the Comments section below.

MORE ARTS EVENTS
On GuideLive.com
On Twitter @guidelivearts

Patricia "Sue" Canterbury has been named The Pauline Gill Sullivan Associate Curator of American Art at the Dallas Museum of Art, DMA officials announced Monday. Canterbury will begin work in Dallas on Sept. 19. She comes to the DMA from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, where she was the associate curator in the Department of Paintings from 1998 to earlier this year. She has, DMA officials say, "extensive knowledge of late-nineteenth and early-twentieth century American art and the role of transatlantic exchange between the art centers of Europe and the United States." In Minneapolis, she served as curator for a number of exhibitions, including "Georgia O'Keeffe: Circling Around Abstraction." Canterbury reacted to her hiring by saying: "I am thrilled to join the dynamic staff of the Dallas Museum of Art. It's a great institution with splendid collections that are beautifully presented. Dallas has a strong reputation for support of the arts and, consequently, I look forward to being a part of this remarkable community and working with the museum trustees and local collectors to bring even more great art to a great city."

No, for you non-art folks, "lowbrow" is not an insult. It's an art movement that started shinning in the 1970s in California, and is now making a home in the Tyler/Davis area of Oak Cliff at the weekend-old Gallery Bomb.

Lowbrow , or pop surrealism, is a take on pop art that comes from underground subcultures. It includes things you'd categorize under street art, graffiti art, skate/surf art, comic book art, and punk rock art. And it often has a sense of humor with it. Doesn't all that just sound awesome?

The gallery opened Friday with a solo show featuring local artist Loretta Gonzalez. The El Paso-native graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington where she studied printmaking, but it's her oil paintings you'll find on exhibit. Her motto: Finding the pretty in ugly.

Sugar Coated Memories focuses on the absence of true emotion seen in family photographs. "Fake smiles and fake poses often veil the truth. She uses animal ears on the children to serve as a metaphor for animals being hunted, like prey, seen through the eyes of the predator," so says Gallery Bomb's site.

The exhibit, runs through Sept. 4 and can be seen during regular gallery hours on Saturdays and Sundays noon to 5 p.m.

The gallery promises more local lowbrow work in future exhibits, though none are planned yet. If you're an artist working in this genre, Gallery Bomb's Facebook page notes: Always accepting online submissions from new and established artists. Please send your portfolio to brandon@gallerybomb.com.

Open until January 29, Form/Unformed: Design from 1960 to the Present displays over 30 pieces from the Museum's collection, dating from 1960 until now.

The purpose, according to the website, is to "reveal the transformation of ideology and forms that have shaped international design of the last half century." Verner Panton, Frank Gehry, Aldo Rossi and Ettore Sottsass are just a few of the artists featured in the exhibit.

Form/Unformed: Design from 1960 to the Present has been on display since late last year and runs through January. The exhibit is free to visit with paid Museum admission. Check out the GuideLive listing, or click over to the official site for more information.

After being closed for nearly all of July, The McKinney Avenue Contemporary gallery (3120 McKinney Ave., Dallas, 214-953-1212) opens Meltdown on Saturday. This exhibition is the annual event in which MAC members can submit their works in the visual arts, performing arts and literary readings categories.

It can always be a bit unclear of what to expect from group exhibitions, especially ones that bring together artists who are not directly working with each other. Even in this case, it sounds like the theme is a bit cloudy. Participants were given only three definitions clarifying "Meltdown":

meltdown (mɛlt daʊn) (1)
- n
1. (in a nuclear reactor) the melting of the fuel rods as a result of a defect in the cooling system, with the possible escape of radiation into the environment
2. informal: a sudden disastrous failure with potential for widespread harm, such as a stock exchange crash
3. informal: the process or state of irreversible breakdown or decline: the community is slowly going into meltdown

meltdown (2)
1. Describes what happens when a person freaks out, cracks, loses control of themselves. Life - reality at large - becomes overwhelming. They just can't deal with it all. The person may act out, withdraw, become emotional, run, etc.

meltdown (3)
1. emotional, cultural, social, historical (& technical). You get the idea.

So, uh, if you're feeling stressed or really close to the edge, this exhibit might be worth checking out for some therapy via others' artistic expressions. You know, if taking a chill pill just isn't cutting it for you.

The free exhibit runs through Sept. 3 and is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. If you go, please come back here and share in the Comments section what you liked.

MORE arts events: On GuideLive.com | On Twitter @guidelivearts.

UPDATE: DMN photographer Guy Reynolds just let me know that he is a MAC member and will have a piece on display. Get a taste of what to expect from the exhibit here.

For its sixth annual year, Dallas' Catholic Foundation Plaza Artists Competition is expanding the field for submissions. Now, professional artists throughout the entire state of Texas can enter.

For those of you who are seriously serious about your craft, know that winning this competition will give you massive exposure in the Dallas art community. The winner's mural will be displayed on the foundation's art wall in the Dallas Arts District for a full year. That's potentially your creative expression stretching across the 28-feet wide wall in the Catholic Foundation Plaza (located at the corner of Flora and Crockette streets across from the Meyerson Symphony Center) FOR A FULL YEAR. Also, there's a $2,500 stipend for the winner, and $250 prize for the runner-up. Not too shabby for a competition that's free to enter.

Here are all the official rules and examples of previous winners. Note, a religious theme isn't required, and the deadline is 3 p.m. Aug. 26. The winner's work will be unveiled in a public dedication Oct. 31.

I've always been interested in graphic design, so when I see companies change their logos, or in this case when the USDA replaces the beloved food pyramid, I'm immediately interested.

Earlier this month, the USDA announced that it's replacement for the food pyramid would be this: MyPlate.

First reaction? Well, it's not so bad. The colors are acceptable, but not great, and the fonts aren't horrible. In fact, the entire thing is kind of fun, which is probably what the designers were going for. Perhaps trying to appeal to a younger audience? Who knows.

What do you think of the design of MyPlate?

Through Museums on Us, bank cardholders can receive free admission to the Dallas Museum of Art and the Museum of Nature & Science this Saturday and Sunday, July 2-3 and Aug. 6-7.

The Museums on Us program works with more than 152 leading U.S. cultural institutions in 87 cities across the country to open their doors to bank cardholders on the first full weekend of each month this summer. So, if you're traveling, check out the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston or the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.

The offer is valid the first full weekend (Saturday and Sunday) of each month. Photo ID and a valid Bank of America/Merrill Lynch credit or debit card must be presented. One free general admission limited to cardholder at participating institution, excluding fundraising events, special exhibitions and ticketed shows. Not to be combined with other offers.

