Toddler Exploration Time – What’s in a Desert
Friday, Feb. 19, 9:30 to 10 a.m., Zoom with the Oak Park Conservatory
Young explorers join education docents for stories. Each month is a different topic. Next up: March 19 – Sounds. Register: pdop.org.
Tree & Shrub Pruning Basics
Thursday, Feb. 25, 7 to 8 p.m., Virtually with the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory
Winter is the best time of year to prune deciduous plants. Learn when to start, how to take a critical look at trees and shrubs, and the best approach to promote shape and thin plants before spring. Free. Register: pdop.org
Caesar and Patricia Tabet Poetry Reading: Joy Harjo
Thursday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m., Virtually with Dominican University
See Harjo, the first Native American appointed as U.S. Poet Laureate (2019), read selections from her nine books of poetry, including An American Sunrise, Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings and She Had Some Horses. Harjo is a member of the Mvskoke/Creek Nation. Free, $10, suggested donation. Register: dom.edu/arts-minds.
Candidate Forum – River Forest Village President and Trustee Candidates
Thursday, Feb. 18, 7 p.m., Zoom with Arbor West Neighbors
Learn more before the April 6 election. This forum focuses on Issues of interest to older adults. Zoom Meeting ID: 816 5335 5209, passcode: AWN. Next up, Feb. 25, OP Village President candidates. Submit candidate questions/more: edsolan@gmail.com.
Winter Warmth Concerts
Wednesdays, through March 10, 4 to 5 p.m. and after, virtually with the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest
Each week, a new mini concert is released, performed by members of the Symphony at Pleasant Home. Feb. 17 features Mozart’s Duet for Violin and Viola No. 1 in G Major. The Feb. 24 concert features Bach’s The Art of the Fugue and String Quartet, Mov’t No. 4, written by the Symphony’s Keith Jones, who will also play viola. March 3 brings solo music for flute and tuba along with a Vivaldi Concerto for Two Cellos. The concluding concert on March 10 is Ireland’s Downland Suite. Individual performances: $9, Oak Park residents; $12, non-residents. Series (includes 6 concerts): $54, Oak Park residents; $67, non-residents. Register by 3 p.m. each Wednesday to see the new concert or sign up for the whole series: pdop.org, 708-725-2000.
Walk Like an Egyptian: Understanding Egyptian Art in its Ancient & Modern Contexts
Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2 to 3 p.m., Zoom with the Oak Park Library
While animal-headed gods, brightly painted coffins and hieroglyphic writing are recognizable as ancient Egyptian artifacts from modern museums and pop culture, to properly understand Egyptian art, it should be considered in its original context, divorced from its modern representations. Presenter Luiza Osorio da Silva, graduate student from The University of Chicago, will reveal the complexity and beauty of Egyptian art. Brought in partnership with U of C Center for Middle Eastern Studies. Register: oppl.org/calendar
Fragility of the Sacred
Through Saturday, Feb. 20, Virtually with The Ferguson Art Gallery at Concordia University Chicago
See Beth Shadur’s watercolor painting series, which integrates ideas, text and visual images with the theme of fragility. Shadur, who has exhibited across the U.S. including at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Drawing Center in New York City, says, she is “looking at fragility of not only the wider environment, but the fragility of our own lives.” The gallery is closed. View anytime online: CUChicago.edu/ferguson.
The Art of Alfred Hitchcock
Monday, Feb. 22, 1:30 p.m., Zoom through the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association
This program will take a closer look at some of the specific visual strategies that the Master of Suspense employed in some of his well-known works, especially the voyeurism trilogy: Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958) and Psycho (1960). $15, suggested donation; free, members. Register: nineteenthcentury.org
Family Book Club
Sunday, Feb. 21, 3 to 4 p.m., Zoom with the Oak Park Public Library
Bring family together with this offering aimed at kids in elementary school and their households to learn, share and discuss important topics. This month, read Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford, available through the library as a book and an ebook through Hoopla. Join for a librarian-led discussion with the community on Feb. 21 or discuss as a family using a resource guide. Register/more: oppl.org/calendar
Conversations on Hemingway
Tuesday, Feb. 23, 6 p.m., virtually with WTTW
In conjunction with the upcoming PBS documentary, Hemingway, A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, nine talks have been scheduled, which include the filmmakers and special guests exploring Hemingway’s art and legacy, and features clips from the three-part documentary. First up: Hemingway and Childhood. Free. Register/more: hemingwaybirthplace.com/programs-events
