WELCOME TO COTTONWOOD’S NEW LECTURE SERIES,

where you’ll hear big ideas from artists, historians, experts, and culture creators on the 2nd Friday of every month.

JOIN US! Free to the public. $10 suggested dontation.

November 8 | 7 pm | REGISTER FOR FREE

KATIE SCRUGGS GALLOWAY

Katie Scruggs Galloway is a poet, editor, and author of the debut collection Still and Still Moving. This book was a finalist in the 2024 Colorado Book Awards (poetry category).  She is also the co-creator of Becoming // Poetry, a Colorado-based duo that has been writing spontaneous poems for strangers and hosting community writing workshops since 2019. Katie earned a bachelor's degree in English and writing from Eastern Oregon University. When she's not at her desk, you can find Katie creating through analogue photography and music (Color Math on Spotify). Connect with Katie on Instagram: @k.galloway_ 

Topic: Katie will discuss her approach to writing poetry and talk about her award-winning book. 

DECEMBER 13 | 7 pm | REGISTER FOR FREE

HEIDI ALMOSARA

Heidi Almosara has exhibited her artwork in over a hundred exhibitions across the continental US, including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as, Russia, Peru, Japan, New Zealand, Finland, Germany, Taiwan, and Guatemala. She is a multidisciplinary artist, but the most notable is her connection with ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging.  Heidi has over a decade of experience as a former fine arts professor and has been an active member in the Colorado Springs art community. 

Topic: Heidi's presentation is titled "Ode: No.41" and is inspired by her grandmother’s 1962 ikebana exhibition catalogue. Heidi did not discover that she and her grandmother had this connection until a decade after she passed away.

JANUARY 10 | 7 pm | REGISTER FOR FREE

HENRIQUE DE ALMEIDA

Globally renowned Brazilian drummer Henrique de Almeida, born and raised in Recife, Brazil, has performed several times at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City. In the US, he has been the drummer for Gloria Estefan, Dave Valentin, Larry Coryell, Nelson Rangel, Benny Carter, Nando Lauria (Pat Metheny Group), and many others. His performances with Brazilian pop stars include Alceu Valenca, Gilberto Gill, Raul de Souza, Luiz Gonzaga, Hermeto Paschoal, Leo Blanco, Luciana Souza, Katy Webster, and Oscar Kartaia, among others.

For many years, Henrique was a jazz percussion professor at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he also is a graduate of jazz composition. He has a master’s degree in music performance from The University of Southern Mississippi. He writes articles for Modern Drummer magazine and has appeared in other publications such as the cover of Drumhead magazine with legendary drummer Steve Gadd.

Henrique is also a prominent music instructor. His educational products are highly ranked in Modern Drummer and his books are an integral part of the Berklee College of Music curriculum. In 2017, Henrique became the music director and president of the online school TheDrumSetCoach.com. And, in the spring of 2020, he opened his own music school in Palmer Lake, Colorado—The Drum Set Coach Academy.

Topic: "Brazilian Rythyms' Influence in Jazz". Henrique de Almeida will describe how the diverse rythyms and percussion instruments have influenced Jazz around the world. He will also perform with several Brazilian percussion instruments.