Shemekia Copeland celebrates new album with concert

News release

AUBURN — Award-winning blues, soul and Americana singer Shemekia Copeland will celebrate the release of her powerful, trailblazing Grammy-nominated Alligator Records album, “Done Come Too Far,” with a live performance at the Auburn State Theatre March 30.

Possessing one of the most instantly recognizable and deeply soulful roots music voices of the time, Copeland is beloved worldwide for the fearlessness, honesty and humor of her revelatory music, as well as for delivering each song she performs with unmatched passion. Copeland connects with her audience on an intensely personal level, taking them with her on what The Wall Street Journal calls “a consequential ride” of “bold and timely blues.”

In addition to receiving a Grammy Award nomination, “Done Come Too Far” was honored as the 2022 No. 1 Blues Album of the Year by UK tastemaker magazine MOJO. The equally influential Americana music site No Depression named the release among the Top 10 best albums of the year. The album’s title track was the

No. 2 most played track on SiriusXM’s Bluesville channel, where Copeland continues to host her own daily radio program.

According to Copeland, “This album was made by all sides of me — happy, sad, silly, irate — they’re all a part who I am and who we all are. I’m not political. I’m just talking about what’s happening in this country.”

Gallery Continued from B1 and heart wide open to all of the possibilities,” Maloney explained. His exceptional skills led to a career as a photojournalist, beginning as a staff photographer at a small newspaper in the Bay Area, then to joining the San Francisco Chronicle in the 1980s. Until his retirement, he traveled around the world capturing images for the paper that memorialized moments in history.

While he especially enjoyed sports photography, including the World Series and the Olympics, he has since returned to his first love, photographing the landscapes and nature he discovers in locales from Yosemite to his own backyard.

The slower pace of living on 12 acres surrounded by nature in the Sierra foothills gives Maloney the time to focus on his passion, using the lens of his camera to capture the beauty he sees in the natural world.

Just under the waves off the coast of Mendocino lies Bowling Ball Beach, a geological wonder that awaits those who are resolute enough to visit it. For a photographer, it requires a treacherous hike from the bluffs above while laden with camera equipment. Timing the tides and weather are also factors, along with more than a bit of good luck. For Maloney, these elements came together — perfect tide and beautiful sunset — for him to create “Sunset Magic,” an image that transports the viewer into a realm that feels both dreamy and ethereal, a place where the viewer would find solace and wonder.

Maloney always wanted to photograph the beautiful bonsailike tree growing near Caples Lake in the high Sierra, capturing the image with a full moon rising behind it. However, the angle he sought only occurred once a month. Maloney’s willingness to sacrifice comfort to get the perfect image led to him braving the icy conditions of the nearby lake and lying on the freezing ground at eye level with the tree, as he wanted only a portion of the rock exposed in his shot. Despite the uncomfortable conditions and with an incredible degree of patience and perseverance, he caught the stunning image

With “Done Come Too Far,” Copeland hits harder than ever with musically and lyrically adventurous songs and jaw-dropping performances that are at once timely and timeless.

As for the continuing evolution of her music, Copeland is very clear. “Once my son was born,” she said, “I became even more committed to making the world a better place. On ‘America’s Child,’ ‘Uncivil War’ and now ‘Done Come Too Far,’ I’ve been trying to put the ‘United’ back into United States. Friends, family and home — these things we all value.” he envisioned, the aptly named “Bonsai Moonrise.”

Copeland was recently nominated for four Blues Music Awards for Album of the Year and Contemporary Blues Album of the Year (for “Done Come Too Far:), Song of the Year (for “Too Far To Be Gone,” written by John Hahn and Will Kimbrough) and Instrumentalist of the Year (Vocals). The awards ceremony will be held in Memphis, Tenn., May 11.

Hear Shemekia Copeland live at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 30, at Auburn State Theatre, 985 Lincoln Way in Auburn. For tickets and more information call (530) 885-0156 or visit auburnstatetheatre.org.

Maloney has the gift of seeing beauty even in chaos and destruction. Following the Caldor Fire, he set off to the Mormon Emigrant Trail area near Sly Park in El Dorado County, expecting a full moon rising at sunset. He climbed the hill and turning, he saw the sun setting into the distant western haze, silhouetting the remnants of charred trees against the smoldering burnt oranges of the sky and the sun’s flaming yellow. He captured the image, “Wildfire Sunset,” moments before the approaching night claimed it.

