A variety of Chinese culture will greet visitors to the Bellefonte Art Museum this month.

“Symbolic Meanings: Calligraphy and Paintings by Calligrapher Liang Hong” and “Cross- Cultural Communication with Ethnic Groups Costumes from China” are shows sponsored by the Confucius Institute at Penn State and presented by the Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County. Scheduled through Sept. 30, the displays are interesting and varied. The artist, Liang Hong, offered his works when he visited Philadelphia, and the museum is honored to feature him.

Liang was an executive editor of Chinese Calligraphy from 2007 to 2011.

He is the compiler of “The University Textbook of Calligraphy” and has lectured on Chinese culture, calligraphy and painting and the art of seal cutting.

The cultural part of the exhibit features ethnic costumes from China and lessons about the homes, dances and music of the 56 ethnic groups in China.

On Saturday, visitors to the museum viewed demonstrations of Chinese paper cutting. Traditional Chinese dances livened the museum Sunday. The Confucius Institute has made traditional Chinese dresses available for trying on. (I was very tempted, but left that for two teachers of Asian studies from Penn State.)

Sunday was the day for the monthly First Sunday Reception from 1 to 4:30 p.m., where guests met Veronica Winter at the opening for her oil painting exhibit “Feelings,” which will run through September in the Community Gallery.

Stop by the Bellefonte Art Museum on Sept. 15 to try your hand at opera mask-making. The museum is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at 133 North Allegheny St. in Bellefonte.

Croquet in Bellefonte

Do you get another turn when you go through a wicket? What about the two wickets and the post — two turns for each? Such are the questions that arise when you play croquet — at least at my house. It had been years since I played and my grandchildren questioned everything. The members from the Intervalley Area Chamber of Commerce in Bellefonte could have answered my queries. They have been gearing up for the eighth annual Bellefonte Chamber Croquet Tournament from 2 to 5 p.m. on Sept. 30 at the greens area of Talleyrand Park.

Kerry O’Hara and Chuck Kormanski are heading the event. They are hoping that businesses will sponsor a two-person team to play, a virtual team (to help the cause) or assist in other ways. This is the main fundraising event of the year for BIACC. Contact the Chamber at 814-355- 2917 or email at bellefontecoc@aol.com.

Connie Cousins writes a weekly column about the Bellefonte area. Send her news at ccous67@gmail.com.