The exhibition, Garden Party, will be on through May 17 at The Galleries located at 65 Union Street S, Concord, in Cabarrus County’s historic courthouse.

When you think of an exhibition called “Garden Party,”  you probably expect to see paintings of landscapes, flowers and gardens with lots of color.  This exhibition has them – and they are spectacular — but that’s just the beginning of this Garden Party.  This fun and diverse show also includes exquisite glass pieces, intricate carved wood birds, phenomenal pottery planters, rustic birdhouses, richly painted pottery, delicate glass pieces, beautiful fiber art and huge garden sculptures made from recycled car parts that are as tall as an NBA player. 

Garden Party includes works by 24 artists:  Margaret Agner, silk paintings; Stan Andersen, pottery; Sandy and Ann Batton, pottery; Elizabeth Bradford, paintings and ceramics; Joyce Bramwell, photographs; Jim Carpenter, wood bird carvings; Walt Cottingham, wood birdhouses; Chery Cratty, pulp painting; Bre Barnett Crowell, pastel paintings; Jane Daub, weavings; Mike Durham, whimsical sculptures; April Flanders, prints and collage; John Garland and Mary Paul, pottery; Michael Hamlin Smith, pottery; Murray Johnston, stitched fabric collages; Allison Luce, ceramic sculptures; Holden McCurry, ceramic sculpture; Stephanie Neely, oil pastel paintings; Jay Pfeil, etchings; Pat Pilchard, photography; Susannah Ravenswing, jewelry; Stuart Roper, paintings; Joseph Sand, pottery; and Yaffa and Jeff Todd, glass.

There is no admission charge to any of the activities at The Galleries.  Volunteer docents are available to give you a tour and answer questions or you may enjoy the exhibition on your own.  If you have children with you, make sure to ask for the “I Spy” artwork scavenger hunt.

 The Galleries are open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Beginning April 21, The Galleries also will be open Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., except for during exhibition transitions and holiday weekends.  Garden Party also will be open during the Art Walk on March 30.

For information, call 704-920-ARTS (2787) or click The Galleries tab.

The screening will be in the Davis Theatre at 65 Union Street S, Concord, in the Cabarrus County historic courthouse.  Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.  Modern Film Fest at the Davis is a joint project of the Cabarrus Arts Council and Modern Film Fest.

Directed and written by Harry Barrial, the film is about a man who  wakes up alone in the middle of the desert with a black hood on his head and his hands tied behind his back. At death’s door, he is discovered by a woman living alone in the desert and is nursed back to health. Upon regaining consciousness, the man realizes he has no idea who he is or how he got in the desert. His only clue, a piece of paper in his pocket with the name “Manny Elder” written on it, sends him on a journey to Los Angeles to discover his past. But things and people are not what they seem and clues lead to something bigger and more unusual than the man could have ever imagined.            The film has won major film festival awards including “Best Feature” at the London International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film.  It has been an official section at more than 30 film festivals.

Scott Urban of The Horror Zine rated it “highly recommended” and compared the film to the acclaimed Memento.  “A thoughtful medication on consciousness and being developed as a suspenseful search for self,” he wrote.

“The most provocative film I saw at the Palm Springs International Film Festival,” wrote Robin E. Simmons of Dessert Star Weekly.  A brilliant sci fi thriller . . . that catches you by surprise and lingers  in the mind long after the final fadeout.”

The estimated rating for the 90-minute film is R.  The Cabarrus Arts Council recommends that you research the film to determine whether it is appropriate you.  For more information about Pig, visit www.thepigpicture.com.

Other upcoming films in the Modern Film Fest at the Davis series include Red Neck Roots on Friday, June 15, at 9 p.m. after the downtown Concord Art Walk.  Billed as a “Southern Fried Love Story, the romantic comedy is about a girl living in the city who returns home to her redneck roots. It was written and directed by Joanne Houck, was filmed in the Charlotte area and includes local actors and actresses in the cast.  Read more about it at www.redneckroots.com.

For more information about the film series and other arts council programs, call 704-920-ARTS (2787) or visit www.CabarrusArtsCouncil.org.

