Greg Little
Kicks Editor
Kicks
Rock, gem & mineral Show returning for 50th year
A staple of the Badger Lapidary & Geological Societys annual rock, gem and mineral show is an interactive display in which kids can see how trace elements in some rocks cause them to light up when exposed to fluorescent lighting.
closeup of sample of natural mineral from geological collectionraw Chromian diopside (Chrome-Diopside, Siberian Emerald, green diopside) rock isolated on white background
Macro mineral stone purple amethyst in crystals on a white background close up
Cross section of a blue Brazilian geode, commonly called Thunder Eggs or blue agate crystal.
JANESVILLE—“All That Glitters,” the Badger Lapidary & Geological Society’s annual rock, gem and mineral show, is returning to the Rock County 4-H Fairgrounds for its 50th annual event Oct. 30-31.
Attendees will celebrate all things geological, from minerals found near the Rock River to those discovered in underwater oceanic volcanoes. Even rocks found on neighboring planets are on the schedule for discussion.
The show runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. It is free and open to the public, and all activities take place at the fairgrounds’ Craig Center, 1301 Craig Ave., Janesville. Guest speakers, children’s games and demonstrations all will be part of the program.
Here are five things worth knowing about the show before it kicks off:
1. The difference between a mineral, rock and gem.
While most collectors and club members at the show will be able to answer this question, here is a helpful reminder on the difference between a mineral, a rock and a gem:
- Minerals are formed from single elements. Examples include quartz, phosphorous and gold.
- Rocks are made from groups or collections of varying minerals.
- Gems are minerals or stones that have been polished, cut, worked or altered using human methods.
2. Rock collecting doesn’t discriminate. It’s for everyone.
Whether or not you can tell the difference between a precious gem or a shiny pebble, people with varying interests will find something to capture their attention at the show.
Attendees who want to know more about fossils can listen to author Kenneth Gass speak at 1 p.m. Sunday about his new book “Fossils of The Milwaukee Formation.”
Beginning rock collectors can hear about decades worth of collecting from club member Mike Riesch when he presents “50 Years of Collecting” at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Other informational sessions include:
- Brooke Norsted of the University of Wisconsin Geology Museum presenting “Stories in Stone” at 11 a.m. Saturday.
- “ owner Don Baumgartner of Palatine, Illinois, will present “The Science of Jurassic Park” at 3 p.m. Saturday.
- Isotope geochemist Sean Scott presenting “Oceanic Geology” at 11 a.m. Sunday.
There also are activities such as gem panning that teach participants how to sift for gold and gems, a 4-foot-long cephalopod, a 100-pound meteorite, and a sand-sifting station that allows children to dig for and learn about fossils.
Even displays presented by club members will range in both knowledge and age.
“One of our younger club members is doing a display on geodes. I believe he is around 11 or so,” Trocke said.
3. Collector items are everywhere.
Even rocks in the backyard can begin a budding geology enthusiast’s collection.
“We’ve got club members that pick up things when they go out for a walk along the river,” Trocke said. “And then we have club members that plan their vacations around collecting.”
Eleven vendors will be on-site, including Mystic Moraine Minerals and Rockhound’s Shop in Janesville.
The club also offers rock collecting trips to help members expand their collections.
“Several people from the club did a two-week trip to Georgia to go rock hunting (in 2019),” Trocke said.
Future club trips will include a fossilized geode hunt in Indiana and amethyst gathering in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
4. There are rocks that glow in the dark.
A staple of the rock, gem and mineral show is the fluorescent mineral room maintained by Trocke’s husband, Dan, who serves as the club’s field trip chair.
The interactive display shows a naturally occurring phenomenon in some rocks that light up under fluorescent lamps or blacklights.
“Basically, they have trace elements and things like that in them that make them just a little bit unstable, so that they respond to the blacklight,” Laurie Trocke said.
Kids will be able to use flashlights to examine rocks and even take one home.
5. The club and show are open to anyone.
Originally based in Monroe, the club started meeting and hosting its show in Janesville about five years ago. Attendees come from as far away as Milwaukee and throughout Illinois.
