ARTIFACTS - The voice of the artist is like an echo from the future.

➔ The Monterey Museum of Art puts forth one of its docents, Kathryn Greenwald, for a discussion of three artists at their La Mirada location: Warren Chang, Gottadro Piazzoni and Emiko Nakano. It happens 5-6pm Thursday. 372-5477.

➔ In Charlie Kaufman’s mind-bending film Synecdoche, New York, Catherine Keener paints miniature paintings so small that people need magnifying glasses to view them. The pieces in the Peace Resource Center’s annual miniatures art show aren’t that diminutive, but they are affordable. Ahem-holidays-ahem! The opening is 11am-4pm Saturday. 599-8430, 899-7322.

➔ The Friends of the Marina Library host a holiday sing-along 1-3pm Saturday at the Marina Library, led by the Marina High School Chorus, which last year won first place at the Music in the Parks Festival at Great America amusement park, which has a jacked up thrill ride that threatens to alternately douse you with water and singe you with flames. But I digress. A book sale will commence the same day, 10am-4pm. 682-8016.

➔ The Monterey Peninsula Gospel Community Choir, 4:30-6:30pm this Saturday, bring it every time – this time to the Community Church of the Monterey Peninsula with guests singers Alfreda Lyons Campbell, Lena Byrd Myles and Robin Hodge Williams.

➔ The Artichoke Festival may have migrated from Castroville to the Monterey County Fairgrounds, but it still funds the Castroville Midnighters Car Club’s annual Castroville Christmas Celebration in the tiny town. It’s at the North County Rec Center, 6-9pm Saturday, and plies kids with gifts and activities. 383-1762 for info or to donate.

➔ At 8:30pm on Saturday, Valley Greens Gallery & Craft Beer Bar presents Carmel Delights, burlesque performance art dance. That’s like four things in one. With beer. 205-807-7144.

➔ Did you see Elaine Herrmann’s presentation at Old Capitol Books last Saturday about the Civil War diary she found in her basement? If not, go to the Weekly’s Dec. 5 Arts & Culture blog for the saga. Looking to the future, the bookstore hooks you up with a double-shot of poetry via the Monterey Bay Poetry Consortium, with Santa Cruz poet Danusha Lameris and local author and poet Patrice Vecchione 2pm on Sunday.

➔ Local actor Howard Burnham does a one-man performance on Wednesday of Charles Dickens, performing his “A Christmas Story” 1:30pm at Monterey Peninsula College Lecture Forum 103.