Calendar of Events

16 FEB Alaska Salsa Festival

Thu, Feb 16 – Sun, Feb 19

Alaska Dance Promotions, 300 E Dimond Blvd #11a Anchorage

17-19 FEB 61st Willow State Winter Carnival

Willow Community Center, Mile 69.5 Parks Hwy, Willow

17 FEB Woodrow

Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse

Fri, 8:30 – 11:59 PM 610 W 6th Ave, Anchorage

17 FEB Winter Classics

Alaska’s Premier Chamber Music

Fri, Feb 17 – Sun, Feb 19 3700 Alumni Dr, Anchorage

18 FEB Community Climate Fair

Sat, 10AM, Turkey Red Event Room 550 S Alaska St, Palmer

18 FEB H3 Returns!

Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse

Sat, 8:30 – 11:59 PM

610 W 6th Ave, Anchorage

18 FEB Wearable Art Show

Sat, 1st show at 3P 2nd show at 7P Palmer Train Depot, 610 S Valley Way, Palmer

18 FEB Matanuska Valley

Sportsmen’s Gun Show

Sat, Feb 18 – Sun, Feb 19

Alaska State Fairgrounds 2075 Glenn Hwy, Palmer

19 FEB Love is in the Air Matsu Orchestra for the Palmer Public Library Sun, 3:00P Palmer Train Depot, Palmer

19 FEB Avalanche Awareness 101

Revel Treks & Tours, Hatchers Pass Sun, 9:00 – 10:30 AM, Palmer

20 FEB President’s Day Holiday

Lunch with Lisa Murkowski

Mon, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Dena’ina Civic and Convention Center, 600 W 7th Ave, Anchorage

22 FEB Regina & Will

Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse

Wed, 7:30 – 11:00 PM

610 W 6th Ave, Anchorage

23 FEB Country Night at Eddie’s Sports Bar 8-11PM 6300 Old Seward Hwy, Anchorage

23 FEB Ladies Night Out(doors)

Thu, 6PM, Revel Treks and Tours East Cottrell Campus Dr, Palmer

23 FEB Open 3D Shoot Night at Screaming Eagle Archery

Thu, 6:30 – 8:00 PM 210 Park Ave, Wasilla

24 FEB Winter Wine Walk

Fri, 5:30 PM

Palmer Community Center (Depot), 610 S Valley Way, Palmer

24 FEB Cold Fusion

Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse

Fri, 8:30 – 11:59 PM 610 W 6th Ave, Anchorage

24 FEB The Red Velvet Cake War

Feb 24 – Mar 19, Valley Performing Arts 251 W Swanson Ave, Wasilla

25 FEB 21st Annual

Spaghetti Dinner & Auction for Special Olympics Mat-Su Mat-Su Career & Tech High School, 2472 N Seward Meridian, Wasilla

25 FEB University of Alaska Anchorage Men’s Ice Hockey at LIU

Sat, 10 AM – 1 PM 3211 Providence Dr, Anchorage

25 FEB Anchorage Rock Gem & Mineral Show Sat, Feb 25 – Sun, Feb 26 Midtown Mall, 600 E Northern Lights Blvd Anchorage

25 FEB 2023 Cowboy Ball

Sat, 6 – 10 PM, Evangelo’s Restaurant 2530 E Parks Hwy, Wasilla,

25 FEB Unknowns

Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse

Sat, 8:30 – 11:59 PM 610 W 6th Ave, Anchorage

25 FEB 2023 UTV Ice Race #6 Sat, 12 – 5 PM Wasilla Lake, Outside Everett’s

27 FEB Pregnant & Powerful

Virtual Class Mon, 9:00 – 10:15 AM

Yoga OM Alaska 960 S Check St, Wasilla

MAR 2-4

50th Annual Meeting of the Alaska Anthropological Association

William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center, 555 W. 5th Ave, Anchorage

2 MAR Kids Eat Free at Smashburger Thursday, Smashburger Wasilla

3 MAR Rhonda Scott Art First Friday Fri, 1P - 9P The Hotel Captain Cook in the Whale’s Tail, 939 W 5th Ave, Anchorage

3 MAR Thursday Night Fights Fri, 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM

William A. Egan Civic & Convention Center, 555 W 5th Ave, Anchorage

4 MAR 1st Saturday Vendor Market Sat, 3 – 11 PM, 350 E Dahlia Ave, Palmer

4 MAR Brunch at Bearpaw River Brewing!

Sat, 11 AM – 3 PM 240 E Railroad Ave, Wasilla

4 MAR Eileen Ivers

Sat, Mar 4 – Sun, Mar 5 Atwood Concert Hall, 6 21 West 6th Avenue, Anchorage

4 MAR 2023 Spring AGCA Palmer Show

Sat, Mar 4 – Sun, Mar 5 Raven Hall, Palmer

4 MAR Nothin’ But Trouble

Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse Sat, 8:30 – 11:59 PM 610 W 6th Ave, Anchorage