Ultimately, Maloney wants to share the joy he finds in the world around him. “With my images, I hope to encourage people to go and explore the world with a spirit of curiosity, astonishment and hope … to see the beauty that I see in this wonderful, but fragile environment we live in,” he said. “I hope my images draw the viewer in emotionally and move them in some way.”

Letting go

As with all good things, potterer Bruno said that her process begins with a lump of clay, and as a metaphor, it has the potential to take on many forms. Bruno’s love for clay and pottery took shape during her early childhood when she learned how to wheel throw from her grandfather. Her passion for the medium has not diminished with time. As a teacher, painter and potterer, she delights in sharing her knowledge with young people, just as her grandfather did with her.

To imbue the raw clay with form and function, Bruno starts with wedging, a process of pulling and pushing the clay on a board rather like kneading dough to remove air bubbles. Many steps follow over days or weeks to the final firing. Throwing, or forming the clay on the wheel, drying time, trimming, carving, imprinting the clay, attaching handles and adding other details are just the beginning of her process before the first “bisque” firing to remove any remaining moisture that could cause a piece to explode in the kiln. Then comes the glazing.

Bruno’s deep understanding of how the chemistry in the various glazes she brushes, dips and drips onto her ware interact with heat and the clay is revealed in the beautiful glazes that result. Her glazing choices range from earthy hues to jewel toned blues with lustrous hints of violet. Some of her pieces, like her series of ghosts and incense burners, have creamy white glazing. Other creations, like her charming ring dishes, feature dazzling colors with leaf and geometric designs. Her most intriguing glazes encompass a subtle sparkle, a surprising bit of shimmering treasure born of firing in the kiln.

As an art historian and anthropologist, Bruno enjoys incorporating cultural themes into her work. For example, a cup may feature a Mayan zodiac, a seer or a yin yang design, small plates could exhibit dots and swirl designs and she incorporated a Marauder’s Map and Ouija board themes onto her series of unique ghost night light covers. Bruno honors ancient Egypt with “Tomb Wall” and “Field of Reeds” and her lovely “Dendera Lightbulb” cup has an ethereal quality with its subtle depictions of ancient hieroglyphs. Many of her pieces are elevated by the addition of decorative chains and jewels, swirl designs and various textures.

Bruno is the creator of the brand Existential Entropy, which conveys the theme of existing in chaos: “From mud through fire, pottery experiences a metamorphosis just as we do throughout our lives,” she said.

“There is only so much I can control before I give it up to the kiln gods. The rest is in flux.”

Gold Country Artists Gallery, 379 Main St. in Placerville, features the work of many awardwinning regional artists working in fields as diverse as fine jewelry, photography, fused glass, wood turning, pastels, colored pencil, scratch board and watercolor, acrylic and oil painting. The gallery is open daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on the third Saturday of each month until 8 p.m. For more information call (530) 642-2944 or visit goldcountryartistsgallery. com.

Know Continued from B1 of El Dorado County hosts All About Roses, 9 a.m. to noon at the Sherwood Demonstration Garden, 6699 Campus Drive in Placerville. Join Master Gardeners who will cover the basics of what you need to know about these flowering favorites — from selection and planting to pests, care and pruning. Many gardeners are intimidated by the beautiful rose plant and think they are harder to grow than they really are. But the truth is, with just a little care and knowhow, you can grow gorgeous rose bushes that will produce perfect blooms for you to enjoy and others to marvel at season after season.

Golden Leaves Vineyard & Winery in the Fair Play area hosts a Spring Vine Event, March 25 & 26. Grow tempranillo, merlot or petit sirah in your own garden with a start from the vineyard. For more information visit goldenleaveswines.com.

Element 79 Vineyards in the Fair Play area hosts the Divining experience, a unique food and wine event at 11:30 a.m. For reservations and more information call (530) 497-0750 or visit element79vineyards.com.

The Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera presents two performances in Rancho Cordova — 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Sacramento Children’s Museum, 2701 Prospect Park Drive, and 2-5 p.m. at KP International Market, 10971 Olson Drive. All performances are free.

