April 02, 2009

Another Art Walk, plus plenty about books

The first show you want to check out this Friday is Thin Blue Lines, the police photography exhibit at Portland City Hall (389 Congress St.). The show's available for viewing from 4:30-6 pm and there will be a community dialogue from 6-7 pm. Local photogs like Dave Wade, Rose Marasco, Kate Philbrick and Jeff Swanson will be joined PPD photogs like officers Chris Mitchell, Gayle Petty, Karl Geib and Victor Cote and Detective Mary Sauschuck. The show's free. Find out more at www.artsandequity.us.

If you're in the mood for some sporty pictures instead, head up Congress Street to Gorham Bike & Ski (693 Congress St.) to check out the show "Motion" by Eric Warren. He uses blurring and stop-motion techniques for his photos of sports like cycling, kayaking and dog sledding. Or skip up to the East End to see Donald Verger's "Faces of Innocence" at Hilltop Coffee Shop (90 Congress St.) or Marc Poirier's oil paintings at St. Lawrence Arts Center (76 Congress St.). They're all free.

But if you prefer your art in three dimensions, you do have an option. Check out Portland Playback Theatre (at First Parish UCC Church, 425 Congress St.) for an evening of improvisational telling of audience stories. It happens every First Friday and it's worth the $5. Find out more at www.portlandplayback.com.

On Saturday we turn our attention to the book - in fact it's the Maine Festival of the Book, and every event is free.

The April 4 sched includes:

"The Changing Face of Maine: New Mainers" at 9:30 am (yeah, I know it's early) in Room 109 of the USM Abromson Center in Portland. It's a multi-media presentation by Reza Jalali.

"The Writing Life" at 12:30 pm in Abromson Center Room 214. Ann Hood is the author of "The Knitting Circle" and "Comfort: A Journey Through Grief." She'll discuss how words deserted her after losing her 5-year-old daughter and how she found hope and the ability to write again in unexpected ways.

"Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" at 2 pm in Room 214. Bill Burke discusses his New York Times best-seller about Ted Turner and what it was like to get up close and personal with the man.

And if none of those options thrill you (c'mon, Ted Turner!), check out the Annual Poetry Party at 7 pm at the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies (561 Congress St.). There will be a Port Youth Spoken Word performance followed by a cocktail hour with the Highball Jazz Trio and the North East Regional Poetry Slam invitational. And it's free.

After all that literature, Sunday's saved for music. And you can get out to the country for some $4 jamming at the Roost (62 Chicopee Rd., Buxton). The place will be rockin' from 1-6 pm with an open stage from 3-4 pm. Show what you can do with unplugged stringed instruments or just have a listen.

Back in town and on the East End, North Star Music Cafe is celebrating two years. Hear the Squashing Gourds for free at 11:30 am or venture out in the evening for a 7 pm show by Wood to Stone to Sea. There's a $5 suggested donation.

And if you're in the mood for good music for a good cause, get over to Andy's Old Port Pub on Commercial Street for a party to support the Long Island Community Center. There will be free music and door prizes, food for purchase and a silent auction to take part in. The fun lasts from 2-5 pm.