ARTIFACTS - Frank Lloyd Wright lecture 5:30pm Wednesday at Homescapes Carmel Plaza.

• David J. Gubernick has snapped maybe the most definitive photo of the Arroyo Seco River I’ve seen. It’s taken in the bend of an oxbow, the river swooping out of the bottom of the frame, then swooping back into it, only to disappear behind the horizon. Its colors are pure Central Coast – hearty vegetation green struck with golden washes of light from a setting sun, the sky is blue, brushed with clouds; it’s something else. (See the Art Openings and Happenings in the print Calendar to view it.) He’s a worthy subject for the Arts Council for Monterey County’s special exhibition The Quest for Beauty and Magic, opening 4-7pm Friday, at Sunset Center Room 5, San Carlos and Ninth, Carmel. RSVP klara@arts4mc.org or 622-9060 x103.

• In other Arts Council news, “Our next grant deadline is Oct. 1,” according to the announcement from Executive Director Paulette Lynch. That is all. For some, that is enough.

• The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History is taking a cue from the Pacific Grove Art Center up the street by putting out the call for art for the coming Central Coast Landscapes juried exhibition (it opens Nov. 9). The subject must be the natural landscape within the counties of San Benito, Monterey, Santa Cruz or San Luis Obispo and must be submitted by Sept. 30. Go to PGMuseum.org/exhibits for information.

• Ashley Schwellenbach may live in San Luis Obispo, but we can consider her a sister-in-arms (those arms typing away on a keyboard). She’s the managing editor of San Luis Obispo New Times, a fellow Association of Alternative Newsmedia member, lived previously in Prunedale, and wrote recently a fantasy YA book called Scourge of the Righteous Haddock, which she describes as “sort of a Neil Gaiman meets Little Women,” with a few segments inspired by Salinas and Prunedale. It’s packed with tons of cleverly named female characters, borrows liberally from indigenous languages like Ohlone and Chukchansi, and has a map, like The Hobbit. See more at JaneEyreLikesCupcakes.wordpress.com.

• Weston Gallery has some photos they’d like to show you, recent acquisitions if you will. They include sumptuous deep-black-and-glowing-white photos from the ’60s by Robert Frank, an enchanted forest inhabited by a nude woman by Wynn Bullock, and a snowy, frozen, small-town Main Street shot by Marion Post Wolcott. This is stuff you can lose yourself in. 10:30am-5:30pm daily except Monday.