For more information about Museums on Us, visit: http://museums.bankofamerica.com.

Graphic Novels, Comics, Anime, & Toons: Art As Story opens today at the Texas Visual Arts Association's downtown gallery at Plaza of the Americas (701 N Pearl, Suite G-207, 972-951-7879). The exhibition features 2D, 3D and digital artwork from comic books, graphic novels, anime and cartoons created by amateur and professional artists. Some comic books and graphic novels are even on display. Sounds pretty spiffy if you ask me.

At the 2 p.m. reception Sunday, June 5, a new graphic novel will be introduced by some of its D-FW creators. Echoes of the Lost Boys of Sudan is based on the true story of four boys who escaped the hardships and murders of their village to the United States. Selections of the book will also be on display throughout the exhibit.

So now you have two reasons to check out the gallery: (1) Celebrating comics as art is way cool, and (2) using them to inform audiences of cultural differences is super awesome. The exhibit runs through June 30 and is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Here's a clip from the Comic Book Literacy that features Echos of the Lost Boys of Sudan and how it's being used to educate children.

MORE arts events: On GuideLive.com | On Twitter @guidelivearts.

Loïs Mailou Jones: A Life in Vibrant Color opened Sunday at The Women's Museum (3800 Parry Ave., Dallas, 214-915-0860). The exhibition features more than 70 works - including paintings, drawings and textile designs - by African-American artist and educator Loïs Mailou Jones (1905-1998), who explored a wide array of subjects and styles over the length of her career.

The press release sums up her journey nicely:
"The retrospective begins with her early textile designs and sketches from the Harlem Renaissance. After graduating from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, at a time when racial and gender prejudices pervaded society, Jones began her career as a textile designer. She sold her bold fabric creations to department stores until a decorator told her that a 'colored girl wasn't capable of producing such beautiful designs.' This incident prompted Jones to shift her artistic focus to the fine arts so she could sign her name to her works.

During a brief teaching stint at Palmer Memorial Institute, a preparatory school in Sedalia, North Carolina, Jones created several paintings that marked her transition from design to fine art. The paintings Negro Shack 1, Sedalia, North Carolina (1930) and Brother Brown (1931) demonstrate the Regionalist character of her early paintings. Though far less vivid than the later works for which she became famous, these early paintings still clearly show her fascination with color and culture. ... The influence of philosopher Alain Locke, who encouraged Jones to draw inspiration from African art, is evident in many of her later works, such as Irma (1972). She also conveyed the social struggles of African-Americans through powerful psychological portraits such as Mob Victim (1945) and Jennie (1943)."

The touring exhibit runs through July 23 and is open to the public from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Top image: Mère du Senegal, 1985. Acrylic.
Bottom image: Street Vendors, Port au Prince, Haiti, 1978. Acrylic.

MORE arts events: On GuideLive.com | On Twitter @guidelivearts.

Wet opens Wednesday at Hotel ZaZa's Stay ZaZa Art House & Social Gallery (2400 McKinney Ave., Dallas, 214-468-8399). The exhibition features new water-themed works by painters Eric Zener and Conrad Kern.

Californian artist Zener's paintings portray his fascination with water: sunbathers, swimmers, children playing in the water, and the movement of the water itself. New Mexico artist Kern's color field paintings glisten with their layers of color and sheen.

The exhibit runs through August 30 and is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. For private showings by appointment, please call (214) 912-7143.

Continue reading for select images of the exhibit.

Image: Eric Zener, Surrendering Study V, mixed media on panel, 6.5 x 13" finished size, 2008

MORE arts events: On GuideLive.com | On Twitter @guidelivearts.

¡Lotería! opens Thursday at the Latino Cultural Center (2600 Live Oak, Dallas, 214-671-0045). The exhibition features 20 original prints inspired by the traditional Mexican card game that is similar to bingo, but uses illustrations instead of numbers.

Mexican artist Guadalupe Anaya uses various printmaking techniques - etching, aquatint, drypoint and chine collé - to create interpretations of the images of the Loteria cards, including the heart (pictured is "Corazon"), the hand, the frog, the spider, the siren, and more. Anaya plays on the meaning of each card and pays homage to the desire of risking it all, only to lose the majority of the time.

Anaya is a painter, sculptor and printmaker from Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico. She graduated in 1994 from the Escuela Popular de Bellas Artes of the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo. Her work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions in Mexico, Nicaragua and the U.S.

Opening reception is 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday. Exhibit continues through Aug. 20, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Both the exhibition and the reception are free and open to the public.

Have you played Loteria before?

MORE arts news and events: On GuideLive.com | On Twitter @guidelivearts.

"Saturate," as this year's contest is named, challenges public and private school students in grades 9th through 12th to "explore and experiment with the chroma of color. Each contestant is free to choose their own subject matter, but they must create a work of art that illustrates the progression of color from high to low saturation." The deadline for the Goss-Michael Foundation's 5th annual student art contest is Saturday, April 23.

Sounds pretty spiffy. If you or someone you know enters, send me a photo of your work and I'll feature it here on the Arts Blog.

Continue reading for the official entry rules and prizes.

The Dallas Museum of Art just announced that Bonnie Pitman is leaving as director, to be replaced in the interim by Olivier Meslay. Here's the release:

DALLAS, TX - April 8, 2011 - The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) today announced that Bonnie Pitman will step down from her position as the Museum's Eugene McDermott Director in May 2011 for health reasons. Ms. Pitman will continue to work with the Museum and its Board of Trustees on special projects through April 2012, and will help with the search and transition to the new director. The Museum concurrently announced that Olivier Meslay will serve as the interim director. Mr. Meslay currently holds the joint position of Senior Curator of European and American Art and the Barbara Thomas Lemmon Curator of European Art.

I'm headed to a media preview today for this weekend's Dallas Art Fair and thought you art lovers might want to tag along. Follow me @guidelivearts between 11 a.m. and noon for my insights on what's to be seen. I'll tweet some photos of things you must see in person, too.

The fair is in its third year and runs 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at Fashion Industry Gallery (1807 Ross Avenue, Dallas, TX 75201). Tickets are $20; $40 for a three-day pass.

In the meantime, catch up on what events are surrounding this year's fair with Michael Granberry's article here.

Pianist Seth Simmons performs, as Dallas-based Cuban-American artist Rolando Diaz creates an original work of art that will be auctioned at Dallas Film Society Honor at the Nasher Sculpture Center. This event Sunday was part of the Dallas International Film Festival. (DMN-Video/ editing: Nathan Hunsinger)

Lakeside Arts Foundation partnered with the city of The Colony to host "Chalk This Way," a sidewalk chalk arts festival. The day-long event featured professional and amateur artists as well as entertainment. (Video/editing: Richard Michael Pruitt)

Did you go?

