We know, the beginning of the work week sucks. But if you take a quick look at the calendar, you'll see we're off to a pretty good week of art events, sports games, dance parties, and more. Here are our must-see events from now to the weekend...
Monday, October 22: "What Remains" @ Step Gallery For a look into the emerging creative minds coming out of the ASU Herberger Institute School of Art, head to the Step Gallery, 951 South Mill Avenue in suite 174. The proposal-driven, student-run gallery hosts weekly exhibitions installed by ASU's gallery exhibitions class and provides sneak peek into the student-artist's life.
Starting Monday, October 22, from noon to 5 p.m., the work of Sarah Quintana and Jillian Schley will be on display in "What Remains," with an opening reception on Tuesday, October 23, from 6 to 8 p.m. Quintana writes that she works mostly in charcoal and oil paints; Schley paints and draws mainly on translucent drafting film. The two artists utilize organic materials and draw from nature and everyday life to create their subjects and characters. -- Claire Lawton
Tuesday, October 23: Beading Workshop with Melanie Sainz @ Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park Artist and Hochunk Nation of Wisconsin member Melanie Sainz draws inspiration for her beaded works from nature and her Native American heritage. Armed with her expertise on native culture and fashion, Sainz will lead a beading workshop that blends American history with native traditions, including the use of porcupine quills in wearable adornments and the evolution of beads.
Students will work to create drawstring pouches during the hands-on class at Pueblo Grande Museum, 4619 East Washington Street, on Tuesday, October 23, from 10 a.m. to noon. Pre-registration is required. The class is for those ages 14 and up. Price: $40 -- Becky Bartkowski
Wednesday, October 24: National Geographic Live! with Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher @ Mesa Arts Center Africa represents many things to many people. It is the birthplace of man, home to many of the last wild, big game species, and geologically diverse with the world's longest river, largest desert, and some of the tallest peaks. Then there are the rich and varied ethnicities that populate the equator-straddling continent.
Photographers and filmmakers Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher have spent much of their careers studying the people of Africa, documenting traditional societies, cultural ceremonies, rights of passage, man's struggle against the environment, and everyday lives filled with humor and joy, hardship and despair. As part of National Geographic Live, the pair shares insights and images of worlds often closed off and unimaginable to outsiders with the presentation "African Ceremonies." -- Glenn BurnSilver
Thursday, October 25: Arizona Theatre Company: Next to Normal @ Herberger Theatre Center High school guidance counselors will ask you to "define normal" when you feel out of place among your peers. Growing up in suburbia, you're pretty sure being normal doesn't consist of a family dealing with mental illness, drug abuse, and suicides. But, you're pretty sure telling the counselor about all that will help her refine her definition. It's not uncommon for families to feel trapped under the weight of their own concoction of major successes and catastrophic failures, which might not fit the idyllic, Leave it to Beaver definition of "normal," but it's par for the course these days.
Next to Normal explores those themes in rock-musical style, while confronting themes like bipolar disorder and ethics in the field of psychology. They might not be "nice" topics to discuss, but the play managed to entertain countless audiences with its Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning ways during a two-year run on Broadway. Now the cast is taking it to suburban hubs across the country, landing at Herberger Theater. -- Christina Caldwell
Friday, October 26: Matthew Inman Book-Signing @ Changing Hands Cat owners of the world, listen closely: The loveable ball of fur that's currently purring away in your lap is, in all likelihood, dreaming up ways to bring about your death. Regardless of all the catnip and cutesy toys you've proffered during its short lifespan, that pretty kitty is an insidious beast with murderous intentions. Or at least that's the contention of webcomic artist Matthew Inman in his newest book, How To Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting To Kill You.
In addition to his penchant for Nikola Tesla, the proper use of punctuation, and the exploits of "The Motherfucking Pterodactyl," the creator of ultra-popular website The Oatmeal warns the world about the potentially deadly proclivities of the common housecat via the 136-page tome, which compiles the best of his kitty-related comics.
Inman likely will cover the felonious nature of felines during his visit to Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 South McClintock Drive in Tempe, at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 26, for a signing session and discussion that he states will include such topics as "mayonnaise, rainbows, and electromagnetic pigs." Price: Free with purchase of book, $14.95 -- Benjamin Leatherman
Check out more things to do today (and everyday) in our Calendar section ...
