Pink curling irons and straighteners sit in their holders. The small shelves nearby hold varying types of hair-care products. Pop music plays softly in the background.

Light streams in from the windows, and one of them has a large, white scissor decal on the front, identifying the newly-opened salon. The space is small, but neat and relaxing.

The relaxing environment and flexibility with her schedule is exactly why Lisa Hedglin, 32, left the hectic pace of a chain hair salon and opened Revive Hair Salon in Kelso, in mid-November of last year.

I just like how laid back it is. I can take my time doing what I need to do, instead of trying to rush and get them (clients) out of here, Hedglin said. A lot of people like how laid back it is in here, how its more cozy.

Hedglin, of Longview, has six years experience as a hair stylist and color specialist. After working for a corporation for several years, she decided she needed a change of pace, and in September 2016, she began the process of opening her new business. While Hedglin said she was initially nervous about opening the salon, she said she started with a loyal clientele base, most of whom are families.

Hedglin works with Tami Martin, who rents a booth from Hedglin. Martin used to be Hedglins manager at their previous location, and said the idea to rent from Hedglin was an easy one. The pair have known each other for around two years, they said. Martin said she enjoys the opportunity to take more time to focus on the person getting their hair done.

When youre a hair stylist its all about your guest and I love it to be all about the person in the chair. Its never about us, and I like that. I have enough of me at home, I like making it about other people for eight hours a day. Its 100 percent about the guests, Martin said. What better business to be in: All day long we get to visit with people and make them feel good. Its not a job, its just fun.

Revive Hair Salon, at 207 Oak Street in Kelso, offers hair coloring, cutting, conditioning, styling and other services. Its open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hedglin and Martin can be reached at (360)-846-0904, or on their Facebook page.

Hedglin said although many people may be unaware of the business opening, the salon has had around 20 clients a week. She said she enjoys the location: The nice view, adequate parking and lots of foot traffic from the drug store around the corner.

Theres always new things to try. I like the part of getting to know people, and then learning new techniques, showing people how to style their hair different if they want to try something different, showing what they can do with their hair if they wanted, Hedglin said. I always thought it (hair styling) would be fun. And Ive tried a lot of different jobs and ... I need something thats going to be changing all the time and that way we can always learn new stuff.

Contact Daily News reporter Denver Pratt at 360-577-2541 or dpratt@tdn.com

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Revive Hair Salon offers relaxing, flexible environment in Kelso - Longview Daily News

Bill Flanigin Bill is a writer, teacher, speaker, and a pretty decent guy for the most part. Loving life in Denton, Tx. This post is hosted on the Huffington Post's Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and post freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

People have been relaxing with the help of music for thousands of years. Music has fed our souls, linked our brains to our emotions, and milked our creative juices in a way that no singular outlet can match.

For many, music is a part of our daily lives, just like breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For some, that is not the case. Busy work schedules, parenting, and for some, even talk radio, has squeezed the music vitamin out of our daily allowance of nutrition. Maybe its time to reconnect?

When we think of meditation music, we usually think of naturescapes, classical, or maybe even religious chants. Thats not for me, sorry. But, if I need to lower my blood pressure, I listen to the Eagles.

A while back, I woke up to the unpleasant surprise of dog vomit by my bed. After I sopped up that mess, I hit my morning shower. My shower head then decided it wasnt going to deliver much water. While messing with the knobs and nozzle, I bent over and cracked my head on some bathroom tile. I saw stars. My day was starting off poorly. My wife heard me deliver, to this day, the longest string of cuss words I have ever uttered. I toweled off in the foulest of moods, irritated beyond description.

While I was finishing my morning routine, and yes I believe I nicked myself shaving, my wife turned on the music channels through our bedroom television, classic rock. At that moment, Take it Easy and its cool vibes and melody filled the room. The song washed over me. Without even thinking about it, I started singing right along with the music. In my mind, it was as if I was the one stranded on that corner in Winslow, Arizona. I was singing and smiling, and my wife started laughing. Never had someone gone from wanting to punch a wall to joyous chorus so quickly. Tell me music doesnt affect the body.That moment stuck with me.

Perhaps it was the combination of the music itself, or the great place that song transported me, but that song snapped me out of a very cranky disposition. Whatever happened, it was real. And powerful. I had discovered my Zen music.

It was a valuable lesson. Turn on the Eagles, chill, and Id be better for it afterwards. Isnt that what Zen music is supposed to do? So Ill listen to the Eagles, preferably on 8-track because my 1978 Camaro had an 8-track tape player in it, when I feel like it. And sometimes when I need it. Heres hoping you find your Zen music and do the same. Until next time, take it easy. (Sorry, I couldnt resist.)

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The Eagles Is My Zen Music - Huffington Post

Easy-listening New Age stable music and relaxing daily equine massages are excellent antidotes to the pressures and strains of racehorse training, a study in Poland has shown.

Scientists from the University of Life Sciences in Lublin used 60 healthy purebred Arabian racehorses in their research, centred on Suewiec racecourse in Warsaw.

Witold Kdzierski, Iwona Janczarek, Anna Stachurska and Izabela Wilk set about comparing the effects of massages and easy-listening music on stress levels in the horses.

Racehorses, they noted, can come under stress from unfamiliar environments, transport, training routines and the challenges of stable living.

The study team said relaxing music and relaxing massage had been shown in previous research to calm horses, but it was less clear how much was needed for the desired result.