You remember sidewalk chalk, don't you? Those huge neon colored sticks are hard to forget considering how much dust would get all over your or your kids' clothes. And it's not like you were even rolling around in it!

Well, there's this really cool event coming up on Saturday, March 19, called Chalk This Way. The Lakeside Arts Foundation and the City of The Colony are hosting a day-long sidewalk chalk arts festival at Five Star Complex (4100 Blair Oaks Drive, in The Colony). It will feature a professional chalk artist exhibit, an amateur chalk art contest, a high school scholarship contest for seniors pursuing an arts-related degree, a children's non-competitive gallery, art vendors, food, music and more.

Contestants can pick up arts supplies on-site and will be assigned an area of concrete on which to work. Professional and amateur artists will create chalk art in several areas of the park, on the main sidewalk, and in one parking lot. The event will close with an awards ceremony and concert that evening.

Amateur artists save $5 off of regular $15 registration fee by pre-registering online by March 18.
For info on how to register, click here.

If this sounds like an exciting event to you, you'll love this Google image search of sidewalk chalk art.

Photo taken by Elise Knox

For one of my final projects as a graphic design student I decided to make a pop-up book. Spending hours upon hours cutting and pasting and playing with paper just sounded like a blast. And researching how to construct the mechanics was just as much fun as I perused children's sections of libraries and bookstores re-discovering the joy a pop-up book brings.

It was in a small corner of a Half-Price Books where I became consciously aware of David A. Carter. Among all the pop-up books on the shelf, it was evident he was the master who understood how to do so much with so little. I ended up buying his Blue 2, bringing it home, and deconstructed it page by page -- except for a few that were too beautiful to destroy.

Carter, who also created pop-up adaptations of Horton Hears a Who! and Oh, The Places You'll Go, is giving a talk at 7 p.m. Friday, March 18, at the Dallas Museum of Art's Horchow Auditorium in celebration of Dr. Seuss' birthday and the Center for Creative Connections. And I totally recommend you go, because he's giving a pop-up workshop in the Tech Lab afterward! Then at 9 p.m. he's signing books in the C3. The Late Nights event is free and open to the public, with the $10 general admission.

Check out this image Google search of his creations.

As nimbly as the rabbits in the rabbit petting zoo planned for their Chinese New Year celebration, the Crow Collection of Asian Art is moving its free family festival from this Saturday to Saturday, Feb. 12. The popular event will still include family-fun art activities, face painting, storytelling, complimentary candy, tea sampling, yoga inspired by the animals of the Chinese Zodiac and a lion dance all honoring the Year of the Rabbit.

Look for it Saturday, Feb. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Crow Collection of Asian Art, 2010 Flora St., Dallas. 214-979-6430 or click here for more information.

PHOTO: A lion dance at a previous edition of a Chinese new year's celebration at Crow Collection of Asian Art.

The SLANT 45 Community Heroes Touring Art Exhibition kicks off at NorthPark Center as students depict their project in art form. There are nearly 3,000 pieces in the exhibit. (DMN-video/editing: Ron Baselice)

In what must rank as one of opera's most heroic performances, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves continued to sing Saturday night even after experiencing an early-pregnancy miscarriage.
Singing the role of Jane Seymour in the Dallas Opera's "Anna Bolena," the 46-year-old Graves remained on the Winspear Opera House stage for her character's great duet with Anne Boleyn, portrayed by soprano Hasmik Papian. Profoundly shaken, Graves then left the stage for what Dallas Opera artistic director Jonathan Pell announced as "a medical emergency." The performance continued, but minus Jane Seymour's confrontation with Henry VIII.
After taking a break at her home outside Washington, D.C., Graves expects to return to sing the opera's final two performances at the Winspear, at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Sunday.
For information, call 214-443-1000 or go to www.dallasopera.org.

As part of the monthlong Art in October series of events in the Arts District, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Dallas Museum of Art are offering a joint ticket to the DSO's performances of Brahms' German Requiem and the DMA exhibit The Mourners: Medieval Tomb Sculptures From the Court of Burgundy.

$30 gets you a "best available" ticket to the DSO show tonight or Saturday at 8, and also to the exhibit, which runs through Jan. 2. The $30 ticket price is available only by phone through the DSO Box Office, 214-692-0203.

The exodus continues. We learned Monday that Jill Magnuson, who had been its director of external affairs, is leaving the AT&T Performing Arts Center to take the same position at the Nasher Sculpture Center. In case you missed it, our front-page story Sunday explored not only the frequency of staff departures from the AT&T center but also its high executive salaries and mounting debt (more than $30 million is needed for its $354 million capital campaign, and there's a first-year operating deficit of as much as $3 million that board chairman Roger Nanney says will bleed into the second year and possibly the third). At the Nasher, Magnuson replaces Jane Offenbach, who launched the Nasher Salon Lecture Series and who recently left to become CEO at the Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum in Nashville, Tenn. (Click here to read our recent account of Offenbach's departure.) Magnuson starts at the Nasher on Nov. 1.

This coming weekend is, of course, Texas-OU weekend, with the Cotton Bowl serving as the site of "the Red River Rivalry." For those seeking an alternative, you might want to consider the Dallas Museum of Art, which director Bonnie Pitman says will offer "a wonderful counterbalance to football." It opens Sunday, this extravagant new show at the DMA, which represents a partnership between Dallas, the DMA and the French Regional & American Museum Exchange, otherwise known as FRAME. Wednesday marked the press preview of the new show, "The Mourners: Medieval Masterworks from the Court of Burgundy," whose co-presenters are the DMA and Musee des Beaux-Arts in Dijon, France. This year marks the Mourners' first and only U.S. tour, with Dallas being a key stop. The Mourners consists of 40 individual alabaster figurines from the 15th-century Ducal Tomb. Before returning to France, the Mourners will have gone to New York, St. Louis, Dallas, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Richmond, Va. Carved by Jean de la Huerta and Antoine le Moiturier between 1443 and 1457, the devotional figures known as "mourners" were commissioned for the elaborate tomb of the second duke of Burgundy.

