Mugs of Love sales to benefit LINK

A pair of Lawrence artists are selling holiday gifts that give twice — once to the recipient and once to a local charity.

Amy Carlton and Scott Garrette, above, have hand-thrown 100 ceramic mugs that are for sale online and at La Prima Tazza, 638 Mass. They’ll donate $3 from each $16 mug sold to the Lawrence Interdenominational Nutrition Kitchen, which is in the basement of the First Christian Church, 1000 Ky., and provides free lunches for up to 150 people four times a week.

“You can actually buy a gift for somebody and it sort of gives twice: You’re also giving to people who don’t have any food to eat,” Carlton says.

If all 100 mugs sell, LINK would get a $300 donation from the artists.

The project, which Garrette and Carlson are calling Mugs of Love, also has an educational component. The artists documented the entire process, from throwing the mugs to pulling the handles, applying glazes and firing the mugs in Garrette’s kiln. Photos and explanations can be found on the same Web site where the mugs are for sale: www.firstinsightmedia.com/mugs/mugs.html.

Free State ensembles to give concert

The Free State Orchestra and Jazz Ensembles will present a Winter Concert at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Free State auditorium.

Admission is free.

The orchestra is under the direction of Lynn Basow, and the Jazz Ensembles are under the direction of Avian Bear and Tom Hunt.

Children’s Holiday Shop to open Saturday

Hearts for the Arts, the Lawrence Arts Center Women’s Auxiliary, is preparing to set up shop Saturday, when it will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Children’s Holiday Shop.

The Holiday Shop is a safe and fun shopping environment for children ages 3-12. Parents wait outside the shop while children are escorted by an elf to purchase gifts priced from $1 to $5. The gifts are also wrapped so they are kept secret until open.

Making appearances at the event will be Santa Claus and Baby Jay. The Lawrence Arts Center preschool also will be having a cookie sale.

The event begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Lawrence Arts Center. For more information, contact 842-1010.

KU Flute Choir ushers in holidays

Kansas University’s Flute Choir will perform a special holiday concert 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in Swarthout Recital Hall.

Admission is free.

The Flute Choir is a 19-member student ensemble formed this year, directed by David Fedele, assistant professor of flute, and his graduate teaching assistant, Kate Bergman.

The group will present a program of holiday music and hopes to have a CD of holiday music ready for sale by the time of the concert to fund instrument purchases, and perhaps cover costs for a trip to perform for the Kansas City Flute Assn.

For more information, call 864-3436.

KU Symphonic Band to perform

The Kansas University Symphonic Band will perform 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Lied Center. Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students and seniors.

The Symphonic Band is an ensemble of 50 music and nonmusic majors selected by audition. Tom Stidham, associate director of bands, conducts the group.

The concert will feature a variety of diverse works, including “Dramatic Fanfares” by Morton Gould, “Variations on a Korean Folk Song” by John Barnes Chance, “Imani” Sean O’Loughlin and Tschesnokoff’s “Salvation is Created.”

For more information, call 864-3436.

Winners announced in SUA photo contest

Winners have been selected for the fourth annual Student Union Activities Student Photo Contest.

The winners were: Heather York, best roll; Andre Aton, best portrait; David Armstrong, best abstract; Popy Suthiwan, best reflection; Ravi Desilva, best nature; Nathan Freise, best light/shadow; and Weng Au, best spirit of a Jayhawk. Desilva also won Best in Show.

SUA gave students a free roll of film and then developed it for them. Submissions were judged on creativity and artistic skill by the Fine Arts Committee.

The work of contest winner is on display in the Kansas Union Gallery on level four of the Union.

KU Camerata to perform at Spencer

KU Camerata, a Kansas University student orchestral ensemble, will perform a special concert 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the central court of the Spencer Museum of Art.

The 15-member group, under the direction of Steven McDonald, will perform baroque and classical music, including selections by Handel, Bach and the English composer William Boyce.

Admission is free. For more information, call 864-3436.

Collectible ornaments to be displayed

Vivian Commons, collector of old-fashioned Christmas ornaments, will share items from her collection at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Watkins Community Museum of History, 1047 Mass.

A collector for two decades, Commons’ collection features ornaments from Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia and the United States. She will discuss the history of glass ornaments and their evolution through time. Attendees are encouraged to bring ornaments from their own collection, and reference books will be provided to aide in identification of these ornaments.

This “Know Your Antiques” session is free and open to the public. Donations are suggested. For more information, call 841-4109.

KPR comedy show cleans up at awards

Right Between the Ears, the popular sketch comedy series produced by Kansas Public Radio, achieved a rare triple recognition at the 2003 Communicator Awards.

The series received three Crystal Awards of Excellence, the highest award possible, in three categories: Writing/Humor, On-Air Talent/ Acting and Radio Programs/Live Broadcast. Only one other entrant in the 2003 competition received more Awards of Excellence.

The Communicator Awards is an international competition that recognizes outstanding work in the communications field.

Right Between the Ears is produced by KPR’s Darrell Brogdon, who also serves as the series’ principal writer.

Tonganoxie High schedules Madrigal Feast

Tonganoxie — Tickets for the second annual Madrigal Feast, presented by the Tonganoxie High School vocal music department, are on sale.

The event begins at 6 p.m. Dec. 12-13 at the Tonganoxie Christian Church. In addition to musical entertainment, the evening will include a four-course Renaissance-style dinner complete with a wassail toast and “roasted boar.”

Tickets are $15 and are available by calling (913) 845-2654.

Nelson-Atkins Museum celebrates 70 years

Kansas City, Mo. — Kansas City’s Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art will mark its 70th anniversary with a community celebration.

Festivities begin at 5 p.m. Friday with a free tour revealing the history and little-known facts about the museum’s early beginnings. Artworks that were in place at the museum’s original opening will be highlighted on the tour, which will be repeated at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Other activities include a revival of a family sketching activity from the 1950s. Popular toys from the 1930s era, on loan from the Toy and Miniature Museum of Kansas City, also will be displayed.

Free music by the Horace Washington Band will be provided in the Rozzelle Court Restaurant, and free cake will be served in Kirkwood Hall starting at 7 p.m.

For more information, call (816) 561-4000.

Kemper Museum prepares for 100th exhibition

Kansas City, Mo. — For its 100th exhibition, the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art will display works from its permanent collection in “Staff Selections: Permanent Collection.”

The show, which opens Friday, features 40 pieces selected by museum staff, including paintings, sculptures, prints and photographs. Some of the recognizable artists include Georgia O’Keeffe, Steven Assael and Andy Warhol. The staff also will explain why they chose the works.

The exhibition will run through Feb. 22 and is free and open to the public.