Friday, April 30, 2010

Weekend Open Studio Days In Youngstown and Lakewood Ohio

Wow, Jane Jacobs would love the two opportunities to carefully walk and think about neighborhoods in both Cleveland (Ohio City) and Pittsburgh (Polish Hill). But she also would have been very interested in the chance to see the kind of creative mixed use revival artists have cooked up for old industrial buildings in Ohio.

The city of Lakewood, east of Cleveland is expanding on the open studios they have been doing each year at The Screw Factory,(AKA, The Lake Erie Building) into a full block arts festival involving The Cleveland Craft Coalition.

The Screw Factory Artists are opening their studios once again for a spring open studio event. It will be held on Saturday, May 1st from 1-8pm. The event is free and open to the public.

The Screw Factory Artists work in the Lake Erie Building on the edge of Bird Town in Lakewood, Ohio. Mediums vary including fiber, ceramics, glass, mosaics, photography, paintings, sculpture and more.


View Larger Map

For this event the artists are hosting an auction of Birdtown related artwork. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Friends of Madison Park. Organized in 2007, FOMP has established itself as a neighborhood based community group. Membership is open to any Lakewood resident who cares about enhancing Madison Park as a “backyard park” for children and families.

Participating resident artists include: Ann Brown, Gina DeSantis, Robert Durr, Katie Hanrahan, Michael Hudecek, Karen Jewell-Kett, Phyllis Kohring Fannin, Marc Konys, Michelle Mowery, M.C. Nagel, Martin O’Connor, Shannon Okey, Steven Ollay, Ann Onusko, Arabella Proffer, Ursula Ryan, Kari Sanford, Kate Tobin & Dorene Warner.

Visiting artists include Kathryn Patton (Smashing), Ruth Sholtis-Furyes, & Valerie Tyler. More artists will be listed soon. Please check back for updates.

The Lake Erie Building is located within the Templar Industrial Park at 13000 Athens Avenue, Lakewood, 44107. A map can be found on the website as well. Ample parking is available.


Not to be outdone a similar event will be going on in Youngstown on both May 1st and 2nd, making it possible to see both!

The Mahoning Commons area is located on lower Mahoning Ave. Between the Mahoning Ave. Bridge and the Spring Street Bridge, Youngstown, OH.

As I'm sure you've heard, Youngstown and the Mahoning Commons have a new Art Festival. With the introduction of the Calvin Center Idea Incubator as the new addition to the Youngstown Cultural Community, grand expansion was necessary. On May 1st and 2nd, 2010, from noon till 5 pm (check times on each venue), most businesses on lower Mahoning will be open at least one of the days and will be holding special events in celebration of the Festival. Most of the businesses and cultural organizations of the Mahoning Commons will be involved, including Fellows Riverside Gardens, the Old Ward Bakery, Star Supply, Rockview Christian Church, The Calvin Center Idea Incubator, the Victorian Players, and the historic B&O Station/Brewery, tentatively.

All of the venues will be providing special events and tours. Park at any of the venues and catch a ride on the Free Shuttle Service provided by the THE PURPLE CAT.
There will be plenty of parking available in the many lots. THIS IS A FREE EVENT!
For more information contact artistsofthemahoningcommons@yahoo.com,
Marcie Applegate at FlybirdDesigns@aol.com or Lynn Cardwell at 330.718.2696
Media contacts welcome!



View Larger Map

This event combines the artist's studios in the Ward Bakery with a bunch of open house and building tours in a way that reminds me of the Open Doors Lowell event I once went to.

If you have thoughts, insight or images you want to share about art, music, film, urban design, architecture, transit or history in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Morgantown, Akron, Canton region--Cleveburgh, email me diggingpitt@gmail.com. We can hook you up to post.

This is not Hyper Local media, but regional media seeking local viewpoints.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Pittsburgh Art Events: 4/30-5/1/10.

Tons of stuff to do around town this weekend at disparate locations. Have fun negotiating the area...

Friday

Melwood Filmmakers (477 Melwood Ave) still has the occasional opening, although I haven't made one in awhile. This weekend could be the exception, with "R.E. LEVINE: Patterns: echo shift and rescript" (6-8PM). As someone who works on newsprint, I may just have to check out a kindred soul. Look at her stuff on her home page.

Meanwhile, an organization called ArtDimensions is throwing the work of 25 different artists up on the wall of a backstreet bar in Lawrenceville. Cattivo (146 44th St.) will host the opening from 6:30-9PM.

And the Miller Gallery at CMU is unveiling "If Found Please Return To:____________", featuring the work of Bachelor of Fine Arts seniors. The promotional materials mention that the work reflects "the pornographic realities, hermaphroditic fantasies, psychological obsessions and mystical journeys that are part of our human condition." Tim and Eric would respond with a hearty "Great Job!".

Saturday

Wake up early and head over to Millvale, where I currently rest my head. There you can gaze on the glory of Maxo Vanka's astonishing murals on the walls of St. Nicholas Croatian Church (24 Maryland Avenue- you can see the yellow structure up on the hill when driving south on Rte. 28). Now folks, this is truly a unique spot in the world... and criminally neglected in the 'Burgh. So when I say stop by sometime between 10AM and 4PM, you should really do it. You can take advantage of the free coffee and pastries, but I bet you'll be too slack-jawed to eat.


My colleague Jason Shorr is hosting a long-awaited reception for a new batch of work at Boxheart. "Myth" will no doubt expand Shorr's exploration of the human body into hitherto uncharted realms. Show up at 4523 Liberty Avenue (in Bloomfield) at 5PM.

If you get a hankering to meander further afield, drive out to ArtSpace 105, the venue operated by the Steel Valley Arts Council, located at 105 E. Eighth Avenue in Homestead. Buffalo artist Seth Graham is in town to "induce thought and prompt questions", starting at 6PM sharp. And then you can drive further up the Mon to UnSmoke Systems' "Gold in Braddock" (1137 Braddock Avenue). They're talking about alchemy, not mining. Along with pieces by 17 artists, there will be "artisan cocktails", music by The Shanks, and free brick-oven fired pizza! That runs from 5-10PM.

And finally... Zombo Gallery (4900 Hatfield Street, Lawrenceville) has "Cute and Creepy", opening at 6PM. This show contains the work of Nathan Mazur and Jessica La Vecchia. Their artist statement tells us to expect "Monsters, bunnies, zombified fisher-price style little people, anthropomorphic food and heart based flatulence."

Gold In Braddock Opens May 1st.



A cut and paste post.

Show dates: May 1 – June 5, 2010
Gallery open weekends 12:00 to 5:00pm and by appointment.

Opening Night Party: May 1, 5:00 – 10:00pm
UnSmoke Systems, 1137 Braddock Avenue, Braddock, PA 15104

See the artist and curator bios here.

