DuPage Co. hobbies calendar

• Submit events at least two weeks in advance to Melynda Findlay via e-mail, mfindlay@dailyherald.com, or by fax, (630) 955-0895.

Today

• Artist Jean Drury will demonstrate how to work with acrylic paints from 7:30 to 9 p.m. today at the DuPage Art League, 218 W. Front St., Wheaton. The program is free. For details, call (630) 653-7090.

• The West Towns Chorus, a men's a cappella singing group, rehearses at 7:30 p.m. Mondays at the Moose Lodge, 1030 Warren Ave., Downers Grove. For details, visit www.westtowns.org.

• The Choral-Aires, an award-winning Sweet Adelines chorus, rehearses from 7 to 10 p.m. Mondays. This week, the rehearsal will be at Elmhurst Presbyterian Church, 367 Spring Road. New members are welcome. For details and future rehearsal locations, call Mary Brzezinski at (630) 964-0792 or visit www.choral-aires.org.

• The Carol Stream Park District is offering fencing lessons for all ages starting today at Westfield Middle School, 149 Fairfield Way, Bloomingdale. The cost is $45 for residents and $65 for others. Registration is required. For details, call (630) 784-6120.

Tuesday

• A reception with artist Granite Amit will be from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Barbara A. Kieft Accelerator ArtSpace at Elmhurst College, 200 W. Park Ave. The event includes a gallery talk at 5 p.m. Amit's mixed-media and video installation "Merkava" will remain on display through March 12. For details, call (630) 617-3033 or visit www.elmhurst.edu.

• Register by Tuesday for a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago Feb. 26 with the York Center Park District, 1609 S. Luther Ave., Lombard. The trip will leave at 10 a.m. and return about 5 p.m. Current special exhibitions include an Edward Hopper retrospective and "Watercolors by Winslow Homer: The Color of Light." The cost is $8 for residents and $10 for others, which includes transportation only. General admission to the Art Institute is free during February. Tickets to the Hopper and Homer special exhibits cost $8 to $20, which allows admission to both. For details, call the York Center Park District at (630) 629-0886 or visit www.yorkcenterparks.org.

• The DuPage Executive Network, for senior executives either unemployed or in career transition, will meet from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at College of DuPage, SRC 2800, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. For details, call (630) 942-2230.

• "The Death of Mr. Lazarescu," a dark Romanian comedy, will be screened at 1 and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn. The film, which is includes English subtitles, is about a man whose doctors are indifferent to him because it appears he's caused his own health problems. The film is part of the College's Global Flicks 2008, an annual festival of international films. For details, call (630) 942-3078.

• The opening reception for the art exhibit "Uncreated Light" will be from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at College of DuPage in the Wings Student Art Gallery, Glen Ellyn. The show includes paintings by Kathy Burrows of Downers Grove. The exhibit will remain on display through March 13. Gallery hours are 9:30 to 11:45 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 4 to 6:15 p.m. Tuesdays, 3:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursdays, 9:30 to 1:30 p.m. Fridays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. For details, call Marina Kuchinski at (630) 942-2423.

• The Village Vocal Chords, an award-winning a cappella chorus, rehearses at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays at St. John Lutheran Church, 47th Street and Brainard Avenue, LaGrange. Women ages 18 to 55 may join. For details, call (708) 275-8329 or visit www.villagevocalchords.com.

• The Glen Ellyn Violet Club will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Sunrise Assisted Living, 95 Carleton Ave., Glen Ellyn. Club members will help Sunrise residents make decorative flower arrangements. For details, call (630) 668-6033.

• The Wheaton/Glen Ellyn Child Care Association will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Glen Ellyn Public Library, 400 Duane St. The meeting will include a program titled "Children Grieve." The group is open to all local child-care providers. For details, visit www.wgecca.com or call (630) 668-1123.

• The Glen Ellyn Fourth of July Committee will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Glen Ellyn Civic Center, 535 Duane St. The group also will meet the third Tuesdays of March and April, then weekly during May and June. The committee is seeking volunteers to join the group. For details, call Jim Bourke at (630) 220-1400.

Wednesday

• Villa Park Recreation offers a Scrabble group at 10 a.m. the first and third Wednesday of each month at the Community Recreation Building, 320 E. Wildwood. Boards will be supplied. Participants may bring lunch and a drink. The group is free and registration is not required. For details, call (630) 834-8970, e-mail jenny@vprd.org or visit www.vprd.org.

Thursday

• Viking Office Supply will offer art classes for preschool through high school students starting Thursday in the store's lower-level Art Den, 124 W. State St., Geneva. Sessions in drawing, painting, mixed media, sculpture and more run from one day to four weeks. For details or to register, call (630) 232-8741.

• Canadian recording artists Leahy are seeking dancers to join them on stage during their performance Feb. 29 at the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Ave., Glen Ellyn. Local children with any level of experience in clogging, Irish and Highland step-dancing or tap may submit a paragraph of 100 words or less explaining why they should be chosen. Application essays must be submitted by Thursday to themac@cod.edu. Winners will dance onstage during the song "Call to Dance." They'll also receive four tickets to the concert and copies of the band's recent live CD and DVD. For details, call Amy Calhoun at (630) 942-2927.

• "The Camera and Abraham Lincoln" will be presented at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Elmhurst Historical Museum, 120 E. Park Ave. Mark Pohlad, associate professor of art history at DePaul University, will discuss how photography changed American political elections. The program is free. For details, call (630) 833-1457.

• The Wheaton Junior Woman's Club will hold a new member coffee at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at a member's home. For details, visit www.wheatonjrs.com or call (630) 871-1837.

Friday

• Orchids by Hausermann Inc. will hold its 48th annual open house from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday and Feb. 29 to March 1 in their greenhouse, 2N134 Addison Road, Villa Park. The open house will showcase a variety of blooming orchid plants and will include various demonstrations throughout the event. Admission and parking are free. For details, call (630) 543-6855 or visit www.orchidsbyhausermann.com.

• A reception and awards ceremony for the Elmhurst Artists' Guild National Art Premiere 2008 juried exhibit will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 Cottage Hill Drive. The exhibit continues through March 12. Regular museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays; 1 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays; and 1 to 4 p.m. Fridays and Sundays. Admission costs $4, $3 for seniors, $2 for students and free for children 11 and younger. Admission is free for everyone Tuesdays. For details, call (630) 279-1009.

• Villa Park Recreation offers country line-dancing classes the second and fourth Fridays of every month at the Community Recreation Building, 320 E. Wildwood Ave., Villa Park. Beginning class starts at 6 p.m. and class for more experienced dancers will be from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Singles, couples and groups all are welcome. Partners are not necessary. The weekly fee is $5 for residents and $6 for others, payable at the door. For details, call (630) 834-8970, e-mail jenny@vprd.org or visit www.vprd.org.

Saturday

• A program about rock and mineral identification will be offered at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art, 220 Cottage Hill Ave., Elmhurst. The hands-on class will teach participants basic observation skills and how to make a mineral test kit. The cost is $5, which includes all supplies. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission costs $4, $3 for seniors, $2 for teens and students, $1 for children ages 7 to 12, free for children 6 and younger. Everyone is admitted free Fridays. For details, call (630) 833-1616, e-mail info@lizzadromuseum.org or visit www.lizzadromuseum.org.

• The DuPage County Genealogical Society's full-day conference, "Pathways to the Midwest," will be Sunday at the Hilton Garden Inn, 4070 E. Main St., St. Charles. Five speakers will present 12 lectures about various topics. For details or to register, visit www.dcgs.org or call (630) 665-6599.