Picks of the Week: Comedy to comics, drawing to design

This week offers something for every arts enthusiast. From comedy to Free Comic Book Day, and from drop-in drawing at the Contemporary Jewish Museum to the 2018 Jacobs Spring Design Showcase, every creative inkling you might have will be satisfied by this week’s happenings. Events will take place in San Francisco, Berkeley and directly on the UC Berkeley campus — and we even have recommended listening for your Friday, too. Monday, April 30 —

To kick off Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Los Angeles-based comedian Jenny Yang will perform at San Francisco State University, or SFSU, at 6 p.m. Monday. SFSU’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Student Services is hosting the comedian, who is best known for her stand-up and satirical YouTube videos, which mock political and pop culture events. Come for the comedy, and stay to celebrate the Asian American and Pacific Islander community’s month of recognition.Tuesday, May 1 |

Located at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in the new Blue Cube space, museum visitors are invited to experience the exhibitions through drawing in a free event offered on select Tuesdays, this week from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. A drawing topic will be provided, as will sketching supplies and the help of a drawing instructor — you can express your creativity and explore the very medium you are surrounded by.Wednesday, May 2 |

The Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation is hosting a showcase of student work in Jacobs Hall on Wednesday and Thursday. Projects are from students within 17 courses, members of design clubs and other students. With work from courses that range from user interface and experience design, to bio-inspired design, to global product development and creative programming, this event has something for everyone. Pay particular note to the “Transforming Food Systems” presentation from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., wherein students attempt to provide solutions to food waste, food customization, food supply chain transparency and more. The event is free and open to the public. Friday, May 4 | Release of Leon Bridges’ new album ‘Good Thing’Leon Bridges, known for sultry funk and jazz, will be releasing a new album, entitled Good Thing, at the end of this work week. Considering the artist’s top hits from his 2016 album Coming Home, such as “River,” “Smooth Sailin’,” and “Better Man,” why not take the whole week to listen to his music? Prepare for this whole slew of new songs. At the very least, check out “Beyond,” a single Bridges dropped April 20, which is likely representative of the direction his discography will go in.Saturday, May 5 | Free Comic Book Day at

,

and

Every first Saturday of May, comic shops across the country participate in Free Comic Book Day, wherein publishers release a lineup of free books to bring casual fans through the doors of independent retailers.

feature something for everyone, whether you’re jonesing for an “Avengers” book (co-written by Ta-Nehisi Coates, no less) after a trip to the

or you’re looking to be ahead of the pop culture curve with Image Comics’ latest sci-fi epic “Barrier.” Of course, individual retailers hold a number of special events to celebrate — take a photo with the stormtroopers of the 501st Legion at Fantastic Comics or meet comic book creators themselves at Escapist Comics.