"Gold in Braddock is an exhibition featuring artists working in all media from Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The artists have been invited to explore the theme of gold, including its physical, visual, monetary, social, historic, symbolic, decorative and sacred properties, in the town of Braddock, PA.

Braddock is a historic cradle of the steel industry in Western Pennsylvania. The population plummeted during the 1970s and 1980s with the closing of steel mills in the area. The community now has lost 90% of its population, buildings and businesses. It has gone from thriving boomtown to picture of post-industrial decay and vacancy. Braddock is trying to survive, but life there is not easy. Retail amenities hardly exist in Braddock, no prepared foods, no ATM, no coffee shop. There isn't a grocery store, or a video store. But there is an arts space. With the economic recession, and financial hardship across the country, Braddock’s survival provides a model of hope.

Over the last few years, the town of Braddock has begun to attract artists, artisans, and others looking for a place to live and work creatively. As a part of Braddock’s renewal program, the Mayor of Braddock, John Fetterman, has invited the "urban pioneer, artist, or misfit to be a part of a new experimental effort." Artists are a group of people who create value and their economic impact on neighborhoods has been well documented. For this show, seventeen accomplished artists have responded to the call issued by Mayor Fetterman “to leverage Braddock’s remaining assets with new ideas, energy, and individuals to spark a cultural and economic revitalization.” Artists are investing their ideas and energy in Gold in Braddock. All of the artists in the exhibition are making new work created specifically for this show. After visiting Braddock, artists from across the country will return to their own communities having collaborated on, and witnessed, the Braddock experiment.

Gold in Braddock exploits the polarity between the exterior context (the steel town) and the interior space (the art gallery) to raise questions and cause reflection. In the spirit of Braddock’s experimental environment, this show is also an experiment. It asks, what can art do in this context?

The show will also investigate possibilities for transformation. Like the alchemists, who tried to turn lead into gold, perhaps there is a way to transmute present circumstances into (metaphorical) gold. Gold is a metal that looks like an ordinary rock until humans extract, polish, manipulate and socially establish its beauty.


For more information please contact:
Elise Adibi, Organizing Artist, eliseadibi@gmail.com
Jeanine Hall, Director, UnSmoke Systems, hall.jeanine@gmail.com

Organized by artist Elise Adibi, in Partnership with Pittsburgh Filmmakers/ Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and UnSmoke Systems Artspace.

Participating artists: Elise Adibi, Keil Borrman, Pilar Conde, Jenelle Covino, Mark Dilks, Tracey Goodman, Violet Hopkins, Jon Lewis, Abby Manock, David Muenzer, Kate Nesin, Julian Pozzi, Jon Rajkovich, Annie Shaw, Sara Stracey, Josh Tonsfeldt and Dan Torop.

This show is made possible with generous support from the foundation community in Pittsburgh.

If you have thoughts or insight you want to share about art, music, film, urban design, architecture, transit or history in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Morgantown, Akron, Canton region--Cleveburgh, email me diggingpitt@gmail.com

This is not Hyper Local media, but regional media seeking local viewpoints.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Take a Jane's Walk in Polish Hill

Courtesy of BLOGSKI, the Polish Hill neighborhood blog


“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.”
— Jane Jacobs, ‘The Death and Life of Great American Cities’

Jane’s Walk is a series of free neighborhood walking tours that helps put people in touch with their environment and with each other, by bridging social and geographic gaps and creating a space for cities to discover themselves. Since its inception in 2007, Jane’s Walk has happened in cities across North America, and is quickly expanding internationally. In 2009 Jane’s Walks were held in 46 cities with a total of 315 walks offered. All Jane’s Walk tours are given and taken for free.

You can find out more about Jane Jacob's and Jane's Walk on the organization's site.

Join us in Polish Hill for our own Jane's Walk

Polish Hill, then and now


The tour will start at the PHCA office, home of the organization for forty years. Our guide, Terry Doloughty, is the President of the PHCA, as was his grandfather at the founding of the organization. Mr. Doloughty is a specialist in the neighborhood; he has lived on Polish Hill all of his life and has been deeply involved in the community throughout. Our neighbors will be joining us at points throughout the route to talk about our neighborhood.

The route will pass many of Polish Hill's community gardens and public green spaces and includes visits to the newest and oldest of these community efforts.

As with many neighborhoods, Polish Hill is reinventing itself. Older homes are being reclaimed from their gentle decay. The history of some of these properties is complex as they move from mixed use to residential and back again, answering the needs of our changing population.

Some of the assets of Polish Hill are repurposed lots that are taking on a new life. Some, like the West Penn Community Center, have always been a site for community service but have changed, like the rest of the neighborhood, to the needs of its citizens.

But the most striking feature of Polish Hill is its views and its unique geography. The tour will provide many opportunities to experience both.

A map of the route is available.

Jane's Walk
Polish Hill then and now
Free
Saturday, May 1
11AM - 1PM
Meet at the PHCA office
Please RSVP to 412-681-1950 or phcapgh@gmail.com

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Encylopedia Destructica: Zine Release And Art Show Tomorrow Night



Hopefully, this is a little self explanatory. A new zine release produced by a group of Pittsburgh women artists at weekly winter meetings and by Heidi Tucker & Mary Mack Tremonte, a room-sized installation of hand-printed patterns.

Wed 7-10

Bring records to spin and food or drink to share.


View Larger Map

See Encyclopedia Destructica for more info

"In the Frame:Artists in Their Own Words" Great series on Pgh. Artists in Post Gazette


It's great to do see the Post Gazette doing this...interviews with Pittsburgh Artists. The most recent is with Robert Qualters. Go here for this and other interviews.http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10111/1051963-437.stm.

This series is VERY well done.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

R.E.Levine Exhibit Opening Reception 4/30/10, Works on Canvas,Paper and Panel

I saw this exhibit in May, 2007 in Washington D.C. The work is quite beautiful, original and moving. Interestingly, some of the work is on pre WWII Japanese paper that the artist happened upon in a store in NYC. After obtaining the paper Ruth Levine started getting copies of old Japanese newspapers, and looking into Japanese history of the time. Below is the press release. And below that...is a portion of an interview I did with Ruth Levine in which she discusses this work on the Urban bytes blog.

"Please attend the opening of Ruth’s exhibit at the Melwood Gallery at Pittsburgh Filmmakers on Friday, April 30, from 6 pm – 8 pm. R.E. LEVINE: Patterns: echo shift and rescript
Reception: Friday, April 30, 6–8pm
Exhibition: April 30–May 23, 2010, Wednesday through Saturday 11am–5pm
Pittsburgh Filmmakers
477 Melwood Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15213 - 412-681-5449
Gallery hours are Mondays thru Thursdays: 12:00–7:00pm, Fridays: 12:00–6:00pm and during Melwood Screening Room shows.