The 60 stabled three-year-old animals used in the study were divided into four experimental groups of 12 horses each, as well as a control group, for the six-month racing season. They were stabled across four buildings and were managed comparably.

The experimental groups were treated with various mixes of New Age music and massage. Different groups were exposed to the music at a sound level of 65 to 70 decibels for either one hour a day or three hours a day, always after their training sessions.

Two massage protocols were used across the different groups: they either received daily massages or only on the day before their races, which was every three weeks or so.

The same two masseurs were used throughout the study, both with the same horse physiotherapy qualifications. The 25 to 30-minute massages, designed to be relaxing rather than therapeutic, were given after the horses training sessions.

The study team checked heart rate and heart-rate variability, as well as salivary cortisol levels an indicator of stress before and after training sessions.

The measurements were taken three times during the study. The first was at the start of the season, before the horses had been exposed to the music or received any massages. They were taken again mid-season and just before the end of the season.

The researchers also examined the horses racing performances, relating their results back to their massage and musical exposure.

The most positive changes in the parameters under study were found in horses massaged every day, which shows that relaxing massages are beneficial for horses welfare and performance, Kdzierski and his colleagues reported in the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science.

The massages given only once every three weeks or so (the day before racing) also provided some positive effects.

The findings showed that playing relaxing music for three hours a day had a more positive effect on the horses emotional state than for one hour.

A comparison of race performance showed that horses massaged every day achieved the best race results, whereas listening to music one hour a day had no significant effect on a horses race performance.

The practical goal of the study, they said, was to find the most optimal frequency of massages and how many hours of music are the most effective.

The results indicate that horses which had a relaxing massage every day were much more relaxed than those in other groups.

The results . . . indicate that having a relaxing massage every day is much more beneficial for the horses emotional excitability than a massage only given a day preceding the start in an official race, i.e. about once every three to four weeks.

It seemed that the more often a relaxing massage was given, the better the results, they said.

The study was supported by a grant from Polands National Centre for Research and Development.

Comparison of effects of different relaxing massage frequencies and different music hours on reducing stress level in race horses Witold Kdzierski, Iwona Janczarek, Anna Stachurska, Izabela Wilk. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2017.02.004

The abstract can be read here.

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Music and massage the perfect remedy for the stresses of race training, study suggests - Horsetalk

Whos ready for The Weeknd?! Have you set aside plans yet to tune into the music-filled star fest Sunday evening? Is the homework load becoming a bit too overwhelming and you need a small dose of silly entertainment, lovely fashion outfits, and relaxing music all in one fun zone?

Here are some fun tips on how to gear up for musics most exciting night returning to CBS Television at 8 p.m. E.T./5 p.m. Pacific Time where there will be several winners of the Grammy Awards.

Just hours ago, the list of our favorite performers was released on Grammy.com. How Taylor-like Swift is that?!

Is your favorite performer on the list? If you currently havent watched last years awesome Carpool Karaoke episode featuring Justin Bieberto get you excited about enjoying the Sunday evening, then you are truly not prepared for this years performances!

Credits: http://www.pixabay.com

This years show is hosted by The Late Late Shows very own James Corden who wants the viewers to have loads of fun for a few hours this Sunday night! Are in you in to watch the televised ride?

_________________________________________________________________

Chances are you still a bit overstuffed from Super Bowl weekends festivities and do not feel like having another round of vegetable dip for this weeks watch party menu. Perhaps you had one too many buffalo wings this past weekend and are not tempted by eating a dish that is too spicy. Here are a few nominees of refreshing recipes you might want to try out as you watch the Grammys with your favorite classmates.

What has a few dashes of spinach leaves and combines your favorite green veggies and cheeses? Thin crustMargherita pizza byPillsbury! This is not your average pizza folks, its the best alternative to detoxing while making your dish from pretty much scratch (aside from the crust you might be pressed for time and may need to buy it instead).

Credits: http://www.pexels.com

If youre a huge fan of pasta youll enjoy penne or pick your type of noodle (aka -ini)to prepare with your favorite jar of alfredo sauce. I would substitute the peas for more steamed veggies and herbs and extra cheeses if you are extra hungry. Check out this dish by our favorite bakery boy doll and customize it within minutes for your taste buds. Head on over herefor a simple version of chicken penne.

You just need Fiber One snacks and fruit smoothies to set out! Just look for fresh strawberries and more fruits like watermelons.

Credits: http://www.pexels.com

Time to put the headphones on. To check out the music and the pre-show festivities, check outDigsterfor the tunes.

Now that your party platter isset for the table, youroutfit must come to life. Check out US Magazinefor last years look and see if you can gather up an outfit with your friends and family! Who needs it to be Halloween to dress up as your favorite celebrity anyway the celebrity list is quite impressive and your outfit should be too.

Credits: http://www.pexels.com

Now that youre all set for the show, enjoy the behind the scenes footage, predict who will steal the red carpets best looks, and have fun this weekend while you can actually feel your face while you LOL at all the comedy, diva-licious looks, and remember that you dont have to write a report about this TV hit!

Cheers and whistles for The Grammys!

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February 12: Let's Celebrate 'Grammy Awards' Day - Uloop News

As Google Home continues to compete with Amazons own smart Bluetooth speakers Echo and Echo Tap, it only makes sense that it integrates more Google products to make it even more of a powerhouse. Music streaming service Google Play Music is now even more integrated into the speakers system to make it easier for you to play music, even when your hands are fully occupied, using a wide variety of voice commands to get the music just right.

