Sacramento arts roundup: Holiday music, Santa’s toys and more Thiebaud

As the holidays approach, the arts community in the Sacramento area is offering many events for those who want to stay busy while staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some experiences are now available in-person and there are still many available online. Supporting local arts with virtual events helps ensure those venues will be available in the future.

UC Davis will host a visiting artist lecture series in December. Kyle Dunn, who combines sculpture and painting techniques, will be featured December 3. Rita Gonzalez, head of contemporary art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, will speak December 10. https://manettishremmuseum.ucdavis.edu/

On December 5, the Crocker Art Museum will host a watercolor holiday cards class via Zoom. Attendees will learn several watercolor techniques while making a set of handmade holiday cards. The instructor is Karen Roughton, an artist and retired professor of art. More information and registration is at crockertart.org.

Also on December 5, the Crocker will host a panel discussion “Three Takes on Thiebaud,” as a part of its continuing Wayne Thiebaud celebration. The artist turned 100 years old last month. The discussion will take place on Zoom and will be moderated by Crocker Art Museum associate director Scott Shields. The panel features three people intimately connected to Thiebaud: his daughter Twinka Thiebaud, painter and professor Hearne Pardee, and critic and art historian Julia Friedman. Information and registration is available on crockerart.org.

December 10-30, Archival Gallery will present “The Toy Show.” The experience includes Archival Gallery’s signature display of vintage light-up Santas in the front window. Artists will create new works for the holidays inspired by toys. The show will be available during normal business hours and guests must follow COVID-19 protocols. More information is available on archivalgallery.com.

December 11 and 12, virtual audiences have three different chances to stream “We Need a Little Christmas: Broadway Sings for the Holidays.” The concert features holiday songs from Broadway musicals, and is part of the Sacramento Theatre Company’s Cabaret series. To buy tickets or read more, visit sactheatre.org.

On December 13, the Crocker program “In Conversation” will be “A Tale of Two Schorrs.” The event will be hosted on Zoom and will be a wide-ranging discussion about the traveling exhibit of Todd Schorr’s iconic Pop Surrealist art. Attendees will get a behind-the-scenes understanding of what goes into exhibition-based museum collaborations. For more information or to register, head to crockerart.org.

B Street Theatre offers many online entertainment options on a weekly basis. From music to social justice to improv, there’s something for everyone. They are also offering virtual acting classes for adults and children. Learn more about how to take advantage of these opportunities at bstreattheatre.org.

Camellia Symphony Orchestra has been gathering outdoors to rehearse and perform a commissioned piece by composer Aida Shirazi. Shirazi is a Ph.D. candidate in composition at UC Davis and was recently featured in The New York Times. The piece was commissioned to continue the orchestra’s mission of supporting female and underrepresented composers. They have recorded a professional video for “umbra,” by Shirazi, that is now available for anyone to enjoy, and can be found on music director Christian Baldini’s YouTube channel.

This story was originally published December 2, 2020 at 6:16 AM.