Artini, Muse Machine's 'Cats' and more Dayton region art news

Aug. 11—A Jellicle Ball is on the horizon.

Muse Machine, Dayton's esteemed arts education organization, has chosen Andrew Lloyd Webber's iconic "Cats" as its 40th student musical, slated to take place Jan. 16-19, 2025 at the Victoria Theatre.

Adapted from T.S. Eliot's 1939 book of poetry, "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats," the blockbuster hit debuted in London's West End in 1981. The musical transferred to Broadway in 1982 and won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical.

The story concerns a group of colorful cats gathering for an annual ball with the hope of having a chance to be reborn into a new life. Songs include "Rum Tum Tugger," "Macavity," "Mr. Mistoffolees," and the legendary "Memory."

Tickets will go on sale through Dayton Live beginning in mid-November.

Muse Machine's mission is "to change the lives of young people through the arts." The organization's programs serve 77,000 students and 600 teachers in 13 counties. For more information about Muse Machine, visit musemachine.com.

Culture Works annual Artini at Dayton Arcade

Culture Works will present Artini, its fifth annual friend-and-fundraising event, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15 in the Tank at the Dayton Arcade, 35 W. Fourth St., Dayton.

Artini partners local artists with area restaurants and bartenders to craft unique and flavorful cocktails and mocktails inspired by the artists' work.

"Artini is one my favorite Culture Works events," said Culture Works Director of Engagement Curtis Bowman, in a press release. "I love that the event engages and promotes local restaurants and local artists and how our local mixologists use their art partners' submitted art pieces to craft the look and taste of their Artinis and Fauxtinis."

Artini attendees will sample 2 oz cocktails and mocktails, meet bartenders and their partner artists, and vote for the Best Mocktail, Best Tasting, and Most Artistic drinks. Artists will have art for display and sale, along with Culture Works merchandise inspired by 2023 Artini artists. Attendees can enjoy music from Deron Bell's Jazz Combo and appetizers from 6888 Kitchen Incubator. There will also be a cash bar for beer and wine.

"As an artist, Artini is a great way to connect with the community," added Jen Perkins, local artist and Artini artist partner, in the release. "It's a fun and informal setting where your work of art inspires the drinks and opens the conversation to the flavors and vibe of the drinks and the painting. It allows for fun associations and pairings while socializing and eating great food. The event really showcases the local bar and restaurant talent, who definitely have fun coming up with creative drinks."

Participating restaurants and bartenders include Club Oceania, De'Lish, Fifth Street Brewpub, Mercenary Bartenders, Meridian, Smith's Boat House, Stella Bleu Bistro, and Wholly Grounds. Local artists include Lori Doherty, Jon Doherty, Cayman K., Jess McMillian, Samantha Mang, Brian Mathus, Jen Perkins, Julie Riley, Erin Smith-Glen, Amy Williams, and Rodney Veal.

A general admission ticket is $55 and includes five drink tickets; VIP tickets are $65 with bonus drink tickets and include early access to the event at 5:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased via phone at 937-222-2787 or online at cultureworks.org/artini. The Tank is located on the lower level of the Dayton Arcade.

"happenSTANCE" exhibition featuring Jamele Wright Sr. and Amy Deal

Jamele Wright Sr., an Atlanta-based artist originally from Dayton, and Amy Deal, a Dayton-based artist who has called Dayton home for the past 36 years, will showcase their work together in the upcoming exhibition, "happenSTANCE."

The two artists met this past spring in South Carolina at an art opening at Summerville's Public Works Art Center. Their connection, coupled with their shared roots in Dayton, led to a collaborative opportunity.

Wright is a mixed media artist whose work explores the Black American vernacular experience. Using found materials, Georgia red clay and Dutch Wax cloth, Wright delves into themes of family, tradition, and the spiritual and material relationship between Africa and the South. His process is influenced by hip hop's practice of sampling, remixes cultural elements to create narratives reflecting the African diaspora and the Great Migration.

Wright earned his BA in Art History from Georgia State University and him MFA from the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, NY. He has participated in residencies at MASS MoCA and the Gibbes Museum.

Deal grew up in a rural setting, collecting wildflowers to create pigments and using art to enhance her surroundings. She holds a BFA in Visual Communications from Kent State University and has worked as a creative director on corporate branding and advertising campaigns. After taking time off to raise her children, Deal renewed her focus on painting. Her current series, "Forest Bathing," inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, emphasizes nature's calming effects. Deal has recently completed residencies in South Carolina and Brooklyn Navy Yard.

"happenSTANCE" will be exhibited at DSA Gallery, 48 High St., Dayton, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29 and Friday, Aug. 30, and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 31. Also, an Artist Talk will be held Friday at 4 p.m. and a workshop will be held at 11 a.m. but you must register to attend.

For more information about the exhibition, email Deal at [email protected].