Mura Etrusche by Don Kimes; acrylic, oil, wood and volcanic ash, 1997; 16″ x 12″

>> This evening George Washington University’s Luther W. Brady Gallery will add a new sculpture to its permanent collection. The piece, created by Carol Brown Goldberg, will be on display with a selection of Goldberg’s other sculptures and works on paper. Her sculptures begin their lives as every day objects such as light switches, vegetable peelers, and wall sockets before joining each other in a fragile piece of art that is then cast in bronze. An opening reception with the artist will take place tonight from 5 to 7 p.m.

>> Tomorrow evening’s Phillips after 5 offers something fun and different – a shadow puppet show inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s Eureka set to an original score that will be performed by songwriter ellen cherry. There will be a gallery talk about Henri Rivière and his photographs of “the city of light.” Rivière and Paris: From Le Chat Noir to the Eiffel Tower will take place at 6 and 7 p.m. The evening will have music provided by DC Jazz Composers Collective and will feature a vintage photobooth. Events run from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Reservations strongly advised. $12 general admission; $10 for visitors 62 and older and students; free for members.

>> Winter doesn’t offer a lot in the way of color but if you’re looking for something to brighten your day then you should check out Pete McCutchen’s show at Touchstone Gallery opening on Friday. Tracks features sections of roller coaster track that has been isolated and photographed against a clear sky. The resulting images have a vibrancy of color that is upbeat and fun. 6 to 8:30 p.m.

>> The First Friday Reception at Studio Gallery offers a chance to check out a handful of exhibitions opening this week. These Women by Amy Davis features a series of paintings of imaginary women; Unrealities by Peter Karp challenges the viewers imagination through his photographs and assemblages that explore the tension between geometric shapes and the human form; Cryos by Iwan Bagus examines the relationship between self-consciousness and time and space through his use of ice as the frame for his self-portraits; and finally A Person and a Story is an exhibition that features the work of local D.C. artists and some of their favorite portraits. Photographs from Keith Lane, Jim Darling, Joshua Cogan, Joshua Yospyn, Matt Dunn, and David Y. Lee are included. 6 to 8 p.m. An artists’ reception will take place on March 10 from 4 to 6:30 p.m.

>> Before the Romans, Italy was inhabited by another group of people known as the Etruscans. Bits and pieces of their culture can still be seen in parts of Umbria and that is where Don Kimes got his inspiration for his exhibition Etruscan Memories at Fondo del Sol. Kimes’ oil paintings and rustic steel pieces recall the passage of time and this almost forgotten culture. An opening reception and artist talk will be held on Friday from 7 to 9 p.m.

>> If you’re interested enough in art that you’ve considered collecting pieces then you may want to attend Opportunities in Collecting: The Washington Color School on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at Hemphill Fine Arts Gallery. George Hemphill will discuss the history of the Washington Color School movement, current pricing, acquisition opportunities, and related art investment issues.

>> We’ve all experienced that moment of creative block when something that used to flow readily and easily no longer does. Figuring out how to break through it is always a challenge and for Marian Osher it took a lesson from her yoga instructor to help her break through. ART*SPARKS, Rekindling the Gifts at the Washington Printmakers Gallery will offer visitors mixed media, multi-dimensional views of Osher’s explorations and insights that helped her to finally get through her creative block. Opening reception Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. with an artist talk at 1:30 p.m.

>> In this town it’s not always about what you know, it’s about who you know and that was definitely the case for the artists chosen by Grayson Heck, creative manager at artdc, to be in the new exhibition Hand Picked at The artdc Gallery. Heck used the connections and relationships he has built through the University of Maryland and artdc.org to hand pick six D.C. area artists with work ranging from wet plate photographs to prints on paper and more. An opening reception will be held on Saturday from 7 to 10 p.m.

>> The new exhibition opening at The Fridge on Saturday might sound like it’s related to a game of checkers but instead it’s an examination of power and domination. King Me: Studies in the Uncivilized World will feature the work of 12 artists and a variety of media including painting, printmaking, drawing, sculpture, and video. The work will also span generations with pieces from as early as 1977, a collection of new, and a commissioned piece by Adrian Parsons. 7 to 11 p.m.

>> The free movie series PhotoFilm! continues at the National Gallery of Art at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday with the The Filmic Photographic theme which focuses on the image, the process of finding it, the act of shooting it, and then describing it. Monday’s theme, The Photo Novel, showing at 6:30 p.m. at the Goethe-Institut includes a collection of narrative photo films in which different worlds appear next to each other.

>> Last year the (e)merge art fair featured 80 exhibitors with work by artists from 21 different countries. Applications are currently being accepted for the second edition of this amazing event that will take place October 4 through the 7. While all work will be considered they are careful to point out that “projects involving experimental works in non-traditional formats are especially encouraged. Such work may include installation, conceptual art, performance, new media, or the inventive use of materials to express challenging concepts.” I expect to see the DCist commentariat’s as yet to be named performance piece involving Poopy the Magic Hobo, pudding, shaved pandas, and Molly! as the not to be missed event of the fair. (Seriously, can you guys get on that?) The application deadline is April 27.

Art Notes:

• The Center for Green Urbanism will be hosting an opening reception for Herstory 7: Journey of Creative Spirits on Friday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. This year’s show focuses on the journey the artists’ take to explore their inner creativity.
• Gallery 555dc is hosting a champagne reception for Jackie Hoysted’s Girls – Nice Doesn’t Cut It on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. The artist will be present from 3 to 5 p.m.
• The Marsha Mateyka Gallery will hold an opening reception for the Jae Ko exhibition on Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m.