Photo: One of the pieces in the new exhibition at the DMA

Dr. Ron Tyler, who has served the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth for 22 years, will retire as director, effective April 1, the Carter's board and museum management announced Tuesday.
"During Ron's tenure, we have seen our collection grow through valuable acquisitions of American art," said Ruth Carter Stevenson, president of the board. "Our educational programs and online offerings have also exponentially expanded, and we have undergone extensive renovation and updating of the physical facilities. As we move into our 50th anniversary, the museum is positioned as a leader among art museums. Dr. Tyler has left a tangible legacy, and we are grateful for his leadership and vision."
In retirement, Tyler plans to focus on what he calls his lifelong twin passions, research and writing. He is hoping to complete three books, projects he began before he became director in 2006.
"The nearly 22 years that I have spent at the Amon Carter are among the happiest and most productive of my career," Tyler said. "I thank the Board of Trustees for the opportunity to work here, for it changed my life and essentially launched my career. I feel that I received my education here as much as at the universities I attended."
Tyler previously served as curator and assistant director for collections and programs. In 1986, he left to join the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin where he served as history professor for 20 years.

Photo: Dr. Ron Tyler, who's leaving the Amon Carter

Compiled by Bindu Varghese

About a dozen area museums and a couple of other art spaces are participating in Smithsonian magazine's nationwide sixth annual Museum Day on Saturday, Sept. 25. Admission at some of the participating locations, such as the Crow Collection of Asian Art, the Amon Carter Museum of American Art and the Irving Arts Center, is generally free year-round, but the overarching feature of this nationwide free-admission day is to convey the spirit of the Smithsonian Institution venues that offer free admission. Hours vary by location. Sign up online at smithsonianmag.com/museumday to print out a free Museum Day ticket, which is valid for two people per household, per address, to one participating location. The card ticket must be presented to receive free general admission.

Participating locations include:
Amon Carter Museum of American Art
Crow Collection of Asian Art
Dallas Contemporary
Dallas Museum of Art
Dallas Holocaust Museum/Center for Education and Tolerance
Frontiers of Flight Museum
Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary
Irving Arts Center
Log Cabin Village
Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum and Hall of Fame
North Texas History Center

Before you go, search GuideLive.com for ongoing art exhibits and more free events.

"Eiffel Tower" (1924) by Robert Delaunay is part of the "Encountering Space" exhibition opening Saturday at the Dallas Museum of Art.

They're calling it a "sculpture" that celebrates Texas high school football, but the first phrase that comes to mind is one I learned from my Jewish mother-in-law: "Oy vey!" It's a 16-foot-high mass of twisted steel consisting of recycled material from the recently imploded Texas Stadium (I am not making this up) and scraps of other hard detritus sent by 1,400 Texas high schools. Its destination will be Sundance Square in Fort Worth, and yes, it's all part of the Super Bowl festivities. You may have heard: The Super Bowl is coming to Arlington in February. The "sculpture" is the work of Gerdau Ameristeel, a steel mill company and recycler based in Tampa, Fla., where several Super Bowls have been played. It is, of course (how could it not be?), in the shape of the state of Texas and weighs between six and seven tons. To quote the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: "An oil rig will form part of the base, and a football will burst through the center of the state." The inscription will read "Cradle of Champions." Pardon me as I wipe away a tear while singing "Texas Our Texas." Makes me want to go home and pop in my DVD of The Last Picture Show to hear the late Noble Willingham explain it all to Timothy Bottoms (who played Sonny): "You just never learned the fundamentals. You know, blockin', tacklin' ... " Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief said it all: "This is not just a sculpture but an expression of high school football ... it's not just a sport but a religion." Those who wish to genuflect can do soon, in Sundance Square. But I will still be saying, "Oy vey."

Photo: Cradle of Champions, Gerdau Ameristeel

SLR you say? I don't think so. No need to mess with bulky equipment to snap up memories like the photog pros. The Video Association of Dallas and Photographs Do Not Bend Gallery together are sponsoring ishow, an upcoming exhibit featuring regional photographers who use the iPhone. No, seriously. The iPhone.

PDNB doesn't have any exhibit photos posted yet, so it'll be interesting to see how or if the subject matter is tied together throughout the exhibit.

There will be an opening reception Sept. 24 from 7 to 9 p.m., with performances included. The show will be at PDNB Gallery Sept. 24 through Oct. 9.

What tips do you have for fellow phone-toting photographers?

Final touches are put on Reuben Margolin's "Nebula," an art sculpture that is the central piece to the Hilton Anatole's "Wave of Change" $25 million transformation initiative.

What do you think of the installation so far?

Here's something to add to your favorite links (we've even added it to our Arts on the Web blog roll over on the right there ---> ). The Dallas Museum of Art has debuted a new blog, Uncrafted.

What can we expect?

"Uncrated presents insights from all departments of the Museum. Exhibitions, Curatorial, Collections, Education, Programming, Development, and a few special guests will share their voices in bi-weekly posts providing a behind-the-scenes look into life at the DMA. The goal of Uncrated is to encourage a deeper relationship with the Museum and its collections and programs while providing exciting and valuable information about the Museum as a whole."

Spiffy! Can't wait to read what you got, DMA!

Refined plans to the museum's architecture plans are being revealed today at the construction site. The $185 million project is expected to be completed in early 2013.

Today's unveiling is not open to the public, but the museum will hold a community open house from 1 to 3 p.m. Aug. 28 at the construction center, 1155 Broom St. Visitors will be able to see the building model, schematic renderings and construction under way.

Can't make it? Get more info on the designs and watch a video fly-through here. And follow the construction progress of Victory Park facility on Web Cam here.

After a successful screening in New York, Eve Sussman and the Rufus Corporation are bringing the modern film, whiteonwhite:algorithmicthriller, to the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth on Tuesday, September 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. After the 60 minute screening, Sussman will conduct a Q&A sessions for viewers to ask questions about the film and her work.

The sci-fi noir is set in 2016, following geophysicist Michael Holz as he tries to navigate through the strange oddities that fill his everyday life -- disconcerting patterns of surveillance, discrepancies in local time keeping, and psychotropic manipulation of the masses. whiteonwhite:algorithmicthriller isn't your ordinary film, either: using a software, Sussman seams the different clips of the narrative together in a different chronology every time the film is screened. Essentially, no two screenings is the same.

For more information on Eve Sussman and the Rufus Corporation, go to www.rufuscorporation.com.

While I was walking around downtown today, I saw something very strange: a boot made out of Red Bull cans.

As it turns out, it was a promotion for Red Bull's Art of Can exhibition, which opened on Friday at the Dallas Galleria and is on display until August 22. The concept of the exhibition is that anyone - regardless of age or artistic expertise - can submit a piece of art that is composed of or inspired by Red Bull cans, which is then put out for display and judged.

