Art Night

Topiaries, by Christie Beniston, is part of Pasadena's Rotating Art Exhibition program. 

I took this photo in February of 2012. 

Bellis reports that the art is still there at the corner of Walnut and Catalina.

Do your Friday night plans include Art Night Pasadena? If not, you must cancel whatever you've got going on and get yourself some free art!

Have you ever wondered what they're doing up in them thar hills at the Art Center College of Design? Maybe you'd like to catch a dance performance, or a nostalgic video about the Robinson brothers, Jackie and Mack. How often do you get to go to the Norton Simon for free, or see beneath the foundations of Room 13? Or maybe you'd like to check out a newer gallery like the Off-Ramp.

Music, theater, dance, art, more and more. You can't possibly see it all but you can try, with the help of free shuttles between venues.

One stop I hope you'll make is at the Pasadena Central Library, where I'll be meeting and greeting visitors along with other authors, artists and well-known storybook characters as we celebrate 130 years of reading in Pasadena. There are so many great Art Night activities for kids and the library is one of them, with family fun activities; musical performances, craft making, comics creators and more.

If you're not too worn out, don't forget the Art Walk on Saturday, when you can stop by Vroman's and see Debbi Swanson Patrick's Telling Images in Art on the Stairwell, with a reception from 1-3 pm.

While you're at it, Altadena has an important vote coming up on November 4th. Please vote yes on Measure A and keep the Altadena Libraries going!

Reliquary

Over at the Jackie Robinson Center they've got this very cool display about the Negro Baseball Leagues. The display was put together by the Baseball Reliquary which, if I understand correctly, is all about fostering an appreciation of arts and culture "through the context of baseball history." Not the other way around. When you stop by the Center you'll find this display case in the main lobby. Be sure and check out all the details.

Pasadena favorite son Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier by being the first African American to play baseball in the major leagues. But Jackie wasn't the first black athlete to play among whites in American baseball leagues. Before 1890, blacks and whites played baseball together more often than you might think. It wasn't until around 1890 that the minor league circuits began to bar black players.

The Negro National League wasn't official until 1920, but African American players had already formed leagues by the early 1900s and those leagues were going strong. They kept going for a long time. Jackie Robinson played for the Kansas City Monarchs as late as 1945.

Jackie joined the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947 and played for them until 1956. He was elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.

Giant busts (big, big busts!) of Jackie and his Olympic star brother Mack sit across from City Hall in Pasadena. When you check them out, be sure and look for the details.