Local author to host book signing
Author Brooke Smith, a resident of Bayfield, will be available to sign copies of her book, Brinley Discovers Santa, from 8:30 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Bayfield Farmers Market located at Bayfield Roadside Park off U.S. Highway 160 in Bayfield.
The book follows Bronley, who, riding the bus home one day, is teased for believing in Santa Claus. Pondering the taunts, Brinley chooses to face the facts and, along with the support of Mom, makes a choice that ultimately changes the spirit of Santa forever – and for the better. In this story, Brinley faces some hard facts and makes a choice to participate in random acts of kindness and to carry forward the true spirit of Santa every day. The book demonstrates modern ways to encourage family-related projects that benefit neighbors, the community and the world.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/brinleydiscoverssanta.
Arts center offers workshops
The Durango Arts Center, 802 East Second Ave., will offer these adult art workshops:
Encaustics will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 12 and 13.
Relief printmaking will take place on Sept. 26 and 27.
Beginning and life drawing will take place from 1:30 to 4 p.m. and from 6:30 to 9 p.m. every Thursday from Oct. 1 to 22.
A four-day pastel painting workshop with acclaimed working artist Albert Handell will take place from Oct. 5 to 9.
For complete class information and to register, visit www.DurangoArts.org or call Sandra Butler at 259-2606, ext. 15.
Arts festival seeks volunteers
The Durango Arts Center’s Autumn Arts Festival, which takes place Sept. 19 and 20, announces a new addition to the festival with the “Love Letters to the Animas” project, an interactive community art project that invites community and festival-goers to express their affection for the Animas River.
The project will encourage people to reflect on the Animas River by adding words, thoughts and pictures of appreciation on rainbow-colored scales, placed on a 50-foot rainbow trout at the south end of Second Avenue. When finished, the paper, scaled trout will be on display in the community.
The festival is looking for volunteers to help support this project, while also looking to fill a range of other volunteer opportunities. For more information or to volunteer, visit www.DurangoArts.org.
Calling young aspiring ballerinas
The Durango Arts Center announces the addition of Story Book Ballet for ages 3-5 and Pre-Ballet for ages 5-7 to its Fall 2015 semester.
These new performing arts classes will be led by instructor Emily Simpson Grandt, who joins the arts center with more than 10 years of experience as a director and instructor of classical ballet at the Kansas City Ballet Company.
Story Book Ballet/Creative Movement is available to ages 3 to 5 from 2 to 2:45 p.m. Mondays from Sept. 14 to Dec. 14. Students will develop balance, grace and coordination as they explore creative dance through story and music. Students will choose their favorite character from such children’s stories as “Cinderella,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “12 Dancing Princesses” to act and dance out as the story is summarized and set to music. Costumes are welcome. The cost is $144 for center members and $160 for nonmembers.
Story Book Ballet/Pre-Ballet is available to ages 5 to 7 and offered from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays from Sept. 9 to Dec. 16. After students begin class with a ballet-based warmup, students will choose their favorite character from famous ballets to act out as the story is summarized and set to music. Some ballets include “Beauty and the Beast,” “Swan Lake” and “The Nutcracker.” Costumes are welcome. The cost is $156 for center members and $174 for nonmembers.
For more information and to register, visit www.DurangoArts.org/education.
Manhattan Short Film Festival visits area
The 18th annual Manhattan Short Film Festival will be presented by Durango Film at 4 and 7 p.m. Oct. 1 at the Animas City Theatre, 128 E. College Drive, and at 7 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Sunflower Theatre, 2 E. Main St., Cortez.
Tickets for all screenings are available at www.durangofilm.org. This year, Manhattan Short received 678 short-film entries from 52 countries. The 10 finalists come from eight countries, with short films from Turkey and Kosovo representing their respective countries for the first time. Cinema-goers will become instant film critics as they are handed a ballot upon entry that allows them to vote for the Best Film and Best Actor. Votes will be sent through to Manhattan Short headquarters, with the winner announced at ManhattanShort.com at 10 a.m. Oct. 5.
Herald Staff
