This week, check out nature paintings by Palo Alto artist Naomi Mindelzun, share your thoughts about public art at the Mobile Arts Platform and hear bestselling novelist Margaret Atwood speak in Redwood City.
Exhibition
Naomi Mindelzun
Wax, oil, acrylics and pastels; paper, canvas and wood panels: Palo Alto artist Naomi Mindelzun doesn't limit herself to a single medium. What's consistent about her work is the theme of wilderness and an evident concern with the natural world. On Saturday, Oct. 3, 5-8 p.m., Los Altos' Gallery 9 at 143 Main St. will hold a reception for "Selected Works," a new show of Mindelzun's paintings. "Selected Works" is on exhibit now through Oct. 31. Though inspired by nature, many of these paintings verge on the abstract, subtly evoking ponds and canyons, thick forests and distant landscapes in a palette of black and white, earthy yellows and watery blues. In other works, rocks, birds, flowers and even human figures emerge from lush backgrounds. The reception and show are both free to the public. For more information about the show, go to gallery9losaltos.com or call 650-941-7969. To learn more about the artist, go to naomimindelzun.com or email naomimindelzun@gmail.com.
Author
Margaret Atwood
The author of the classic feminist tome "The Handmaid's Tale," novelist Margaret Atwood will appear at Redwood City's Fox Theatre, 2215 Broadway, on Monday, Oct. 12, at 7:30 p.m. to discuss her new book, "The Heart Goes Last." Set in the midst of a widespread economic crisis, the story follows a married couple as they attempt to negotiate the troubling choice between freedom and security. Tickets to the talk are $20 for general admission, $10 for students and $40 for premier seating, including a copy of the book. Go to goo.gl/Fdn0CE or call 650-369-7770.
Festival
Mountain View Oktoberfest
Grab a stein, don your lederhosen and head to Mountain View this weekend for Oktoberfest, which runs Saturday to Sunday, Oct. 3-4, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The festivities are located at Bryant and Dana streets and include live music, kids activities, food vendors and, of course, a wide range of German beers on tap. $10 buys you a half-liter stein glass; a full liter glass is $15. Tickets, which are required to fill your glass, are $8 per half-liter. Go to mvoktoberfest.com.
Dance
An Evening with Nina Novak
She's now 93 years old, but in her prime she was a legendary Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo ballerina. On Saturday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m., Nina Novak will appear at Mountain View's Western Ballet, 914 N. Rengstorff Ave., to discuss joining the legendary ballet troupe in the 1940s. Dancers from the school will also perform. Tickets are $15 for children, $25 for adults and $30 for priority seating. Go to westernballet.org or call 650-968-4455.
Art
Mobile Arts Platform
Maybe you've seen it around town: a custom-built bicycle trailer with LCD reader boards and space for visitors to write down their thoughts. This is the Mobile Arts Platform (MAP), a playful project that encourages Palo Alto residents to share their ideas about the future of civic public art. On Thursday, Oct. 8, from noon to 4 p.m., MAP will appear at Palo Alto's Cogswell Plaza, 264 Lytton Ave. Feedback from MAP will be integrated into the city's public art master plan. For more information, go to goo.gl/6k1UmI.
Talk
Fulfilling potential
What does it take to fulfill one's potential? What does that even mean? On Sunday, Oct. 4, at 5 p.m., Stanford professor of psychology Carol Dweck will give a talk on how society can promote achievement, how praise can diminish motivation and how to help children succeed. The event takes place at the Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way, Palo Alto. Go to goo.gl/mIaY2o or call 650-223-8649.
