ART

Jennifer Perlmutter Gallery is proud to present an exhibition featuring 16 glass artists from the Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California. This exhibit features a variety of wall and pedestal art glass - sculptural, conceptual, and decorative. The exhibit opens with a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Feb. 7, and runs through March 2. There will also be a discussion with artists and jurors at 4 p.m. on Feb. 9. www.jenniferperlmutter.com

Valley Art Gallery presents “Celebrating 70,” a new exhibition for its 70th Anniversary running through March 15, with a free reception from 3 to 5 p.m. on Feb. 9, 1661 Botelho Drive, Suite 110, Walnut Creek.www.valleyartgallery.org; (925) 935-4311

Clerestory presents Movement of Colors: Music Inspired by Art and Artists from 8 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23 at David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley. Immerse yourself in the world of art, sculpture, and invention during our winter concert, Movement of Colors. Cost: $5-30. For more info see https://www.eventbrite.com/
e/movement-of-colors-tickets-49925162505 or email info@clerestory.org.

The Moraga Art Gallery presents its new show, “A Sense of Place,” running through March 16 and featuring Wenda Pyman’s beguiling landscape photographs, which call to mind the camera work of Ansel Adams and Eliot Porter. For more information, visit www.moragaartgallery.com or call (925) 376-5407.
 
MUSIC

The Gold Coast Chamber Players present one of the leading quartets of our time, the St. Lawrence String Quartet along with three-time Grammy-nominated clarinetist Todd Palmer at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9 at the Lafayette Library Community Hall. The program offers an unprecedented musical, emotional, and spiritual experience with chamber music spanning four centuries. From Haydn and Beethoven, to Berger and Golijov, this unique program is not to be missed! Tickets $15 - 45https://gcplayers.tix.com/Event.aspx?EventCode=1079081 or call (925) 283-3728. www.gcplayers.org.

Sweetheart Concert by the Piano Composers of the Contra Costa Performing Arts Society at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 15 at Grace Presbyterian Church 2100 Tice Valley Blvd in Walnut Creek near Rossmoor. This musical event features original, seductive music with occasional reference to Broadway, Brahms, and New Orleans - all this performed by composer pianists themselves. This free event is sponsored by the not-for-profit CCPAS founded in 1974 (www.ccpas.org) with donations supporting youth programs.
The Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra will present “Let’s Dance” at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 at El Campanil Theatre in Antioch, and Sunday, Feb. 17 at Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek. The concert features internationally-acclaimed pianist Jeffrey LaDuer, who will perform Franz Liszt’s chilling Totentanz with the orchestra. For tickets and pricing visit www.elcampaniltheatre.com, www.lesherartscenter.org, or www.ContraCostaChamber
Orchestra.org.
 
Temple Isaiah’s Cantor Leigh Korn presents “Coming Together: Songs of Unity and Community” featuring a stellar cast of cantors from across the country at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 21 in the Temple Isaiah Sanctuary. Tickets are $36. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Purchase tickets at https://temple-isaiah.org or (925) 283-8575.
 
St. Mary’s College Music Department presents a solo piano concert by Bobby Mitchell, a young award winning American international concert pianist, recording artist, composer, author and teacher at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 31 at Saint Mary’s College Chapel. A reception will follow the free concert.
 
Pacific Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Conductor Lawrence Kohl, performs Schubert’s Octet, Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro, and Fran‡aix’s Dixtuor, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 23 in the Community Hall at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. Tickets may be purchased for “Schubert - The Sublime” online at www.pacific
chamberorchestra.org.
 
THEATER

Town Hall Theatre Company presents Brooklyn Bridge by Melissa James Gibson, directed by M. Graham Smith Feb. 28 through March 23. Tickets and showtimes are available at TownHallTheatre.com or by calling (925) 283-1557. The theatre is located at 3535 School Street in Lafayette.
 