Guitarist and singer-songwriter Derberry will perform at the Davis Theatre on Thursday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m.  He will be joined by his fellow musicians in the Muse Fellows Project trio:  Frank Albert on violin and Tony Baker on all kinds of percussion.  Tickets are $10 and may be purchased 24 hours a day at www.CabarrusArtsCouncil.org and Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., at the box office in person or via telephone, 704-920-2753.  The Davis Theatre is located at 65 Union Street S. in Cabarrus County’s historic courthouse.

Derberry doesn’t like to put his songs into any one genre, but he was nominated for 2011 Folk Artist of the Year with the Charlotte Music Awards.  He also says he’s influenced by rock and roll, R&B and gospel.

Derberry grew up in a musical family – his mother and her sisters formed the gospel group the Cornwell Sisters, who toured in the Southeast ultimately appearing on the Grand Ole Opry stage.  “I don’t mean to sound cliché here, but I believe music makes this world a better place,” he said.  “It allows communication where there is no common language and healing where medicine has no effect.  I feel we are all connected at some level and music provides that vibratory connection.”

The Muse Fellows Project is one of Derberry’s three current endeavors. He also plays solo and with a duo called Elder.  “I’m thoroughly enjoying playing with the trio because we perform mostly my own original material.  Frank plays the ‘Wood’ brand violin 6 or 7 string (fretted and fretless) models that produce cello range lows as well as regular violin ranges.  With Tony providing a solid foundation on percussions, Muse Fellows Project comes together quite nicely.”

To listen to Derberry’s music, visit www.reverbnation.com/clydederberry or www.myspace.com/clydederberry.

 In the Adam Growe Comedy and Quiz Show, contestants are rewarded for their knowledge, but there are always funny multiple choice answers to the questions.  Inbetween games, the Canadian comedian performs stand-up comedy.  The show is funny and unpredictable – even Growe doesn’t know what any particular contestant will say or do.

 Tickets are $40 and may be purchased online 24 hours a day at www.CabarrusArtsCouncil.org and Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the box office, in person or via telephone, 704-920-2753.

Growe, a licensed Toronto cab driver, is host of Discovery Channel Canada’s Cash Cab, a mobile quiz show in which taxi riders win prizes for answering trivia questions.  Born in New York, Growe has been performing professionally on radio, television and stage for more than 20 years.  He is one of Canada’s most accomplished and well-known comedians, starring in his own Just for Laughs Gala and Comedy Now! on CTV and CBC’s COMICS!

He has been featured on Comedy Central’s Premium Blend and CBS’s Star Search. He appeared in two seasons of the Monster Warriors television series, CTV’s Shades of Black:  The Conrad Black Story, CBS’s In the Hotel and BBC’s political mini- series The State Within.

Here’s what people are saying about Growe:

“…Adam is a brilliant performer who has the innate ability to immediately read
the crowd and deliver material that is extremely well received by his
audience….” (Scott Sternberg, Jackson Events)

….”Adam’s Comedy & Quiz Show was absolutely hilarious! Adam left the entire audience in stitches.”  (River Run Centre, Guelph, Ontario)

Read more about Growe at www.adamgrowe.com.

Growe’s performance is the final one in the 2011-12 On Stage at the Davis series of professional touring artists. Read more about him at www.adamgrowe.com.

Art Walk will take place 6-9 p.m. all over downtown Concord.  The film, Catching Dreams, will follow at 9 p.m. at the Davis Theatre.  Art Walk is organized by the Cabarrus Arts Council and sponsored by Waste Pro.

 The highlight of Art Walk will be the opening of the Garden Party exhibition at The Galleries, 65 Union Street S, Concord.  The group invitational explores artists’ visions of gardens and landscapes and includes paintings, photographs, pottery, carvings, sculpture and fiber art.  Two exhibiting artists will demonstrate some of their techniques:  Jim Carpenter, who carves wooden birds, and Joseph Sand, who makes wheel-thrown pottery.