You can look at the virtual gallery on the exhibition's website, or you can go see for yourself at the Galleria during regular mall hours - it doesn't take an energy drink to get excited about this outpouring of creativity.

Photo by Carter Rose.

The Dallas Museum of Art has extended its Half Price Wednesdays, by popular demand, to the end of August, as well as The Family Programs (Summer Storytime and Sketching in the Galleries for Kids). So, every Wednesday until the end of August, you can get into the museum with $5 parking and $5 admission from 11 am until 5 pm.

And did I mention the Museum Store is having a huge Summer Sale?

Man, I wish my garage sale finds were this awesome. CNN reports that a California painter found Ansel Adams photos worth $200 million.

Two small boxes he bought 10 years ago for $45 -- negotiated down from $70 -- are now estimated to be worth at least $200 million, according to a Beverly Hills art appraiser.

Those boxes contained 65 glass negatives created by famed nature photographer Ansel Adams in the early period of his career. Experts believed the negatives were destroyed in a 1937 darkroom fire that destroyed 5,000 plates.

"It truly is a missing link of Ansel Adams and history and his career," said David W. Streets, the appraiser and art dealer who is hosting an unveiling of the photographs at his Beverly Hills, California, gallery Tuesday.

Click the link to read more and see a slideshow of the super cool finds.

For most people, the Gulf oil crisis has become the definition of chaos over the past months. Local artist Joey Brock took this chaos and used it as inspiration for his latest gallery, "It Ain't Easy Bein' Green", which opens August 7 at the brock studio gallery.

In his 13-piece mixed-media collection, Brock uses unorthodox means to make commentary on the environment as well as the negative and positive affects a single act can have on it. By unorthodox, I mean combining acrylic paint, conté crayon, pencil and paper on clayboard and canvas along with rusty drill bits, sandpaper, stone, twine and glass. All help create powerful narration on environmental corruption. and "going green".

The event, held alongside Bettinger Studio's fine art photography show, will also showcase fine art photography entitled "A Body of Work" by Denise Tarango and sculpture by Zad Roumaya. All-in-all, it promises to please both art lovers and tree huggers with its creative and original style.

Pictured: "Hooked" by Joey Brock

Fashion writer Jason Sheeler writes on the Shopping Blog

An image of this outdoor painting/graffiti/poster at Forest and 75 Central Expressway was posted on friend-of-a-friend Lily Neubauer 's Facebook page on Sunday, followed by a posting on Pegasus News on Monday. Anyone know anything about the artist?

Continue reading Jason's post. ... Know anything, let us know!

Artist Viola Delgado strokes nature into dance with an exhibit that opens Thursday at Cafe San Miguel.

The Texas artist will show pieces from her painterly meditations on nature that look at themes new for a woman known for folkloric vistas of her own South Texas culture.

"Red Walls" come from a series of canvasses with angular fields, or walls of saturated shades of crimson. They remind one of Mark Rothko's color fields in orange and purple. Yet something more surreal here is at play as the mysterious walls jut into nature's own organic canvasses of soft sky.

The sky with its puffs of clouds morphed into another series of work in this exhibit. Viewers see into the azul what they want, or, perhaps, what they need.

David Dillon, who was The Dallas Morning News' architecture critic for 25 years, died Thursday morning of a heart attack at his home in Amherst, Mass. He was 68.

Stay tuned to dallasnews.com for more details, and leave your thoughts, memories and condolences below.

The Plano Art Association is presenting Art Fusion 2010 from noon to 6pm June 13 at the Courtyard Theater, which will be transformed into an art gallery with a sculpture garden and entertainment stages.

The cost for a 4' wide x 10' high wall is $25, which can be paid here. If you show up, you get the $25 back but if you can't make it, the amount goes directly to Hope's Door -- 24/7 safe haven for women and children who are the victims of domestic violence.

If you are interested in being a part of the arts showcase, contact Katrine at 972-954-7158 or planoartassoc@gmail.com, or Steve at the PAA before May 28.

The late Ted Pillsbury was remembered at a memorial service Thursday afternoon at Highland Park Presbyterian Church.

Pillsbury, who died of an apparent heart attack last week age age 66, was director of the Kimbell Art Museum from 1980 to 1998. Thanks to smart acquisitions and programming, he was widely credited with turning the small Fort Worth museum into one of international repute. After leaving the Kimbell, he worked with art dealers Gerald Peters and Heritage Auction Galleries, and for two years he headed the Meadows Museum at SMU.

Tributes at the service were offered by Pillsbury's two children, Christine Pillsbury Raniolo and Dr. Edmund Pillsbury III, his cousin Charlie Pillsbury and writer Robert M. Edsel.

With anecdotes alternately funny and touching, Pillsbury was remembered as both brilliant and absent-minded, charming and fiercely competitive, determined and erratic, as obsessive about sports, cars and motorcycles as about art. He never mastered computers, but was infamous for interminable e-mails sent on his Blackberry. He was a dapper dresser whose color combinations, as Raniolo remarked, didn't always work.

There was a veritable who's who of the area art world at the service, including museum directors Bonnie Pittman (Dallas Museum of Art) and Jeremy Strick (Nasher Sculpture Center), former DMA director and now UTD professor Rick Brettell, arts patron Margaret McDermott, legendary pianist Van Cliburn and former Dallas Morning New art critic Janet Kutner.

Soon after moving into its new space in the Design District, Dallas Contemporary pulled a surprise Wednesday by announcing that Joan Davidow is retiring as its executive director effective May 31. Dallas Contemporary states, in a press release, that its "national" search for a new director has already begun. Davidow, the release says, will "continue in a consulting role" until the end of 2010. Her retirement comes "after nine years of dynamic leadership under which Dallas Contemporary has grown membership, expanded programming and initiated Art Think, a nationally award-winning education program, that served more than 11,000 students last year," the release says. Dallas Contemporary also credits Davidow with spearheading the purchase of its new location at 161 Glass Street -- a location that recently endured the embarrassment of not being able to open on time because it lacked all the necessary city inspections and approvals. It is, of course, open now. "Upon near completion of our capital campaign and our move into new quarters, I have the bittersweet duty of announcing Joan Davidow's retirement from Dallas Contemporary," said board president, Jo Marie Lilly. "After nine years of dedication and the devotion of tremendous
energy, Joan has achieved her goal of moving us into the new building and positioning us for the
future, and it is now time for us to look for future leadership. Joan's legacy will inspire our
future. Her contribution to the Dallas cultural scene is significant, and we are proud we have
had her leadership and guidance." Dallas Contemporary was house on Swiss Avenue, before its move to Glass Street, as a guest of the Meadows Foundation. Dallas Contemporary purchased its Glass Street building in 2007 and raised $4 million of a $6 million capital campaign, the release says, "to redesign the site for a contemporary art space."