“Wilder than Wild: Fire, Forests and the Future,” a one-hour documentary, will play at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12 at the Town Hall Theatre on School Street in Lafayette. Sponsored by Sustainable Lafayette, the movie reveals how fuel build-up and climate change have exposed Western wildlands to large, high intensity wildfires, while greenhouse gases released from these fires contribute to global warming. This vicious cycle jeopardizes our forests and affects us all with extreme weather and more wildfires, some of which are now entering highly populated wildland-urban areas. General tickets are $10 and are available via www.sustainablelafayette.org.
 
 LECTURE & LITERATURE

Nexus Women Networking Group (formerly LABWO) invites you to attend its next monthly meeting from 9 to 11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 8, at St. Mark’s Orinda, 451 Moraga Way. Dr. Sheila Murray Bethel, globally acclaimed leadership expert and best-selling author, will present an interactive program entitled “Your Personal Leadership Makes a Difference.” Sign-up/Learn more: www.facebook.com/
thenexuswomen

Saint Mary’s College MFA Creative Writing presents its Graduate Student Reading from 7:45 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27 in De La Salle Hall: Hagerty Lounge, 1928 Saint Mary’s Road, Moraga. Curated and hosted by a committee of graduate students, the Graduate Student Reading Series showcases the dynamic and welcoming arts community here at Saint Mary’s College. All readings are free and open to the public.
 
KIDS, PARENTS & TEENS

Hack the Future is coming to Contra Costa County from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Feb. 23 at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center for a one-day hackathon for youth ages 10-19. Attendees will be able to explore and experiment with different STEM activities while learning from tech industry professionals. Activities / Demos to include: Programming, Electronics, 3D Printing, Robotics, Virtual Reality, and more. Stay tuned for more information about this very special opportunity and head over tohttp://hackthefuture.org/ for more information and sign up to be notified when registration opens.

Contra Costa Camp and School Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 24 at Acalanes High School, with free activities and over 100 exhibitors allowing attendees to view a smorgasbord of camps, enrichment programs, schools, S.T.E.M. and S.T.E.A.M. programs, performing arts, preschools, cooking, educational, sports and other programs available this spring and summer. Admission is free and there is ample free parking. Call (925) 408-4014 or visit www.ContraCostaCampFair.com for more information or to register for a free family ticket.

The 2019 Bookmark Contest sponsored by the Friends of the Lafayette Library & Learning Center will be open to all Lafayette students grades K-8th to enter their original artwork. The entry forms will be available beginning February 15 at the Lafayette Library main desk, the Friends Corner Book Shop and at school libraries in the Lafayette School District and St. Perpetua School. The entry deadline is Friday, March 8. For more information please contact Kay Pekrul:kae865@hotmail.com.
 
In conjunction with Saint Mary’s College and the Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette branch of the American Association of University Women, the Expanding Your Horizons STEAM full day conference for middle school girls on March 23 will open registration Jan. 24. This conference fills up quickly and is limited to 200 girls in sixth to eighth grade on a “first come, first served” basis. For details and registration visit www.expandingyourhorizons.
org/conferences/
AAUWSAINTMARYS/.
 
OTHER

KPFA Radio 94.1 FM presents Robert B. Reich: The Common Good from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 6, at First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2345 Channing Way, Berkeley. Robert Reich will discuss his new book, “The Common Good,” answer questions and sign books. Hosted by Kathryn Horsley. Cost: $12 advance, $15 door. For more info seehttp://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3918567 or call (510) 967-4495.

