'My Illustrated Life'

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Art Emporium presents "My Illustrated Life -- Watercolor Reflections," a series of recently completed works by Sharon Harms, Sept. 17 through Oct. 13.

Growing up in Chicago, Harms studied at the Art Institute of Chicago from age 8 until college, when she enrolled at the American Academy of Art to focus on communication art, graphic design and illustration.

She moved to West Virginia 30 years ago to work as an illustrator for a large paper product manufacturer and fell in love with the state's natural beauty. Harms' work reflects her love of nature and gardening and her personal experiences.

Art Emporium, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, 823 Quarrier St., Charleston; www.artemporium.net or 304-345-2787.

Poffenbarger at Art Store

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The Art Store will open "New Works" by award-winning West Virginia native Susan Poffenbarger on Sept. 15 with a talk by the artist at 5:30 p.m. A reception will follow until 7:30 p.m.

"New Works" allows the viewer to experience the landscape through Poffenbarger's eyes, depicting scenes she has experienced on her exploration of the West Virginia outdoors. From Hawks Nest to Bear Town, this body of work showcases her ability to capture natural light and interpret the play of light and texture on scenes of waterways. The exhibition will continue through Oct. 18.

The Art Store, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 1013 Bridge Road, Charleston; www.theartstorewv.com or 304-345-1038.

Gallery features Pat Miller

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Gallery Eleven's featured artist for the month of September is Pat Miller.

Gallery Eleven, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1035 Quarrier St., Charleston, WV, 25301; www.galleryeleven.com or 304-342-0083.

High school contests

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, in cooperation with the West Virginia Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission, is sponsoring two contests with cash prizes for high school students.

Students who submit essays on a topic related to the Civil War and West Virginia statehood have the chance to win a $1,000 cash prize, while the teacher of the winning author will receive a $500 cash award.

Student photographers who capture historic sites related to the sesquicentennial as part of the division's Sesquicentennial Snapshot program also could win $1,000.

Winners of both contests will have their work published in Goldenseal magazine, the state's journal of traditional life, and the best photos will be included in the West Virginia State Museum's "WV 150" exhibit set to open in early 2013.

Deadline is Nov. 1.

For more information about the essay contest, contact Caryn Gresham at caryn.s.gres...@wv.gov or 304-558-0220. For more information about the Sesquicentennial Snapshot contest, contact Tyler Evert at c.tyler.ev...@wv.gov or 304-558-0220. For forms and other information, visit www.wvculture.org/wv150/sesquicentennial.html.

Preservation grants

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Applications are being accepted for a second round of historic preservation development grants through the State Historic Preservation Office of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History. About $250,000 will be available, contingent upon appropriation of funds from the Legislature or Congress.

Eligible projects include the restoration, rehabilitation or archaeological development of most historic sites listed in the National Register of Historic Places. There are properties that aren't eligible.

The Preservation Office also is accepting heritage education grant applications for technical workshops related to historic preservation restoration work. Local and county governments, historic landmark commissions and nonprofit organizations interested in co-sponsoring a workshop with the preservation office should contact the office for a workshop application.

For more information, contact Pamela Brooks, grants coordinator, at 304-558-0240, ext. 720. Visit the division's website at www.wvculture.org/shpo/forms.html.

Clay Center exhibits

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The following exhibits can be seen at the Clay Center:

"The Edge of Vision: Abstraction in Contemporary Photography": Contemporary and abstract photography, from the Aperture Foundation, featuring 20 international, contemporary artists. Open through Sept. 23.

"Artist to Icon: Early Photographs of Elvis, Dylan and the Beatles": Three music icons, just before the world knew them as legends, are documented in black-and-white photographs. Open through Sept. 23.

"Gallery Divided: A Head-to-Head Matchup Between Marshall & WVU Art Faculty."

Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences of West Virginia, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, One Clay Square, Charleston; www.theclaycenter.org, 304-561-3570. "Smart Pass" (includes galleries, film and planetarium) $14.50 adults and $12 children, teachers and senior citizens; Galleries only $7.50 adults and $6 children, teachers and seniors. Members get free unlimited access to galleries and planetarium shows, as well as discounts on films.

Correction

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- In the 2012-13 Arts Calendar published in the Sept. 2 Life & Style section, dancer Noelle Frame was identified as being part of the Charleston Ballet. She dances with the River City Youth Ballet.

'West Virginia Cookbooks'

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Susan Scouras, archives and history librarian, will present "West Virginia Cookbooks" at 6 p.m. Sept. 13 in the Archives and History Library at the Culture Center. The program is free and open to the public.

Scouras will discuss cookbooks as historical resources and food availability and recipes during periods of rationing, such as World War II. She will explain how newspapers have been used as a source for cooking, recipe and food information from the mid-19th century to the present.

Scouras will showcase cookbooks from the Archives collection, including those compiled and distributed by commercial publishers, church and civic groups, appliance and food manufacturers and individuals.

Scouras holds a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in library science from the University of Kentucky. She is interested in American and family history, libraries and discovering how books, papers and objects from the past can reveal details about a specific era.

Contact Robert Taylor at bobby.l.tay...@wv.gov or 304-558-0230, ext. 163.

HMOA needs docents

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- The Huntington Museum of Art invites anyone interested in becoming a docent to an open house from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 11. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.

A docent is someone who volunteers time to lead schoolchildren and museum visitors on guided tours. No experience or background in art is required. Docents work with the museum's education department and receive training on Huntington Museum of Art exhibits on Monday mornings.

Contact Cindy Dearborn at 304-529-2701 or cdearb...@hmoa.org.

Huntington Museum of Art, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, 2033 McCoy Road, Huntington; 304-529-2701 or www.hmoa.org. Admission is $5 per person or $18 for a family of four or more. Admission is free on Tuesdays and to museum members.

Civil-rights lectures

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Marshall University will host a series of free lectures during the fall semester by distinguished scholars, centering on the U.S. civil-rights movement, according to David Trowbridge, associate professor of history and director of African and African American Studies.

The first lecture is at 7 p.m. Sept. 11 in the Marshall Foundation Hall. Dr. Thomas J. Sugrue will speak on the unique aspects of the civil-rights struggle in Northern communities. He is the author of "Sweet Land of Liberty: The Forgotten Struggle for Civil Rights in the North."

Lecture on the role of Congress

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. -- Dr. Thomas E. Mann, the W. Averell Harriman chair and senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, will speak at 7 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Marshall University Foundation Hall.

His lecture is part of a series on the U.S. Constitution titled "Amicus Curiae." Mann will speak on Congress' role in governance and its current performance in fulfilling its mandate as outlined in the Constitution. He is the co-author, with Dr. Norman Ornstein, of "The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track" (2006) and "It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism" (2012).

The series is sponsored by Marshall's Simon Perry Center for Constitutional Democracy and the College of Liberal Arts, with financial support from the West Virginia Humanities Council. For more information, contact Patricia Proctor, director of the center, at 304-696-2801.

To have your announcement included in Arts Notes, email sara.bu...@wvgazette.com or send it to Arts Notes, The Charleston Gazette, 1001 Virginia St. E., Charleston, WV 25301. Artwork can be submitted electronically or by mail. Deadline for inclusion in the Sunday Gazette-Mail is the Tuesday before Sunday publication