HIGHLIGHTS

LOOK
“;In Plain Sight,”; starring Mary McCormack (below), returns to USA with a two-hour season premiere.

LISTEN
“;Mango Tree”; by Angus and Julia Stone (www.angusandjuliastone.com)

DO
Tickets went on sale yesterday for Eddie Vedder's July 1 and 2 show at Hawaii Theatre. Log on to www.livenation.com, www.hawaiitheatre.com; or call 528-0506.

BOOKS

'Nisei Memories' author to speak

Paul Howard Takemoto, author of “;Nisei Memories: My Parents Talk About the War Years (University of Washington Press, $22.50)”; will speak at the Kauai Community College library at 5 p.m. tomorrow and 1:30 p.m. April 25 at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii.

His book is based on interviews with his parents and traces their lives before, during and after the war. Takemoto spent 16 years as a journalist and is currently the spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration in Washington, D.C. Admission is free. Call Warren Nishimoto at 956-6260 or e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

VIGNETTES

Ukulele becomes canvas in gallery show

When the Chinatown Boardroom received its first order of ukulele kits to sell in its gallery/store, owners Eric and Jackie Walden thought it'd be fun to have artists treat the uke as canvas.

The fun-filled results are on display in “;Jumping Flea,”; a group show featuring more than 18 artists from Hawaii and the mainland, which runs through April 25.

Despite the unusual canvas, Eric Walden says anyone familiar with an artist in the show would be able to pick out his work.

“;They all stuck with their usual styles,”; he said. “;None look alike; each is unique and fun in their own right.”;

Chinatown Boardroom, 1160 Nuuanu Ave., is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays to Saturdays. Call 585-7200 or visit www.chinatownboardroom.com.

Other highlights:

» The Honolulu Academy of Arts' monthly ARTafterDark event Friday is themed “;Fleur.”; It's an Indo-Franco affair with New York DJ Rehka taking the spotlight. Other features include can-can dancers, a find-the-flowers scavenger hunt and food by E&O Trading Co. 6 to 9 p.m.; $10, free to academy members; call 532-8700 or visit http://www.artafterdark.org.

» Windward Potters Guild's spring sale, 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Kailua Elementary cafeteria, 315 Kuulei Road; call 239-5045.

» “;From Carrots to Scotch Tape: Making Art With Everyday Materials”; is a gallery talk 10:30 a.m. Saturday featuring three artists from the “;20 Going on 21”; exhibit at the Contemporary Museum. Mark Maresca, Vince Hazen and Mat Kubo use unusual materials to create their art. They will show visitors their works in the gallery and discuss their choices of material. Reservations recommended for the hourlong free lecture; call 237-5217.

» Artists: May 2 is entry day for Hawaii Handweavers' Hui's exhibit “;The 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.”; Submissions will be received 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Academy Art Center. Call 841-8282.

Artist's abstracts share his adventures in alchemy

“;I think all artists are alchemists,”; says painter Alan Leitner, whose abstract works are on exhibit at the Second Floor at Cedar Street Galleries through May 10. Leitner's fascination with alchemy, a form of chemistry in the Middle Ages that focused on transmuting base metals into gold, led him to discover its similarity to philosophy and world religions.

Leitner says alchemy symbolically shares with the kabala and Buddhism the common quest of “;coming to grips with the human spirit.”; In response, the artist views his work as a means of “;maintaining a dialogue”; about the challenges of understanding the human spirit. He addresses the process rather than seeks answers.

“;Looking at the big picture, my paintings are not about 'good' or 'bad' things. Hopefully, they transcend all that stuff ... and just look at the essence of things.”;

Cedar Street Galleries, 817 Cedar St., is open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays and until 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Call 589-1580 or visit www.cedarstreetgalleries.com.