Patterns: echo shift and rescript is an exhibition of works on canvas, paper and panel by R.E. Levine, artist and educator. Patterns: echo shift and rescript has as its underlying theme the nature of patterns – their iteration, shift, interruption and redirection as well as their function. This exhibit is Levine’s exploration of the decorative, kaleidoscopic, and confounding nature of patterns, in a variety of contexts.

Levine uses Tokyo newspapers from 1931-34 to illuminate the redirection of an entire nation’s pattern – the “imperial rescript” of pre-World War II Japan. Newspaper sticks hold 20 handmade books of period paper overlaid with newsprint, abstract design, and language from Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan (Herbert P. Bix). A video loop of the pages is overlaid with a history of the incident that changed the direction and re-patterned a nation.

Levine received both her BFA and MFA at the American University in Washington, D.C. An accomplished artist whose work has been featured in solo and group exhibitions for more than 45 years, Levine was co-director and coordinator of the National Endowment for the Humanities; co-director, coordinator and deputy director for programs at the National Endowment for the Arts; and manager of traveling exhibitions for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, D.C., as well as an adjunct faculty member at American University. She has exhibited her own work locally, nationally and internationally, including Italy and the Czech Republic. Her website is
www.relevine.com."


Portion of interview from Urban bytes blog (ie my very occasional interview blog)

Ruth
:.........the last show I had there was this year ’08. And it was called "Patterns". I became very much interested in patterns because I saw and owned patterns from Africa, where the patterns change. And I thought it’s only in the West where we make things line up left and right. And top and bottom. African patterns, like life, change and segue into different shapes. So I went at it from a very abstract and geometric point of view.
And then I started thinking about the other meanings of patterns. And found some wonderful paper in a New York art supply store that was simply labeled, " Pre World War II Japanese paper" It was a dollar a sheet. And I bought two hundred sheets. And my husband said, "What are you going to do with two hundred sheets?" Eventually,I decided to turn them into books. The papers were then layered with photo-transfers of Japanese newspapers from Tokyo from the years 1931 to ’34.
I didn’t know very much history, but I did know about the invasion of Nanking by the Japanese was their designated start of the World War II. And what I didn’t know, which I subsequently found out, and what went into these newspapers, was that it really had started much before then. Because the Japanese army had had its appropriations cut by the Emperor, who was afraid of the army's influence.
And the emperor made a big mistake when he cut their appropriations because they staged an incident in Manchuria. Claimed the Chinese had done it, and got their appropriations and more back. And went on to invade a number of places. And that was a change in the pattern of a nation. So I had these wonderful papers. And they were up on old newspaper poles, stuck in tables on a ledge. And I had a video of all of these news paper pages running continuously. And felt very good about it.

Jean: And then also, with the photo transfers on the paper there’s also painting as well.

Ruth: Yes, there’s painting and with different kinds of metallic and non-metallic water colors. And there are stamped images, Benday dots( which are like the dots that newspapers traditionally used). And so some them have a lot of verbiage and some of them have a lot of abstraction. One is prettier but not as clear, the other is clearer and not as prettier.
{For installation images, click here} http://relevine.com/pattern_shifts_rescripts.php

Jean: And there’s a video of the work.

Ruth: And there’s a video, and the title of then show changed to "Patterns: Echo, Shift and Rescript". The rescript was because the emperor, when he realized that the people of Japan really loved what the army was doing, issued what was called an Imperial Rescript. And he said, everything I’ve said so far was wrong. What I really meant to say was that the army has saved our country. That it has saved our honor. It has honored the emperor and we salute the army. So that was the pattern shift and rescript."

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Charles Rohlfs at CMOA, last day Sunday 4/25/2010

You may have already seen a great deal of art this weekend. After all there was the Gallery Crawl downtown on Friday, and Art All Night Sat-Sun at 2p.m.
But there is an exhibit at Carnegie Museum of Art that looks very worthwhile, and tomorrow is the last day. Charles Rohlfs, who was inspired by both the Art Nouveau and Arts and Craft's movement, has been tagged "The Curator's Secret" i.e. those in the know how great he is.
There is a very interesting write up about Rohlfs in the Post Gazette:http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10030/1032074-437.stm

This is a touring exhibit, and this is the last stop. There are a number of other interesting exhibits at the Carnegie as well, such as Gods, Love, and War (a jaw-dropping exhibit of tapestries), a dazzling Cecil Balmond installation, and Caricature, Satire, and Comedy of Manners: Works on Paper from the 18th through 20th Centuries.

And given that I read that tomorrow's weather is supposed to be "showers in the morning, followed by thunderstorms in the late morning" and then "showers in the early afternoon, followed by thunderstorms in the late afternoon" an indoor activity sounds pretty good.

Images Of Car Funeral In Braddock



Getting some images off the camera--some from shows with no photo policies that I can't post.



Anyway, here are some shots of the strangely moving funeral for a car I saw last week at The New Braddock Garage space.

Quite possibly the artist, Jenn Myers didn't take this work too seriously as a "major work", but it really made kind of an interesting piece and I guess pretty fitting for Braddock.

Check out the mass of stuff she has on her site. She is new to Pittsburgh and I look forward to seeing more.

See you next week @ The Gold In Braddock show, when The Garage will also be hosting a show.



If you have thoughts or insight you want to share about art, music, film, urban design, architecture, transit or history in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Morgantown, Akron, Canton region--Cleveburgh, and wish to post on the blog, email me diggingpitt@gmail.com

This is not Hyper Local media, but regional media seeking local viewpoints.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Pop Pittsburgh Up



No time to go into this in depth--also I don't know much about it. Clearly some very positive things are happening in the city today and a major factor has been a shift by the major universities towards active engagement with the city--first I think at Point Park,and now dramatically at Carnegie Mellon, whose fingers can be seen in projects (The Waffle Shop, Future Tenant and many more) all over town. Ten years ago, I think the general pitch was that CMU, just happened to be in Pittsburgh and wasn't so happy about it.

Here's a video of a brain storming session for Pop Pittsburgh Up about new ways to attract new people to the region. (held in February)



Kudos also to the Foundations for finally, finally, finally putting more cash at street level.

Check out the site and search for more info. Pop Up is a project of cityLab Pgh.

If you have thoughts or insight you want to share about art, music, film, urban design, architecture, transit or history in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Morgantown, Akron, Canton region--Cleveburgh, email me diggingpitt@gmail.com

This is not Hyper Local media, but regional media seeking local viewpoints.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Pittsburgh Art Events: 4/23-24/10.

Friday

The seasonal Downtown arts crawl is upon us. I already mentioned Responding at Future Tenant, so if you need the details on that show, just scroll down to last week's posts. Other highlights include photos by Robert Raczka at the 707 Penn Gallery, Thad Mosley's sculptures at the August Wilson Center, Joan Milsom at Shaw Galleries, and Wood Street Galleries offers a mix of music and art created by Claudia Hart and Ella Buckley. Events get underway around 5:30PM and last 'til 9PM. Get there are close to six o'clock as possible if you want a parking space near the festivities. If you are into DVDs, comics, and/or CDs, stop by Eide's Entertainment (1121 Penn Avenue) for their annual anniversary sale.


