PAINTINGS AND THEATER

UPSTATE VIEWING The Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, 50 miles north of Manhattan in Peekskill, N.Y., presents a multimedia, interactive theater experience that uses paintings from the center’s “Size Matters: XXL” exhibit. “Image and Script” is a series of short plays, each of which uses one of the oversize paintings included in the exhibit as a backdrop for a stage. (The exhibit is made up of monumental works from 31 artists.) Audience members follow the actors around the center in order to view the plays. Writers Barbara Fischer, David Fox, and Joshua Kashinsky are among those whose plays are performed. Selections from “Size Matters: XXL” include John Newsome’s “The Great Divide” (2005–06), right. Tonight, 8 p.m., HVCCA, 1707 Main St. at Grant Avenue, Peekskill, N.Y., 914-788-0100, $20 general, $16 members.

ART

MELVILLE IN MINIATURE Art 101 presents the opening of an exhibit of paintings and essays by Jane Freeman, inspired by Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick.” Ms. Freeman is best known for her intricate miniatures, some of which are also on view. Highlights of “Melville, Miniatures, and More” include two 19th-century theme pieces that were created exclusively for this show: “The Spouter Inn; The Creaking Sign” and “The Spouter Inn; The Patchwork Quilt.” A free reception for the artist is on Sunday at 4 p.m. Opens Friday, through Sunday, February 17, Friday–Sunday, 1–6 p.m., or by appointment, 101 Grand St. at Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 718-302-2242, free.

ANTIQUES ENTHUSIASTS “An Eye Toward Perfection: The Shaker Museum and Library,” an on-loan exhibit that highlights Shaker furniture design during the last quarter of the 19th century, is the centerpiece of the 54th Winter Antiques Show at the Park Avenue Armory. The antiques show features American, English, European, and Asian fine and decorative arts. All net proceeds from the show benefit the nonprofit East Side House Settlement. Today and Sunday, noon–6 p.m., Friday–Saturday, noon–8 p.m., Park Avenue Armory, 67th Street at Park Avenue, 718-292-7392, $20 (includes show catalog). For complete information or to purchase tickets to tonight’s Young Collectors’ Night, go to winterantiquesshow.com.

DESIGN

ROYAL BLOOM “Watercolors From the Highgrove Florilegium,” an exhibit of botanical paintings inspired by the garden of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, is on view at the Gallery of the New York School of Interior Design. A group of 48 international artists created 75 watercolors from the varieties of plants, fruits, and vegetables growing at the 15-acre Highgrove garden. The show is organized according to botanical classification and marks the first public display of these works. “Florilegium” is the Latin term for a collection of pictures of plants in a specific garden; it is a practice that unites two of the Prince’s chief passions — horticulture and painting. Opens today, through Saturday, April 12, Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., the Gallery of the New York School of Interior Design, 161 E. 69th St., between Lexington and Third avenues, 212-472-1500, free.

YOUR WORLD UP CLOSE The Pratt Manhattan Gallery at the campus of the Pratt Institute presents “My World,” an exhibit of works by seven contemporary British designers. The touring show’s appearance at the gallery marks its only stop in America. “My World” focuses on the growing use of new technologies together with a handcrafted sensibility among some designers in creating everyday objects. The selected works reflect what the designers perceive as our desire for a stamp of personal identity or character in the things that populate our lives — from mattresses to standing lamps. Highlights include Allison Willoughby’s installation “One” and “10 Skirts,” a collection of sizeless circle skirts. Other featured designers include Peter Tragg, Danny Brown, and Neutral, the brainchild of Christian Grou and Tapio Snellman. Through Saturday, February 23, Tuesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Pratt Manhattan Gallery, 144 W. 14th St., between Sixth and Seventh avenues, 212-647-7778, free.

OPERA

SALUTING THE MASTERS The magazine Opera News hosts its third annual awards presentation at the Pierre Hotel. Mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and actress Sigourney Weaver are co-hosts of the event. (Ms. Graham most recently appeared in the Metropolitan Opera’s “Iphigénie en Tauride.”) A cocktail reception precedes the gala dinner and ceremony. Among the honorees are an American conductor, Julius Rudel; a dramatic mezzo who first became known while creating roles in Russia’s Mariinsky Theatre, Olga Borodina, and the pioneering black American soprano, Leontyne Price. All of the honorees are expected to be on hand to accept their awards; soprano Deborah Voigt is one of the event’s presenters. Tonight, 6 p.m., the Pierre Hotel, Grand Ballroom, 2 E. 61st St. at Fifth Avenue. For information on how to purchase tickets, call 212-769-7009, or go to metoperafamily.org/guild.

TALKS

IT AIN’T PRETTY The 92nd Street Y hosts “The Bad and the Ugly: Jack Cafferty in Conversation with Sue Simmons.” A commentator for CNN’s political program “The Situation Room,” Mr. Cafferty is an outspoken and often provocative voice in the din that can be characteristic of the 24-hour news channels. His “The Cafferty Files” segments regularly draw the ire and praise of loyal viewers. Ms. Simmons is a co-anchor of New York’s “News Channel 4/ Live at Five” and “News Channel 4 at 11” newscasts. The CNN personality engages in a debate about his newly published “It’s Getting Ugly Out There: The Frauds, Bunglers, Liars, and Losers Who Are Hurting America” (Wiley), in which he denounces poor leadership, press and broadcast shortcomings, and government missteps with the exasperated, satirical tone that is his signature. Iraq, immigration, terrorism, and President Bush are all up for discussion. Tonight, 8:15 p.m., 92nd Street Y, Kaufmann Concert Hall, 1395 Lexington Ave. at 92nd Street, 212-415-5500, $26.

ART

SCRATCH THE SURFACE The new works featured in Elliott Puckette’s exhibit at the Paul Kasmin Gallery are the products of a laborious artistic process: Ms. Puckette covers her canvases in a gesso primer, then either stains the canvas in black ink and etches through the ink to expose the white gesso underneath, or etches straight into the gesso, filling the canals with black ink to create a work with a white background. From afar, her etchings seem like spontaneous paintings covered in whimsical doodles; in fact, each line has been painstakingly carved in. Selections include “Kleimheist” (2007), above. Opens tonight, 6–8 p.m., exhibit through Saturday, February 23, Tuesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Paul Kasmin Gallery, 293 Tenth Ave. at 27th Street, 212-563-4474, free.

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