Thursday, Nov. 16 Histoires de Vie Decades ago, when Claudine Chalmers immigrated to California from her native France, she grew fascinated by the French place names in the Golden State, and set about researching the stories behind them. After compiling those stories for a decade, they became the subject of her first book, Splendide Californie: Impressions of the Golden State by French Artists, which was published in 2001. The author and art historian has published several books since, and in her latest—Barbizon-by-the-Pacific: The Early Days of Monterey’s Bohemian Art Colony with Jules Tavernier, Jules Simoneau and Robert Louis Stevenson—she turns her lens onto the Monterey Peninsula in the late 19th century, a time when the region was carving out its identity in the post-Mexican era. The Old Monterey Foundation invited Chalmers, who now resides in Nevada City, to come speak about her latest book. The nonprofit will host a free lecture and wine reception at MIIS. Early arrival is encouraged to get a good seat; all ages welcome. It promises to be enlightening. [DS] 6-8pm Thursday, Nov. 16. (Lecture 6-7pm, Q&A 7-7:15pm, wine reception 7:15-8pm.) Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, Irvine Auditorium, 499 Pierce St., Monterey. Free. oldmontereyfoundation.org. Poet at Sunset The Carmel Public Library Foundation presents a community night with the library titled Cultural Architect: A Poet’s Path to Building Community. The public is invited to hear Ayodele Nzinga, the City of Oakland’s first and current poet laureate, in a poetry reading and thought-provoking presentation on the importance of fostering and building a stronger community through the advancement of arts and culture. Known by many as a renaissance woman, Nzinga’s contributions have positively influenced the downtown Oakland community in various ways. Nzinga holds a Masters in Fine Arts in Writing and Consciousness and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Transformative Education & Change. [AP] 7pm Thursday, Nov. 16. Carpenter Hall inside Sunset Center, San Carlos and 8th, Carmel. Free. 620-2020, carmelpubliclibraryfoundation.org. 34 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY November 16-22, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com Josie Iselin You’ll need to hurry if you want to see Kelp!, an exhibition featuring work by Josie Iselin, showing in the Gallery at Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur until Nov. 21. This show centers around bull kelp, one of the foundational species of the ocean forests along California’s coast, and showcases Iselin’s scans, cyanotypes and digital map-collages. Iselin’s work is paired with Lina Prairie’s baskets made of kelp and Leila Ayad’s ceramics, glazed with the tests (shells) of purple sea urchin that feed on bull kelp—a trio of artists devoted to, and inspired by, bull kelp. “Nereocystis is the dominant canopycreating kelp of the north Pacific,” wrote Iselin, also the author of The Curious World of Seaweed. Nereocystis is an annual, growing almost a foot a day during the longer days of springtime, a feat of photosynthetic magnificence. [AP] 16-22 November HOT PICKS To see more local events, and add your own, visit calendar.montereycountyweekly.com Michael Kenna VISUALS Michael Kenna Visit the Center for Photographic Art in Carmel to see Michael Kenna, Collecting Light, Photographs 1973-2023, a solo exhibition on display until Dec. 10. In celebration of Kenna’s 50th year as a photographer, CPA partnered with Nazraeli Press to create this retrospective exhibition, which includes some of the artist’s most beloved images as well as some that may not be as familiar. An artist talk takes place at 3pm on Saturday, Nov. 18 in Carpenter Hall at the Sunset Center in Carmel. A reception and book signing of Michael Kenna: Photographs and Stories happens from 4-6pm also on Nov. 18 at the CPA gallery. Seated tickets are sold out; stand-room tickets will be available at the door for $10. [AP] There are not one or two but four separate craft fairs happening in Carmel on Saturday, Nov. 18. Stroll through, check out arts and crafts by local vendors, and maybe get started on holiday shopping. Today, Cyrano de Bergerac is best known as the inspiration for Edmond Rostand’s most noted drama. Monterey High students take on the play this weekend. Wikimedia Commons Josie Iselin
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