Saturday

Three words- Art All Night!! Yes indeed, hundreds of artists (of all levels of skill and experience) will hang up their work for one night only at the ol' Iron City plant in Lawrenceville. What makes it especially interesting is that there is no jurying whatsoever. Anyone can get anything up on those walls. Most of the stuff is for sale too, and there are often some pretty great bargains to be had. This is the 13th straight year they've done this, and it is worth a visit. There's no excuse for missing it either, as it runs from 6PM on Saturday evening until 2PM on Sunday. Come at an especially odd hour, and you'll avoid the throngs that attend. All the details (including a schedule of free entertainment) can be found right here.

Whoah, kids... Neil Hamburger is in town at the Smiling Moose (1306 East Carson, 7PM). This truly post-modern comic presents the vision of awkward Catskill-style comedy, heavily-laden with tasteless humor, and inane pop cultural references. Good stuff, indeed. Come and snicker.

Once again, I don't have money for Attack Theater's "Dirty Ball". It's at Lydia's in the Strip, if you are considering ponying up for a ticket.

Post Secret Event at CMU 4/26/10

Wow, was this hard to get info on! I had been told by someone at work that this was happening Monday. Finally found the details....here they are:


PostSecret at Carnegie Mellon University
Date:
Monday, April 26, 2010
Time:
7:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:
Wiegand Gym
City/Town:
Pittsburgh, PA
Description
Come hear Frank Warren, Founder of PostSecret, share the inspiring and funny stories behind the 500,000 secrets he has received on postcards.
See secrets that were banned from the books by the publisher.
There will be two microphones for your classmates, audience members, or you, to share secrets live.
Meet Frank afterward during the book signing. Books will be available for purchase including the #1 New York Times Best Seller, "PostSecret Confessions on Life Death and God".RSVP on this page for updates on this event and surprises.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Doors Open: 6:30pmEvent:7:00pmReception: 8:00-9:00pm, Connan Room,UC

Tickets are $9 for CMU students and $12 for the public.***All tickets will be sold at the University Center (this is the name of the building, otherwise known as the UC) Information Desk at Carnegie Mellon University.
One ticket per ID holder and two for the public.
Funded in part by The Activities Board and your student activities fee. Follow us on twitter!http://twitter.com/activitiesboard--------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Hipsters In Pittsburgh Conversation On Pittsblog

Karen's great post about affordable urban hotels and Hostels brought me back to a nice post and heated debate about "hipsters" in the city that's worth a look.

The thread contains lots of comments by me. Far too often, we classify groups as desirable (wealthy, employer, skilled,) or undesirable, (weirdo, starving artist) when the lines are often a lot more blurred. How does someone like Swoon or Eric Singer fit in ?

More importantly, many of these people have shown that they love and desperately want to live in town in a way that's compatable with the city.

Me

This is what we saw in NYC, with area after area, hand rehabed by artists. It's also the source of a lot of anger as these people, who often were renting are kicked out.

The thing is that what a lot of these people want is customized spaces that are adapted to their work, not marble counter tops.

That's the thing. Pittsburgh has a very low number of real yuppies (or fake hipsters) and a growing number of (sincere) artist types, most of whom don't have a lot of money.

Isn't it wiser to build on the market we know exists for creative people rather than one that really isn't here yet.


Mike Madison

"Why does it need to be an either/or? Resources are scarce, choices need to be made, time is money, etc. etc. But why not set the table as inclusively as possible, be expansive with zoning and other regulation, support different communities with institutions designed to do that (real estate, law, finance, housing, neighborhood development), and see what emerges?"


This is the bottom line. We should just let it be and see what emerges while perhaps putting a lot more effort to make people more aware of all the assets here.

P.S. I would imagine this post is even more relevant in Cleveland. A place that seems to have a lot of awesome potential artist space.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Art All Night Band Schedule

Of course, yinzers know Art All Night is also music all night. With two stages going in the later hours as the crowds start to thin.

Art All Night Performers for 2010


Slot Performer Time Stage

1 The Spuds 6:00pm-6:45pm Main
2 The Surfaholics 7:00pm-7:30pm Main
3 Wojno 7:45pm-8:15pm Main
4 Chet Vincent 8:30pm-9:00pm Main
5 Teen Riot 9:15pm-9:45pm Main
6 Lil Kizi –Somali Rap Group 10pm-10:30pm Main
7 Janim Bellydance Troupe 10:45-11:15pm Main
8 Dirty Charms 11:30pm-Mid Main
9 Timbeleza 12:15-12:45am Main
10 Gothees 1:00-1:30am Main
11 Jim Dandies 1:45-2:15am Main
Anything Goes
A1 Debutante 2:30-3:00am Main
A2 Undalrds 3:15-3:45 Main
A3 The Awakening 4:00-4:30am Main
A4 Lalookala 4:30-5:15am Main

Acoustic Morning
M3 Damaged Pies 7:00-8:30am Main
M4 Two Cakes 8:45-9:15am Main
M5 Sula 9:30-10:00am Main
M6 RichPatrick 10:15-10:45am Main
M7 Sadiqa Bellydance 11:00-11:30am Main
Sunday Afternoon Bands
S1 Susie and Friends 11:45-12:15pm Main
S2 Action Camp 12:30-1:00pm Main
S3 Paul Labreeze 1:15-2:00pm Main
STAGE 2
WYEP 6pm-12am Stage #2
B1 Butterflies and Rocks 12-1am Stage #2
B2 Joy Tourjours 1:15-1:45am Stage #2
B3 Typewritter Girls Performance 2am-2:30am Stage #2

Acoustic Morning
M4 Chris Hannigan 8:00-8:30am Stage #2
M5 Sean Odonnell 8:45-9:15am Stage #2
M6 Joy Ike 9:30-10:005am Stage #2
M7 Aaron Work 10:15-10:45am Stage #2
Sunday Afternoon Bands
Q1 Joel Lindsey Blvd of Allies 11:00-11:30am Stage #2
Q2 Amethyst Bellydance Company 11:45-12:15pm Stage #2
Q3 Cathasaigh 12:30-1:00pm Stage #2
Q4 The Armadillos 1:15-2pm Stage #2

If your from out of town and bringing work, consider coming early for the Downtown Gallery Crawl on Friday night.

Art All Night is a grassroots event staged by an all-volunteer crew. A joyful celebration of the arts and community, the show grows in popularity each year, bringing thousands of people from all over the region into Lawrenceville. In 2009 Art All Night Lawrenceville featured work by 1034 artists and was attended by over 10,000 guests.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Going Places (Doing Stuff III) :Call For Proposals


I know, this isn't a Pittsburgh regional thing but it's just the kind of thing that interests me. More info on the site--My guess is that they take proposals from people anywhere as long as they can be in the NYC area to do the event. It probably will help if you know the city well but who knows, perhaps the opposite is true.