Other artists in Garden Party include Margaret Agner, Stan Andersen, Sandy and Ann Batton, Elizabeth Bradford, Joyce Bramwell, Walt Cottingham, Chery Cratty, Bre Barnett Crowell, Jane Doub, Mike Durham, April Flanders, Michael Hamlin-Smith, Murray Johnston, Allison Luce, Stephanie Neely, Holden McCurry, Mary Paul and John Garland, Jay Pfeil, Pat Pilchard, Susannah Ravenswing, Stuart Roper and Yaffa and Jeff Todd.

There also will be artwork at 16 additional locations:  Clearwater Studios, 223 Crowell Dr. NW; The Peggy, 186 Spring St. NW; The Kendle House, 18 Union St. N; The Bead Lady, 1 Union St. N; Chocolatier Barrucande, 1 Union St. S; Mud Slingers Pottery, 3 Union St. S, Suite 110; J Talbert Ltd of Concord, 11 Union St. S; Gianni’s Restaurant, 16 Union St. S; 21 Union Gallery and Artists’ Space, 21 Union St. S; Boyd Afficher, 21 Union St. S; Lil Robert’s Place, 25 Union St. S; Past and Presents, 37 Union St. S; Ellie’s Coffee Shoppe, 37 Union Street S; Trashed – A Creative Recycling Studio, 38 Union St. S; Carm’s Café, 42 Union St. S; Little Feather, 42 Union St. S; and Piedmont Renaissance Center Ballroom, 57 Union St. S.

Artists will be on hand to talk about their work at many locations, and there will be live music at three places:  Mullis Music, 31 Union St. S; Lil Robert’s Place, 25 Union St. S; and Union Street Bistro, 48 Union St. S.

The film, Catching Dreams, is a documentary about Brian Flint, who left a secure job as a stockbroker to follow his dream  of being a trapeze artist in Cirque du Soleil.  It is presented by Modern Film Fest at the Davis, a collaboration between Modern Film Fest and the Cabarrus Arts Council.  It has not been rated by the MPAA, but Modern Film Fest estimates it would receive a PG.  The arts council recommends that you research the film to decide whether it is appropriate for you.  For more information, visit www.twinvisionentertainment.com. 

 For more information, call 704-920-ARTS (2787) or download the map with the link on the homepage.

The film series, which is a partnership between Modern Film Fest and the Cabarrus Arts Council, brings free screenings of independent films to the Davis Theatre.  A wide variety of films is included —  drama, comedy, documentary, shorts, even the classic horror movie Night of the Living Dead.  Often, the director or someone else related to the film there to talk about it and answer questions.  It’s a fun, casual and inexpensive way to spend an evening!

The next film is Catching Dreams on Friday, March 30, at 9 p.m. after the downtown Concord Art Walk. This documentary chronicles the eight-year journey of a one-time Olympic hopeful to reach the apex of his desire, becoming part of Cirque du Soleil.  Read more about it at www.twinvisionentertainment.com.

The other films scheduled are:

Thursday, April 5, 7 p.m.  The Day Carl Sandburg Died.  A film about the life and times of the world-renowned poet, historian, storyteller and musician. 

Thursday, May 31, 7 p.m.  Pig.   A mystery sci-fi thriller about a man who awakes with amnesia in the desert and undertakes a search for his past. 

Friday, June 15, 9 p.m., after Art Walk.  Redneck Roots. Billed as a “Southern fried love story,” this movie was filmed in our area and includes local people in the cast.

Friday, September 7, 9 p.m., after Art Walk. Wild Target.  A drama about a hitman whose attempt to retire may be thwarted by a beautiful thief. Features Emily Blount, Bill Nighy and Rupert Grint.

Thursday, October 11, 2012, 7 p.m.  The Whisperer in Darkness. H. P. Lovecraft’s classic tale of alien terror filmed in the style of a 1930s horror film.

Friday, November 16, 9 p.m., after Art Walk.  Snitch.  Originally titled Witness Insecurity, this film set in and  around China Grove, NC, is the story of a young man torn between loyalty to the crime family who raised him and his conscience.  Features Edward Furlong, Ed Asner and Meat Loaf.