5 MAR 8th Annual Alaska Wild Sheep Foundation Banquet Sun, 4AM, 2075 Glenn Hwy, Palmer

MAR 8-11th Spring Garden Conference Starts at 4PM, APU Campus 4101 University Dr. Anchorage

9 MAR Winter Tree Identification

Thurs, 6P, Revel Treks and Tours Reflections Lake Trail, Palmer

10 MAR Glacier Hoppers

Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse

Fri, 8:30 – 11:59 PM 610 W 6th Ave, Anchorage

11 MAR MusiCal!-Live @ The Afterglow!

Sat, 12 – 3 PM Arctic Valley Ski Area, Arctic Valley Rd, Eagle River

11 MAR Missing: A Play Sat, Sydney Laurence Theatre 621 West 6th Ave, Anchorage

13 MAR Come Out In Jesus Name: Movie

Monday, Regal Takithnu & Century 16, 1102 N. Muldoon Rd, Anchorage

17 MAR Rosanne Cash

Fri, Mar 17 – Sat, Mar 18, Atwood Concert Hall, 621 West 6th Avenue, Anchorage

20 MAR Scaffolding — Alaska Laborers Training School Mon, Mar 20 – Tue, Mar 21

17805 Old Glenn Hwy, Chugiak

23 MAR Diggin Dirt - Palmer Thu, 6:30 – 10:00 PM Palmer Community Center (Depot), 610 S Valley Way, Palmer

24 MAR Peter Pan Mar 24 – Apr 9

The Glenn Massay Theater, 8295 E College Dr, Palmer

24 MAR Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show Fri, Mar 24 – Sun, Mar 26 Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center, 1001 S Clapp St, Wasilla

13 MAY, Clean Air Challenge (Bike Ride to Denali Hwy) Sat, Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge Talkeetna

Contributed by Jason Herr & Lainie Dreas

ANCHORAGE - “Collision of Rhythm” brings the noise to Alaska Junior Theater and the Atwood Concert Hall in March.

Festivities include a Champagne Reception, Hearty Hors d’oeuvres, Online and Live Auctions culminating in a Live Performance of “Collision of Rhythm”.

After two and half difficult years, Alaska Junior Theater has returned to the theater with the best professional live performances from around the world! This hybrid live/online event offers great ways to support AJT’s mission.

● Online Auction: Join us from home for over 200 amazing auction items starting March 17th and closing at 7:00 PM on March 25th . See these items in person starting at 2pm on Saturday, March 25th, while continuing to bid online.

● Champagne Reception with Hearty Hors D’oeuvres: Arrive at 5:30 PM to see the online auction items in person.

● Live Auction: Extraordinary Live Auction items including travel adventures, exquisite jewelry and collectible art.

● Live Performance: Join us live at the Atwood Concert Hall for “Collision of Rhythm” and enjoy the same quality show over 6,000 students will have seen during the week of school performances. This dynamic duo delivers a high-energy performance with a wide range of instruments combining drums, percussion, piano, marimba, saxophone and beatboxing with the unique elements of tap dancing and bounce juggling. This mind-blowing show has been described as “Stomp meets Blue Man meets Cirque du Soleil.”

Featured on The Tonight Show, America’s Got Talent, and Super Bowl commercials, this inspiring show is jam-packed with audience interaction, laughter and jaw-dropping perfor- mances for all ages and backgrounds.

Though there are only two of them, they fill the stage as a 12-person ensemble would, moving from instrument to instrument with a high level of skill and diversity. What’s created is a richly explosive experience like nothing else out there — rhythm-centered, but also full of melodic movement and dynamic depth. With drumming, tap dancing, rhythmic juggling, marimba, piano, saxophone, flute and so much more. Between choreographed musical pieces, there is audience interaction, humor, and personal stories that make this show all at once captivating, inspiring, and flat-out extraordinary.

Bronkar Lee is a musician, producer, and keynote speaker whose unique background includes touring Europe as ringmaster to a world-renowned circus, appearing with Jay Leno on the Tonight Show, and beatboxing with his son in a viral video that received over 200 Million views. He’s performed around the globe for companies including Disney,

YouTube, Facebook, as well as in Madison Square Garden.

Aaron Williams is a virtuosic tapdancing multi-instrumentalist, trained in classical music, jazz, and rudimental percussion technique. He achieved internet fame with his viral video, Mario on Marimba, which has received millions of views on Youtube, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media sites. He appeared in Coca Cola’s “America the Beautiful” campaign which aired during the Super Bowl, the Olympics, and the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony. He is the composer of “Jazzy Note Blocks,” the music behind Note Blocks – AVM Shorts Episode 5, which has racked up over 77 million views on youtube.

