South Bay arts calendar for Jan. 18 to 24

“Water & Wood,” with 70+ artists and photographers, opens Saturday with a reception from 4 to 9 p.m. at Resin, 618 Cypress Ave., Hermosa Beach. Curated by Rafael McMaster. Closes with a party on Sat., Jan. 27, from 4 to 9 p.m. Pictured, work by Sara Carli. (310) 297-0003 or email rafael@rafaelmcmaster.com

“Water & Wood,” with 70+ artists and photographers, opens Saturday with a reception from 4 to 9 p.m. at Resin, 618 Cypress Ave., Hermosa Beach. Curated by Rafael McMaster. Closes with a party on Sat., Jan. 27, from 4 to 9 p.m. Pictured, work by Sara Carli. (310) 297-0003 or email rafael@rafaelmcmaster.com

Thursday, January 18
Starting the week with love
Newbery medalist Matt de la Peña and illustrator Loren Long are bringing their book “Love” to the Manhattan Beach Library, 1320 Highland Ave., Manhattan Beach. The 6 p.m. event is hosted by {pages}. (310) 545-8595.
In other words, dance
“Kinetic Texture,” presented by North Torrance High School, takes place at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday in the James Armstrong Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. Two evenings of creative dance. Tickets, $12; $10. For tickets, and more info: Coral Taylor at (310) 938-7033.

Steve Valentine brings “Life & Other Deceptions” to the George Nakano Theatre in Torrance for shows at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Valentine is an actor, artist, magician, and more. Tickets, $35. Call (310) 781-7171 or go to torrancearts.org

Friday, January 19
Fleas spring eternal, too
The Beach Cities Symphony presents “Music Spring Eternal” at 8 p.m. in Marsee Auditorium at El Camino College, Crenshaw and Redondo Beach boulevards, Torrance. There’s a pre-concert lecture at 7:15 p.m. Free. Note the new starting times. The program features “The Swan of Tuonela,” by Sibelius (oboe soloist Larry Tunick), “Symphony No. 2,” by Beethoven, and “Cello Concerto,” by Dvorak (cello soloist John Walz). Onsite parking is $3. Call (310) 379-9725 or go to BeachCitiesSymphony.org.

The “All Star Comedy Festival” (classic silents and sound short comedies) takes place Friday through Sunday at the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo. Tickets, $10 general; $8 seniors. Pictured: Laurel and Hardy. (310) 322-2592 or go to OldTownMusicHall.org

Comes in all shapes and sizes
“Minoru Ohira: Memory & Nature” is a sculptural exhibition of forms abstracted from the human body as well as vegetal shapes, and it’s being paired with “Lance Gerber” Lines of Sight (Napali Coast), opening with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Palos Verdes Art Center, 5504 W. Crestridge Road, Rancho Palos Verdes. Through March 4. Call (310) 541-2479 or go to pvartcenter.org.
Laugh, and then laugh again
The “All Star Comedy Festival” features classic silent and sound short comedies and it takes place at 8:15 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, plus 2:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, in the Old Town Music Hall, 140 Richmond St., El Segundo. That means a good dose of Laurel and Hardy. Tickets, $10 general; $8 seniors. (310) 322-2592 or go to OldTownMusicHall.org.
He’s a one-man caravan
Steve Valentine brings “Life & Other Distractions” to the George Nakano Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance for shows at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Valentine is an actor, celebrity, two-timing Magic Castle Close-Up Magician of the Year, as well as voice-over artist, producer, and writer. Tickets, $35. Call (310) 781-7171 or go to torrancearts.org.

Two on Tap is the collaboration of Broadway veterans Melissa Giattino and Ron DeStefano. They perform at 7:30 p.m. on Friday in the Redondo Union High School Auditorium. Tickets and details at southbayconcerts.org

Saturday, January 20
Dancing feet
Two on Tap is the collaboration of Broadway veterans Melissa Giattino and Ron DeStefano, and they’re bringing their vocals, choreography, and musical arrangements to the Redondo Union High School Auditorium for a 7:30 p.m. performance. Tickets and information at southbayconcerts.org.
Second wave
“Water & Wood,” featuring over 70 artists and photographers, opens with a reception from 4 to 9 p.m. at Resin, 618 Cypress Ave., Hermosa Beach. This is the second annual exhibition, hosted by the Hermosa Beach Artist Collective and curated by Rafael McMaster. The gallery is open weekdays, Jan. 21 to Jan. 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a closing party on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 4 to 9 p.m. Call (310) 297-0003 or email rafael@rafaelmcmaster.com.

“Smoke and Mirrors” opens Saturday with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Torrance Art Museum. It’s being paired with “Solar Flare,” and the exhibition features video, sculpture, installation and performance art. Through March 10. Pictured, “All the Cigars Smoked by Clint Eastwood in Sergio Leone’s Spaghetti Westerns,” by Gioj De Marco. (310) 618-6388 or go to TorranceArtMuseum.com

What is reality?
“Smoke and Mirrors,” curated by Gioj De Marco and Elizabeth Withstandley, opens with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Torrance Art Museum, 3320 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. It’s being paired with “Solar Flare,” curated by Manual History Machines. The exhibition features numerous artists and encompasses video, sculpture, installation and performance art. Through March 10. Call (310) 618-6388 or go to TorranceArtMuseum.com.