Smith Flat House hosts Back to the ‘80s Extravaganza, 8-10:30 p.m., featuring Shirl Jam. For tickets and more information call 9530) 621-1003 or visit smithflathouse.com.

Island of Black and White and Red Dirt Ruckus will perform 8 p.m. to midnight at The Green Room Social Club, 251 Main St. in downtown Placerville. For tickets and more information visit clubgreenroom.com.

See folk group The Trials of Cato, 7 p.m. at The Sofia, 2700 Capital Ave. in Sacramento. For tickets and more information call (916) 443-5300 or visit bstreettheatre.org.

March 26

Oakstone Winery in the Fair Play area hosts Paint & Sip, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jamie Nowell with The Healing Palette will guide guests through a beautiful scenic nature painting. For tickets and more information visit thehealingpalette.org/event-details/oakstonewinery-paint-sip-in-fair-play.

The Neon Moon Band will perform 4-7 p.m. at The Torch Club, 904 15th St. in Sacramento.

March 27

Vitalant will host an El Dorado Hills community blood drive, noon to 4:30 p.m. The Bloodmobile will be located in the parking lot near the baseball fields at the EDH Community Services District, 1021 Harvard Way. Donors will be entered into a drawing to win one of two $10,000 pre-paid gift cards from Vitalant, which can be redeemed by email. Make an appointment at donors. vitalant.org and use blood drive code SMFM019 or call Vitalant at (877) 258-4825 and mention the same code. Walk-ins will be accommodated if space allows.

March 28

Placerville FamilySearch Center, 3275 Cedar Ravine Road in Placerville, hosts Saving Photos and Documents in FamilySearch at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Learn to add pictures and documents to keep it for generations to come. Using your phone or computer scans, it is just a few clicks to get it done. For more information call (530) 621-1378.

Face in a Book in El Dorado Hills Town Center hosts a Dog Man Party, 3:30-4:30 p.m. to celebrate the release of “Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea.” Enjoy treats, games and more. For more information call (916) 941-9401.

March 29

“Let’s Make A Deal” — the Placerville Shakespeare Club annual Bridge Party will begin at 9:30 a.m. at the clubhouse, 2940 Bedford Ave. Play begins promptly at 10 a.m. The community is invited to a day of brilliant bridge, fabulous food and delightful door prizes. Men and women bridge players are welcome; $50 a pair includes a morning snack, lunch, cash prizes as well as door prizes. Partners will play together the entire day. Call Ruthie (530) 919-6392 for reservations and/or more information.

March 30

LunaFest, a program of short films all by, for and about women, will be held both virtually and in person. Virtually it will be available for 48 hours beginning at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 30, through Saturday, April 1, and in-person March 30 at the Cameron Park Community Center. Doors open at 6 p.m. and films start at 7 p.m. Small plates and beverages are available for sale but complimentary desserts are an event signature. Films celebrate unique, touching and inspirational roles of women in local, national and international communities. A raffle is also featured. Funds support education, especially for women and girls, as well as local agencies working to stop human trafficking. For more information go to lunafest.org/screenings and for ticket information go to: lunafest.org/screenings/hybrid-soroptimistcameron-park-el-dorado-hills-033023.

The El Dorado Hills Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors hosts the 2023 Installation & Business Awards Dinner, 6-9 p.m. at the Serrano Country Club. RSVP online at eldoradohillschamber. org or call (916) 933-1335.

Now

The Gilmore Senior Center in El Dorado Hills seeks volunteer art teachers to teach seniors two-day art lessons. The lesson can be in any art medium and will take place between May 1 and Sept. 30. Duration can be as long as needed: a week, month or quarterly. The center is open all week days and the lesson time slot is 2-4 p.m. For more information or to volunteer contact Chelsie Harrison at (916) 292-193 or charrison@edhcsd.org.

Watercolor Artists of Sacramento Horizons issues a call to artists to submit works for the 45th annual AWASH with Color juried membership show. All paintings must be entered online at client.smarterentry.com/WASH. Entry deadline is March 24 and the show runs March 28 through April 15 at the Sacramento Fine Arts Center.

The Mills Station Arts & Culture Center in Rancho Cordova, in partnership with the Smithsonian Institution, presents Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II through March 25. For more information visit rcmacc.org.