NACOGDOCHES, Texas – A reception for artist Kymia Nawabi whose work is showing at The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House through the end of the year is planned for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, at the art center in downtown Nacogdoches.

“Kymia Nawabi: Not for Long, My Forlorn” features a series of large-scale drawings that “acted as meditations on life and death channeled through ravenous, otherworldly beings and animals that inhabit a purgatory-like space,” according to the artist.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — The SFA Gardens will host a garden seminar, “Deck the Halls — Using Evergreens to Decorate for the Holidays,” from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Dec. 1, at the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Stephen F. Austin State University Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St.

Evergreen branches and garlands once served as symbols of enduring life and a fruitful year to come. Join Dawn Stover, research associate at SFA Gardens, to learn how to create elegant wreaths and garlands using materials from the garden.  

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Swingin’ Axes and Swingin’ Aces jazz bands at Stephen F. Austin State University will perform the music of Duke Ellington, Oliver Nelson, Sammy Nestico, Thelonius Monk and other jazz artists when the student ensembles perform at 7:30 p.m. Thursday Nov. 29, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.

Directing the Swingin’ Axes is Dr. Deb Scott, professor of trombone at SFA. Swingin’ Aces director is Dr. J.D. Salas, associate professor of tuba and euphonium.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – A community sing-along of George Frideric Handel’s “Messiah” will raise funds for the A Cappella Choir at Stephen F. Austin State University to travel to Europe in 2020.

The community event, with guest conductors, organist, pianist and soloists, and featuring the audience and SFA A Cappella Choir as the chorus, is at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 26, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

This event has been CANCELED!

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Theatre and Friends of Theatre will host a fundraiser to benefit theatre students at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 2, at Maklemore’s Ale-House & Bistro.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Finding that special gift for the person who has everything may not be as difficult as you think, especially if that certain someone likes live music.

The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and its University Series will present two concerts prior to Christmas, and purchasing tickets as gifts is as easy as going online to finearts.sfasu.edu or picking up the phone to call the Fine Arts Box Office.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Contemporary Ensemble at Stephen F. Austin State University will perform a rhythm and blues concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 1, in the Music Recital Hall on the SFA campus.

The program will feature R&B music from multiple decades starting with the 1960s, according to Nick Lambson, instructor in the Sound Recording Technology program in the SFA School of Music.

“A lot of music in this genre has a large instrumentation, so in addition to vocals, guitars, bass and drums, we have keys, violin, trumpet and trombones,” Lambson said.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Cole Art Center @ The Old Opera House, Stephen F. Austin State University’s historic downtown gallery, will be open during a portion of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, gallery officials have announced.

Cole Art Center will be closed Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Nov. 20 through 22. The gallery will be open during regular hours Friday through Sunday, Nov. 23 through 25.

Exhibitions currently showing feature artwork by Kymia Nawabi and the SFA School of Art’s biennial exhibition of jewelry and metalwork.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University’s Beef Research Center barn was destroyed in a fire that occurred early on the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 14.

“The fire caused significant damage to the structure and contents of the building,” said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. “We are very thankful that no people or animals were injured.”

The Beef Farm is a part of SFA’s 726-acre Walter C. Todd Agricultural Research Center, and it is an integral part of the learning experience for SFA’s agriculture students.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The award-winning Amethyst Saxophone Quartet will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 30 in Cole Concert Hall on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.