Everything Nac

The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Art and the Friends of the Visual Arts will present a free, one-night screening of “Spinning Plates” at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9, in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

“Spinning Plates” is an award-winning documentary about three extraordinary restaurants and the incredible people who bring them to life, according to information at www.spinningplatesmovie.com. A world-renowned chef competes for the ultimate restaurant prize in Chicago, while privately battling a life-threatening condition. A 150-year-old restaurant in Iowa is still standing only because of an unbreakable bond with the community. And a fledgling Mexican restaurant in Tucson struggles as its owners risk everything to survive and provide for their young daughter.

Their unforgettable stories of family, legacy, passion and survival come together to reveal how meaningful food can be, and the power it has to connect us to one another, according to the website.

The film received audience awards at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, Maui Film Festival, Naples International Film Festival and the Austin Film Festival. It was winner of best documentary at the 2013 Vail Film Festival.

This screening is part of the School of Art’s monthly Friday Night Film Series and is sponsored in part by the Nacogdoches Junior Forum, The Liberty Bell, Main Street Nacogdoches, Bill Arscott, Jill Carrington, Karon Gillespie, John Heath, David Kulhavy and Brad Maule.

The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.

Pictured is Chef Grant Achatz, working here at his Alinea restaurant in Chicago, Ill., is featured in the award-winning documentary, “Spinning Plates.”

Stephen F. Austin State University will be closed for winter break beginning Saturday, Dec. 20. All university operations will resume regular hours on Monday, Jan. 5, 2015.
Regular hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. In addition, the Office of Admissions will not provide any scheduled tours of campus during the break.

In case of emergency during the break, please contact the University Police Department at (936) 468-2608.

The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, Stephen F. Austin State University’s art gallery located in downtown Nacogdoches, will be open most days during the Christmas and New Year’s break, according to John Handley, director of galleries for SFA.

Cole Art Center will be closed Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 24 through 26, and Thursday, Jan. 1. The center may close early on Wednesday, Dec. 31, if there is no traffic. Otherwise the center will be open during regular hours, which are 12:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

Exhibitions now on display in Cole Art Center include “Vision & Substance: The Art of John Cobb” showing in Ledbetter Gallery and “To Spin A Yarn, Distaffs: Folk Art and Material Culture” showing in Reavley Gallery. An exhibition of student photography that also includes tintypes is displayed in the Reception Hall Gallery. Each of these exhibitions can be viewed through Jan. 10.

The exhibitions are sponsored in part by the SFA Friends of the Visual Arts and Nacogdoches Junior Forum. Admission is free. The Cole Art Center is located at 329 E. Main St.

Griffith Gallery in the Griffith Fine Arts Building on the SFA campus will be closed during the semester break and will reopen with an exhibition featuring the photographs of Billie Mandle showing Jan. 20 through March 14.

For additional information, call (936) 468-1131.