The seventh Creating A Peaceful School conference will take place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 at Mt. Diablo Peace and Justice Center, 1035 Carol Lane in Lafayette. The year’s conference topic, “Building Bridges Not Walls,” provides a daylong opportunity to explore how we can use our school and classroom practices to identify tools and resources for enhancing peace, understanding and communication in our diverse communities and will feature keynote speaker Lauren Markham, a local educator, activist and author. The conference is for everyone who works with children and youth in grades K-12: including parents, teachers, administrators, classroom aides, school personnel, after-school program providers and the students themselves. Cost: $50 (or $10 for high school and undergraduate college students). Refreshments and lunch included. Register at https://creatingpeacefulschools.
weebly.com/upcoming-events.html or find link at http://ourpeacecenter.org. For info, call (925) 933-7850 or emailmargli@ourpeacecenter.org.
 
Join dozens of Jewish women and girls ages 12 and up from Lafayette, Moraga and Orinda for an evening of Jewish pride, unity and inspiration as they learn to bake delicious Challah at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 19 at Chabad of Lamorinda, 3574 Mount Diablo Blvd, Lafayette. Cost is $20 if you register before Feb. 12. Mother and daughter team $36. Please register at ChabadofLamorinda.com/Challah. Questions or comments? Call (925) 384-7242 or email: Challah@Chabadof
Lamorinda.com.

“Let’s Talk About the Most Common Female Urologic Conditions” from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 28, at the Lafayette Library’s Community Room, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette. Join an engaging panel of medical experts as they discuss the most common urologic conditions experienced by women.  This special event will explore the latest treatment options and provide insights into female incontinence, overactive bladder, pelvic organ prolapse, menopause and postmenopausal symptoms. Speakers include a urogynecologist, continence specialist, gynecologist and menopause specialist. Register by emailing: sjung@dvohmg.com.
 
Free Tax preparation for the 2019 tax season is available starting in February from AARP’s Tax-Aide and United Way’s Earn It, Keep It, Save It (EKS) programs. Service is provided by volunteer tax preparers who are IRS trained and certified. EKS service is limited to those with incomes below $54,000, while Tax-Aide does not have an income limit. For Tax-Aide site information or appointments in Walnut Creek call: (925) 943-5851 for the Walnut Creek Senior Center site; (925) 405-6278 for the Walnut Creek Grace Presbyterian Church site; or (925) 979-5013 for the Walnut Creek St. Paul’s Episcopal Church site. For information on other Tax-Aide sites, call: (925) 726-3199. For information on EKS sites, call 2-1-1 or visitwww.earnitkeepitsaveit.org.

Lafayette resident, Papa John Kiefer, will, again, offer workshops on “How to Raise Your Own Chickens.” Topics will include raising young chicks, laying hen maintenance, and sustainable coop construction. Workshops are free and will be held in Lafayette from 1 to 3:30 pm on Sundays, March 3 and 17. Reservations are required. Contact: chickenspapajohn@gmail.com. Location provided upon registration.
 
SENIORS

Elder Abuse Prevention Project from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Feb. 13 in the Toyon Room, Lafayette Community Center. Elder abuse can take many forms including physical, financial and emotional abuse. Do you know someone experiencing elder abuse? Are you interested in learning about available resources in Contra Costa County? The Elder Abuse Prevention Project (EAPP) team will discuss the resources available for seniors and dependent adults who may be experiencing abuse. The presentation will include speakers from the Contra Costa Family Justice Center, Contra Costa Senior Legal Services, Meals on Wheels - Diablo Valley, Employment and Human Services Department and the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office. Free.
 
GARDEN
 
The Moraga Garden Club will hold its next meeting at 9:30 a.m., Feb. 21, at the Holy Trinity Church, 1700 School Street, Moraga. The guest speaker will be Keith Silva, UC Master Gardener, who will be discussing “Pruning Tools and Techniques.” The event is free and open to all interested parties. Refreshments will be served. For more information, visit moragagardenclub.com.
 
Walnut Creek Garden Club’s March meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. on March 11, at Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Road in Walnut Creek.  The featured speaker, Liz Emmonds, will demonstrate how easy it is to manipulate plant materials to create interesting forms to take flower arrangements to a new and exciting level.  Please email mslittle44@gmail.com with any questions.