Don't be misled by the word "society." Carmel Music Society (CMS) is a world-famous, forward-looking annual music series and is not your grandmother's white-glove, cucumber sandwich, chamomile tea-type affair. In the 100 years since its humble beginnings in a Carmel private home, it has hosted some of the most illustrious classical music talents on Earth: Yo-Yo Ma, Isaac Stern, … [Read more...] about Carmel Music Society Turns 100
A Life in Art
Kenneth Shue's Journey from Disney to Carmel
Hours before most of us awaken, Ken Shue is already creating. Coffee in hand, he begins his workday at 5 am at a framed sheet of paper upon which he paints using a brush dipped in water. The technique is based on Japanese "sumi-e" ink drawing, with an important difference: as the water evaporates, it continues to morph into new and interesting shapes. "I usually don't care that … [Read more...] about A Life in Art
Monterey Jazz Festival Looks Back to its Roots
A Stellar Lineup Honors the Past and Looks to the Future
The lineup for the 69th presentation of the world's longest continuously running jazz festival is a creative stew encompassing an homage to the past while pulling back the curtain on the future. Since its first incarnation in 1958, the Monterey Jazz Festival (MJF) has attracted the world's finest practitioners of the truly American art form that is jazz music. Cofounded by … [Read more...] about Monterey Jazz Festival Looks Back to its Roots
California’s Mission Bells
Marking the Path of the Spanish Past
Anyone who has driven U.S. Highway 101 has certainly noticed the weathered bells, suspended on shepherd's hook-shaped stanchions, spaced roughly a mile apart in many areas. They've been a fixture of the road for generations and mark what is known as California's El Camino Real (meaning The King's Highway or The Royal Road), stretching northward from Mission San Diego de Alcala … [Read more...] about California’s Mission Bells
Intricate Art With a Twist
The Wood Fine Art of Craig Lauterbach
One day, thousands of years ago, one of our human ancestors discovered that the wooden branch of a tree could be shaped using a sharpened tool. Obviously, that precise date is lost to time, but what is known is that over the millennia, humans have used this extremely versatile material to craft a myriad of objects ranging from the rudimentary to the sublime. Wood artist Craig … [Read more...] about Intricate Art With a Twist