Google Play Music not just gives you songs, albums and artists that you want to play on demand. It uses machine learning on all your past activity, as well as weather, activity, and location to create playlists for you that will be appropriate for whatever it is youre doing. You simply have to say Ok Google, play some music, and hopefully, it will be smart enough to get you the right kind of music. If you want to be more specific, you can say something like Ok Google, play music for cooking or Ok Google, play some relaxing music.

Google Assistant is of course integrated into Google Home as well, so you can also ask it some questions related to the song thats playing. You can say Ok Google, whos singing this song? or Ok Google, from what album is that song playing? You can also ask it to turn up or turn down the music and even give it a thumbs up. If you dont like the current song thats playing, you can ask Google Assistant to play something else.

If you buy a Google Home device now until February 27, youll get 6 months free Google Play Music subscription, only if youre a new user. And if you buy it together with a Chromecast, you get $15 off. To celebrate this integration, theyre throwing a block party in Los Angeles (February 11-12) and New York (February 24-26).

SOURCE: Google

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Google Play Music now integrated with Google Home - Android ... - Android Community

The following titles have been received at the library, and are available for checkout:

Skinny Taste, Fast and Slow by Gina Homolka, non-fiction

USAs National Parks by Christopher Pitts, non-fiction

Fodors 2016 Las Vegas, New York City, Walt Disney, non-fiction

Order to Kill by Vince Flynn, large print fiction

Reluctant Bride by Kathleen Fuller, large print fiction

The Midnight Bell by Jack Higgans, large print fiction

Dreamweaver Trail by Emily March, large print fiction

Truevine by Beth Macy, large print non-fiction

*****

Please continue to browse our new Friends of the Mount Airy Public Library used bookshop, Between the Covers, on Main Street. The shop is run by volunteers, and we depend on book donations for our stock. Your purchases benefit the library, so shop with a good cause in mind! The stores now has gift certificates for sale, and old record albums and 45s have been added to the stock. The phone number is 336-648-8176, if you have questions.

*****

The annual Northwestern Regional Library Photography Contest is under way again, and the deadline will be March 17 to submit entries. The theme for this years contest is Transformation. Brochures with guidelines and entry forms are available at the front desk of member libraries.

*****

The Magic Tree House Book Club for kids has begun meeting at the Mount Airy Public Library on Wednesdays at 4 p.m. with reading books and doing activities from the beloved series by Mary Pope Osborne. Please note, this is a change from the former Monday meeting time.

*****

Preschool story times are held on Wednesday mornings at 10:30 a.m. for 2- and 3-year-olds, and on Thursday mornings at 10:30 a.m. for 4-and 5-year-olds.

*****

Baby Storytime, for babies from birth to 24 months, will meet on Thursday mornings at 9:30 a.m.

*****

Wednesday at 4 p.m. we are here to help you get started using ancestry.com to track your genealogy. Stop by the front desk to ask for help in beginning your search.

*****

A Basic Spanish Class for adults will now be offered at the library on Monday afternoons at 5 p.m., led by instructor Maria Luisa Saldarriaga.

*****

Pajama Story time for kids takes place each Thursday night at 7 p.m. The kids are welcome to wear their pajamas, and bring their cuddle toys. Well hear a couple of stories, and do an activity that goes with the story.

*****

The library has an Adult Coloring Class on Thursday nights, at 6 p.m. till 8 p.m. The library supplies coloring sheets, colored pencils, and markers, but are are welcome to bring their own supplies as well. The library plays relaxing music, and those participating enjoy hot drinks for those whod like coffee or tea.

*****

Tai Chi is offered each Friday morning at 10 a.m. This class is for everyone, but especially for those with limited mobility, due to conditions such as arthritis.

*****

The Community Book Club meets on the fourth Wednesday of the month, at 1 p.m. New members are always welcome.

*****

Teens, aged 12-19 years old, are invited to a new club at the library, called Choices, where well discuss books, movies, music, art, whatever interests them. We will meet on the first Thursday of each month, at 4 p.m.

*****

Our Young Actors Workshops will take place on every Tuesday in January, at 4 p.m., for kids aged 7-19 years old. We will be rehearsing the play, Frozen Hearts, to be performed on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 11 a.m.

*****

Questions? Call the library at 336-789-5108. Find us on Facebook at Friends of the Mount Airy Public Library.

Go to our website to view our events and catalog online at nwrl.org.

Library hours:

Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Friday 8:30 a.m. till 5 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. till 1 p.m.

.

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Booksmarts - Mount Airy News

Monday, 13 February 2017 14:03 GMT By Alex Donaldson

Taro Yoko is a bit of a game design hero of mine. Hes a game design punk; he makes what he wants, and the end result is often weird and wonderful all at once. Hes best known for his work on weird, outlandish JRPG titles Drakengard and Nier, bizarre games that beneath their quirk usually have something real to say too.

Dont worry. That really crass, really odd, weird shit you expect from Nier is still in there. Were quite confident in creating content like that!

Hes made a reputation of his unique style. In public appearances, he dons a mask. When I sit down to interview him alongside Nier Automata producer Yosuke Saito and game designer Takahisa Taura, he seems all too gleefully happy to lean into that reputation.

I do want to reassure everyone, he chuckles when I ask if Automata will live up to his trademark style, Dont worry. That really crass, really odd, weird shit you expect from Nier is still in there. Were quite confident in creating content like that!