Photo: Joan Davidow

I got a chance to attend a preview showing of the 2nd annual Dallas Art Fair on Thursday, and I gotta tell you, walking through the local, national and international exhibits on display was good for my soul. If you don't already have plans to get over to Fashion Industry Gallery (f.i.g.) downtown this weekend, I strongly recommend it. The fair continues until 7 tonight, Saturday 11am-7pm and Sunday 11am-5pm.

The fair, which is showcasing more than 50 galleries (16 from Texas), has plenty of modern and contemporary paintings, sculptures, drawings, prints and photographs to keep you intrigued all weekend. I was there for an hour and a half wishing I could have stayed longer.

As a recent art student graduate who perhaps has lost touch with my own creative expression, I found the fair to be incredibly inspiring. Continue reading for a couple of pieces and exhibits I found worth noting.

Photo by Kye R. Lee / The Dallas Morning News: Carlos Perez, of Unified Fine Arts Services, checks the lighting at Kristy Stubbs Gallery booth of the Dallas Art Fair on Thursday.

Stark Sands is an actor with a ton of promise and potential. I had the pleasure of seeing him over the holidays in the edgy role of Clyde Barrow in the world premiere, bound-for-Broadway musical Bonnie & Clyde, which opened at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. (If you missed my earlier feature on Stark, click here.) Stark is the grandson of Dallas oilwoman, hotelier and philanthropist Caroline Rose Hunt. He's also one of the contributors to a terrific piece of art, now on display at Rosewood Court. It's a 19-foot-long, 10-foot-high fused glass family quilt in which each of Caroline's 44-member multi-generational family designed a glass piece at the Creative Arts Center of Dallas.

Photo: Stark Sands as Clyde Barrow in Bonnie & Clyde

The "Mixed Media" exhibition at the McKinney Avenue Contemporary has been extended through Feb. 27. One of the highlights is A Love Supreme, an 80-foot-long installation by Sedrick Huckaby, made up of four paintings inspired by quilts that his grandmother made. Each of the paintings uses colors and patterns related to a different season. Huckaby received a Guggenheim Fellowship Award to complete the installation.

Kevin Vogel, director of Valley House Gallery & Sculpture Garden, was impressed by the installation. After the jump, check out what he had to say in the Valley House newsletter from early January.

The Latino Cultural Center has put out a call to local artists "whose creative endeavors give vitality to the cultural movement in DFW" for Hecho en Dallas, "an annual juried exhibition designed to showcase the recent work of professional artists who reside and are active in the artistic environment of the Dallas area."

Jurors include Tomas Bustos, sculpture instructor at the Creative Arts Center of Dallas and founder of the Association of Latino Artists and Studies; Cristina B. Medina, visual arts and humanities professor at Mountain View College; and 14th Gallery owner Gabrielle Castañeda Pruitt.

All submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Feb. 6. The exhibition will be March 11 through April 24.

Get more details and the entry form here (.pdf)

It's a new year and new rules apply in the DMA's pricing. Beginning this Thursday, January 7, 2010, general admission will be charged all day on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Previously it was free after 5 p.m. to all. But discounted admission will still be offered for seniors (65+) and military personnel; and students with a valid school ID continue to be admitted free in the evenings from 5 to 9 p.m. And no worries if you're a museum member. You will keep your free Thursday night admission and parking.

Don't let the $10 general admission deter you though. Thursday nights still have a lot to offer at the museum. Jazz in the Atrium, Thursday Night programs, special exhibitions and more.

The museum will continue to be free to the public on the first Tuesday of every month, and, as always, children under 12 get in free.

The art of Willie Wayne Young and the artist himself take a perch this Saturday for a panel discussion at the African American Museum in Dallas.

Young works at a barber shop shining shoes in the northern burb of Farmers Branch. From that comfortable post, he also sketches and sketches and sketches from an imagination in motion with nature and things many might find pedestrian. Fellow artist Chapman Kelley calls Willie's views on art "uncontaminated" by dictates about who is good and what is grand. Chapman, a former gallery owner, carries Willie's work on his own website.

The discussion begins at 2 p.m. at the museum within Dallas' Fair Park. It will be led by Eldeeca Thompson, the curator of the Young show, now installed at the museum.

Willie and other artists are featured in an arts blog, dedicated to outsider art, folk art and self-taught art along back roads around the world. The blog's dubbed detours arts travels.

Willie himself can be found nearly every morning at the Griffin Barber Shop in Farmers Branch. And Willie can be found here.

They uttered two of the most famous lines in movie history and now you can ask them about that or anything else. Robert Duvall and Lauren Bacall will come to Dallas in early 2010 as headliners for an annual series that keeps getting better. It's the NasherSALON Speaker Series at the Nasher Sculpture Center. Duvall arrives Jan. 21, Bacall March 11. "I love the smell of Napalm in the morning!" Duvall roared in Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 classic about the Vietnam war, Apocalypse Now. For the sultry Bacall, her legendary line came in the 1944 adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's novel, To Have and Have Not. Staring dreamily into Humphrey Bogart's eyes, Bacall said, almost in a purr, "You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and ... blow." But the 2010 series promises even more. Pop sensation Gladys Knight (minus the Pips) will appear at the Nasher on June 17, followed by composer Stephen Sondheim on Sept. 16 and author and broadcaster Jim Lehrer on Nov. 18. Lehrer once worked for The Dallas Morning News and covered the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and its aftermath for The Dallas Times Herald. Lehrer's appearance will come four days before the assassination's 47th anniversary. Before joining the Public Broadcasting Service, Lehrer began his television career as the host of Newsroom on KERA-TV (Channel 13), where -- how's this for local trivia? -- his supervisors included Robert A. Wilson, the father of Hollywood actors Owen and Luke Wilson. Each NasherSALON appearance will begin at 8 p.m. in Nasher Hall. Tickets are $65 for adults ($50 for members of the Nasher). Tickets to Duvall's appearance, the first of the season, will go on sale to the public on Dec. 6 at www.NasherSculptureCenter.org/Salon. For further information, call 214-242-5100. Past NasherSALON speakers included novelists John Updike and Larry McMurtry (who appeared with Diana Ossana, with whom he shared an Oscar for the screenplay of Brokeback Mountain), singer Art Garfunkel and celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck.

