Anchorage Daily News

A series of free public readings and talks by notable authors from Alaska and the Lower 48 will begin tonight as the University of Alaska Anchorage Department of Creative Writing and Literary Arts presents fiction writer John Keeble. The second Northern Renaissance Arts and Science Series of public readings will include 18 writers presenting their work on nine evenings through July 21.

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Keeble, who will deliver the keynote address for the event, won a Prairie Schooner Award for collection of stories titled "Nocturnal America." He is also the author or four novels, one of which, "Yellowfish," about smuggling Chinese labor into the old Pacific Northwest, has one particular praise. Critics have called it "daring," "Falknerian," "a stunning story of survival." The Chicago Sun Times called it "One golden book. A Western worthy of the name . . . yet mystical, timeless, universal." And the reviewer for Time magazine wrote, "(Keeble) restores the tired abstractions of great Western space and silence with fresh feelings of motion and flight."

He is also the author of a non-fiction book of particular interest to Alaskans, "Out of the Channel: The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in Prince William Sound."

All readings are scheduled to start at 8 p.m. each day in room 101 of UAA's Rasmuson Hall.

Other authors in the series and their dates are as follows:

Monday, Derick Burleson and Eva Saulitis

Tuesday, Linda McCarriston and Josip Novakovich

Wednesday, Anne Caston, Rich Chiappone and Zack Rogow

Thursday, David Lynne Grimes (billed as a storyteller and songwriter)

Friday, No readings

Saturday, Alaska Writer Laureate Nancy Lord and Willie Hensley,

Sunday, July 19, Jo-Ann Mapson and Ernestine Hayes.

July 20, Judith Barrington, David Stevenson and Sherry Simpson

July 21, Frank Soos and artist Margo Klass

Time out for musing

Another free event kicked off Wednesday when Anchorage Opera presented the first "Big Wild Mid-Week Musical Meditation." The series of programs taking place at First United Methodist Church, 725 West 9th Ave., aims to supply "a brief escape from the regular day for neighborhood residents, downtown office workers, tourists and music lovers" with a half-hour of "beautiful music, inspirational talks and noontime networking."

The event got off to a disconcerting start when soprano Sydnee Waggoner, who was to sing at the inaugural installment, took ill and had to cancel. Freya Wardlow-Bailey, the fine young pianist scheduled to accompany Waggoner, stepped up the challenge of filling the breach with an all-instrumental program, more or less on the spot.

She opened with Debussy's "The Girl with the Flaxen Hair" and continued with quiet selections by Bach, Franck and Vivaldi. The church's musical director, Douglas Lindsay, concluded the "meditation" with a few remarks, including the observation that he'd never heard the place so quiet, even during times of prayer.

The Mid-Week Musical Meditation programs will continue at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesdays through Aug. 5. Those attending should plan on entering by the door off the alley between 8th and 9th as the front doors are often locked. Donations to help defray costs are accepted.

Plans call for future performances by artists associated with the local opera company, among others, with hopes that Waggoner will be able to reschedule.

Whether that's possible, Waggoner, along with soprano Elena Bird, will present a debut recital at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, 3900 Wisconsin St. The two are the winners of this year's Anchorage Festival of Music Young Alaskan Artist Award. Juliana Osinchuk will accompany the singers. Mark your calendars

First Friday Rambles

If you like birds, get over to Stonington's new 434 K Street gallery to see Kevin Crowley's ink portraits of (mostly) ravens. Crowley, from Detroit, came to Alaska in 1999, taught a season in Nunam Iqua (Sheldon Point) at the mouth of the Yukon, relocated to teach in Korea where he picked up some Asian approaches to art and a wife. He now lives in Anchorage. Each of his birds has an undeniable personality and each image comes with a story, like a raven trying to fly off with a whale, a hapless owl futilely trying to guard its prey from a gang of thieving corvids.

Stonington's has been at this location since April, right on the corner of 5th and K. This is not to be confused with their existing gallery across the street in the Hotel Captain Cook.

There were a few performance art type things under way. A guy named Hurricane Dave, in a patriotically colored top hat played guitar and sang pop hits at Trail Maker Gallery, 415 L St. Over at 4th and D the cast of Cyrano's production of "Messhugah-Nuns" drummed up business in costume.

That's some of what I saw. What'd you see? Leave comments at adn.com/artsnob or write your own reviews at "You Be the Critic."

Humanitarians sought

The Alaska Humanities Forum is accepting nominations of individuals or organizations that have distinguished themselves in service to the humanities in Alaska. Those selected will be honored at the 2009 Governor's Awards for the Arts & Humanities on Oct. 22 at the Captain Cook Hotel in Anchorage. To nominate a candidate in the humanities visit the Alaska Humanities Forum Web site at www.akhf.org/events/gvnrawards/govawards.html

The deadline for nominations is Aug. 1.

More jobs

Alaska Junior Theater is looking for an education associate to conduct outreach to teachers in Anchorage and the Mat-Su area. They're also in the market for a marketing associate to help with public relations, donor support, artists' logistics, etc. For more information, go to www.akjt.org.

Find Mike Dunham online at adn.com/contact/mdunham or call 257-4332.

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