As I touched on in my previous hands-on its something of a shocker that Automata exists at all. The original Nier was the very definition of a low-selling cult hit, but Automata appears to be finding a new audience, especially in the wake of an impressive downloadable demo. Yoko puts this down to the addition of action aficionados Platinum Games as a development partner.

Weve got this real feeling coming out of Japan and seeing the markets overseas, Yoko says. Platinum Games has this great brand recognition; a great reputation abroad. Its really thanks to us partnering with them and them being involved with the project that weve got this recognition for Nier now, I think.

Putting Automatas sudden surge in interest down to Platinum fits in with a theme about Yoko; hes self-deprecating. Niers weirdness comes due to him not having the mainstream pressures of other games rather than him having a stand-out vision, he says. I thought well, its Nier, its not going to sell very well whatever, he laughs when asked about a specific decision.

The original Nier was in a sense the best six out of ten Ive ever given. The game was rough around the edges in a way that displayed its limited budget, but it was bursting with mad, subversive ideas and an ambition at the time not on display in even Squares big-budget efforts. The exciting thing about Nier Automata is that it pairs Yokos crazy vision with Platinum, a development house skilled at delivering tightly-wound experiences.

Or, as Automata producer Yosuke Saito puts it: I had a feeling that when I managed to finalise the contract for the partnership 99 percent of my work was out of the way!

I personally dont think its just down to Platinum Games, Platinum employee Takahisa Taura offers. I think what people are interested in is this sort of almost impossible to expect collaboration between Square Enix and Platinum, or Yoko Taro and Platinum. That really weird and quite great potential from that collaboration is what people are watching.

Before I go in for the interview I have some time to play an extended build of Nier Automata. It opens up with a bad ass segment that leads into the demo content and features well, theres a lot of stuff I cant talk about. Its a long bullet-point list and its easier to just say: look, its pretty good. Combat feels good. Its narrative intrigues, and though I have concerns about how repetitive certain content will be Im pumped to play the final thing.

In areas we can talk about, Automata seems an interesting mix of Platinum-brand action, Square brand RPG and Yoko-brand madness. At one point I end up in a wide open area, a city partially reclaimed by nature in the post-apocalypse. Here I have a surprising amount of freedom for an action-based game: I can take on side quests, I can buy items to tame a deer and ride it, I can dabble in combat or I can seamlessly walk into a town where beautiful and relaxing music swells as an indicator of your seamless transition into a safe zone free of potentially violent wildlife or definitely violent robots.

Thats something I really want people to experience Platinum arent just about the action, but their RPG stuff is really good, too.

When you die, you mysteriously leave behind a corpse like a Dark Souls bloodstain. When you reach it you can either retrieve some lost stuff from your fallen body or revive it to fight alongside you as an NPC. You can even leave bloodstain-style messages that curiously take on a haiku-style 5-7-5 syllable format alongside corpses, though Square, who arent yet talking about online features, wouldnt explain what for.

If you want you can take time out to go fishing, where in a cute touch your little robot pod buddy is also your tackle. If you buy the right stuff from a store, you can tame the local deer and ride them, or you can just kill them for resources. Basically: its a proper RPG as well as a Platinum game.

The guys at Platinum, they really love RPGs as well, Taro notes. They came up with loads of great ideas and elements for out-there character development growth systems and all kinds of really cool aspects for the game. They put a lot of effort into that. Thats something I really want people to experience Platinum arent just about the action, but their RPG stuff is really good, too.

Enter Takahisa Taura, game designer on Automata from the Platinum side. With the likes of Madworld and Metal Gear Rising on his resume, he clearly has the chops. Taro teases him throughout the interview by repeatedly telling me hell be the next Hideo Kojima, which Taura vehemently and humbly rejects, embarrassed. Taura Productions! Yoko gleefully yells out after the younger developer finishes an interview answer.

I think people will obviously expect the action from us and expect that everything will be completely action focused, but there are a lot of really cool other RPG elements in there too, Taura says, following on from Yoko.

Theres stuff like collecting money to upgrade your weapons, collecting materials, the ability to customise your characters those proper, classic RPG elements you expect. People may think thats not very us, that it doesnt reflect on what Platinum Games is known for, but we think that people will have a lot of fun with those elements, so I really hope people pay attention to those as well.

Platinum Games has this great brand recognition; a great reputation abroad. Its really thanks to us partnering with them and them being involved with the project that weve got this recognition for Nier now, I think.

One of the interesting facts about Automatas development partnership with Platinum is that the game is largely coming from a new, younger team within the studio. Its a team perhaps less shackled by past experiences, and as a result theyve been able to lean into the crass, weird shit Taro is known for and boasted of earlier all while retaining the tight feel of a Platinum action game.

The OS Chip item that fans found in the demo that when unequipped causes your character to instantly die without warning (how can an android survive without an operating system?) was, for instance, a Platinum pull that Yoko merely approved of.

Through this and other comments its clear that Platinum has fully embraced what made Taros vision of the original Nier so special, but theyre combining it with much more exciting gameplay mechanics. The hands-on drives this home too, with even a two hour slice bursting with ideas clearly inspired by a wide variety of Niers peers.

Broad as it may be, Nier still proudly clings to its niche credentials. The good thing about [more niche] games is that you kind of go deep, says Saito. You go deep and have a good core, loyal following rather than trying to spread out too widely.