Photo: Lauren Bacall

A cluster of nearly 40 pieces, described as some of the greatest masterpieces of medieval sculpture and never seen in their entirety outside France, is headed to the Dallas Museum of Art in October 2010. "The Mourners" is an exhibition organized by the DMA and Musée des Beaux-Arts in Dijon, France, which DMA officials note is Dallas' "sister city." It's a show carried out under the auspieces of FRAME, the French Regional & American Museum Exchange. The two-year, seven-city touring exhibition opens in March at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York before heading to Dallas from Oct. 3, 2010, to Jan. 2, 2011. Carved by Jean de La Huerta and Antoine Le Moiturier between 1443 and 1470, the unique devotional figures known as "mourners" were commissioned for the tomb of the second Duke of Burgundy. DMA officials describe the alabaster sculptures as being "crafted with astonishing detail," noting that they "exemplify some of the most important artistic innovations of the late Middle Ages." DMA Director Bonnie Pitman called the exhibition an opportunity to connect "Dallas residents and visitors with extraordinary art and cultural treasures from around the globe. These are incredibly beautiful works that are as powerful and meaningful today as they were the day they were created." Richard R. Brettell, who directs the U.S. headquarters of FRAME -- whose offices are in Dallas -- called the exhibition "a shining moment in the history of FRAME, a testament to shared friendship and shared knowledge."

Photo: Mourner from the Tomb of Jean Sans Peur (John the Fearless), second Duke of Burgundy

The opening of the AT&T Performing Arts Center has come and gone, but the celebration continues. Keeping with the spirit, the Dallas Museum of Art is feting not only its new neighbor but also its own silver anniversary with a new series, State of the Arts. Introduced by DMA Director Bonnie Pitman and KERA host and producer Jeff Whittington, State of the Arts will present conversations with key artistic leaders in Dallas about the future of the city's cultural landscape and what lies ahead for various arts organizations. "Exploring the creative process and the nature of performance will be at the heart of State of the Arts," Pitman said, in announcing the program. "This innovative new series will focus on the drive to create, the magic of the imagination, and the passion for performing -- qualities that connect artists, dancers, actors and musicians alike -- in revealing new ways, and we are delighted that the leaders of the arts in Dallas will share their insight with us during this exciting time in Dallas' history."

Photo: Dallas Museum of Art Director Bonnie Pitman

Someone just asked me if it is a coincidence that the City gets these big beautiful arts buildings at the same time that City budget cuts reduced arts funding. The Bath House Cultural Center budget was reduced by about 50%, for example. Is this irony or what?

If I could only go to a few arts events per year I would rather go to the now endangered Bath House at White Rock Lake. It still has a neighborhood feel. Great shows. A lot of independent theaters work there, along with dance and music programs, art shows, workshops, camps. It's a place for us. Locals. People with some money but not alot of money to spend on the arts. People who like to look at a lake during intermission. People who like to find small arts organizations to support with their loyal attendance and some funding.

Thirty years ago the Bath House opened as the first cultural center in the City of Dallas. No, it didn't cost 300 million dollars to refurbish and it only seats about 100 people, but it's our heart, our home and it has a great history. It has a legacy.

If you are receiving donation requests in the mail for the Bath House- please, please, please throw them a life line. They need it. Dallas needs it.

Could be we need the Bath House as much as we need the Arts Center.

Time magazine has a slide show here.

The New York Times has this take on the new complex.

From David Dillon:

One of the eye-popping artifacts in the Arts District is the monumental sunscreen that extends outward from the façade of the Winspear like a square eyebrow.
Yet an even bigger and more dramatic sunscreen has just popped up across town at Reunion Arena (right). The arena itself has been demolished but the roof remains, supported on four massive columns like a contemporary Greek or Roman ruin. But what to do with it? Amphitheater, picnic ground, setting for classic rallies, anything but another parking lot. First move, however, is to call off the bulldozers and think seriously about alternative futures for the site. Opportunities like this don't come along every day.

Freelancer David Dillon is in town for the opening of the center and has some ideas about pulling the Arts District together:

If Dallas is serious about making the Arts District an exciting public place, it had better include a few affordable restaurants and cafes. Except for the 7-Eleven in One Arts Plaza, virtually every eatery is pitched to the Lexus trade, meaning $30 entrees and $40 bottles of wine, and no welcome mat out for Joe Public and family. The district needs something like a Chili's or a Dixie House, plus several sidewalk cafés where for the price of baguette and a glass of vin ordinaire visitors can watch the passing parade. This is what the pavilion behind the Belo Mansion was supposed to provide, until the Bar Association decided that mingling with the public wasn't such a hot idea after all.

The economy has claimed yet another Dallas gallery, with officials for Pan American Art Projects announcing this week that it will close at the end of the year. Pan American is owned by Robert Borlenghi, who intends to keep open a "partner gallery" in Miami, where he will also live. The Dallas gallery's final exhibition will be "Out of My Mind," featuring the work of Ellen Frances Tuchman, whose show opens Oct. 17. "We're devastated," said Caroline Belanger, assistant director. "We are so thankful to our patrons, collectors and friends. We wanted to have one last hurrah, so to speak. Ellen's show is one we already had planned." In conjunction with Tuchman's "Out of My Mind," the gallery will also feature, in its closing weeks, the work of Charlotte Smith and Joe Ramiro Garcia. The gallery will keep regular hours until Thanksgiving, then remain open by appointment only through December.

Photo: Moses, by Carl Abrahams, acrylic on canvas, was part of the show "Icons, Myths and Prophets," seen at Pan American Art Projects

MARFA--The big weekend in this mesmerizing mini mecca of artful reinvention looms. Gallery doors start sliding open on Thursday, October 8th, and once again the city may double its 2,000-person size in its West Texas perch on the Chihuahua desert.

What's it all mean to Marfa artist Julie Speed?

"It's a good party," says the artist of what is one of Marfa's most popular weekends for art-tourists.

Beyond the many gallery openings of this coming weekend, Marfa simply inspires. One day, it might be a blue canvas of sky that seems stroked into animation by surrealist Rene Magritte.

"I call it the cloud showroom of the world," Speed says.

Then, there are just the "strange juxtapositions. It seems like there are two different realities that always keep you on your toes," the artist adds.

The inspirations for the pieces in "The Artistic Furniture of Charles Rohlfs," an exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Art, include the curl of smoke from the artist's pipe, a microscope view of a slice of oak, the human body and the Guaranty Building in Buffalo, N.Y. The exhibition, which opens on Sunday and will be on view through Jan. 3, features more than 40 examples of Rohlfs' work. He was a New York artist, actor and furniture designer who lived from 1853 to 1936.

