Everything Nac

The exhibition “To Spin A Yarn, Distaffs: Folk Art and Material Culture” is showing through Jan. 10 in Reavley Gallery in The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House in downtown Nacogdoches.

According to the guest curator, Michael T. Ricker, the exhibition features spinning tools, which represent one aspect of the weaving tradition common to virtually all cultures.

Ricker will discuss the exhibition in a gallery talk at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, followed by a reception. Historian Sarida Steed-Bradley will give a spinning demonstration at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22.

The exhibition contains more than 60 19th- and 20th-century distaffs, originating from Russia and European countries from Scandinavia to the Balkans. Ricker describes them as “beautiful, but inherently simple, tools used for spinning fiber.” He provides an expanded discussion of distaffs in his book by the same title, “To Spin A Yarn, Distaffs: Folk Art and Material Culture,” published by SFA Press.

“SFA Press published the beautiful full-color book last year, and so we brought the exhibition to the Cole Art Center,” said John Handley, director of SFA art galleries.

In his book, Ricker writes, “In certain cultures, distaffs evolved over centuries from plain sticks to surprisingly ornate sculptures. They eventually became important cultural objects, with almost ritualistic significance.” He adds, “Despite their importance and wide proliferation, distaffs are rarely found today. Many did not survive years of hard use. Others were relegated to attics and barns, deteriorating both physically and within communal memory. Today, distaffs remain cultural touchstones and marvelous examples of the rural craftsman’s talent and creativity.”

The exhibition is 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. For information about this exhibition and others at The Cole Art Center, call (936) 468-1131.

Cutline: The exhibition “To Spin A Yarn, Distaffs: Folk Art and Material Culture,” now showing at The Cole Art Center, will be discussed in a gallery talk at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, followed by a reception. A spinning demonstration will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22.

The music of Los Angeles-based jazz composers as well as jazz legends like Miles Davis will be featured when the Swingin’ Axes and Swingin’ Aces at Stephen F. Austin State University perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

Pieces by John Clayton, Tom Kubis and multi-Grammy nominated composer Gordon Goodwin will be among the music performed by the Swingin’ Axes, directed by Gary Wurtz, professor of trumpet and jazz studies at SFA.

“Because of the influence of the Hollywood recording industry, L.A. is the home to some of the best all-around musicians in the world,” Wurtz said. “With access to such a high level of talent, these gifted composers can comfortably write almost anything they want, knowing the local musicians are up to the challenge. For that reason, some of the most cutting-edge music comes to us out of the L.A. scene.”

Goodwin’s “The Phat Pack,” “Horn of Puente,” “Backrow Politics” and “Hunting Wabbits” are on the Swingin’ Axes’ program, along with “Samba Dees Gotta Do It” by Kubis and Clayton’s “I Be Serious ‘Bout Dem Blues.”

The Swingin’ Aces, directed by Deb Scott, professor of trombone and jazz studies at SFA, will perform Nightowl Suite, Movement 1 by Mike Tomaro, “Freddie Freeloader” by Miles Davis, “Caravan” by John Tizol and arranged by the Dirty Dozen Brass Band/Wynton Marsalis, and “After You’ve Gone” by Turner Layton and arranged by Mark Taylor. Also on the Swingin’ Aces’ program is “Tank” (opening theme to “Cowboy Bebop”) by Yoko Kanno and arranged by Eric Dannewitz.

“The Aces are performing a wide variety of jazz styles,” Scott said, “including the fun Latin Dirty Dozen Brass Band sound of ‘Caravan,’ which features the bass line on tuba performed by freshman science major Aarron DeLuca from Kaufman. Senior music major from The Colony Josh Reyna, on alto saxophone, will be featured on the exciting swing theme, ‘Tank.’”

The concert is a joint presentation of the SFA College of Fine Arts and School of Music.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.

The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and School of Music will present the Orchestra of the Pines in concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

The orchestra will present “Memorable Melodies,” a program that ranges from “the extremely familiar to the nearly obscure,” according to Gene H. Moon, director of orchestras at SFA.

“Nonetheless, those who join us will leave with a number of memorable melodies to hum on the way home,” Moon said.

Guest artists for the evening are senior voice student Flora Wall, soprano from Humble, and senior percussion student Juwan Blanton of Lufkin, who will play the snare drum.

Among the most familiar pieces to be performed is Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, which is known for its opening four-note motive, “fate knocking at the door.” Orchestra of the Pines last performed this famous work seven years ago, Moon said.

“This is one of Beethoven’s most thrilling works, if not in the entire orchestral oeuvre,” Moon said.

The orchestra will also perform Maurice Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte, whose opening melody played on the horn is “wistfully mesmerizing,” Moon said. Joining the guest soloists will be guest conductor and graduate conducting student, Jeff Leung from Hong Kong.

Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.