The Nier series is unlikely to set the world ablaze and I remain curious in how its mechanics will hold up over 20-plus hours, but already Nier Automata looks like a cult classic in the making. Thats hard to complain about. Indeed, that focus on its niche might even be its greatest strength.

Nier Automata is out in Japan on February 23, while the game will be available in Europe and North America on March 7 for PS4. A PC version is coming, but that doesnt yet have a release date.

View original post here:

Nier Automata: That really crass, really odd, weird shit you expect is still there - VG247

Allison Ward The Columbus Dispatch @AllisonAWard

Ohio State sophomore Hannah Murphy typically reserves the midweek time she has between classes for studying.

On a recent Wednesday, however, the 19-year-old spent an hour decorating a mandala design, her hands covered in glitter and marker colors.

Roommate Cassie Wisbang, an OSU sophomore majoring in biology, sat next to Murphy in a room at the Younkin Success Center, at Neil and 10th avenues, clipping eye-catching sayings and photographs from magazines and gluing them to the anatomical heart she had drawn on pink paper.

They listened to relaxing music Ed Sheeran, the Lumineers as they tapped their creative sides, forgetting about upcoming tests or assignments, if only for a little while.

Wisbang would probably have been doing homework that afternoon had she not been working with scissors.

But I think this is needed, she said. Sometimes we get stressed out.

The time free from academics came courtesy of the Art Space Workshop, a weekly drop-in art program open to all Ohio State students a place to communicate their feelings and thoughts through artistic expression.

Art Space was introduced in the fall by the Office of Student Lifes Counseling and Consultation Department.

The crafty activities are meant to help students de-stress something many of them need but often overlook, said Shayla Krecklow, a clinical fellow at OSU and licensed professional counselor.

A lot of students forget to take breaks and this is a subtle reminder that it can be beneficial, said Krecklow, who helped introduce the program. If youre studying however many hours straight, you dont retain as much as if you take a break and come back to it.

This is people saying, Its OK to take a break.

Art Space facilitator Sadi Fox said that coloring, drawing and other artsy exercises can be an ideal way to forget the challenges of schoolwork.

Art takes your attention, said Fox, a clinical therapist. It brings you into the present. If mindfulness is there, youre engaged in the here and now. When youre engaged, you can see a decrease in depression, a decrease in anxiety and an increase in concentration and ability to study which are goals all students have to be able to be successful academically.

Research has shown that art therapy can enhance peoples well-being, Fox said, and the university wanted to explore that possibility further, especially given how popular art can be with students.

When the counseling department hosts recess relaxation events with activities such as sports, storytelling, games and art the art stations generally are the most attended, she said.

At the start of each workshop, she or another staff member welcomes students, invites them to write songs they want to hear on a whiteboard in the room and introduces them to an entire assembly line of materials, Fox said.

We have pastels, crayons, markers, scissors, magazines to cut from, blank mandalas.

The mandalas are intended for students to color if they dont want to follow that weeks prompt for self-reflection.

The prompt last week was to create a representation of hobbies or a relationship close to ones heart or to explore why students might be grateful. The novice artists were encouraged to look at the symbol of a heart.

Faith Lynd filled a heart outline she made with construction paper with words that reminded her of her childhood for which she is most thankful.

The time gave her the opportunity to reflect on other aspects of her life besides her studies to become a social worker.

It gets lost a lot in schoolwork, trying to keep up and extracurriculars, said Lynd, a sophomore.

Plus, the hour spent at Art Space was far more constructive, she said, than bingeing on previous seasons of the Showtime series Shameless.

She was coaxed into attending the workshop by friend Kaycee Bethel, using it to fulfill requirements of the Second-Year Transformational Experience Program, in which both participate. STEP is intended to enhance students experiences on campus and the Art Space is among a number of activities students can join in.

The workshop draws as many as 30 students generally a mix of STEP participants and drop-in students seeking a unique way to relax, Fox said.

Although Julia Barone attended last week in part because of STEP, the sophomore public-health major said she plans to return again.

I loved it. It was a time I could focus on something other than school. It was great to take an hour for myself, which can be hard to do as a busy college student.

Not only does Art Space help students unwind, Krecklow said, but it also fosters a dialogue between them and the counseling department in case students need additional assistance.

Its a really easy way for them to meet a therapist, she said. They see us and think, Hey, you guys are real people, and it makes therapy more accessible.

award@dispatch.com

@AllisonAWard

Original post:

Drop-in art program offers OSU students a creative break - Columbus Dispatch

Photo by: Kelsey Greene

Emily Blue will bring her music to Cowboy Monkey on Friday in downtown Champaign.

Here's what's happening in the area's

MUSIC SCENE

The research behind the concert

Sinfonia da Camera's concert on Saturday at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts in Urbana was influenced by market research the chamber orchestra conducted with two University of Illinois MBA student groups.

One group's survey asked: "What word(s) would you use to describe orchestral music?" The three top responses were "relaxing, classy and old-fashioned."

"We have decided to capitalize on the 'old-fashioned' description as well as the current popularity of the old-fashioned cocktail and do a throwback evening on Saturday our American Century concert," said Jenie Kechulius, the orchestra's operations and personnel manager. "The idea is to tell audience members particularly the under-40 crowd that they should feel free to dress up in '20s, '30s or '40s era clothing."