Thursday, January 24, 2013, 7 p.m., The Trial. A capital case turns a small-town lawyer’s life around in this movie filmed in the Charlotte-metro area.  Features Matthew Modine and Rance Howard.

Friday, February 22, 2013, 9 p.m., after Art Walk.  Eyeborgs. An action thriller set in the near future filmed in the Winston-Salem area.

Thursday, March 21, 2013, 7 p.m.  Short films.

Friday, April 12, 9 p.m., 2013, after Art Walk.  Star Wars Uncut. Fans from around the world joined forces to create this truly different version of the popular film.

Look for lots more information about these films as we get closer to their screening dates.

 Part of the On Stage at the Davis performing arts series, Sagapool’s performance will be at 8 p.m. in the theatre at 65 Union Street S, Concord, in Cabarrus County’s historic courthouse.  Tickets are $39 and available at 24 hours a day at www.CabarrusArtsCouncil.org or at the box office, 704-920-2753, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

The six musicians who make up Sagapool met at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montreal in 1999.  Its music has earned major awards in Canada including the 2008 Instrumental Group of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards and the CBC/Galaxie “Rising Star” award in 2008.  It’s new CD, Sagapool, is being released March 6.  It performed in the United States for the first time in 2007 and has been playing all over North Carolina since last fall.

You may wonder how and why this group from Canada ended up in North Carolina in general and Cabarrus County in particular.  Noelle Rhodes Scott, president and CEO of the Cabarrus Arts Council was one of five members of the North Carolina Presenters Consortium who attended a showcase of Canadian artists in Nova Scotia in the fall of 2010. The trip was paid for by the Canadian government, which hoped the presenters would like the artists so much that they would hire them for performances here.  That is exactly what happened with Sagapool.  Not only did the presenters who went to Canada hire them, but they came back and talked about the group so enthusiastically that other presenters in the state did, too.

Sagapool is known for high-intensity, spirited live shows and quirky humor on stage. Everyone plays multiple, even most of the instruments, involved, so you never know when there’s going to be a switch or a surprise. 

Here’s what some reviewers have said about the group: 

“Six incredible musicians were on the stage of the “Cabaret de la dernière chance” last Thursday night, in front of a public they took about two minutes to conquer. Sagapool enchanted the place with its rich melodies and very precise playing.” (La frontier)

“The ensemble evokes carnival and circus music as well as nu-jazz acoustic and creation music, with electric piano Rhodes and small instruments that soften or slightly deconstructs. It is cheerful, lively, melodic, sometimes relaxing and very charming.”  (Le Devoir)

“The sparkling and festive music of Sagapool. Contagious “joie de vivre.” (Journal de Québec)

Sagapool may not be Irish (but there are members from Italy and Hungary), but this sure sounds like a great way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!

The multi-media exhibition is based on opposites, including interiors and exteriors, inner thoughts and outward expressions and the artists’ choices of methods and media.  The show includes paintings, photographs, quilts, glass art, baskets and sculptures.

Nineteen artists are included in the exhibition:  Luke Allsbrook, paintings; David and Veronica Bennett, glass art; Arless Day, collage paintings; Sharon Dowell, paintings; Greg and Carla Filippelli, baskets; Anita Francis, sculptures; Heather Allen Hietala, fiber and clay art; Martine House, fabric sculptures; Hanna Jubran, sculptures; Marina Konovalova-Bare, paintings; Gayle Stott Lowry, paintings; Virginia McKinney, clay sculptures; Dottie Moore, quilts; David Simonton, photographs; Deborah Squier, paintings; Mark Stephenson, paintings;  and Ginger J. Williamson, photographs.

The Galleries have fun activities for all ages in conjunction with the exhibition, including art work scavenger hunts for both children and adults.  Volunteer docents are available to give you a tour or you may enjoy the exhibition on your own.  Admission is free.

The Galleries are open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  For more information, visit the “Galleries” page or call 704-920-ARTS (2787).