"Flux Factory is calling all artists, urban explorers, rogue historians, tour guides, academics, and anyone interested to pitch tours for Going Places (Doing Stuff) III, a social practice oriented show taking place this summer.
Going Places (Doing Stuff) — you get on a bus, you don’t know where you’re going, and then something happens. Flux Factory invites artists to lead a bus-full of people on an adventure around the greater New York (or even Tri-State area) carte blanche. The content of the tours is entirely up to you, though the itinerary is kept secret from participants. Tours can range from a single afternoon to three days, and will take place from late June through August.

Each touree is given only the following information: artist, title, duration, and a list of needed supplies. In other words, when someone signs up for a tour, they know what to bring and how long they will be gone, but they will have no idea where they are actually going or what they will experience. All tours will be first-come first-serve.

There is always mystery in traveling, even if you know where you are headed. Going Places (Doing Stuff) is all about this mystery, asking the general public to give themselves over to our artists. The excitement of simply stepping on a bus to who-knows-where becomes a metaphor and catalyst for the leap of faith inherent to aesthetic experience in general.


Sounds great. Open to anyone with an idea to have people see, feel, experience and think about their world and city in a new way as well as their place in it. Of course a big part of this is relating to the people you are on the bus with.



Read about it in The New York Times.

"The trips, which run nearly every weekend through August, are free but require reservations. So far artists have taken their charges on a tour of weird religious spaces in Staten Island; to a flea market, a blueberry farm and a home barbecue in New Jersey; to Centralia, Pa., an old mining town, above, and the Clinton Station Diner in New Jersey, which specializes in novelty burgers. (The entire group shared a 50-pounder.)


More press and details on the Flux Factory websiteProposals should include:

-A brief letter explaining your motivation for taking part in this show. (300 words Maximum. Please title your document in this format: LAST NAME_FIRST NAME_LETTER.DOC or .RTF)

-An itinerary, time line, and budget for the tour

-Resumé or bio (Maximum 2 pages. Titled LAST NAME_FIRST NAME_BIO.DOC or .RTF)

The deadline is Monday, April 26th, 2010.

Submissions should be emailed as attachments to Jean Barberis and Georgia Muenster at Georgia117 gmail com with “GPDS Proposal” as the subject line. Please email questions to the same address with “GPDS Question” as the subject. And for goodness’ sake, put your name on everything."

Notice how this idea came up after the Flux Factory lost it's space in NY.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Affordable Hotels, City-building, and the Value of Creative Tourism


I've been thinking a lot about hotels lately. I recently discovered that there are numerous affordable hotels to be found in New York City, which makes the prospect of visiting my former city both very attractive and doable. I'm not even talking about crazy-awful fleabag hotels, or motels in Weehawken. I'm talking well-designed, safe, hip, not-chain, in-town Manhattan (sometimes Brooklyn) accommodations. That a working girl like me can afford. Especially if she takes one person with her.

I recently availed myself of one of these hotels, and when I told one of my New York friends about it, she said, "Great! What's the equivalent if I want to visit you in Pittsburgh?" Oh, this question made my head spin. And spin and spin. Not only do I want my friend to come visit me affordably (sure, she'll probably end up staying on my couch, but that's not the point)--I want starving artists and students and working people who DON'T have best friends here to be able to visit Pittsburgh. I want there to be the kind of hotels that allow--and entice--visitors to our fair city to step out the front door of their hotel and explore our streets, our neighborhoods, our architecture, our hilly views; our art galleries, our reading series, our film festivals; our bookshops, our cafes, our wide variety of restaurants. And I want all of this to be available to people who CAN'T afford to stay at a pricey bed & breakfast or a downtown highrise.

What's the current scene of affordable hotels in Pittsburgh? Mainly, chain motels in Monroeville or near the airport. Nevermind that the kind of city-dwelling visitor I'm talking about won't want to shell out to rent a car--even if they had a car, is that how you want to show off our city? Sending someone to a chain accommodation that feels like any other city (a wasted opportunity to show off Pittsburgh's uniqueness at best, a depressing first view of the city at worst) and then asking them to get in their car and drive to Destination A, B, and C? Thus again potentially depriving them of discovering the unique incidentals of our city.

What I'm getting at, in part, is that I want people to start moving to Pittsburgh--for reasons other than the most obvious--job transfer, family members, college or grad school. I want people to move here just because it's an awesome and affordable city in which to live, work, and make art. And I want a steady stream of visitors, creative tourists, and urbanites who 1.) may decide to move here themselves based on gaining a FEEL for the city, or 2.) will become ambassadors of Pittsburgh's revitalization, carrying the word to others who may want to move here.

Pittsburgh, with its "every neighborhood revitalizing at once" plan needs a more dense, in-city-limits population to sustain its visions of growth. (To my mind, the idea that people are going to drive in from the suburbs to destination-eat, -shop, etc., at all of these new venues is not "it," or at least not all of it.) Meanwhile, the recession has people in harder-hit, pricier-housing cities rethinking their own plans. It may be the perfect moment in history for Pittsburgh to gain some residents, fallout from this major upset in US economics. But not if those folks can't visit here (and really discover Pittsburgh) first.

My pondering about hotels in Pittsburgh has emerged from a longer-term set of observations that Pittsburgh has--for so much of its history--been a scorned or misunderstood city ("Hell with the lid off"), and that has resulted in a behavior which can be the opposite of inviting to outsiders. Think of the Pittsburgh reputation for giving idiosyncratic directions: "Take a left where the Giant Eagle used to be, go straight, then take a right where Isaly's used to be." This, my friends, is not the way to help an out-of-towner learn their way around the city. I often hear the caveat to this apocryphal story as, "But more often than not, that same person giving the baffling directions will offer, 'Follow me, I'm going that way.' " Is the kindness of Pittsburghers enough to make up for the confusing navigability? In some realm, yes. But I'm greedy, I want it all. I want not only good neighbors and kind strangers, but good signage, well-designed pedestrian walkways (and bike paths) that connect between every neighborhood and bike trail, obvious bus protocol and safe bus stops, and hotels that bring outsiders smoothly into this web of easily-navigable intra-city connectivity.

So, Pittsburgh's hotels. The Eden House Short Stay in Lawrenceville is one of the few hotels in town that meets the standards of what I'm talking about here. Its lowest-priced rooms are affordable, and get more and more affordable if one stays for more than one night, or if two are traveling together. Eden House is within walking distance to a great stretch of restaurants, shops, and the Design Zone on Butler Street; or the other direction to Pittsburgh's Little Italy with bars, cafes, and restaurants; or to the Penn Avenue Arts District; or to Polish Hill's music venues. The Priory on the North Side may be the next thing that comes close; singles can stay in a $100 room with a single bed, within decent walking distance to AIR, the Warhol Museum, the New Hazlett Theater,  the Mattress Factory, and City of Asylum  houses and events, although I would advise visitors to take a cab to and from the Priory area at night. And good luck getting a cab in Pittsburgh.

