Art leads the way in February

Sure, there’s some theater on the calendar this weekend, but the big news comes from the world of art.

The Museum of Arts and Sciences is opening its fifth annual Emerging Artists Exhibition on Friday, featuring seven rising talents from around the Southeast. Coming March 2 will be a Night with the Artists, a $50 cocktail reception that will enable attendees to make purchases from the artists.

Also opening Friday night is Macon Arts Alliance’s “Triple Entendre” exhibition, featuring three artists — as you might guess. Currently on display at Middle Georgia Art Association is “Still Life” (through Feb. 10). Up next at MGAA is the Winter Arts Festival, opening Feb. 17 and said to be the oldest art exhibition in the area.

Another exhibition currently underway is paintings and drawings by Megan McNaught at Mercer University’s Hardman Hall. A gallery talk is slated for 6-7 p.m. Wednesday.

For those who don’t mind a short drive, Atlanta’s High Museum will be opening a large exhibition of American art this weekend. “Cross Country” comprises 194 works by such names as Ansel Adams, Edward Hopper, Grandma Moses, Georgia O’Keeffe and 80 or so others.

ON STAGE

Yes, there is theater on the calendar this weekend. In addition to the Civic Club’s charitable fundraiser “Downtown,” Pamela Parker’s “A Higher Place in Heaven” opens Friday night at Macon Little Theatre. It’s a prequel to last season’s “Second Samuel.”

Also coming up in February is Somerset Maugham’s sophisticated comedy “The Constant Wife” at Theatre Macon and “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” at Perry Players.

Looking ahead to next month, the big news is that the Backlot Players will soon be presenting Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible.” Friday night the group is hosting singer John Berry at the Monroe County Fine Arts Center. I can’t tell you how excited I was to see that the Forsyth event was ambitiously listed in the Atlanta press.

DESTINATION CITY?

The same day that I read the exciting news about Gary Wheat’s arrival at the Macon-Bibb County Convention and Visitors Bureau, I read a summary of proposals under consideration by the Georgia General Assembly. Among them was one calling for the creation of two “destination resorts” in Georgia. One would be in Atlanta, the other would be in one of Georgia’s other “destinations”: Savannah, Columbus or Augusta. Are you kidding me? Where’s Macon?

Let’s hope Wheat rolls up his sleeves and starts telling our story.

This story was originally published February 1, 2017 at 7:02 AM with the headline "Art leads the way in February."