Paintings illuminate St. Charles library
When it comes to neon signs, Las Vegas has nothing on the St. Charles Public Library. That's the first time I've used Vegas and any library in the same sentence.
The library this month is displaying the work of St. Charles artist Nick Freeman, who describes the two-sided exhibit as "unusual." The paintings of local scenes are complemented by photography that features neon signs, mostly from around Chicagoland.
Freeman did not have Vegas, though he does feel neon signs are fading from our landscapes.
"The photos on display have been produced on one continuous 44-foot-long digital print, and tie in to a book project currently in development," Freeman said.
"I've never been very active in marketing or promoting the work, other than the occasional outing, such as the library show," Freeman added. "The paintings were done over a 20-plus-year time span."
Sounds like summer: It has a summertime ring to - "Art at the Park."
But it's coming before the nice weather and it's indoors, at Park Place Interiors, 407 S. Third Street in Geneva.
Owner Kathleen Newhouse is offering an art show featuring original oil paintings from around the world. A portion of the proceeds from the event from 5 to 8 p.m. March 26 will benefit the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission.
Registration fee is $10 and more information is available at (630) 232-7799 or by visiting the Web site at parkplace-interiors.com.
Parade will be back: I mentioned last week that Memorial Day weekend was the most likely to have decent parade weather. So I was pleased to hear the wheels are in motion to resurrect the St. Charles Memorial Day parade.
The parade was not held last year, but plans are being made to have it this year. I know this because my service club, the Tri-Cities Exchange Club, has offered to hand out small American flags along the parade route. You may have seen us do this for the past 25 years at the Swedish Days parade in Geneva.
Melancholy era: Were they silly songs? Sort of. Were they songs with deep messages about the politics of the world? Not really.
It's hard to categorize popular songs from the 1950s in any other way than they were simple messages about falling and staying in love.
And that's why the Noble Fools Theatricals presentation of "The Taffetas" at Pheasant Run is so much fun for those who are fond of simple love songs.
After mentioning that former St. Charles High graduate Courtney Rioux is featured in this enjoyable play, I said I would mention a few of the tunes for those who were teens when these songs were big hits.
Do you remember ... "Johnny Angel," "Fly Me to the Moon," "Volare," "Lollipop," "Dedicated to the One I Love," and "Where the Boys Are?"
If so, you hear those and a ton of other tunes at this play that make you realize the 1950s were about tremendous optimism, falling in love and chasing big dreams.
It means this musical tribute was a perfect medicine to take our minds off what is going on in 2009.