SPINNING YARNS There are many different ways to tell a story. 23 East Bay fiber artists have literally spun tales for us to contemplate in Acci Gallery’s exhibition, Spinning Yarns. Drawing a thread between contemporary fiber art and ancient mythology, curators Melissa Woodburn and Mirto Golino focused on how fiber art can weave narratives. The pieces in the show are diverse in form, color, and content. In Marilyn, Susan Doyle assembles monochromatic zippers and chains into an alluring hyper-feminine bodice. Marie Bergstedt’s Victoria Red features an expertly crocheted pair of stilettos held by an intricate hand made of buttons. This show will help you step into the sensual and mysterious world of fibers. Free with pieces for sale.
MUSIC & JUSTICE The fight against racism in America is far from over. Local Music Channel is hosting an online live music concert, titled Musicians United for Justice, to honor the victims of racism and support BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) artists. In the concert, Black, Latino, and Asian artists throughout the United States will sing and play motivating tunes that will fuel the fight against injustice. Local Music Channel also hosts a Shelter in Place Music Series, where they welcome musicians several times a week to play from their home studios. The series features music of all genres, from reggae to Latin music to and folk and more. Tune into one of their many channels and let the music wash over you. Musicians United for Justice takes place on June 20 at 4 p.m. Free but donations are appreciated.
NASA FOOTAGE Sheltering in place has been difficult in many ways, but it has also given us the opportunity to develop new hobbies and skills, like video editing. Due to the pandemic, NASA released all of its footage for free: you can search for and download any image, video and audio from NASA’s database. You can watch the recent SpaceX rocket launch and make your own video of it. You can edit together different types of footage into a sequence of a tour of the aircraft, astronauts preparing for liftoff, and the launch —and put it to your own soundtrack. You can also get creative by using the footage in other ways like in podcasts, home theatre productions, and digital collages. Like NASA itself, the possibilities are endless.
BOARD GAMES Have you gone through all of your favorite board, card and video games so many times that you’ve memorized them? Are you yearning for a new brain challenge? Look no further: you can play board games online for free at Board Game Arena. You can play classics like Connect 4, Yahtzee or Backgammon. Or you can venture into unknown territory like the game Potion Explosion, where you learn to make a potion by balancing a complex series of chemistry tasks. If you’re looking to build community, you can find others to play with and even participate in the active forums on the site. Get ready to have your mind stretched and twisted with these games. Free.
WIL BLADES In the mood for some funky, smooth grooves for a good cause? Wil Blades, a former Berkeleyan and virtuoso jazz organist, is playing a live-streamed concert from his new home in LA. After you catch him cascading his fingers across his Hammond B-3 organ, he’ll donate a portion of the concert’s proceeds to 100 Black Men of Los Angeles, an outreach organization that provides mentoring and leadership development to young African American men. Make sure you show up — not only to support one of your favorite jazz musicians, but also to help heal our communities and empower Black men. June 20, 8 p.m. Concert available on a tip-based sliding scale.
