West metro arts briefs

Studies of nature in new art exhibit "Entropy & Evolution, Works on Paper," an art exhibition by Martha Iserman, opens Thursday at the Hopkins Center for the Arts, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins. It will continue through April 3.

Iserman is a Minneapolis artist whose fascination with nature inspires her to "attempt to show beauty in the natural world, not just in the results -- a flower or stream, for example -- but in the essential operations of life," according to the arts center.

"Entropy & Evolution" deals with "the relationship between time and biology," the center says. Iserman creates large-scale paintings that deal with "growth, predation, symbiosis, migration, decay and adaptation ... complemented by disciplined, observational biological drawings pulling from Iserman's experience as a science and medical illustrator."

Admission to the exhibition is free. For more information, go to www.hopkinsarts center.com.

Sculptors' show set at arts center The Society of Minnesota Sculptors' juried art show begins Thursday and continues through March 24 at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts, 2240 North Shore Drive.

Works range from representational to abstract art in a variety of media.

An opening reception is scheduled for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday.

Jewish Humor Fest starts Thursday The Jewish Humor Festival begins Thursday at the Sabes Jewish Community Center, 4330 S. Cedar Lake Road, St. Louis Park. Here's a sampling of the two dozen events coming up during the 10-day festival:

• "Joel Chasnoff: The Jewish Comedian Who's Redefining Jewish Comedy," 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Chasnoff explores the quirks of Jewish life in the United States, basing his comedy on nine years in Jewish Day School, service in the Israel Defense Forces and other life experiences. $15. Rating: PG-13.

• "The Mighty Mavens: Storytellers," 12:30 p.m. Friday and 7 p.m. Monday. Carla Vogel, Joan Calof and Faith Oremland take on rites of passage, family relationships, finding love and growing old in Jewish culture. $5. Rating: PG.

• "Jason Neufeld Is Impotent," 7 p.m. Saturday and 9 p.m. Sunday. Alix Sobler wrote the piece as a revenge comedy to get back at Jason Neufeld for breaking her heart. In her multimedia one-woman show, Sobler addresses some big issues facing the Jewish community: intermarriage and assimilation. $10. Rating: R.

• "So Kiss Me Already, Herschel Gertz!" 8:30 p.m. Saturday and 8:30 p.m. Monday. This one-woman comedy act by Minneapolis actor/writer Amy Salloway tells how a teenage girl sent to a "freakishly Jewish" summer camp survives "when you're the pork chop in an all-Kosher world." $10. Rating: PG-13.

Workshops for writers to be held Saturday The Bloomington Theatre and Art Center will hold its seventh Annual Writers' Festival and Book Fair on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Workshops will cover writing nonfiction, publishing options, authors' common mistakes, legal issues every author should understand, how to deal with electronic publishing and how to use social media to promote your book online.

Book vendors and authors will be available to speak with those attending. The keynote speaker will be Cathy Wurzer, author of "Tales of the Road: Highway 61" and host of MPR's "Morning Edition."

Pre-registration is required for the event, which will be held at Civic Plaza, 1800 W. Old Shakopee Road. Box lunches are $10. For details, to register or to order lunch, go to www.bloomingtonartcenter .com.