There’s something exhilarating about the annual Erotica Show at the Tivoli Artists’ Co-op Gallery, which kicks off this Friday, February 4. And that goes double for its big-bash fundraising reception, which will take place on Saturday evening, February 5, with burlesque, poetry, performance art, music and fashions and an overriding emphasis on fun on the menu for the night.

The art is always sensual, often cathartic, never pornographic – and it draws better than any of the other artist co-op shows, both in Tivoli and elsewhere around the region, largely because it gives artists a chance to pull out some of their more literally intimate works. Think of the great pieces that Rembrandt created during his day, now hidden away in drawers at the Teylers Museum in Haarlem; or the rare curtained showings of Courbet’s Origin of the World, seen a few years back at the Met, with long lines at all times of the day. It’s easy to go on about this rarely discussed but much-adored field of work.

But more importantly, see the show for what the erotic can draw from artists. And even more importantly, start thinking up some creative costume for the opening Saturday night, when everyone’s encouraged to cut loose and join the celebration. Attendees for this exhibit and reception must be over the age of 18.

The Erotica Show runs through February 27. Regular gallery hours are Fridays from 5 to 9 p.m., Saturdays from 1 to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. And remember: There are great restaurants in Tivoli; just remember what you’re wearing (but also realize that no one will care that much what it is).

For further information and directions, call (845) 757-2667 during gallery hours or check out www.tivoliartistsco-op.com.

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Hibernation happenings: February art events in Kingston include kickoff of Deep Listening Institute’s “100 Artists/100 Dreams”

February: the month for remembering love, in retail terms; a month of internal explorations, yearnings for warmer climes and visiting galleries, for those of a more cultural bent. In Kingston, where the city’s galleries roar into the month with a bevy of openings this Saturday, February 5, the choices on hand will be as diverse as people’s reactions to the riches and pitfalls that this time of year offers. They range from an Arts Society of Kingston (ASK) red-themed members’ show and potpourri of covers from Chronogram through cutting-edge shows with serious local arts at Surprenant, the Kingston Museum of Contemporary Art (KMoCA) and R & F Paints, as well as the inauguration of a 100-artist festival to come next year on an international scale at the Deep Listening Institute (DLI) in Midtown.

The latter’s definitely the big draw this month, at least in terms of parties, as the Institute hosts special poetry, music and video performances to be augmented by Skype presentations of other artworks from around the globe in what Deep Listening is calling “a virtual gallery” setting, also available in a live broadcast stream online at DLI’s website, www.deeplistening.org. Food will be provided by Deb’s Gourmet Catering. “100 Artists/100 Dreams,” as the event planned for next year is being called, plays off the Institute’s annual Dream Festival by drawing in international dream exploration works that focus on “recurring, prophetic and creative dreams” in a myriad of formats. The final exhibition, installations and performances will take place in a variety of locations around the globe, and start to take final shape with the simultaneous global premieres for the new film, 100 Artists/100 Dreams: The Film, during Ione’s 16th annual Dream Festival in October. This Saturday’s preview event will take place at the Deep Listening Institute at 77 Cornell Street, Suite 303, in Midtown Kingston from 5 to 8 p.m.

That means that there’ll also be time to take in the opening for Kerhonkson-based painter Astrid Fitzgerald’s exhibit of new geometry-inspired encaustic paintings at R & F Paints, located at 84 Ten Broeck Avenue in Midtown; call (845) 331-3112 or www.rfpaints.com. Or you can catch the combined works of Beth Humphrey, Cassandra Quackenbush and Michael Ciccone at KMoCA, the first in a yearlong series of inventive combinations at this enterprising gallery located at 103 Abeel Street; visit www.kmoca.org. Also check out whatever is going up at Surprenant Gallery, located at Wall Street, www.gallerysurprenant.com; and all that’s up at ASK, located at 97 Broadway in the Rondout, where full Gallery Guides for everything happening visual-artwise in Kingston in February will be available; call (845) 338-0331 or visit www.askforarts.org.