During a press preview, I got a peek at the exhibition. Many of the exquisite, intricate carvings are in oak, a hard and brittle wood, which makes them even more impressive. The complex shadows cast by the furniture are often just as intriguing as the pieces themselves. There are also photographs of how the furniture was arranged in the rooms of Rohlfs' house and advertisement cards from when Rohlfs tried to sell some of his work during an economic downturn in the early 1900s (upon viewing the cards, it's hard not to wish you could hop in a time machine and pay less than $100 dollars for a masterpiece--sure, it would be steep in early 20th-century dollars, but so worth it).

(The photo's by Gavin Ashworth/American Decorative Art 1900 Foundation. The work in the photo is called Desk Chair and it was inspired by a microscope view of a slice of oak.)

Music is magic to Charley Mitcherson. She demonstrates her sophisticated eye behind the camera in a new show at her studio in the heart of the Bishop Arts District. The show's a retrospective of concert shots from Texas, California and other venues.

And the cartoony devotions of Dallas painter Steve Cruz add pop to the walls at Charley's studio. Cruz is known as a devout lover of the everyday folk who animate street life. But he's also dipping his paint onto canvas in vivid optical patterns.

Cruz is the owner of Mighty Fine Arts, a nearby gallery at 419 North Tyler. A new show "All I Ever Wanted Was Everything" with Candace M. Briceño opens Saturday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m.

Charley Mitcherson's studio at 405 North Bishop Avenue is open every Friday and Saturday evening from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., or by appointment.

Photographs Do Not Bend is one very cool gallery. For those of us enamored of the photographic arts, they really know how to do it. And their new show, "Shine," is merely the latest example. "Shine" gets under way with an opening reception from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday. "Shine" features photographs and objects from the 1930s to the 1970s that chronicle the history of the shoeshine man in urban America. The exhibition even features vintage shoeshine boxes, functional sculptures that gallery director Burt Finger has been collecting lo these many years. Many of the photographs in "Shine" were taken during the Great Depression, on the streets of New York City. "Shine" runs from Saturday through Nov. 14 at Photographs Do Not Bend, 1202 Dragon Street in the Dallas Design District. Info: Call 214-969-1852 or visit www. pdnbgallery.com. Admission free.

"All the World's a Stage: Celebrating Performance in the Visual Arts" looks at the museum's collections through the lens of performance-- with paintings, sculptures, photography, costumes and more. And it really does show the works in a whole new light. It's divided into sections that cover why people perform, how we perform, who performs, where people perform and what makes a performance.

Dr. Anne Bromberg led a lively media tour through the exhibition, pointing out a Bhairava mask with a history of being more than an art piece (beer would come from its open mouth through a pipe), the many cats featured in the works, and a bowl featuring maenads (which might perk up the ears of True Blood fans, considering the show's current maenad plotline). She's the kind of tour guide you wish you could spend all day with, a great storyteller with in-depth knowledge.

There's also an area where you can listen to music while you look at reproductions of related art. In one gallery, it's hard to resist the urge to dance--I'll leave the details a surprise, in case you go. Get more info on "All the World's a Stage" here.

Big, as they say, is the byword in Texas, a credo that the Meadows Museum at Southern Methodist University has apparently taken to heart. The Meadows announced this week that it has acquired Sho, which museum officials describe as "a monumental sculpture by contemporary Spanish artist Jaume Plensa," who was born in 1955. Plensa completed the work in 2007. It represents a female head that is formed by stainless steel mesh painted white. It stands -- get this -- 13 feet tall and is 10 feet wide. It weighs 660 pounds. Sho came to SMU from the Richard Gray Gallery and was made possible, Meadows officials say, "with the generous support of The Pollock Foundation, the family of Mr. and Mrs. Richard R. Pollock and the family of Mr. Lawrence S. Pollock III, in honor of Mrs. Shirley Pollock and will be matched with a 1:1 challenge grant for museum acquisitions from The Meadows Foundation." Sho is said to be a portrait of a young Chinese girl whom the artist met in Barcelona where his studio is located.

Sho, the new sculpture at the Meadows Museum

Scott Cantrell's critique of the design of the convention center hotel drew quite a lot of mostly favorable response.

There's been quite a bit of reaction to the Sunday critique of designs for a new Dallas Convention Center hotel -- most agreeing that the design isn't up to snuff.

For a comparison, check out this just-released design for a new convention center hotel for Nashville:
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2009/06/15/daily17.html

It has the same number of rooms as the Dallas project, 1,000, and more meeting space -- and it's budgeted at $300 million, $46 million less than Dallas. The slightly fan-shaped tower, designed by veteran hotel architects John Portman and Associates, looks snazzy, far more so than what we're being offered.

Thanks to the commenter who pointed to this!

Watch snippets of Philip Haas' films at the Kimbell Art Museum here.

The Dallas Museum of Art is experimenting with making a visit to the museum more interactive with video, audio, images and text that you can access on Wi-Fi enabled phones and other media players, via its DallasMuseumofArt.mobi site. For example, you can stand in front of Jackson Pollock's Cathedral and watch a video of the artist painting and hear him talking about his work. Or you can check out a clever video related to Jacques-Louis David's Apollo and Diana Attacking the Children of Niobe, created by students from the Booker T. Washington High School for the Visual and Performing Arts. Or you can listen to music related to The Icebergs (above) by Frederic Edwin Church.

It's part of the Summer Spotlight tour, which highlights 30 works from the museum's collections and includes panels that tie them into cinema (look for several labeled "Bonus Features @ DallasMuseumofArt.mobi" for the online features). If you have a Wi-Fi enabled phone or other media player, bring it and your earbuds (or, starting tomorrow, you can borrow a player and headphones from Visitor Services at the DMA. The museum will have about 20 to loan, first-come first-served). Museum officials say that this is just the beginning of its use of this type of technology, and it will continue to refine and develop ways to use it.

This week's opening of the "Art and Ability" show at the Latino Cultural Center was a huge succe$$.

All the pieces--sculptures to paintings to watercolors to collages--were sold out. The show was brought to the center by The Arc of Dallas, a non-profit that serves Dallas, Collin and Rockwall Counties with a focus on improving life for people with intellectual and related developmental disabilities.

Among the pieces was a Fourth of July favorite: the U.S. flag drawn in a heart shape, rather than the old faithful rectangle. The watercolor was by Jessica Joy Gradle, who wrote this for the exhibit's brochure:

"America offers freedom from discrimination for the handicapped and love for anyone who is different."