"The American Century" concert, starting at 7:30 p.m., will feature works by American composers, beginning with Leonard Bernstein's most popular overture, the "Candide." Violinist Rachel Patrick (above) will join Sinfonia in David Canfield's "Rhapsody after Gershwin."

The concert also will feature Samuel Barber's "Knoxville: Summer of 1915." It will end with a suite of favorites from George Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess," arranged by Robert Russell Bennett.

Tickets are $40, adults; $36, senior citizens 65 and older and retired UI faculty and staff; $8, non-UI college students; and $5, youths high school age and younger. Call 333-6280 or visit krannertcenter.com.

Valentine's Day concert

A Valentine's Day performance by local and regional musicians will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at McKinley Presbyterian Church, 809 S. Fifth St., C.

"A Time for Love" will feature solo classical piano repertoire and selections from opera and jazz music that highlight romance, including works by Leonard Bernstein, Franz Liszt, George Gershwin and Aaron Copland.

The featured performers include local pianists and educators Tatiana Shustova and Jaifang Yan, as well as soprano Elena Negruta. Joining them will be concert pianist Ian Gindes, who recently returned from performing live on Chicago's WFMT classical music station, and opera singer Cornelius Johnson, who recently performed in "Porgy and Bess" at the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

Special guests are jazz pianist Chip Stephens, a professor in the UI Jazz Studies Program, and his wife, singer-songwriter Paige Stephens.

"We wanted to create an exciting program to bring together a variety of music designed to be shared with someone you love," Gindes said. "It has something for everyone to enjoy whether you prefer opera or Broadway, popular classical music or jazz. We are excited about the opportunity to enjoy sharing this music with you and that special person in your life in an intimate venue."

Tickets will be available at the door for $12 for general admission and $7 for students and senior citizens. For more information, check out the event's page on Facebook.

Sonic Illinois schedule

Celebrating the UI sesquicentennial in 2017, Krannert Center and the School of Music are exploring the diversity of the contemporary music scene this and next month via a new project titled Sonic Illinois.

Sonic Illinois is a revival of the spirit of the UI Festival of Contemporary Arts, which was a major cultural force in the mid-20th century on the campus. With Sonic Illinois, the campus and community are invited to explore innovative composers, musicians and scholars.

The celebration will include historic compositions, global contemporary artists, School of Music ensembles and works by Illinois faculty and students. Audiences will hear pieces by John Cage, Jeffrey Mumford, Julia Wolfe and Osvaldo Golijov; School of Music composers Erin Gee, Reynold Tharp and Erik Lund; student composers Kyle Shaw and Dongryul Lee; and School of Music alumna Tomeka Reid.

The remaining Sonic Illinois events:

Illinois Modern Ensemble, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Smith Memorial Hall Recital Hall, 805 S. Mathews Ave, U.

Jupiter String Quartet with Todd Palmer, clarinet, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Krannert Center's Foellinger Great Hall.

Bang on a Can All-Stars with the UI Chamber Singers: Wolfe's "Anthracite Fields," 7:30 p.m. March 3, Krannert's Tryon Festival Theatre.

Cajun group to visit Post

Mardi Gras, which falls on Feb. 28, will be celebrated early with Cajun music from 8 to 10 p.m. Wednesday at The Iron Post, featuring the trio Blake Miller, Amelia Biere and A.J. Srubas.

Miller and Biere are part of a vibrant Cajun and Creole music scene in and around Lafayette, La. Miller is a gifted accordion player and fiddler and can play rock-solid bass and guitar as well, according to bassist-guitarist Rob Krumm of Urbana.

Currently with The Revelers, Miller was one of the original members of the Pine Leaf Boys and also played with the Red Stick Ramblers. He grew up in a Cajun family in Iota, La., and is a grandson of well-known accordion builder Larry Miller.

Blake Miller has served stints in other Cajun/Creole bands of note including Balfa Toujours, Les Malfecteurs and Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole.

Originally from Dodgeville, Wis., Biere is a terrific guitarist and vocalist, Krumm said. She honed her musical skills with Anabel and the Bell Tones, an all-women Cajun music group in Minneapolis-St. Paul. Drawn to learn more about Cajun and Creole music and culture, Biere moved to the Lafayette area a few years ago and has performed often there with local musicians.

Srubas, originally from Green Bay, Wis., grew up playing Irish music in a family band. After graduating high school, he studied fiddle in Ireland for a few months. Upon returning home, he was introduced to old-time music after his older brother started to learn claw-hammer banjo.

Srubas, who now lives in Minneapolis, was hooked and has been playing old-time music for the last decade. He plays old-time fiddle in the Bootlicker Stringband and Cajun fiddle and pedal steel guitar in the New Riverside Ramblers. When not playing music, he is an apprentice violin-bow maker and organizer for The Monday Night Square Dance and other Minnesota festivals.

This will be the trio's first show in Champaign-Urbana.

Also at the Post, Dennis Stroughmatt & Friends will perform from 5 to 7 p.m. Feb. 24.

Stroughmatt, who lives in Albion in southern Illinois, tours with his bands Creole Stomp and L'Esprit Creole and with his latest project, a traditional country band that pays tribute to the music of Ray Price and his Cherokee Cowboys.

The Iron Post gig will feature Stroughmatt on fiddle and accordion; Doug Hawf, guitar; Doug Rigsby, drums; and Krumm, bass and accordion.