Meanwhile, The Pittsburgh Hostel, formerly located in the dangerous neighborhood of Allentown (but defunct for 6 or 7 years), is seeking a new home. My highest hopes would be that the visionaries of Pittsburgh city planning (be they grass roots types or the powers that be) would see the need to help get Real Funding for this, and to think seriously about a great location for it. My hope (as echoed on the Hostel Project's website) would be that people could see the opportunity this presents for Pittsburgh: While everyone's lamenting the brain-drain and "the young people who leave Pittsburgh," why not recognize that creative, city-hopping young travelers could be some of our very best ambassadors? If you make a hostel in a location forced only by pricing (such as Allentown), I predict it will be a success for no one. Rather, make a great hostel in a location that can showcase the city's liveliest creative efforts, and you will create a veritable factory of young people who will bring stories, writings, and photographs to other cities, spreading the word far and wide that Pittsburgh is a great place to be. In other words, don't underestimate the power of the young and the cash-strapped to help remake a city. Wasn't it these folks who brought fame and fortune to such now-meccas as Seattle, Austin, Portland (OR), and Minneapolis? A city's true desirability comes from the ground up, not the top down. Make it easy for people to visit Pittsburgh, and the city will reap the rewards. Conversely, the harder it is for people to visit, the more we'll have this closed-loop, echo-chamber thinking among residents that vacillates between "Pittsburgh is the greatest city ever!!!!!!!!" and "No one would want to move here; we'll always be inferior."

Finally, I want to applaud artist and curator Elise Adibi, who has organized the Gold in Braddock show that opens May 1, 2010 at UnSmoke in Braddock. When planning the show, Adibi made a deliberate decision to invite artists from New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia (in addition to a few Pittsburgh-affiliated folks); the show was designed to explore the theme of GOLD. A number of the out-of-town artists pondered the theme in relation to Braddock, visiting that borough in advance of the show as they created their final piece. Even more of the artists are expected to travel here for the show's opening. In this way, Adibi consciously contributed to a very active form of art tourism--bringing outsiders in to witness Pittsburgh, to enter the region's conversation, to support the Pittsburgh economy, and to leave as ambassadors of an emerging Pittsburgh. One that is not reliant only on the famous universities, hospitals, or sports franchises for its visitor traffic.

So, dear reader, what do you propose as a great location for Pittsburgh's next affordable hotel, or the new Pittsburgh Hostel?



Art All Night Seeks Volunteers: 2010 Venue, Pittsburgh Brewing Co

The event has grown since and always changes with the constraints of whatever empty building in Lawrenceville they are using for it but I think this video gives one a good idea of what this is all about. Always worthwhile and filled with that "I didn't know my neighbor was an artist", shock. About Art All Night.



Art All Night 2010 is looking for volunteers and you can signup online now! Job needs are listed below.

Before the Event If you would like to help before the event, we will be cleaning, preparing, and building out the site. We meet every weekend in April from 9-1 at the site.

At the Event If you volunteer for the event, we will schedule you for a 2 hour shift (4 hour for registration) from 1pm Saturday to 4pm Sunday. Some of the duties are:

•Registration: Register artists and check in their artwork.
•Hangers: Take the artwork from the registration tables and hang them on the display panels.
•Parking and Traffic: Help control the traffic by the building and the two parking lots.
•Minglers: Wear an event staff T-shirt so people can ask you questions, also keep an eye on the artwork.
•Fire Patrol: Patrol building to look out for fires.
•Bar: Check ID's, hand out beer, and collect donations.
•Food: Keep food out on the tables and collect donations.
•Art Sales Table: No sales take place, but man the table in order to write down name and contact information of interested buyers that we will give to the artist when they pick up their artwork after the show.
•Take-down: Remove art from the displays at the end of the show on Sunday at 2pm.
•Art Pick-Up/Check-out: Give art back to artists on Sunday.
•Tear-down: Take down the display panels, pack our supplies, and clean the building on Sunday afternoon.
•Thank you notes: Write notes and acknowledgements thanking people for various donations ($, the building, equipment, etc.) to the art show.

To Sign Up you can use our online signup here or email volhelp at artallnight.org (replace the at with the correct keyboard sign).


By the way, Art All Night is not just for Pittsburghers. Anyone can bring their eyes, ears and opinions and anyone from anywhere can bring art. Bring it on down. Onsite Registration: If you did not register online you can still bring your artwork and ID to the onsite registration table between noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 24.

Or register online and check out the details.

If you have thoughts or insight you want to share about art, music, film, urban design, architecture, transit or history in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Morgantown, Akron, Canton region--Cleveburgh, email me diggingpitt@gmail.com

This is not Hyper Local media, but regional media seeking local viewpoints.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Back On Twitter

I had a malfunction I was just to lazy to fix that put me off Twitter for quite a while. For what it's worth I'm back and trying to build more linkages between the Cleveland & Yinzburgh artists, galleries, crafters, musicians, filmakers and perhaps a fan or two.

Promise to be somewhat active. I like the medium, in that it's a viral open ended type system well suited to creating new interactions in an easy way.

Follow me here

http://twitter.com/Diggingpitt

What I can't get around to posting I may tweet.

Tour Cleveland's 78TH Street Studio Building Today



Really, no time to give this post the time and love it likely deserves. Sorry Pittsburgh, but this doesn't look like it sucks at all.

Just the kind of really creative mixed use building we need more of here. almost a mini city or town under one roof filling up with galleries, print workshops, art framers, record producers and artists.

An eclectic mix of world-class art galleries, studios and creative businesses anchoring the west end of the Gordon Square Arts District

Open 3-7 today.

1300 W. 78th St to
1305 W. 80th St
Cleveland OH 44102

Sorry for dropping the ball on this. Do you know a lot about this building or are you a tennant, artist or gallery owner in Cleveland?

If you have thoughts or insight you want to share about art, music, film, urban design, architecture, transit or history in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Morgantown, Akron, Canton region--Cleveburgh, email me diggingpitt@gmail.com

This is not Hyper Local media, but regional media seeking local viewpoints.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Braddock's Mayor, John Fetterman On PBS



One of the longer interviews I've seen of Braddock Mayor, John Fetterman on the PBS show, NOW. Mostly a very good job here, but honestly both the mayor and the journalist involved leave one with some pretty inaccurate impressions.

