In The Arts

Noted blues artists to perform at church

Former Hollywood Fats Band blues artists Al Blake and Fred Kaplan will perform 10 a.m. Sunday at the Neighborhood Congregational Church, 340 St. Ann’s Drive.

As a child in 1950s Oklahoma City, Blake was fascinated by the Deep Southern Blues that played at the general store. Beginning as a collector of blues recordings, he soon began seeking out the artists and learning their music. Today, he brings not only his encyclopedic knowledge of the blues, but his talents as a vocalist, harmonica player, guitar player, harpist and songwriter.

Through Blake, Kaplan met Hollywood Fats in the early 1970s, playing first as the Headhunters trio, which evolved into the original Hollywood Fats Band. They recorded a self-titled album in 1979, later re-titled “Rock This House” when reissued on the Blacktop label.

Kaplan continues to record and tour worldwide, both as a solo pianist and as part of the Hollywood Blue Flames group.

Free parking is available behind the church at the corner of Cleo and Glenneyre, one block east of PCH. For more information, call (949 494-8061.

Mohja Kahf to appear at local benefit

Syrian-American poet and author Mohja Kahf will sign copies and discuss her latest novel, “The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf” during a benefit luncheon from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Women’s Club. Proceeds will support the Levantine Cultural Center.

The novel tells the story of Syrian immigrant Khadra Shamy, growing up in a devout Muslim family in 1970s Indiana. The book explores the fault-lines between “Muslim” and “American.”

Kahf defies stereotypes about Muslim women and what it means to wear the hijab. At the event, she will also read from her volumes of poetry, “E-mails from Scheherazad” and “Western Representations of the Muslim Woman.”

Cost is $40 and includes a Syrian lunch. For reservations, call (310) 657-5511.

LOCA holds annual meeting

The public is invited to attend the Laguna Outreach for Community Arts’ annual meeting and reception from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Pacific Edge Hotel, 627 Sleepy Hollow Lane. The theme is “Student Art: From the Campus, to Our Community.”

Hedy Buzan will present the “History of Collage,” revealing through images from war posters to Warhol how collage played an important role in 20th century art movements.

Another highlight of the evening will be the unveiling of “Tide Pool Life,” a ceramic tile mural created by eighth graders at Thurston Middle School. LOCA instructors collaborated with Thurston’s Linda Erickson to inspire the students’ work.

Opportunity drawings and wines by Alethia Vineyards will also be offered. Admission is $20 for guests, $15 for new members, payable at the door. For information, email LOCAarts@yahoo.com, or call (949) 363-4700.

‘Blue’ art benefits marine mammal patients

The Pacific Marine Mammal Center and Art Cube Gallery of Laguna Beach will feature an “All Blue” art exhibit through the month of October at the Gallery, 266 Forest Ave., to raise funds for rescued marine life.

All pieces on display will have a “blue” theme and 20% of the sales will benefit PMMC’s marine mammal patients.

A free premiere event will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 2, and will feature blue cocktails and appetizers from K’ya. Attendees are encouraged to wear blue.

Established as Friends of the Sea Lion in 1971, PMMC is a nonprofit whose mission is to rescue, medically treat and rehabilitate pinnipeds and cetaceans that strand along the Orange County coastline due to injury or illness; to release healthy marine mammals back to their natural habitat while preserving species diversity; and to increase public awareness of the marine environment through education and research.

For reservations, call (949) 376-8800. For more information, call (949) 494-3050.

210 AR4T Space will host the Southern California stop of photographer Chris Brunkhardt’s book release tour, “How Many Dreams in the Dark?” from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday.

The tour starts in Portland, Ore. at Studio NEMO, then Seattle with SNOCON, before heading to Laguna Beach, the only stop in Southern California. The evening will include limited prints never before offered to the public and original art from friends Carl E. Smith, Dan Peterka, Matt Donahue, Alex Bacon, Zach Egge and Mike Parillo.

“How Many Dreams in the Dark” spans two decades at the epicenter of the skate, snowboard and related music and art cultures from Portland to Prague. 210 AR4T Space is located at 210 N. Coast Hwy., Laguna Beach. For more information, contact 210 AR4T Space at info@AR4T.com.