West arts & leisure briefs

Nature photo, mural exhibits at arts center"Close to Nature," an exhibition of nature photography, will go on display at the Hopkins Center for the Arts Thursday through Feb. 27. The works of local photographers Jim Aronson, Paul Vitko and Kristy Walker will be featured in the show at the arts center's Lobby Gallery at 1111 Mainstreet in Hopkins.

Also opening Thursday is "Muralistas," a show featuring the mural artwork of Jimmy Longoria, Roberto Valadez and Salvador Vega. It will run through Feb. 27 in the Charles D. Redepenning Gallery.

Opening receptions for both exhibits are scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Thursday. Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Admission will be free for both exhibits and the opening receptions. For more information, go to www.hopkins artscenter.com.

MacPhail plans family music eventThe MacPhail Center for Music will present a free family music event, "Movin' and Groovin' to the Sounds of Brass," from 11 a.m.-noon Saturday at the center, located at 501 S. Second St. in Minneapolis.

The Copper Street Brass Quintet will perform, and the center also will offer free sample lessons for both children and adults on instruments featured in the concert.

The event is open to all. For more information, call 612-321-0100 or go to www.macphail.org.

String quartet performs Saturday at centerThe Artaria String Quartet will present a concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet.

Performers Ray Shows and Nancy Oliveros on violin, and Annalee Wolf on viola and Laura Sewell on cello, will present three major works for string quartet: Beethoven's Quartet in A major, Op. 18, No. 5; Ginastera's Quartet No. 1; and Schumann's Quartet in A minor, Op. 41, No. 1.

Tickets are on sale through the arts center's box office at 952-979-1111 or online at www.hopkinsartscenter.com. Music students under the age of 25 may purchase up to three tickets at a special rate of $5 per ticket by contacting the box office.

Jewish Humor Festival starts Saturday nightThe Minneapolis Jewish Humor Festival will feature stand-up comedy, short plays, films and other entertainment in more than 15 events spanning two weeks beginning Saturday evening.

Featuring both local and national talent, this year's festival will kick off at 8 p.m. Saturday with a show spotlighting stand-up comic Keith Barany of Los Angeles. Through the next two weeks, daily events will include more standup comedy, presentations by artists like New Yorker cartoonist Ken Krimstein, and shows by groups like the Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad.

For a full festival schedule and details, go to www.sabesjcc.org/arts_humor.htm.

Tickets range from $5-$18, depending on the event. Group ticket sales and special offers also are available; call Kaira Hogle at 952-381-3499.

Old Log Theater plans benefit showThe Old Log Theater will present "On Golden Pond" in a benefit performance for Opportunity Partners and local service clubs at 8 p.m. Feb. 24.

A portion of the $37 admission price will be donated. Tickets may be purchased through the Hopkins Lions Club at 952-567-2574 or Opportunity Partners at 952-930-4208 or events@opportunities.org. To add dinner, contact Joe Pint at joe@oldlog.com or 952-474-5951.

The event is sponsored by the Hopkins Lions Club. Opportunity Partners is a Twin Cities nonprofit serving 1,500 people with disabilities each year through employment, residential and training programs. For more information, go to www.opportunitypartners.org.

Call for sculptures for Promenade displaySculptors are invited to submit proposals to display their work outside in 2011-12 on the Edina Promenade, the walking and bike pathway near Centennial Lakes Park, and Grandview Square Park nearby.

Artists will receive an honorarium of $500 for allowing their works to be displayed for a year, and prizes of up to $1,000 will be awarded to artists. The Edina Public Art Committee will select up to 12 sculptures.

The application deadline is March 15. For more information, call or e-mail Lois Ring at 952-806-9966 or llrdesigns@msn.com or contact Bradley Benn at 952-922-2280 or at BWMBenn@comcast.net. Or go to www.EdinaPublicArt.org and click on the link for "Projects," then "Edina Promenade."

STAFF REPORTS