Calling All (Non-Epic) Writers for Phidian Art Club Literary Competition

I just opened my personal invitation to submit to the Phidian Art Club's 23rd Annual Literary Competition for poetry, short fiction and non-fiction works.  However, it is open to everyone within a 35-mile radius of Dixon.  What is difficult to pinpoint is exactly where Dixon is.  There is the city of Dixon, Township of Dixon, Dixon Rural (as the firefighting unit is called)...  Dennis Considine is running for Committeeman of the City of Dixon, but eligible voters are only those who live within the city limits of Dixon, which are fairly limiting.  So, a small portion of BoF's constituency can actually elect Dennis (and re-elect Mayor Jim Burke).  However, those outside the city limits can vote for Margaret Tyne as Sauk Valley Community College Trustee.  Don't ask me where the geographical limits for eligibility to decide the future of SVCC are.  More writers can submit to Phidian's literary contest than can vote in the 5 April 2011 election.

Well, back to business:  Books on First will, as it has done for nearly our entire existence, sponsor the short fiction category.

In the past, when I still had a knack for writing poetry, I have submitted, winning second place twice -- always the bridesmaid, never the bride, eh?

One submission for each category allowed, winners will receive a critical commentary from the judge of that category, a small monetary prize with certificate and the winning piece reproduced in a bound volume available for viewing and borrowing in the Dixon Public Library.

The deadline is 15 March 2011 and you can get the requirements from the Dixon Public Library, The Next Picture Show, City of Dixon and Sauk Valley Newspapers.

December's Second Saturday and Adnascentia

This Saturday, Dec. 11 from 7-9 p.m., Todd Lorenc will be performing here with his new gig "Orange Doesn't Rhyme."  Todd was originally one-half of the duo Flying Fish.  Stop down and take a listen.

And, it'll be Second Saturday in Downtown Dixon, with lots of venues for visual and performing arts. More info is at the website at: http://www.second-saturdays.com/. Since most Second Saturday venues will finish by 8pm, remember that Books on First and Todd Lorenc will continue until 9pm, so come in for a cuppa, a sit-down and a great listen.

We still have a lot of names on our "Books for Babes" tree.  It means a lot to the kids to get a book or two at Christmas, so pick a name and make a child happy this year.

We have a great selection of gift ideas for that person on your list. Melissa & Doug toys are very popular for the young-uns on your list.  If we don't have it in stock... we can order, but hurry in, because who knows what that next popular item is!

At Books on First, games are not just for children.  Check out our wonderful puzzles from Pomegranate depicting artwork by Monet, Van Gogh, Charley Harper, Renoir and others.  When finished, they are suitable for gluing, shellacking and mounting (and giving!) if you are so inclined.  This would a different twist on giving a book that you have read and enjoyed so much.  And the whole family does not need to crowd into the kitchen (although it might take longer than baking a batch of cookies).  


If you want to skip the fun and go straight to some wonderful art at great prices from local artists, Second Saturday is key, so don't miss it.  Visiting Art at Books on First is another great place to view art by local artists as well as The Next Picture Show right down the street. 

I have not used the word I adopted in a long time,so I shall do so now.  

In this holiday season, get into the spirit of peace, love, joy, and service which can take you into the New Year and beyond, and may that spirit in you spread like adnascentia through each step you take and act you do and among all you touch, so that through each of us, we can live in and leave to future generations, a better world.

Don't Despair. Books on First and Downtown Dixon Is Still Here for YOU

When City of Dixon puts that shovel down, it means business.  With last night's rain and the current drainage pipe disruption, the water collected in the basement of Books on First.  I'm a little worried about the stone foundation of our building, but for now, we're still standing.  Even flooded, we are open for business (although not prepared for an audit or decorating for Halloween with storage sitting in 4 inches of water).

Today, Books on First has no sidewalks outside or inside, but we hope photographer Charles ("Chuck") Osgood will not be deterred to come by and say hello, bringing us a few copies of Sidewalks, Volume 2: Reflections on Chicago, his latest published work with Rick Kogan, based on their Sunday Chicago Tribune Magazine regular feature (on the inside cover).

We tried to get them both for a longer visit to Dixon, and still might be able to host Chuck in the near future in conjunction with a show or talk at The Next Picture Show here in Downtown Dixon.

Meanwhile, Downtown Dixon awaits your visit.  There are still great gift ideas all around the neighborhood, from clothing and accessories from Tangibles to unique new and antique items at Waterfront Gifts to wine at Crystal Cork to wonderful cakes & breads at Snow White Bakery to jewelry at Trein's and Venier's to gift certificates at all of them plus Books on First which has a book for every kind of reader, including journals for those who want to write their own, as well as cards for Mother's Day. While the restaurants downtown are not open on Sunday, they are open for lunch and dinner on every other day (plus available for that gift certificate purchase).  Wait, I think I heard that Basil Tree Ristorante, our great neighborhood Italian eatery, is now open on Sundays.  Give them a call!

Looking ahead, Graduation Day is coming quickly on the heels of this weekend and all those great gift ideas which apply to Mother's Day (except maybe the wine) would equally apply to our new graduates.  If wine for the parents of the graduates won't be enough, we also have books on getting the kids out of the house or on the other hand, coping with the empty nest.  CONGRATULATIONS, ALL!

The first Second Saturday

From Sauk Valley News, 24 February 2010
Art lovers unite: Second Saturdays prepares to launch collaboration of art, music, theater
By ILENE HALUSKA ihaluska@svnmail.com
815-284-2224, ext. 526

Local artist Lisa Higby LeFevre talks about "Second Saturdays Art Happenings," a new art and music event that kicks off March 13 at several businesses in downtown Dixon. The monthly collaboration will showcase the town's art, music and theater offerings as visitors trek from venue to venue, organizers say. (Alex T. Paschal/apaschal@svnmail.com)

DIXON – A new event will begin in a month in Dixon to "enliven the downtown and get people out walking to see what's going on in their cultural community."

