“Irrational Craft” is a five-person show of works in clay, beads, glass and paper created entirely by hand. One artist, for example, uses “wild” clay that she harvests herself. Curator Hannah Rothbard calls the works a rejection of “the culture of immediacy through nuanced engagement with material.” None of it, she notes, “is thrown on a wheel, all of the beading and paper-cutting is done by hand rather than with a machine or laser-cutter.” Feb. 9-March 30 at 81 Leonard Gallery. Photo: Delia Pelli-Walbert, "The dancers have all gone under the hill," 2022, Porcelain and pewter, 12 x 12 x 3 in.

Downtown Dance Factory hosts StoryDance, a free 45-minute event for kids ages 1 to 4 that includes dance, story times, games and other activities, including a ballerina performance. The program takes place Monday, Feb. 13 at 10 am at Downtown Dance Factory, 291 Broadway, 4th floor. RSVP here. 

Highlights in Jazz, the city’s longest running jazz concert series, presents Legendary impresario Jack Kleinsinger with NEA Jazz Master vocalist Sheila Jordan; guitarists Gene Bertoncini, Russell Malone and Roni Ben-Hur; bassists Jay Leonhart and Harvie S; drummer Danny Gottlieb; pianist Dylan Meek; and tenor saxophonist Steve Frieder. Feb.23 at 8 pm. Tickets here. BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, enter at 190 West St., bet Chambers and Harrison.

For Tea Lovers Sip on specialty teas and learn about them at a Traditional Chinese Tea Tasting Ceremony at the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA). Led by Shunan Teng, founder of Tea Drunk. Followed by a guided tour of  the museum. Thu., Feb. 9, 6:30-8:30pm Tickets here.

Valentine's Day Construct an 1800s-era gift, a small wooden box given by seafarers to their sweethearts when they returned from a long voyage. Inside the box was a message surrounded by geometric patterns made from shells, buttons and beads. The free workshops are Sat., Feb. 11, and Sun., Feb. 12, 1–5pm at the South Street Seaport Museum. Register here. Photo: South Street Seaport Museum

Natan Sharansky and Bernard-Henri Levy A conversation between Sharansky, former Soviet prisoner of conscience and Israeli politician, and Levy, the French philosopher and will take place at the Museum of Jewish Heritage Sun., Feb. 12, 3-4:30pm.They will discuss the war in Ukraine and U.S. engagement with Iran’s dictatorship. David Samuels, Literary Editor of Tablet, will moderate the in-person discussion,  which will also be live-streamed. General admission $75; $25 for seniors and students. Register here. Proceeds benefit Ukrainian Winter Relief.

Sanitation Dept. Commissioner Talk The CityLaw Breakfast Series City (now on Zoom) is presenting Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner of the city's Department of Sanitation, on Thur., Feb. 16, 9–10am. Login information will be sent to all RSVPs closer to the event date. RSVP here The event is free and sponsored by New York Law School.

Tribeca Artist Warren King sculpts lifelike and lifesize figures out of cardboard, many inspired by his frequent forays to Chinatown—Columbus Park chess players, a Mulberry Street fishmonger, women arguing on Bayard Street, for example. His work is on display at  Pearl River Mart Gallery, 452 Broadway, through April 23. See the Trib’s profile on King here. Photo by Jon Prospero