HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – Don’t miss all these fun and interesting events in the Holland area this week!
2/1 Monday: Urban Punk: Digital Paintings by John Leben at the Holland Area Arts Council- Project yourself into a different world; a fantasy world… one that may seem familiar to you. In this world, we watch, blindly, as our farms turn to deserts, our cities are flooded, and our population explodes. This world is ailing, but we optimistically look forward to better times when technology will solve all our problems. But will it? Can environmental bureaucrats re-engineer our society to be greener? We trust them with our lives and our environment, even as they unleash unproven technology to unexpected consequences. We may laugh at their antics and their solutions, but we are optimists and they are powerful. Is this world better for their involvement? Is the air cleaner? The water more pure? The harvest more plentiful? Or do their reckless projects mock the ideas of renewal and redemption? These are the themes of The Urban Punk Series, which use surrealistic imagery, fantasy, and, yes, humor to show a world of inept leadership and absurd solutions to environmental problems. Each painting tells the story of our constant efforts to make things better. Each one reflects our naive certainty that technology will solve our problems. Is there optimism in these paintings? You be the judge. John Leben has an extensive background in art and the creative use of different mediums. 150 E 8th St, Holland; 10am-8pm; Free.
2/2 Tuesday: Open Mic Nights at the Park Theater- House band and drink specials! Hosted by Dave Dziuban (Doobie). 248 South River Avenue, Holland; 8pm-Midnight; $2 door.
2/3 Wednesday: Toy Stories: the Toy Collection of Tom & Merrill Taylor at the Holland Museum- Tom and Merrill Taylor developed an interest in antique signs and advertisements in the 1970s. This interest sparked their passion for collecting and it wasn’t long before their interests grew to include a large, diverse collection of vintage toys. 31 West 10th Street, Holland; 11am-4pm; Adults $7, Seniors $6, Students $4, Children under 6 free.
2/4 Thursday: Jack Ridl Visiting Writers Series: Aminatta Forna at Jack H. Miller Center for the Arts- Aminatta Forna is the award-winning author of the novels The Hired Man, The Memory of Love and Ancestor Stones, and a memoir The Devil that Danced on the Water. She was born in Scotland, raised in Sierra Leone and Britain, and spent periods of her childhood in Iran, Thailand and Zambia. “She threads her stories like music. . . . One is left hauntingly familiar with the distant and alien; not quite able to distinguish the emotional spirits of fiction from the scars of real experience.” -The Times (London). 221 Columbia Ave., Holland; 7pm; Free.
2/5 Friday: 2 Hour Demonstration Class – Date Night at Fustini’s: California Bistro- A night out with fresh fine dining, showy entertainment and great company. Watch all the action at the show table and maybe learn a few things along the way. Camembert with Figs; Butternut Squash Risotto with Bacon and Maple Balsamic Syrup; Curried Shrimp with Pear Chutney; Beef Tenderloin with Golden Beets and Gorgonzola; Cara Cara Cream Ambrosia Cake. Includes a 10% discount on products purchased the night of class. Payment is expected at time of registration as seats are limited. Please notify Fustini’s of any dietary restrictions. 24 East Eighth Street, Holland; 6-8pm; $49 per person.
2/6 Saturday: 18th Annual Super Bowl Spectacular Sportscard and Memorabilia Show at Doubletree by Hilton Hotel- West Michigan’s premiere sports card and collectible show will take place once again during the Super Bowl weekend. Quality dealers from Michigan and beyond will offer vintage and new sports cards, memorabilia, autographed items, and much more! Admission is FREE, and door prize drawings will take place throughout the show. Special guest Ray Bentley will be signing free autographs from 10-1. A west Michigan native, Ray played for 10 years in the NFL, and played in Super Bowl XXV and XXVI. He is now a sports commentator for ESPN college football, and is a children’s book author. Mr. Bentley has most recently written a novel, which will be available at the show. Be sure not to miss this fine sports collectible show! 650 East 24th St, Holland; 9 AM to 3 PM; Free.