I want to watch again and come back with more thoughts but as near as I can tell, a viewer would think Braddock's huge ET works had closed. Also, no mention at all of what is likely the biggest single factor affecting the town over the last 20 years, The Mon Fayette Expressway. The threat to tear down pretty much every building along it's main street and divide the town with a wall might have had some effect?

Again, I will watch again. I drink a lot and perhaps missed some things. (OK, I just watched again and will be back with more thoughts.)

If you have thoughts or insight you want to share about art, music, film, urban design, architecture, transit or history in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Morgantown, Akron, Canton region--Cleveburgh, email me diggingpitt@gmail.com

This is not Hyper Local media, but regional media seeking local viewpoints.

Willie Cole Gives Two Artist's Talks Today In Cleveland

If you saw my museum rundown, you know that northeast Ohio is hosting two major shows involving African American artist's--Pattern ID @ The Akron Art Museum, and From Then to Now : Masterworks of Contemporary African American Art @ Cleveland MOCA.

Also, Willie Cole is an artist in residence at The University Of Akron.

"At 1 p.m. on Friday, Cole will give a free lunchtime talk at the Cleveland Clinic's Art Program, Arts & Medicine Institute, which loaned some of its collection of Cole's work to the MOCA exhibit. The Arts & Medicine Institute is also organizing a tour of the MOCA exhibit in April. Call 216-448-0232.

Then at 6 p.m. Friday, Cole will give a gallery talk at MOCA Cleveland, 8501 Carnegie Ave., Cleveland, about his work in that exhibit. Call 216-421-8671."



You might have seen one of Willie's large shoe works at at The Society For Contemporary Art In Pittsburgh a few years ago.

If you have thoughts or insight you want to share about art, music,film, urban design, architecture, transit or history in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Morgantown, Akron, Canton region--Cleveburgh, email me diggingpitt@gmail.com

This is not Hyper Local media, but regional media seeking local viewpoints.

Yinz Cleveburgh and Random Art Links: April 4--15

Ooops, there's a lot more stuff I coulda/shoulda put on here. I'm way behind on this. Anyway, a few news items and stories from the Cleveburgh region.

Cleveland

The tenth, Cinema Wasteland Movie and Memorabilia Expo.



Music Draft Lottery. A great idea, that would be hard to make up.

"The 2008 Lottery League was a surprising success. It yielded 33 bands that convened to play 10-minute sets at a blowout show at the Beachland. Last year, several of the acts contributed to a compilation CD, and some bands kept going after the "Big Show," earning their way into the Lottery League's "Hall of Fame." Because of the amount of work involved in coordinating the project, council members decided to wait until this year to launch a sequel."

Cleveburgh

New Northeast Ohio economic development website, Theplus.US up.

Kent

The Youngstown Vindicator is seeking images, memories and stories of Kent State, May 4th 1970.


Akron

25 Hill, a new movie about The Soap Box Derby, is a labor of love for people in Akron.

Pittsburgh

Null Space gives a rundown of the many contradictory Marcellus Shale and other energy stories. In the near term, Natural Gas prices are near record lows and far away from levels that would make recent projects pay off.

Barge Traffic reached 15 year lows in 2009 partly reflecting lower regional power demand for coal. Coal, in case you don't know it is the primary fuel for American power plants. Your green Electric Car--is fueled by coal, dude!

The Pirate's milk the baseball revenue sharing welfare system for all they can.

Keystone Commons Industrial Park, on the old Westinghouse site expannds amid a surge in occupancy. Pipe needed for Marcellus Shale projects may be a big factor.

What's so interesting here is how close the current use of the site fits with it's original purpose as a place for hard core "tinkering", metal working and industrial R&D. Westinghouse Air Brake, now known as WABTEC still has it's headquaurters here.

If you have thoughts or insight you want to share about art, music,film, urban design, architecture, transit or history in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Morgantown, Akron, Canton region--Cleveburgh, email me diggingpitt@gmail.com

This is not Hyper Local media, but regional media seeking local viewpoints.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Pittsburgh Art Events 4/16-17/10.

Friday

It seems like it's been awhile since the Zombo Gallery (49th and Hatfield, Lawrenceville) had an opening. This week, Kersten Ervin opens "High School" (6-10PM), a project featuring vintage yearbooks. I don't have any more details, but I suspect that all the awkwardness and discomfort of adolescence will be on display.

Meanwhile, Future Tenant unveils "Responding", a group show that includes local artists
Rose Clancy, Vanessa German, Maria Mangano, David Montano, and David Pohl. Curator Anna Mikolay asked these creators to convey a lingering sense of place, and the results will be shown from 6-9PM at this Downtown gallery (819 Penn Avenue). Although I usually avoid the mess following a work week in the Golden Triangle, these particular artists are an experienced bunch with a long tradition of involvement in the Pittsburgh arts scene. A visit should be worth the inconvenience.

And Fiberart International 2010 gets under way at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and the Society for Contemporary Craft. The reception at both locations runs from 5:30-8PM. I have very little experience with the medium, so your best bet is to go to the official website for an explanation of what you might see.

Also at PCA is a grab-bag of solos shows featuring the likes of Elin Lennox, Elizabeth Mooney, Thea Augustina Eck, and James Southard. One might get the idea that the PCA is presenting the visual arts as an essentially solitary pursuit, were it not for the collaboration between Ben Hernstrom and Frank Ferraro, as well as the AAP-sponsored, Eric Shiner-curated exhibition entitled "Interplay". Anyway, it's a lot to see in one location and costs (as per usual) just $5 to get in.

Saturday

My experience at the Braddock Chili Cook-off last weekend reminded me just how worthwhile the efforts of Fetterman and company are for that community. I simply have too much trouble finding the neighborhood to make regular visits. It's as if the esteemed gentlemen and ladies who run Allegheny County were conspiring to keep people away from the denuded community. Anyway, a place called The Garage Art Space (1216 Maple Way) will host a reception for the work of Jenn Myers and Daniel Luchmann from 6-9PM. Grab a map, get adventurous, and make your way to it.

The Mentor Museum Of Speed



Anyone who keeps up with this blog knows I don't drive and am no fan of the state ordained and supported worship of the car. (Do that on your own dime) Even so, one has admire the awesome beauty of some of these machines. In that spirit, I bring you a new regional attraction, in Mentor, Ohio that has been drawing the faithful since it opened last year.

You only need ten dollars, to go and admire the view cause in it's sort of a museum but if you are to really show your love, you can, cause all of these cars are also for sale. A most interesting and unique combination on such a large scale.

Mentor Museum Of Speed

MUSEUM / GIFT SHOP Hours:
Mon. - Fri. : 10am - 5pm
Saturday : 10am - 4pm
Sunday : Gone Racin'
Admission : $10.00
12 & under : $ 5.00
Annual : $50.00
Lifetime : $99.00

OK, you got your free commercial (Disclosure: The author of this post does not drive, and is receiving no compensation of any kind for anything he does on this blog at this point.)