AJT’s presentation of “Collision of Rhythm” is sponsored by ConocoPhillips.

School show performances will be held March 22 – 24 at 10:00 AM and 11:45 AM in the Atwood Concert Hall at the

Alaska Center for the Performing Arts. While in Anchorage, the artists will give two after-school music/dance workshops in ASD Title I schools.

Wednesday March 22, 4:00 PM “Collision of Rhythm” - Muldoon Library Event These fantastic musicians and educators will read some rhythmic picture books. And then children have a chance to make their own rhythm instrument to take home. Muldoon Library: 1251 Muldoon Road #158.

For more information on Alaska Junior Theater and upcoming performances, please visit us online.

Contributed by Charice Chambers

William Taylor York loved art almost from birth. Even as a young child when given a choice of activities, he always chose the art project. Once in school, the pattern continued with a variety of art classes. In high school he sampled nearly all the art instruction offered to students. Carving, cartooning, portraiture, landscapes were all of interest to him.

He chose many mediums to express his artistic themes, though for many years pencil drawings of all types were his forte. York’s artistic interests continued throughout his college days at the University of Wisconsin. His artistic endeavors were not merely introspective. He wanted to share his love of art with others. His hope was that he could share the pure joy that art evoked in his life with those around him. Early on

York did a great deal of face painting for children at art shows and festivals at no cost. He hoped to bring youngsters the joy and delight of art and color. He did just that.

Though he spent much of his life in Wisconsin, York took repeated trips to Alaska to visit family members who had migrated there. He loved the place, its sense of freedom and its great expanses of unspoiled nature. At each departure, he longed to return one day.

Eventually he did return: to die! For many years his health had deteriorated to the point that he could barely walk a few steps before collapsing. Alaska seemed like a good place to spend his last days, so he moved to the Greatland. Then something strange happened. Rather than getting worse, his health improved. Soon the man who could barely put one foot in front of the other, was taking short walks and drinking in the beauty of Alaska. It was as though the land had healed him. He picked up some acrylic paint at a thrift shop and soon began cataloging all that he was seeing on his sojourns. From lakes to flowers and munching moose to soaring eagles, he captured Alaska on canvases of all sizes as well as on interestingly shaped tree limbs.

York, who uses his middle name, Taylor (because there are too many William’s in his family), was soon besieged by those seeking his art. Its simplicity, bold color and representational style appealed to many. Several of his paintings can be viewed at the Palmer Senior Center. York shares his love of art there through painting classes which he offers from time to time to the pleasure of a growing group of devoted students. His art may also be viewed in the gift shop where he exhibits and sells his pieces.

Matsu Senior Services Gift Shop is located at 1132 South Chugach Street across from Palmer Junior Middle School. The shop is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 am to 2 pm. Call 907 745-5454 for extended and special hours.

Contributed by Diane Paoletti

4 DAY WORKSHOP TO BE HELD MARCH 30,31 APRIL 1 & 2 .

If you are looking for a workshop that will help you create portraits you can be proud of, this is it! Join Charles Miano as he explains his accessible method for painting impactful classical portraits.

With Miano’s sculptural and massoriented approach to portraiture, you will realize your full potential of seeing and translate that to oil painting.

Miano’s method blends a perfect balance of an abstract, free approach with traditional studio technique. With this approach unleash your power of personal expression while maintaining the beauty and naturalness of realism.

You will learn to build a portrait painting, step-by-step from start to finish. You will grasp the differences in capturing both a male and female likeness. He will teach you the techniques to practice when working from life. You’ll also get a taste of what his Atelier Apprentices experience fulltime in the Guild Apprenticeship at his Academy.

Charles’ teaching has been described as fun and down to earth, yet the “real deal”. People are learning what it takes to achieve their dreams: understandable classic artistic methods for the 21st century.

Here is a preview of what you will learn:

-Exactly what materials and colors to use for oil painting.

-How to create a traditional portrait design or “disegno”.

-How to Block-in a grisaille with anatomical structure.

-How to achieve a likeness.

-How to approach visualizing color harmony.

-How to avoid muddy colors.

-How to avoid chalky colors.

-How to mix convincing flesh tones.

-How to achieve the proper color value.

-How to achieve the all important light effect.

-How to implement the use of edges.

-How to model form.

-How to paint features.

-How to capture the character of the sitter.

-How to impart beauty into the portrait.

-And so much more…

This course is designed for artists of all levels of experience. From new artists to advanced practitioners. Learning a method is the fastest way to build your skills. Charles’ method has proven to work for so many people over the last 20 years of his teaching. Find out why a method and practice mindset is one key reason Charles has been able to help many happy artists to live their dream.