Since moving, membership and attendance to the show has steadily grown. The 2019 show counted about 4,200 people attending across two days, Trocke said.
The club will have annual membership forms available, and costs range from $15 to $20 annually.
For more information, email glowyrocks@gmail.com or visit badgerrock .
Kicks
Beloit College exhibit studies what makes a monster, and why were scared of them
Anthony Wahl
The tengu is a legendary being very important to Japanese mythology, found in both folk tales and Shinto and Buddhist religious doctrines. The tengu is also a popular masked character in Kygen theatre, a traditional form of Japanese comic theatre.
Anthony Wahl
Part of the Monstrum: Embodiments of Fear exhibit touches on the 2016 clown panic where sightings were reported of people disguised as evil clowns in incongruous settings, such as near forests and schools.
Anthony Wahl
Monstrum: Embodiments of Fear is a current exhibit inside second floor Robert G. Shaw Gallery of the Logan Museum at Beloit College. The exhibit explores the relationship between man and monster, from the movie screen to the those believed by some to roam the world and realms around us.
Anthony Wahl
Part of the Monstrum: Embodiments of Fear exhibit touches on the 2016 clown panic where sightings were reported of people disguised as evil clowns in incongruous settings, such as near forests and schools.
Anthony Wahl
Part of the Monstrum: Embodiments of Fear exhibit touches on the 2016 clown panic where sightings were reported of people disguised as evil clowns in incongruous settings, such as near forests and schools.
Anthony Wahl
This 19th Century carving from Alaska depicts fishing and hunting. This section explores the Inuit relationship with supernatural beings that aid or hinder in the success of a hunting or fishing trip.
Anthony Wahl
These miniature masks resemble larger masks used in Not, a form of Japanese dance drama theater performed sine the 14th Century. Theater masks that become enchanted by the talent of the performer who wore them become menreiki, then join a group called tsukumogami, human objects that acquire spirits and gain life.
Anthony Wahl
A section devoted to La Llorona, a ghost who roams waterfront areas mourning her children whom she drowned.
Anthony Wahl
Monstrum: Embodiments of Fear is a current exhibit inside second floor Robert G. Shaw Gallery of the Logan Museum at Beloit College. The exhibit explores the relationship between man and monster, from the movie screen to the those believed by some to roam the world and realms around us.
BELOITWhen it comes to matters of monsters, everyone has his or her own idea of what is scary.
For some, fear comes in the form of beast-like creatures with sharp teeth, long claws and thick hair. For others, dread manifests in demonic spirits, flesh-eating creepies, murderous mortals or even clowns.
There is no single agreement on what makes a monster, said Manuel Ferreira, curator of the Logan Museum of Anthropology and instructor of museum sciences at Beloit College. The string that connects what most people think of as a monster is the idea of transgressionthe breaking of boundaries set up by different cultures and societies.
These concepts are studied as part of Monstrum: Embodiments of Fear, a new exhibit on display at the museum on the Beloit College campus, 700 College St. Installed to coincide with Halloween, this free tribute to terror is expected to continue into February 2022.
I am a big horror movie fan, and one of the things I really wanted to do here was create exhibitions that were interesting to the general public, Ferreira said. I have found people have relationships with monsters in many ways, and whether they find them intriguing and interesting or if they fear them and dont like them, they tend to have some sort of reaction.
Regardless of what it is that haunts your dreams, Ferreira notes the subliminal perceptions surrounding those subjects were likely intended to scare you as much as their outward appearances. In other words, you might be more frightened by the message than the monster.
Take for example Bram Stokers Dracula, who is presented in the book as polysexual. Ferreira views this an example of a character deemed a monster due in part to mannerisms and characteristics that were, at the time, considered objectionable.
There is this history of monsters such as Dracula being queer-coded, he said. This was because of the homophobia during that time period. What makes a monster is often culturally based, so whether or not its a good thing depends on if youre being cast as the monster.
Another part of the fear of Dracula from the movie, for example, is the foreign myth, Ferreira added. This involves coming from a different place to the homeland during the xenophobia that was prevalent during that time.
The exhibit also delves into the clown panic of 2016, in which numerous worldwide sightings were reported of people dressed as evil clowns appearing near forests and schools.
