Pecha Kucha, Line by Line By Line, Luigi

* Bemis Curator Hesse McGraw will play guest host at Pecha Kucha Night Omaha #10, Thursday, Jan. 20 at Slowdown at 8 p.m. Presenters include Sean Ward, Callyann Casteel, Holly McAdams, Bryan Day, Jody Boyer, Colin C. Smith, Andy Colley, Jeff Day and Stuart Chittenden. The free event lets artistic types present 20 images of their work, each for 20 seconds, and talk during the presentation. * Rob Gilmer and Susan White are working to redefine the line at the RNG Gallery’s latest show, Line by Line by Line, opening Saturday, Jan. 15, 7-10 p.m. Both have been creating new work for more than a year, and decided the show was a must after discovering one had a birthday on 1.1.11 and the other on 1.11.11. “The line, be it curved or straight, creates the world around us,” Gilmer wrote about the show. “The shortest line is the dot, the longest is the horizon.” The show continues through Feb. 6. * Omaha’s main library is currently displaying work in honor of the late Omaha musician Luigi Waites. For more than 60 years, Waites played vibraphones and drums to Omaha audiences. He toured Europe twice and in 2007 won the first Lifetime Achievement Award at the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards. Omaha artist Eddith Buis organized the show, which features work from 26 artists who created work that honors Waites and celebrates jazz music. A piece by artist Jeremiah Neal depicts the many faces of Waites and his music, and other paintings and sculptures use music as inspiration. The show continues at the library, 215 S. 15th St., through January, then moves to Metropolitan Community College’s Fort Omaha Campus North Building Feb. 2–March 30, then again to Mr. Toads in the Old Market in April, closing with a special musical reception April 3. Once the show closes, Neal’s painting will be permanently displayed at the Dundee Dell, 5007 Underwood Ave. A June 17 reception at the Dell will celebrate the artwork. * Finally this week, a note from Lincoln. The Sheldon Museum of Art (Full disclosure: I work at Sheldon) is hosting an event that explores blindness. The Art Beyond Sight Round Chair Discussion takes place in the museum’s ORLAN: The Harlequin Coat installation. A group of panelists, both blind and sighted, will sit in the chairs that are part of the installation and discuss blindness and its relationship to the visual arts. Visitors are encouraged to participate in the discussion, slated for Jan. 22 at 2 p.m. and also submit questions online at Sheldon’s Facebook page, facebook.com/sheldonmuseum. For more information on art education for the blind, visit artbeyondsight.org. Mixed Media is a column about art. Get local art updates at weekfiftytwo.com. Send ideas to mixedmedia@thereader.com.