Sande Rowan

Kick up your heels, it’s finally Friday. World Dance Open Floor will be dancing for donations for CASI tonight at Comma Coffee. The Brewery Arts Center is hosting Mixed Company as part of its new Eclectic Electric series. The party is at Remedy’s; the blacklight body paint Mardi Gras Masquerade starts at 9pm, with the talented Lynzie Ruecker doing free body paint and music by DJ Justincredible.

It’s National Love Your Pet Day, so give your pooches and kitties some extra love.

FRIDAY:

Gung Hay Fat Choy! Happy Chinese New Year; welcome to the year of yang, which could be a goat, a sheep, or a ram, depending on the translation. Time to reunite with family and loved ones and celebrate spring. New York City got in on the festivities with its first ever fireworks display for the Lunar New Year; I've included a YouTube video, just in case fireworks really are lucky.

The Pizza Factory on Hwy 50 East is holding a fundraiser for Eagle Valley Middle School today. 20% of the day’s proceeds will benefit their Parent Teacher Organization.

It’s a great day for the arts in Carson City today. An artist reception honoring Sarah Lillegard will be held at the Nevada Arts Council where her exhibit ‘Second Skin’ is on display. Sande Rowan will share knowledge about baskets around the world in the first of six ‘The Work of Artists’ SENarts events. The Galaxy Theatre brings the Metropolitan Opera back to Carson City this week with an Encore showing of Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, the live showing occurred Saturday morning.

It's Random Act of Kindness Day. I think the inventor of the smiley said it best.

"The catch phrase for the day is 'Do an act of kindness. Help one person smile.'"
Harvey Ball

Have a great day, Carson City. Do something nice for no reason.

TUESDAY: Fat Tuesday – Mardi Gras:

• Catholic Charities Day at the Legislature

Rounding out the three-day weekend, happy President's Day. Here's what's going on in and around Carson City today, Feb. 16, 2015:

• Animal Protection Day at the Legislature
• ’Pine Spirit’ by basket maker Sande Rowan at the LXS Gallery in the Legislature Building
• Opening Day of the Winter Art Show at the Nevada Artists Association Gallery in the Brewery Arts Center (10am-4pm)

Where to start? This weekend is chock-full of options. The local 4-H club is hosting their annual Fabric and Rummage Sale at Fuji Park. The Annual Feast of Chocolate, hosted by AAUW, is Saturday afternoon at the Plaza Event Center. The Vagina Monologues and One Billion Rising are both raising awareness this V-Day weekend for women’s issues.

If you have a hard time deciding what to do tonight, may I suggest you blame me? After all, the first Friday the 13th of the year is known as National Blame Someone Else Day.

First things first. Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching, so I’m reminding you to make reservations for your favorite restaurant if you haven’t already. Check out the Carson Mall’s Craft Fair and Gift Sale or any of Carson City’s great shops like Artsy Fartsy Art Gallery, Evergreen Gene’s, Morley’s Books, the Artisan Store at the Brewery Arts Center or Purple Avocado for something special for that special someone.

If you are looking to take advantage of National Make a Friend Day, try one of our many art galleries to spark up a conversation with a stranger. You may also strike it rich while listening to Dave Leather play the blues at Comma Coffee, or tonight, during the first of many Jazz Jams that Sassafras will be home to. It’s also National Shut-in Visitation Day, so you could always make a new friend at one of Carson City’s nursing homes.

Days like this I wish I could clone myself. There are so many options for a good time tonight: an artist reception at the CCAI Courthouse gallery, ‘Himalaya’ playing at the Community Center as part of the International Film Weekend, Improv at the Brewery Arts Center, wine tasting at Genoa Coffee and Candy, and loads of music!

If you think today holds a plethora of good times, wait until you see what the weekend has lined up!

FRIDAY:

Today kicks off the second annual International Film Weekend in Carson City. The main event is this evening in the Bob Boldrick Theater at the Community Center, a free showing of “Boy.” “Boy” is about a youth coming of age in the Maori culture in New Zealand in 1984.

Some of Northern Nevada's finest traditional, folk and contemporary artists will appear at the 2015 Nevada State Legislature in “The Work of Artists,” a series of interactive talks and demonstrations that bring a personal side to exhibited pieces. Designed to create an opportunity for artists to engage with community members and people working in or visiting the Nevada State Legislative Building, the presentations are at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 18 and 24, March 19 and 30, April 17 and May 7. All are free and open to the public in Room 3100.

Wonderful Wednesday is upon us, and one way to get over the hump is to head out for a good meal. If you haven’t heard yet, Sassafras has returned and is serving up its Eclectic fare in its new location right next to the Carson Hot Springs. Downtown, the Lake Tahoe Brewing Co. will be hosting the Chamber of Commerce for its Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting. Capital Eats inside Westside Pour House (former home of Mo and Sluggo’s) always has some tempting dishes. A little further north on Carson St., Living the Good Life Nightclub and Bistro has live music this evening and a delicious array of options on its menu.

This may be ‘the day that music died’ back in 1959, but Carson City wants you to find your dancing shoes tonight. Beginning swing dance lessons will be held at El Charro Avitas; go check out their brand new dance floor. Country Line dancing is taught at the 11th Frame lounge at Carson Lanes every Tuesday and Wednesday. Jimmy Mallett and Jack Clifton will be at Living the Good Life Nightclub and Bistro channeling all the swank of the rat pack.

A flurry has blown into town: not of the snow kind that we so sorely need, but one of Legislative activity. The 2015 Legislative season starts today, so please keep an eye out for increased activity in our downtown crosswalks.

“Pine Spirit” by Sande Rowan comes to the Legislative eXhibition Series Gallery Feb. 2 Working with Native American basket makers in the Southwest, Sande Rowan learned coiling techniques she incorporated into her own style as a professional basket maker. Her “Rainbow Spiral” pine needle basket is among her works featured in “Pine Spirit” at the Legislative eXhibition Series Gallery Feb. 2-20 in the Nevada Legislative Building.

Join instructor, Sande Rowan, in learning a few simple coil attachment techniques that will provide the fundamentals for beginning basket makers. It may also add a new dimension if you have previous experience. For this project we are fortunate to have custom ceramic bowls from Nevada Potter Kym Maehl as the attachment base. You will learn how to begin by attaching to the top of the bowl, how to build the coiled walls, how to add beads, and how to finish the rim. Pine needles will be used as the core material, with either twine or raffia as the binding.