Going back to the idea of transgression, its all about changing this sort of innocent thing into a not-so-innocent thing, Ferreira explained. (Clowns) werent always meant for kids, and they sometimes had very adult narratives. But when they became associated with childrens entertainment, people like (author) Stephen King, other artists and some horror enthusiasts were able to latch onto that and sort of manipulate it into something very frightening.
In addition to vampires and clowns, other subjects featured in Monstrum include:
- La Llorona. The Weeping Woman in White centers on the Latin legend of a married woman who drowns her two children in a fit of rage after seeing her husband with another woman. Overcome by guilt, she drowns herself but is not allowed to enter the afterlife, instead forced to walk the earth until she finds her children.
- La Lechuza. Another Latin legend about the Owl-Witch murdered by townspeople for practicing the devils magic. To exact revenge, she returns as a shapeshifter who can appear as a witch during the day and a giant bird with a womans face at night, killing those she encounters.
- The Yokai. Supernatural spirits or entities in Japanese folklore that can be either evil or helpful to humans. Strongly revered, they can appear in the form of humans, animals, plants, buildings or other inanimate objects.
Through nontraditional exhibits such as Monstrum, Ferreira hopes to entice both students and area residents to check out whats going on at the Logan.
Were an academic museum, and were dedicated to teaching students, he said. But we dont want to get stuck in the academia. Its important to recognize fun and to be accessible, too. What I want to do is to blend the two.
Kicks
Broadway couple to perform at Parker Arts Academy fundraiser
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Greg Little
Kicks Editor
Submitted photo
Broadway performers Emily Padgett and Josh Young will appear Friday, Nov. 5, at Parker High School in Janesville as part of a fundraiser for the Parker Arts Academy, a curricular pathway program centered on the fine arts.
JANESVILLE—Two of musical theater’s brightest stars will trade the shining lights of New York City for Janesville as part of an upcoming fundraiser for the Parker Arts Academy.
Broadway veterans Josh Young and Emily Padgett will perform at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, at Parker High School, 3125 Mineral Point Ave. Joining the couple onstage will be students from the academy and members of the Parker High School A Capella choir.
“It’s huge to have artists of the caliber coming here,” said Jan Knutson, who coordinates the curricular pathway program focused on the fine arts. “Our goal is to bring a different artist here each year to help broaden students’ experiences.”
The day after the show, Young and Padgett also will present a masterclass for academy students that will cover subjects such as song preparation and tips on auditioning.
“Josh is not just a wonderful performer, but he is also on staff at Oakland University in Michigan. So is Emily,” Knutson said. “They are not only passionate about performing, but also about preparing students for careers in music theater or in just helping them fulfill their passions wherever their professional careers might lead them.
“A lot of our students have dreams and aspire to be what these wonderful artists are,” she added. “What (the students) are going to get from this will influence them throughout their high school years and beyond.”
Nominated for a Tony Award for his Broadway debut as Judas Iscariot in “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Young also originated the role of John Newton in the world premiere of “Amazing Grace.” In addition, he has filled leading roles in such productions as “Evita,” “Les Miserables” and the European and Asian 50th Anniversary tour of Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story.”
Padgett, a veteran of six Broadway shows, most recently appeared in the original production of Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” In addition to such Broadway credits as “Bright Star,” “Side Show,” “Grease” and “Sweet Charity,” she also has appeared in productions of “Legally Blonde” and “Flashdance.”
Tickets for the Nov. 5 performance are $25 for adults and $15 for students. They are available online at , at the Parker box office the day of the performance, or in advance at these Janesville locations: Knapton Musik Knotes, 2475 Milton Ave., and Voigt Music Center, 2152 W. Highway 14.
For more information, call 608-743-5591.
Group of monster arms isolated on a white background as a grabbing zombie mummy werewolf and red demon as a creepy halloween design element in a 3D illustration style.
Jack o Lantern orange basket or bucket for sweets isolated on white background with shadow. Halloween celebration and trick-or-treating concept. Sweets collection basket
english bulldog wearing western hat and cowboy shirt with reflection on white background
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