View Larger Map

If you have thoughts or insight you want to share about art, music, urban design, architecture, transit or history in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Morgantown, Akron, Canton region--Cleveburgh, email me diggingpitt@gmail.com

This is not Hyper Local media, but regional media seeking local viewpoints. The forest and the trees.

New Show @ New Space In Braddock: The Garage Opens April 17th






Finally, some more offbeat and exiting venues opening up in Braddock as more people take the initiative and fill the many spaces Braddock offers.

This one should be easy to spot--really a small garage just a block or so past Unsmoke Systems. Follow the flames and smoke baby! Does Gagosian have a view like this?

"The Garage is a new contemporary art space located in the community of Braddock, Pennsylvania. An abandoned double garage was restored for use as an exhibition space renovation being completed in July of 2009. The intent of the space is to provide a setting for contemporary artwork away from the institution and art market."

ST MORTYS RIDE DIED
FUNERAL COMMEMORATION
BRING CANDLES OR DEVOTIONAL OBJECTS TO ADD TO THE SHRINE

SATURDAY APRIL 17 2010 6pm - 9pm
THE GARAGE ART SPACE
1216 MAPLE WAY
BRADDOCK, PA 15104

Featuring work by Jennifer Myers and Daniel Luchman

As near as I can tell, these will be one night event shows put together by students and artists related to CMU.

More info can on this space can be found @ maplewaybraddock.com

Found out about this on The Pittsburgh Art Blog.

If you have thoughts or insight you want to share about the arts in the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Youngstown, Erie, Morgantown, Akron, Canton region--Cleveburgh, email me diggingpitt@gmail.com

This is not Hyper Local media, but regional media seeking local viewpoints. The forest and the trees.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Great Cleveland Idea: Lottery League 2010



Draft Night 2010







OK, it would have been a pretty extreme stretch for me but I was sorely tempted to try to get up to see the 2010 Lottery League performance @ The Beachland Ballroom.

"I’ll rehash the League comp CD liner notes for the uninitiated (though you should of course buy the CD for the full story, nudge nudge): the Cleveland Lottery League started in late 2007, when six CLE indie-scene habitués bemoaned the tribal tendencies of rock recidivists, and hit upon the notion of a lottery as a way to reshuffle things and force collaborations between strangers. The Lottery took place on February 2, 2008 (Groundhog Day has a weird significance to this crew, which I’ll maybe cover in a later post), and resulted in 33 new bands from 144 musicians. All these new bands had 10 weeks to concoct a 10-minute set with at least one original group composition. (As it turned out, every group did all originals, the sole possible exception being mighty debatable — the band Boris Karloff's version of "Monster Mash" was entirely too fucked-with to properly count as a cover.)

At the end of the 10 weeks, on April 12, 2008, all 33 bands played one giant show with three stages. Nobody flat-out sucked it, and some went completely all-out. Homelesssexual performed with an accompanying narrative film. Semper Fi staged a fake war-on-terror battle (I’m pretty sure Iraq won, but honestly, I’d had a few drinks by then, so who knows?). Rad Bathhouse performed in ancient Roman costumes. Stimulus Package, Mohammed Cartoon, Free Moments and Hapsburg Lip were so completely fucking excellent it strained belief to think that their members had only been introduced a couple of months beforehand. It was one of the single greatest days in CLEmusic history, and we’re doing it again this year. Big Show Mk. II is on April 10 at the Beachland Temple of Rockawesome. Watch this space."


Gets back to why cities exist in the first place as a place to mix shit up. Seems it all started as an outgrowth of a Cleveland band opening up it's practice and recording studio. (Ever wonder how many of those were once in a place like The Lower Hill? Ever wonder what was lost, or never born?)

"In the summer of 2006, Jae Kristoff, Nate Scheible and Mike Wilkinson, all members of the experimental band Self Destruct Button at one time or another (another disclosure: this writer is currently on the inside of the SDB revolving door), opened the doors of Zombie Proof studio in midtown Cleveland free of charge and one hour at a time for three full days. Musicians were invited to each record one hour of music, sound, stuff breaking, whatever. More than 40 people took them up on the offer, and the results were edited together into songs, collaborations of a sort between people who may have never even been in the same room together."


The Lottery League: The Big Show.

When: 5 p.m. Saturday.(This Past Saturday)

Where: Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, 15711 Waterloo Road, Cleveland.

Suppose we had an Art Lottery league?

Do you know a lot about the Cleveland art or music scene and want to tell people in a wider area your perspective? Shoot me an email: diggingpitt@gmail.com. We have enough hyper local media.

Braddock Public Art: Points Of Interest Project





Leon Reid IV







Swoon

Jean and me took some nice shots of The public art a group of artists put together in and around Braddock a few years ago, many of whom are linked to the emerging, Transformazium project--then known as Braddock Active Arts. I should have put them up long ago, but surprisingly a very high percentage of this work is still around in very pristine condition. An art drive or cycle around Braddock is well worth the trip! The Swoon work has almost surely deteriorated but who knows.

These are pretty much ties as favorites with a slight edge to the Swoon and Leon Reid IV works.

There's even a great online map you can follow. Remember, however that a few of these works were meant to be temporary.





Maya Hayuk





Polina Soloveichik






Mary Tremonte

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

2010 West Virginia Flash Animation Festival: April 22nd and 23rd



Sadly, I can count the number of honest, sincere attempts to develop creative interactions between artists, in West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania and Ohio, let alone a wider area. There is the recently developed small press festival and publishing of Open Thread. There is the juried show at The Erie Art Museum, which allows submissions (unlike, the Associated Show which is keepin it Yinz) from within 250 miles. The Pittsburgh Visionary Arts Festival included a few Ohio Artists and there are occasional conferences often held in Youngstown, to which it seems nobody comes.An Urbanophile post rightly referred to Cleveland as a cultural Cul-de-sac. We know hyper local in these parts.

Ironically, it's often the little schools and more isolated communities in the region that see the point of reaching out. Ever, heard of this school? Well, I sort of have and it seems they now have a pretty good media arts program-- a medium that obviously transends normal geographic limits.

"The tenth annual West Virginia Flash Festival will take place on the campus of West Liberty University on Friday, April 23, 2010. Free Entry for students from colleges and universities throughout West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky to compete for $2,000 in cash prizes in three different categories: Animation, Electronic Music, and Video. See the Call for Entries link for more details. (now closed)

The West Virginia Flash Festival began as a class project ten years ago. Students in my Animation for the Web class worked hard to create some great animations, and we wanted to create a public venue to display their work. The event grew through the years to include college students from the states of West Virginia and our neighboring states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia and Kentucky. This tenth anniversary is our biggest event to date. We are bringing in some outstanding media professionals to juror the entries and to share their tips and techniques."


See the full event schedule here

Glad I'm now aware of this event!