Artsminded: ’Tis the season for CAB and all things holiday

Lovers of the Arts, here’s a gift you can give yourself and the community! The RF Community Arts Base, our premiere local arts organization, needs you, and/or people you think would relish the opportunity, to become a member of the all-volunteer CAB board. This is a working board comprised of artists and people with a strong interest in advancing the arts in our region.

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In the new year, when CAB has its annual meeting, some new faces will be voted onto the board for a two-year term, beginning in February, to fill vacancies left by retiring board members.

If this gets you excited please notify Steve Preisler, president of the CAB board (715-425-7530 or price_stevens@msn.com) or Sue Beckham ( 715-425-7143 or Beckham@pressenter.com) that you are nominating yourself or someone you think would be dedicated to the endeavor.

There are also plenty of ways to become a CAB volunteer without serving on the board. Examples of ongoing events are the Spring Gala, Music in the Park, Art on the Kinni and Community Barn Dance.

Whether or not you’re able to serve CAB at this time, everyone is invited to come to the annual meeting to meet the board, other arts enthusiasts, and share in camaraderie and culinary treats. It’s at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, in the CAB office, downstairs at the RF Renaissance Academy. More info can be found at www.riverfallscab.org

Recently, at the yearly Wearable Art Fashion Show at Gallery 120 sponsored by Global M.A.D.E. and Interior Concepts, I had the best laughs and most fun I’ve had in a long time. In its third year, the event is now an integral part of RF Riverdazzle, the day after Thanksgiving. Local artists create and model their outfits for a standing-room-only crowd of community fashion buffs. MC Gary Peterson adds indispensable commentary to an already irresistible event. And, to boot, this year 11-year-old designer Kathryn Field modeled a tinsel dress she conceived and assembled to an awestruck audience. Kathryn, I hope you’ll take inspiration from the response you received and come back with another enchanting creation next year.

Kudos to the RF Community Theatre for a thoroughly entertaining performance of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. Once again, proof positive that the talent we need is here!

Thanks to the UW-RF Music Department for a wonderful array of holiday concerts. Worthy of special note was the recent Jazz Nutcracker Suite and Holiday Swing Dance featuring the UW-RF Jazz Ensemble at the Landmark Center in downtown St. Paul. The UW-RF Dance Department collaborated, adding pizzazz to this terrific event.

The RF Community Arts Base wishes you a warm and wonderful holiday season and an artful New Year!

Still to come are the following events and opportunities in our region (please confirm details):

--Continuing through Dec. 14, UW-RF Scholarship Art Sale at Gallery 101, KFA. FFI 715-425-3266.

--Continuing through Dec. 21, Gingerbread Houses at RF Public Library. People’s Choice voting from Dec. 9-15. Winners announced Dec. 16

--Continuing through Dec. 31, A Gift by the Hand Art Sale at Phipps Center for the Arts in Hudson.

--Continuing through Jan. 7, with a New Year’s Eve performance, “Don’t Hug me, I’m Pregnant” at St. Croix Off Broadway Dinner Theatre, Hudson House Grand Hotel. Call for reservations (715)386-2394.

--Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Dec. 15, 16, 17, 7:30 p.m., UW-RF Masquer’s Productions presents “The Boys Next Door” at KFA, Blanche Davis Theatre. Adults $10, seniors 60 or over, $8, students and children 12 and under, $5. Reservations 715-425-3114.

The following free UW-RF concerts are at KFA, ACH:

--Thursday, Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m., Falcon Band Concert