The five are Butterfly Circus, Confederate Zombie:  Trail of Blood, This Is Not a Game, Easy Street USA and The Action Hero’s Guide to Saving Lives.  Russ Greene, director of Easy Street USA, will talk about filmmaking and answer questions.

“There are so many fantastic short films, often starring name actors, that people don’t even know about,” said Michael Knox, co-founder of Modern Film Fest.  “For instance, we are showing, The Action Hero’s Guide to Saving Lives  with Patrick Warburton, known for Rules of Engagement and the live action The Tick TV series, among other things.

”Just because a film only runs 10 to 20 minutes doesn’t mean it’s bad… it’s just hard to market. This collection allows us to showcase several shorts that people would not know about otherwise, one of which is Butterfly Circus, which is an absolutely gorgeous film with a circus set during the Great Depression. It also features Doug Jones, best known for his portrayal of Abe Sapien in Hellboy II.”

Sometimes short films are made in order to show investors what a feature would look like, said Knox.  Butterfly Circus and Confederate Zombie both fall in that category and are currently being produced as feature films.  Butterfly Circus is already well-known on the film festival circuit, having won several awards including the “Clint Eastwood Filmmaking Award,” “Best Short,” “Grand Prize” and “Audience Favorite.”

Filmmaker Greene will talk about filmmaking in general and his film, Easy Street USA.  That film is about a young, Southern lawyer who goes to New York for a job interview with the country’s most eccentric and intimidating federal judge.  After experiencing the weirdest encounter of his life, he is given an ultimatum that pits his morality against his ambition.  Both comically absurd and socially relevant, the film asks:  How far would you go to land your dream job?

The other films depict a Lincoln Long Coat hunting zombies in 1864 Georgia, a Depression-era circus story about a showman who provides hope to a man in a carnival sideshow and an action hero named Ace Mulligan who always comes out on top.

Modern Film Fest at the Davis is a joint project of Modern Film Fest and the Cabarrus Arts Council.  These short films include mature themes and language.  The arts council advises you to research them to determine whether they are appropriate for your family.  For more information, call 704-920-ARTS (2787).

A fun line-up of activities is planned:  visual art displays at galleries and shops on Union Street and beyond, entertainment and refreshments at several locations; artists demonstrating their techniques at The Galleries; and free short films at the Davis Theatre afterward.  Art Walk is organized by The Galleries at the Cabarrus Arts Council.

The Galleries at 65 Union Street S are featuring In and Out, a multi-media show based on opposites, including interiors and exteriors, inner thoughts and outward expressions and the artists’ choices of methods and media.  The exhibition includes paintings, photographs, quilts, glass art, fiber art, baskets and sculptures. Three artists from the exhibition will be in The Galleries demonstrating some of their techniques and talking to visitors:  painter and collage artist Arless Day, quilter Dottie Moore and painter Mark Stephenson.

There will be art work at 18 other locations:  Clearwater Studios, 223 Crowell Dr. NW; The Peggy, 186 Spring St.NW; The Kendle House,  18 Union St. N; The Bead Lady, 1 Union St. S; Chocolatier Barrucande, 1 Union St. S; Mud Slingers Pottery, 3 Union St. S; J Talbert Ltd of Concord, 11 Union St. S; Gianni’s Restaurant, 16 Union St. S; 21 Union Gallery and Artists’ Space, 21 Union St. S (downstairs); Boyd Afficher, 21 Union St. S (upstairs); Lil Robert’s Place, 25 Union St. S; Past and Presents, 37 Union St S; Ellie’s Coffee Shoppe, 37 Union St. S; Trashed – A Creative Recycling Studio, 38 Union St. S; Carm’s Café, 42 Union St. S; Little Feather, 42 Union St. S; Piedmont Renaissance Center Ballroom, 57 Union St. S; and The Veterans Museum, 65 Union Street S.

Three locations will have entertainment:  Lil Robert’s Place at 25 Union St. S, Mullis Music at 31Union St. S and (beginning at 8 p.m.) Union Street Bistro at 48 Union St. S.

For more information call 704-920- ARTS (2787) or click “map” in the green block to the left.