Virtual Volunteer Day
Photo courtesy of Volunteer Odyssey Ambassador, Anna Underwood
Virtual Volunteer Day, Volunteer Odyssey
Online from Volunteer Odyssey, volunteerodyssey.com
Friday, April 23, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Stay right where you are and you’ll be in the perfect place to make a difference for Memphis during National Volunteer Month. Volunteer Odyssey is bringing the opportunity to do good directly to you — wherever you might be — on Friday during National Volunteer Week.
The VO team will be live on Facebook with a featured nonprofit at the beginning of each hour. These show and tells will walk you through each short, creative project to explain how you can support your community and make a difference with things you already have on hand at home or in the office.
Programming will include Memphis Botanic Garden’s spring cleaning scavenger hunt, WYXR’s listener diaries, Make-A-Wish card campaign, Room at the Inn Help From Home videos, and more. Projects can be completed at any time before, during, or after the live event.
At the close of the day, share your impact through pictures and videos of the projects you completed. Good job.
43rd Original Art Auction
Photo courtesy of Playhouse on the Square
Playhouse on the Square Art Auction
Playhouse on the Square, 66 S. Cooper and online from playhouseonthesquare.org
Starts Friday, April 23, and continues through April 30
It's a pARTy like no other.
Over 100 local and regional artists have donated their one-of-a-kind masterpieces to be bid on from the art novice to the seasoned collector. The art will range from watercolors and acrylic paintings to beautifully carved wood sculptures, to ceramic dinner settings and jewelry.
Stop by the theater to view the works prior to the auction or take a gander online. Bid high, proceeds will be used for Playhouse on the Square’s operating expenses. Since the theater has been closed since March 2020, this benefit will set the stage for a new season.
Artist reception for “Wonderstruck”
Artwork by Beth Edwards, courtesy of David Lusk Gallery
“Wonderstruck,” by Beth Edwards at David Lusk Gallery
David Lusk Gallery, 97 Tillman
Saturday, April 24, noon-3 p.m.
Known for her expert use of color and sensual realism, Beth Edwards presents her solo exhibition of new contemporary still-life paintings. Composed of 15 medium to small oil paintings on canvas, the viewer is greeted with a bright sense of spring, saturated pastel hues, and crisp light.
Often referencing historical vanitas paintings, Edwards employs magnified cropping and a confrontational scale to create compositions that operate like an intricate medieval tapestry. Every detail of light, shadow, subject, and negative space is considered equal regardless of visibility. Through this heightened sense of immediacy, depictions of seemingly innocuous everyday moments take on a much deeper significance, complexity, and mystery.
The Jack Jones Children’s Literacy Gala
Photo courtesy of Tennessee Shakespeare Company
The Jack Jones Literacy Gala, Online from Tennessee Shakespeare Company
Online from Tennessee Shakespeare Company, tnshakespeare.org
Saturday, April 24, 6 p.m.
A new star-studded gala will be broadcast for free benefiting an innovative education program at Tennessee Shakespeare Company.
Thirty special guests will perform and/or read from their favorite books throughout the evening including Chris Parnell, Aaron Lazar, Susan Marshall, Representative Mark White, Pete Pranica, Iren Zombor, Ryan Silverfield, Keith Olbermann, Darel Snodgrass, Kacky Walton, Corey Mesler, Geoff Calkins, and others. Alongside the star-studded list will be TSC actors Darius Wallace, Paul Kiernan, Tracie Thomason, Carey Urban, and many TSC teaching artists from the last ten years with some of the children they have taught.
This gala will be in honor of TSC’s founding board member, Jack Jones, who passed away last November at 100 years old. Jones placed great importance on children’s literacy and was passionate about TSC’s literacy work with Memphis children.
TSC’s diverse company of teaching artists is uniquely trained both to perform and teach in a variety of challenging environments, including over 60 schools, classrooms, parking lots, gyms, community centers, prisons, and hospitals.
Sponsored by the Jones family, they felt it was important to broadcast the live performance for free so a larger audience might be able to experience the powerful impact TSC is having on improving children’s literacy levels. The broadcast, hosted by McCleary and TSC Education Director Stephanie Shine, will be presented live from TSC’s Owen and Margaret Wellford Tabor stage.
Secrets in Stone: Monuments and Their Symbols
Elmwood Cemetery, 824 S. Dudley
Saturday, April 24, noon
Do you like a good mystery?
The monuments at Elmwood Cemetery have their own stories to tell through symbols. Carved into the stones are wreaths, scrolls, hands, grapes, anchors, doves, flowers, and so much more. What do these symbols mean?
Join staff member Amanda Knight on a walking tour to find the meaning of symbols carved in stone and learn what the monuments are trying to tell you.
For a full list of what’s happening this weekend in and around Memphis, check out our calendar of events. Also, be sure to tag your favorite Instagram photos of Memphis while you are out and about with the #memphismagazine hashtag. I hope you have a great weekend.