"For this gig, we'll play a lot of traditional Cajun and Creole tunes from Louisiana and mix it up with some swing, blues and country. This should be a very fun show," Krumm said.

A taste of Klezmer and Yiddish music

Klezmer and Yiddish music luminaries Deborah Strauss and Jeff Warschauer will be in Champaign-Urbana for a series of events from Thursday through next Sunday.

In addition to a playing at a performance and dance party Saturday, the duo will present a lecture and musical demonstration on the UI campus and host a "Big Klezmer and Yiddish Music Jam and Workshop" for all ages.

For more than 25 years, Strauss (violin, accordion, voice, dance) and Warschauer (voice, guitar, mandolin) have been at the forefront of the international klezmer and Yiddish music scene. They were long-time members of the Klezmer Conservatory Band, one of the premiere groups of the klezmer revival, and have performed with legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman.

The two are Yiddish speakers and have researched and collected Yiddish and Hebrew songs and instrumental melodies since the 1980s. Together they lead some of the most popular klezmer music, Yiddish song and traditional dance workshops throughout North America and Eastern and Western Europe.

Other events featuring the duo:

Klezmer Concert and Dance Party, 7 p.m. Saturday, Sinai Temple, 3104 W. Windsor Road, C. Free.

Klezmer Music: From Old World to New: Lecture and Musical Demonstration, 7 p.m. Thursday, UI Music Building Auditorium, Room 1030, 1114 W. Nevada St., U. Free.

Big Klezmer and Yiddish Music Jam and Workshop, 2 to 4 p.m. next Sunday, Phillips Recreation Center, 505 W. Stoughton Ave., U. Open to all ages, levels and backgrounds; singers are welcome too. There also will be a workshop section for experienced musicians. Freewill donations will be appreciated.

For more information, see tinyurl.com/klezmerduoitinerary and klezmerduo.com/.

Emily Blue playing Cowboy Monkey

Emily Blue, frontwoman of the band Tara Terra, will debut new material for her #BubbleGumAcidPop project during the show Emily Blue + Church Booty with Tell Mama at 8 p.m. Friday at the Cowboy Monkey, 6 Taylor St. C. The cover is $7.

#BubbleGumAcidPop will be released in March. In November, Blue's last album, "Another Angry Woman," raised more than $3,000 for Rape Advocacy Counseling and Education Services.

Church Booty delivers a musical experience drawing on a wide range of influences, Blue said. The band formed in Champaign-Urbana but members now live in Chicago, where they entertain crowds with high-energy performances.

"Guided by tight arrangements and skillful improvisations, the bar is set at a high musical standard that works both the brain and the booty," Blue said.

Free Urbana Pops recitals at library

The Urbana Pops Orchestra will host three free recitals, each at 2 p.m. the second Sunday of the month, at the Urbana Free Library, 210 W. Green St.

The recital today will feature violinist Tamra Gingold, who will perform along with students from Urbana High School. On March 12, bassoonist Christopher Raymond will perform. And on April 9, violist Robin Kearton will perform with students from the Community Center for the Arts.

"These winter/spring recitals have been another way that the Urbana Pops Orchestra can share music with the community and give performance opportunities to some of UPO's student musicians," said orchestra President Debra Levey Larson. "Because these recitals are short and casual, they are also a great way to introduce young children to orchestral instruments. The library setting makes it easy for families to wander in, listen to a few pieces and get up and walk around if their kids need to stretch."

Larson said the recitals also serve as a venue to help promote the ensemble's summer concert schedule, "because the full orchestra only performs in June and July, the recitals help us bridge the long Pops drought."

The summer concerts this year will be June 10 and July 15 in the Urbana School High auditorium.

For more information, visit urbanapops.org.

ARTS SCENE

Parkland grad displaying works

The Giertz Gallery at Parkland College will welcome back distinguished alumna Alicia Henry with an exhibition of her works, opening Monday.

The reception for the solo show, "Home: Works by Alicia Henry," will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, with a gallery talk at 6 p.m. by Henry and music by Nathaniel Banks and Friends. Henry will give an another lecture at 1:15 p.m. Thursday in Parkland's Harold and Jean Miner Theatre

The exhibition will remain on view through March 28.

The exhibition, lectures and reception are free and open to the public.

Giertz Gallery Director Lisa Costello said Henry's exhibit has been long anticipated.

"We are delighted to have this Guggenheim Award-winning artist return home from Nashville to exhibit her work and share her experiences with our students and community," Costello said. "Hosting it this year, in celebration with Parkland College's 50th anniversary, makes it an ideal time."

The exhibition features work that explores issues of loss. Henry is interested in how cultural, gender, racial and social differences affect both individual and group responses to loss. Using abstracted human figures, both in isolation or interaction with others, Henry goes beyond mere representation of the figure to present a psychological interpretation of her ideas.

Henry is an associate professor and the discipline coordinator in the Department of Arts and Language at Fisk University. She received her bachelor's of fine arts degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and her master's of fine arts degree at the Yale University School of Art.

In addition to attending the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, she has received numerous awards, grants and residencies, including a Ford Foundation Fellowship; a Joan Mitchell Foundation Grant; residencies at Art in General, the MacDowell Art Colony and the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown; and most recently, the 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art.

Henry's works have been exhibited nationally and internationally and are held in private and public collections.

The Giertz Gallery's spring semester hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and noon to 2 p.m. Saturday. The gallery will be closed Feb. 23 for Professional Development Day and March 1825 for spring break.

