Help paint North Fork purple tomorrow

You're Invited

By Al Joyal

(Updated: Friday, May 02, 2008, 2:45 PM)

Event kicks off Relay for Life

The Community Art Gallery of North Fork is proud to announce that it is partnering in the "Paint the Town Purple" event set in North Fork Saturday. The colorful event is to serve as a kickoff for the Eastern Madera County American Cancer Society's "Relay for Life," which will take place at Wasuma School in Ahwahnee May 16 and 17.

On Saturday, 10 percent of all proceeds from the sale of artwork at the gallery will be donated to the Eastern Madera County American Cancer Society as a memoriam to Earl Dunavan, who succumbed to cancer last year.

Community Art Gallery member, artist Sharon Bortugno has donated a beautiful watercolor painting; Paul Henry Abram has donated a matted Yosemite Print; and Ginny Jewkes has donated a matted print and her book, "High Mountain Tea" -- all of which will go to the highest bidder in a silent auction. One hundred percent of the proceeds from those sales will also go the Cancer Society.

You can bid anytime on May 3 between 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and need not be present to win.

"Paint the Town Purple" and show your support for our Cancer Society by wearing, carrying or driving something purple. For more information call (559) 877-2487.

Tri-county show closing tomorrow

Yosemite Western Artists' annual Tri-County Art Show is wonderful, but tomorrow is your last chance to see this year's show.

This is the best display of local art in one location. See artworks that include oils, watercolors, pastels, fibers, sculptures, mixed media, digital art and photography in both black and white and color.

Hosted at the Stellar Gallery in Oakhurst's Gallery Row.

Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (559) 658-8844.

Meet dressy Joanne

Tomorrow Joanne Hoover will speak at Willow Bridge Books in Oakhurst.

Learn about the hidden treasures of a vintage clothing museum in Oakhurst on Saturday, May 3 at 2 p.m. She will speak on the history of the collection, present some of the unusual pieces from the collection and share with the community the future plans of the museum.

She has a masters in archeology and has worked for the forest service. After leaving the forest service in 1998, she turned to some of her favorite things--history and costumes. Being born on Halloween, costumes have always been part of her life. When she read that the Wild Wonderful Women were raising funds to open the Wild Wonderful King Vintage Museum, she jumped right in and knew that she had found her future calling. She is a docent for the museum and an assistant for the education program.

For more information, call (559) 692-2665.

Laurie B. at Castillo's

The Laurie B. Ballard Trio will perform at Castillo's Restaurant in Oakhurst, upstairs on Saturday, May 10 from 7 to 10 p.m. Ballard sings, plays guitar and sax and writes the words and music to much of what the band plays. Her original works have a easy country-rock feel to them, her lyrics use local themes or ideas, such as riding a Harley through Raymond on a hot day. She will also share new songs from her Mexico trip, such as Pepita Maria Louisa Garcia. For more information, call (559) 683-2000.

Classes with Vision Academy are in full bloom

The Vision Academy of the Arts offers many one-day workshops and can accommodate many age levels and abilities. The proceeds from the classes benefit a scholarship fund for students with an interest in the arts.

This month's classes include: knitting, watercolor painting, cooking for health, Chinese brush painting, and dichoric glass fusion.

A watercolor painting class with Joan Brumley will meet tomorrow, while another watercolor class will meet May 31 with Diane Astier.

The knitting class is paired with crochet and is with Babette and meets regularly throughout the year.

Other sessions meet for more than just one day and take some planning.

Two great vacation painting trips are available and listed in the Vision catalog. The annual "Interpreting Yosemite in Watercolor" is a Vision standard with many of the participates making it a yearly tradition for themselves. Teachers this year are: Diane Astier, Mary Cambell-Mann, Diane Detrick-Bopp and Phillis Overstreet. It meets July 14-18 and is $250. Contact Jackie at (559) 683-7071 for more details.

Another option for an art adventure is "France in July" (July 20-Aug. 1). The cost is between $2,995-3,650. This also sounds great to me. Stay in a farmhouse in southwest France and study some art, swig some wine or just take in the light of France. More details are in the catalog, www.rousset-perigord.org or by calling Grace at (510)794-5468.

The VAA catalog is available at the local Branch Libraries, or by calling Jackie at (559) 683-7071.

Take in a symphony in Mariposa

Tomorrow at 7 p.m., the Mariposa Symphony Orchestra will perform at the Fiester Auditorium at Mariposa High School. The program features the music of Beethoven, Boccherini and Hérold.

On Sunday at 2:30 p.m., a repeat performance will be at the Golden Valley High School auditorium, Merced.

Tickets are available at the Mariposa County Arts Council: (209) 966-3155. They are $6 for adults, $4 for students.

New works by Anne McClure at Security Bank

Now showing at the United Security Bank in Oakhurst are the paintings of Anne McClure.

McClure is a signature member of the "Pastel Society of America," the "Pastel Society of the West Coast" and the "Alliance of California Artists." Her work may also be seen at her studio gallery. Her work is for sale, and she can be contacted at (559) 683-0451, or e-mailed at: ca-mcclure@sti.net.

Yosemite Jazz Band

The "Cool Sounds of Summer" concert series will return to the casino as will the magic of "Jazz on the Lake" at Bass Lake, but it's the ragtime jazzy swing music of the Yosemite Jazz Band (free) every Thursday in summer that is the music of Oakhurst.

Opening yesterday for their 14th season at The Pizza Factory in Oakhurst, the Yosemite Jazz Band plays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Check the band's Web Site for more information at www.yosemitejazzband.com.

Al Joyal can be reached by e-mailing aljoyal@sti.net.