Miano has always credited Nature as his primary teacher. As Leonardo Da Vinci once said, “Nature is the source of all true knowledge”. However, Charles’ formal Art studies began as traditional mentoring in the 1990’s at the New York Art Department of an international publishing company. There, he was mentored by accomplished illustrators of the time. Miano attended classes with Nelson Shanks at the founding of Studio Incamminati in Philadelphia, and has participated in workshop studies in Florence, Italy. Since opening Miano Academy in 2007, Charles has continued his studies of drawing and painting every day with the remarkable faculty he has assembled. Visiting Masters have included some of the most renowned Representational Artists of our time. He has placed enormous importance on studying the Old Masters. To that end, his passion has led him to copy the masters in Major Museums around the world. In pursuit of excellence in his craft, Miano continues his study of nature and the language of painting to this day.

Miano has taught traditional art and the “atelier method” for over 20 years. Through his academy and as its “handson” director, Miano is widely recognized for his attentive, intensive teaching methods and generous support of emerging artists.

There, he doggedly pursues in-depth, studies in the tradition of the Old Masters. Miano also travels the globe, teaching workshops and lecturing on representational art and his own artistic methods.

THIS ARTICLE CONTINUES ON THE NEXT PAGE

Charles Miano views teaching as an art, a privilege and an opportunity to inspire ideas and passion. For years he has cultivated a creative environment that has helped many achieve inspiring results in their personal artistic journey. He views workshops as a chance to share wisdom, knowledge and insights into the mysterious and often misunderstood craft of painting.

He is very generous in explaining and demonstrating the techniques he as accrued over years of studio practice, research and study.

He believes in helping others achieve their goals, no matter what level of experience. His students come away encouraged, with great inspiration and a deeper understanding of the fine art of seeing, eagerly anticipating the next opportunity to practice their newfound skills. Miano is an ARC associate Living Master & Founder & Director of Miano Academy of Art in Sarasota Florida. He is also an advocate of the revival of Classically Inspired Representationalism.

You can see more of his work at www.charlesmiano.com

For more information or to reserve your spot call Diane @ 907-355-4632 or email dianeypaol@gmail.com

Contributed by Drewcilla Holifield

Mat-Su Concert Band celebrates the musical wonders of our Alaskan home with a performance emphasizing music about the state and its people, including a world premiere of a new composition.

The “Portraits of the North” concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 11 at the Glenn Massay Theater at Mat-Su College. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $5 for students. Children under 5 get in free. Tickets can be purchased online at www. matsuconcertband.org.

The band is made up of nearly 70 volunteers who come from different walks of life and professions to play music under the baton of Gleo Huyck.

This concert features the world premiere of Anthony Susi’s “Alaska: The Last Frontier”. Combining traditional Alaska Native song lyrics and dance rhythms, this piece attempts to capture the spirit of Alaska’s indigenous peoples as seen in the inspirations for different sections: Kodiak Alutiiq Dance; Tsimshian Dance; and “Neets’ee T’yaa”, a Gwich’in two-step. Susi has been teaching music in Connecticut schools at the middle, high school and college level since 1985. A guest conductor and adjudicator, he has also composed and recorded seven CDs of original music.

The band will also perform “A Klezmer in Alaska” by Marcus Bishko, a teacher, performer and vocalist who presents workshops on the art of phrasing in the Klezmer tradition and taught music at Mat-Su College and the University of Alaska from 1997 until 2005. Klezmer music has its origins in Europe among the Ashkenazi Jews; the word is a Yiddish contraction of the Hebrew words for instrument (kley) and song (zemer).

“Kivgik” by Carl Strommen recognizes the “messenger feast” a ritual thousands of years old and still celebrated, most recently this year in early February at Barrow High School where hundreds gathered for dancing, visiting, feasting, sharing stories and exchanging their crafts. Three pieces by composer Robert Buckley -- “Arctic Fire”, “Land of the Midnight Sun” and “Iditarod” -- round out the northern theme. Huyck is one of three co-founders of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

The concert will include a few pieces off the main theme. “Nimrod” by Edward Elgar is the most played of the composer’s “Enigma Variations” and described as the most beautiful.

Composer Julie Giroux dedicated “In My Father’s Eyes” to the four little girls who died in the 1963 bombing of the 16th Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama that injured 23 others. Giroux called the bombing “an act of racial terrorism” in her program notes. “We remember and honor all of you. We have made strides but not enough.” The piece is written for wind ensemble, solo cello and singers.

Mat-Su Concert Band got its start in 1984 as the Mat-Su Community Band, formed by Matanuska Music owner Hank Hartman. Other directors have included Neil Long and Phil Munger.

Current director Huyck is a retired music educator and private instructor. Under his baton, the band performs a wideranging selection of challenging music.

The band this season numbers about 70 amateur musicians who assemble every Monday night for rehearsals at Teeland Middle School.

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