St. Thomas More fundraiser

The High School of St. Thomas More's Art Club and Art Department, along with Culver's restaurant on Marketview Drive in Champaign, will have an "Empty Bowls" supper fundraiser from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at The High School of St. Thomas More, 3901 N. Mattis Ave., C.

Proceeds will go to organizations that fight hunger.

The Empty Bowls project was started by high school students in Michigan in 1990. Since then, groups worldwide have sponsored their own Empty Bowls events, in which people buy an empty ceramic handmade bowl in which to have soup and then take the bowl home.

The art students at St. Thomas More have hosted Empty Bowls events for 11 years, usually raising close to $2,000 each year. This year, Culvers will provide the soup and bread. The money raised will be donated to The Daily Bread Soup Kitchen in Champaign.

In addition to the meal, there will be music, drama and dance performances. Other supporting participants include St. Matthew Catholic School, Holy Cross School and Campus Middle School for Girls, as well as many family members, teachers and friends who made bowls.

The suggested donation for the bowl and meal is $10 and for the meal alone, $5. Additional donations are welcome.

Photos on display in 'Seeking'

The Asian American Cultural Center, with the Urbana Museum of Photography, is presenting through March 31 the exhibition "Seeking" of black and white photographs made from film.

The exhibition features photographs by Yashin Chen, Ryan Fang and Ziang Xiao, who explore their Chinese culture and its traces in the American society. The project consists of three parts, with each part offering a personal view of each artist.

Xiao, born and raised in northern China, documents the lifestyle and landscapes of mainland China. As a Taiwanese, Chen feels living in America reminds her every day of the importance of the Chinese culture. For the short period she went back to Taiwan, she brought back photos of the landscape and people. Fang, as an international student at the UI, explores the impact of Chinese culture in the Midwest, particularly Chicago and Champaign-Urbana.

The exhibit is open for viewing from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at the Asian American Cultural Center, 1210 W. Nevada St., U. The reception will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday.

LITERARY SCENE

Book launch party at Esquire

Champaign author Patricia Hruby Powell will celebrate the publication of her latest book, "Loving vs. Virginia," at a book launch party from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Esquire Lounge, 106 N. Walnut St., C.

In free verse, Powell tells the story of the landmark civil rights case that went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

"In 1955, in Caroline County, Va., amidst segregation and prejudice, injustice and cruelty, two teenagers fell in love," reads the Amazon review. "Their life together broke the law, but their determination would change it. Richard and Mildred Loving were at the heart of a Supreme Court case that legalized marriage between races and a story of the devoted couple who faced discrimination, fought it and won."

At the free launch party, Hruby Powell will read from the book and sign copies sold by Jane Addams Book Shop, Champaign. Robin Kearton, Tom Faux and other musicians will perform the kind of string band music that Mildred Loving's family played in Virginia. Along with its regular menu, the Esquire will offer Brunswick stew, a traditional dish from Virginia.

Hruby Powell, also a dancer and storyteller, has had four other books published and is working on another to be published next year.

THEATER SCENE

DLO will perform 'Violet'

Danville Light Opera Musical Theatre will present the award-winning, Tony-nominated Broadway musical "Violet," with a dessert performance at 7 p.m. Friday and dinner performances at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 p.m. next Sunday at Bremer Auditorium at Danville Area Community College.

The music in "Violet" ranges from folk to blues to rock to gospel and was written by Tony-winning composer Jeanine Tesori. Inspired by the short story "The Ugliest Pilgrim" by Doris Betts, "Violet" has been praised as "a work of great resonance and beauty and joy" by New York magazine; Newsday wrote, "The Broadway musical we've been waiting for has arrived!"

The synopsis: Violet is a disfigured woman of unshakable faith who boards a Greyhound bus in Spruce Pines, S.C., to pursue her dream of beauty. The real journey takes place through the people she meets on the road leading to a television preacher in Tulsa, Okla. Set in 1964, themes of tragedy, racism, faith and, ultimately, acceptance and love, are part of the story. Its setting in the early days of the civil rights era will resonate with audiences today."

Director Jeanne Dunn embraced a minimalist vision for the production, putting the focus directly on the story, the characters and the performances. "Violet" has been on her theatrical "bucket list" since 2010, and she is collaborating on it with music director Karen Grove.

Leading the cast are Mallory (Williams) Middendorf in the title role and Phil Bryant and Bryan Jenkins as two young soldiers to whom Violet grows close.

More:

That's entertainment: Spotlighting events throughout the area - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette

The violinist, a maverick in the classical world, explains why she wants her music to disturb

Call them the mavericks. Theyre the increasingly vocal squad of classical musicians who thrive on confounding expectations, whether its in their unlikely combinations of material, their unique, sometimes madcap style of live performance, or the way they flaunt inspirations that lie well beyond the classical canon.

The high priest of the movement is Teodor Currentzis, the Greek conductor who heads the pioneering period-instrument orchestra Musica Aeterna. Then theres the Argentine cellist Sol Gabetta (last heard in the UK singing along to her own encore at the Proms) and the pixie-like Finnish violinist Pekka Kuusisto, or the David Bowie of the fiddle as The Timess Richard Morrison once anointed him.

The queen of the mavericks, however, must be the violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja (often known as PatKop),

Read the original post:

Patricia Kopatchinskaja: 'Music is not like relaxing in a sauna or spa ... - The Times (subscription)