The public is invited to the Clark’s Grant Historical Society’s Christmas party on December 10 at the First Baptist Church on Highway 3 across from Wester Auto in Charlestown. Social time will be at 5:30 p.m. with dinner starting at 6 p.m. Meat, rolls, drinks and table service will be provided, but you may add to the trimmings with a vegetable, salad or dessert.
    To add to the fun, they have a gift exchange ($5 or less) for those who like to participate. Ladies bring a gift for a lady, men bring a gift for a man.
    Speakers for the evening will be Bob Gallman and Tom Chapman. Chapman is presenting writing a book about Rose Island and they are going to see a preview of this book. A spring release is planned.
    The Historical Society will not meet in January or February, but will resume meeting in March.
    For more information please call Donna Hart at 256-5777 or Bob Gallman at 288-6702.

    Speed Memorial Church will host a book signing by Dr. Carl Kramer and Mary Kagin Kramer on December 12 in the Carlile Room of the Activities Building.
    Dr. Kramer will present a short overview of their new book, "This Place We Call Home: A History of Clark County, Indiana." The book traces the county’s history rom the formation of the Ohio River approximately 400 million years ago through 2005. This work provides interesting reading for the local community. It features information from and pictures of many local residents and historical landmarks. The book is beautifully covered and has 480 pages, 17 maps and 241 pictures. It will make a special gift for residents and former residents of Clark County. Books will be available for purchase that evening for $35. They are also available at the gift shop of the Howard Steamboat Museum. The Kramers will be available to answer questions and sign the book after Dr. Kramer’s presentation. The Women’s Christian Fellowship will serve light refreshments.
    The Speed Memorial Church Activities Building is located at 320 Highway 31 in Speed across from the Essroc Cement Plant. There is ample parking at the rear of the building.

     The Carnegie Center for Art and History in New Albany is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibit, "Second Time Around: New Works by Shayne Hull and Mike Harrod."
   The Carnegie Center hosted an exhibit of Shayne Hull’s work in 1997, and Mike Harrod’s exhibit "Mike’s People" was on display in 1995. "Second Time Around: New Works by Shayne Hull and Mike Harrod" will be on display November 16 through December 29.
   There will be an opening reception for this exhibit Friday, November 16 from 6 tp 8 p.m. Visitors can enjoy refreshments and meet the artists, accompanied by the sounds of the Jamey Aerbersold Jazz Quartet.
   Shayne Hull is well known as an artist on both sides of the river, having been named as one of Louisville’s Top Visual Artists by Louisville Magazine. He is currently working on series of portraits of 100 notable Louisvillians on display at Proof on Main and recently designed the Woodford Reserve Kentucky Derby Commemorative bottle and the logo for the First Capitol Bank "Live" at the Clifton Center concert series.
   Shayne distorts, manipulates and otherwise alters his humorous portraits of his children, political figures and people in the news. "Basically, for this show, I’ve done something totally new for me, continued working on something I recently discovered, and worked in the vein of some of the stuff I’ve done in the past," says the artist. "The totally new thing is reworking old pieces, not just retouching then, but using the old image as a starting point of something new.
   "The thing that I recently discovered and am continuing to explore is digital photo manipulation. Lastly, I will have small batch of hard-edged enamel paintings of political figures. Not that I’m that political, but some of those politicians have the most interesting heads."
   After and absence of several years from the art world, New Albany artist and former Jeffersonville Chief of Police Mike Harrod has produced a series of "people sculptures" based on familiar srtists, accompanied by his version of an iconic painting by each artist. Part fiber, part assemblage, Mike’s sculptures express his own style and views while giving the viewer a kind of primer in art history.
   About the work in his exhibit, Mike says, "My ‘people art’ really stems from an interest in human behavior. I try for personality, attitude, energy freshness, detail. For me, these sculptures are paintings without canvas. I feel more at ease outside of the canvas, without the restrictions of borders, working up and out rather than within. I want my ‘people’ to be accessible and familiar, something that everyday people can connect with."
   Mike was a student of one-time Carnegie Center board member Jonas Howard, professor of art at IUS, who encouraged Mike to produce a body of work for exhibition that became the 1995 exhibit "Mike’s People."