The Symphomaniax play everything from Bach to the Beatles on Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Friends of the Library room of the El Segundo Public Library. It’s an eclectic repertoire. And it’s free. (310) 524-2728

Class, humor, Bach and Beatles
The Symphomaniax, a musical quartet that represents the San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra, performs at 2 p.m. in the downstairs Friends of the Library room of the El Segundo Public Library, 111 W. Mariposa Ave. (at Main St.), El Segundo. It’s an eclectic repertoire. And it’s free. (310) 524-2728.

The reception for “New Beginnings” takes place from 6 to 9 p.m. at Artlife Gallery in Plaza El segundo, located in El Segundo. It’s a group show, on view through Jan. 20. Pictured, “Ribbon Dance,” by Melody Brown. (310) 938-2511

Off to a good start
“New Beginnings,” on view at Artlife Gallery, has its opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m. It’s a group show on view through Jan. 31 at 720C South Allied Way, Plaza El Segundo, in El Segundo. (310) 938-2511.
Spanning the years
The closing reception for Richard Stephens’ solo show takes place from 1 to 5 p.m. at The Loft, 401 S. Mesa St., San Pedro. The former gallery owner of Cannery Row Studios is displaying work from the past couple of decades, paintings large and small. (310) 291-5316 or go to canneryrowstudeios.com.
Young love, and deception
“Charley’s Aunt,” directed by Ryan Miller, opens at 8 p.m. at the Torrance Theatre Company, 1316 Cabrillo Ave., Torrance. It’s a farce about two Oxford undergrads in search of a chaperone for a proper visit from their girlfriends. They find a fellow undergrad to take the job… apparently not all goes according to plan. Performances, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., plus Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7 p.m., followed by a Q&A with the cast. Closes Feb. 18. Tickets, $30. Call (424) 243-6882 or go to TorranceTheatreCompany.com.
Painting with friends: Hydrangeas
The title sums it up. Takes place from 3 to 6 p.m. at CreationOvation Art Center, Promenade on the Peninsula, 550 Deep Valley Drive #113, Rolling Hills Estates. They’ll provide all your materials. More at creationovation.com.

Harpist Cristina Montes-Mateo performs at 3 p.m. on Saturday in the First Lutheran Church and School in. Torrance. It’s an eclectic program. Free; donations appreciated. (310) 316-5574

What the angels play
Harpist Cristina Montes-Mateo performs at 3 p.m. in the First Lutheran Church and School, 2900 W. Carson St., Torrance. The program features music by Louis Spohr, Jesús Guridi, Félix Godefroid, Marcel Grandjany, Camille Saint-Saëns, Gerardo Gombau, and Manuel de Falla. Free; donations appreciated. (310) 316-5574.
Come meet Benjamin Franklin
We can celebrate the 312th birthday at the International Printing Museum, 315 W. Torrance Blvd., Carson. There’s a family-friendly show at 11 a.m. and an adults-only version at 1 p.m. Both shows culminate with a visit from some of Ben’s pals, like George Washington and Madame Brillon from the French court. At 2:15 p.m. there’s a Q&A session with all the Revolutionary personalities. Refreshments, birthday cake, a tour of the collection, and more. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission, $12 adults; $10 students, seniors. Kids under five are free. (310) 515-7166 or go to printmusuem.org/franklin.

“Torn: Together and Apart” features the work of Hope Anita Smith, featuring the paper collages for her books, “Mother Poems” and “My Daddy Rules the World: Poems About Dads.” It opens with a reception Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at Branch Gallery in Inglewood. Through March 4. Pictured, “My Daddy.” (310) 395-3880 or go to thebrarnchgallery.com

Sunday, January 21
Can you, like, walk the dog?
Adam Navarro and Mark McBride present the 13th annual “Bill Liebowitz Yo-Yo Classic” from 3 to 9 p.m. in the George Nakano Theatre, 3330 Civic Center Drive, Torrance. Free. Professional yo-yo artists show off their tricks. Contact Adam Navarro at Mr.skim888@gmail.com.
And then reunited
“Torn: Together and Apart” features the work of author and artist Hope Anita Smith, and features the paper collages she created for her recent books, “Mother Poems” and “My Daddy Rules the World: Poems About Dads.” It opens with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. at Branch Gallery, 1031 W. Manchester Blvd., Suite 3, Inglewood. The author also reads at 3 p.m. Through March 4. Call (310) 395-3880 or go to thebrarnchgallery.com.

Tuesday, January 23
Were you amused?
Speaker Ashley Graham explores the use of humor in public address in her talk “Was that Supposed to be Funny?” at 7 p.m. in the Campus Theatre of El Camino College, Crenshaw and Redondo Beach boulevards, Torrance. Tickets range from $15 to $10. Call (800) 832-ARTS or go to centerforthearts.org. ER

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