"Second Saturdays Art Happenings" will showcase the town's art, music and theater offerings as visitors bop from venue to venue, organizers say.

The event will launch next month, on March 13, with activities at five downtown venues, including a hair salon and a church.

"The idea is to get people to get out and walk the streets and check out the galleries" – like a pub crawl, said artist Lisa Higby LeFevre, one of the event's organizers and owner of Distinctive Gardens.

"Traditionally, it's when all of the galleries will be open at the same time, usually once a month, and do different things on that particular night," Higby LeFevre said.

Second Saturdays is designed to get people interested in what's going on with the community's artists and galleries. People who usually are interested only in music can get a taste of the visual arts, and vice versa.

It will increase community pride, and make Dixon a more attractive place to live, organizers say.

Nontraditional venues are part of the attraction. Episcopal Church of St. Luke, for example, will present organ music and will offer its first art exhibit, paintings by the late artist Gordon Utley.

"It's exciting to have a town with an active base of artists," LeFevre said. "There's a tremendous wealth of quality art."

LeFevre suggested an art hop a few years ago, but the arts community wasn't ready for it, she said.

The idea resurfaced when The Crystal Cork Wine Shoppe and The Next Picture Show both had openings the evening of Nov. 6, and she and local photographer Rick Munson noticed how many people bounced back and forth between the two galleries. They got to talking on Facebook, talked with other artists, and the idea caught on, she said.

Each Second Saturday will feature different venues and events, and The Next Picture Show plans to participate in three of them, organizers say.

The first Second Saturday

The first Second Saturday will be held in downtown Dixon from 6 to 8 p.m. March 13.

■ The art trek begins at Crystal Cork Wine Shoppe, 219 W. First St., which will offer its quarterly show, "Dissolution," which is photography by Hope Greene; and an artist's reception for the pastels "Atmosphere" and "Time Passages," by Lisa Higby LeFevre.

■ Acrylic artist John DeLong will showcase his paintings and put on a demonstration at his business, JSalon, 208 W. First St.

■ The next stop is Trein's Jewelry, 201 W. First St., which will feature Czechoslovakian art glass and a guest artist to be announced.

■ Books on First, 202 W. First St., will present music by Maddies Farm from 7 to 9 p.m. Art exhibits are a regular feature at the coffee shop and bookstore.

■ The hop ends at Episcopal Church of St. Luke, 221 W. Third St., where the late Gordon Utley's paintings will be displayed and organ music will be performed.

To learn more

The next art walk is April 10. Groups and artists interested in participating in Second Saturdays can contact Lisa Higby LeFevre, lhlefevre@comcast.net or 815-285-0014, or Theresa Sholders, theresa@essex1.com. or 815-285-3496.

More information also is available at www.Second-Saturdays.com online.

Indian Summer in November

What a beautiful weekend this has promised and fulfilled to be!

Downtown Dixon has just been hopping. Last night was the Opening Night Reception for Next Picture Show's newest judged show -- "Shades of Grey," which is of black & white photographs. If only we all had enough cash and wall space to honor these entries which range from the cerebrally compositional to the thought-provoking to the quirky to the soothingly familiar. Check it out! Also, Judy Dixon is showing at Crystal Cork which is now open to the public on Saturday nights. They too have live music.

Tonight, here at Books on First, we have a very special live performance from duo Maddie's Farm. All the way from Muscatine, Iowa, Vicki & Marvin Plank have some great songs from the 70s and 80s to tickle the memory as well as covers of Alanis Morrissette, Sheryl Crow and other more contemporary singers.

Dixon's Own Little Shop of Horrors

Here to report we had great fun and were suitably impressed with VIVA! Performing Arts School's first summer musical production Little Shop of Horrors. Unable and thus, not going to attempt to mention all the wonderful performances (ok, let's mention that the plant costumes were awesome (in every sense of the word)), CONGRATULATIONS to EVERYONE involved. Yes, yes, we said it is The Next Picture Show's Performing Arts School and I'm not sure if I know the connection, but there are connections and one of them is Dixon! We are proud and happy to be a part of a community that enables such creatively and professionally done work involving volunteers of many different ages, talents and experiences.

And what's this about re-stocking the Rock River with channel catfish after a devastating fish kill in June? Did we find out for sure what happened? And, the way I discovered it was through a blog! Thank you, Stray Casts & Dale Bowman!

Here's... August!

Cannot believe that August has come!

You can still catch the first production of Dixon's new theater group The Next Picture Show's Performing Arts School which performs Little Shop of Horrors this weekend (31Jul - 2Aug) at the Dixon High School Auditorium. Larry & I hope to catch the Sunday matinee tomorrow at 2pm.

August heralds the beginning of a new Melissa & Doug special -- buy two packs of art supplies and get a third one free!

Also coming up is the Heritage Crossing Riverfront Plaza (also known as the Dixon Riverfront) Dedication on Friday, 14 Aug. What a gala event-- eleven straight hours of a great time, with music starting with Dixon's Community Band and ending with Shades of Blue and the Late Night Blues Brothers Revue. The riverfront is looking great, a far cry from when Larry first introduced me to Dixon over 20 years ago, where most of this prime space was occupied by a municipal parking lot that had so few casual takers that there were posts with signs reserving spaces for private individuals who leased by the month or year or something like that. I was appalled. It's been a long time coming after the concerted efforts of many good citizens. Yay, Dixon!