All About That Spoon
Following a long and dark December, Weatherspoon Art Museum reopens its doors on Saturday, Jan. 2, with a new exhibition. In fact, look for three openings this month. As the title suggests, Markmaking (on display through April 3) explores the application and effect of the various lines, scratches, smudges, patterns, dots and textures emerging from a selection of expressive works from the WAM collection. Next, Slow Looking/Deep Seeing (on display Jan. 16 through June 19) invites its viewers to get intimate. Inspired by findings that the average patron spends just eight seconds looking at a work of art, the exhibit was created to facilitate immersive viewing. Dive deeper on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 4 p.m. with “Teaching & Learning about Slow Looking,” a virtual event led by Shari Tishman, author and lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Exhibit No. 3 opens on January 23. In a dance between abstraction and archival research, Falk Visiting Artist Xaviera Simmons explores lesser-known stories and experiences of Indigenous and Black Americans through a stunning collection of artworks on display through May 29. Weatherspoon Art Museum, 500 Tate St., Greensboro. Info: weatherspoonart.org
Writing Contest: 10 for 10
In honor of our namesake, William Sydney Porter, O.Henry is launching a short story contest for our 10-year anniversary. And that’s an emphasis on short. Tell us a story in 10 words. For inspiration, here’s a 6-word novel attributed to Hemingway: “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Guidelines are simple. Using the subject line “O.Henry’s 10 for 10” submit your short story — one per entrant, please! — by email to ohenryturns10@gmail.com. Deadline: May 1, 2021. Winning entries will be published in our anniversary issue. Bonus points for pulling off an O. Henry twist.
Capricorn:
We’ve Got Your Goat
If ever you’ve loved a Capricorn, then you have mastered the art of being wrong. Because everyone knows that Capricorns know everything. They really do. And they’re unbudgeable. Should you disagree with one, think twice before engaging in debate. After all, you’re dealing with a star sign represented as a horned sea-goat — stubborn and able to breathe underwater. But Capricorns mean well. Don’t you? And this month, with Venus in your sign, there’s a certain glow about you that people are starting to notice. Looking at the year ahead, with Mars acting like some sort of cosmic wingman, you’re going to see a lot of green lights. Your New Year in three words: Dance through it.
In the spirit of generosity, here’s 2021, stripped down for all of you. Deal with it or claim a new destiny.
Aquarius (January 20 – February 18): Trust your heart.
Pisces (February 19 – March 20): Keep it simple.
Aries (March 21 – April 19): Use your words.
Taurus (April 20 – May 20): Less is more.
Gemini (May 21 – June 20): Believe in magic.
Cancer (June 21 – July 22): Take deep breaths.
Leo (July 23 – August 22): Prepare for takeoff.
Virgo (August 23 – September 22): Buy the shoes.
Libra (September 23 – October 22): Raise your standards.
Scorpio (October 23 – November 21): Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21): Watch your tongue.
Top left photo: Elliott Hundley, “The Body of Polydoros”, 2008. Weatherspoon Art Museum. Purchased with funds from the Dillard Fund and a partial gift of the artist and Andrea Rosen Gallery for the Dillard Collection, 2008.15 © Elliott Hundley, courtesy Regen Projects, Los Angeles and Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York
