Pencil This In

By Lauri Apple in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 30, 2009 8:00PM

Tomorrow is my dad's birthday. You should all celebrate by smoking cigarettes, drinking coffee, reading the news, feeding and cautiously petting your fat, old Doberman with the stupid name (Prince?) and putting in eight hours of hard work at your nearest power plant. But if that doesn't sound appealing, try these:

Arts
Tomorrow -- Saturday, January 31 -- the Chicago Cultural Center's Sidney R. Yates Gallery opens Collaborative Vision: The Poetic Dialogue Project, an exhibition of 31 works created by collaborative teams of visual artists and poets from across the U.S. Chicago area visual artist Beth Shadur curated. Through April 5. Poetic Dialogue/"Poetry in Motion", a strolling poetry reading featuring poets, also takes place tomorrow at 2 p.m. 78 E. Washington St.

Wicker Park's Flatiron Arts Building hosts the Bike Winter Craft Party Weekend this weekend. The party organizers have plenty of supplies, and even a 1" button maker, but need clothes, bags, hats, cloth and paper to print on. The rule is to bring one item for yourself and another to donate to the upcoming Bike Winter Art Show. If you have your own designs to produce, bring your own supplies. Saturday, January 31 and Sunday, February 1 from 2 p.m. - 8 p.m. (both days). Studio 350. 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Say goodbye to the Finch Gallery, whose executive director is leaving for that big city over there with the Bloombergs and the Gossip Girls and the attitudes and the trash piles in the street. The party features the release and reading of Fighting Love, a collection of poetry by Hans Hetrick; readings by Jill Summers, Dave Snyder and others; musical performances by Judson Claiborne, the Gunshy, and Daniel Knoxl; and A-V pleasures by Chris Hefner. 6 p.m. 2747 W. Armitage.

Call for Artists
The Galaxie invites you to be a part of two great shows: The Seated Story, an exhibition of hand-painted chairs; and the 3rd annual Square Foot Show. Check out the website for entry guidelines.

Classy-cal Music
Heaven Gallery offers some high art Sunday, Feb. 1 (happy birthday, Dad) with pianist Stephen Hill and tenor Trey Sandlin performing Frederic Chopin's Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20 and Ballade in G minor, Op. 23,
Franz Schubert's Impromptus, Op. 90 in E-flat and A-flat and selections from Robert Schumann's Dichterliebe Op. 48. 3 p.m. 1550 N. Milwaukee, 2nd floor.

Education
Parents who want their younguns to attend a different Chicago public schools are invited to attend the second annual New Schools Expo, presented by the Chicago Public Schools and Parents for School Choice. Saturday, January 31. 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Indoors at Soldier Field, Gate 6. For more information, call 1-888-7-MYCHOICE or visit their site.

Image taken from Chicago Cultural Center Website