Life Is Good: New Work by Severn Eaton Opening Reception at Short Street Cakes Friday, January 22, 6pm

Come check out new Ashevillian Severn Eaton's work hanging at the Cake Shop! Severn's work combines beautiful imagery with sometimes stark social commentary... oh, and there will be cake.
xo

Assemble, Build, Connect

Fellow Asheville Lovers!

I had to miss the March 15th discussion at Rosetta's Kitchen on "Supporting Indy Media & Community Journalism,", but I am looking forward to more upcoming meetings in the Asheville ABC series:

"a series of conversations that attempt to cover the most prominent community issues, opportunities & challenges as best understood by a group of volunteers involved in various levels of community service & action. These conversations are meant to Assemble, Build & Connect proactive ideas that can effectively create positive infrastructure and opportunities for the Asheville & WNC region."

More information, links to further discussion, and volunteer opportunities can be found at the Asheville ABCs portal. (There's a facebook community too if you just can't get outta that site these days.....)

Peak Definition - Code Name: Open Source

Peak Definition put together this excellent production to give you a sense of the mood and action at last week's Code Name: Open Source. The intersection of art, technology, and commerce is an exciting place to be right now.


Code Name: Open Source from Peak Definition on Vimeo.


{c/p @ ScruHoo)

Artist discussion and Artist Resource Center

When: Fri, March 20, 6pm – 8pm
Where: Firestorm Cafe @ 48 Commerce St
Description: You've come to Asheville because you've heard it's the
happening place for the Arts Scene - but how do you connect with other
artists and learn about festivals, events, and venues to sell your
art? What are the organizations & grants available to help artists
make their means and connect with other creative thinkers? And
looking deeper - how does the philosophy of art as a major artery in
the life-blood of Asheville allow us to utilize the potential of
creative design and innovation in coming era?
Learn about the discussions concerning the future development of the
Riverside Arts District & where there are affordable creative spaces
and studios in Asheville.

Art Sale to Benefit Doctors without Borders

UNC Asheville's Hippocrates Student Organization will hold its second annual Arts4Meds charity event from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 28, on the UNC Asheville Quad. Some 50 pieces of art donated by artists from Asheville, Black Mountain and Charlotte will be on sale or up for silent auction. All proceeds will benefit Doctors without Borders.

The project was conceived of by UNC Asheville sophomore Sarah Reeves. An art major on the pre-med track, Reeves hopes to one day volunteer for Doctors without Borders.

"Arts4Meds is really just a combination of two of my greatest passions: art and medicine," said Reeves. "Plus, I'm really into volunteer work and thought it was a great way to benefit an important organization while bringing together two diverse communities."

Last year, the event raised $1,500 for Doctors without Borders. Reeves is hoping to bring even more in this year.

In addition to purchasing art, patrons can stop by the Hippocrates Student Organization bake sale table or take in some tunes. Bands ranging from alternative rock to bluegrass will be playing throughout the day.

For more information or to donate original works of art, contact Reeves at 704/650-1937 or sareeves at unca (dot) edu

Portraits of Ukrainian Monkey Trainers

No, this is not a Faces of Asheville spin-off. It's more fantastic work from artist, musician, and bon vivant Pancho Romero Bond. In addition to being front man for the band Sirius.B, Bond is an artist. This watercolor exhibition will be held tomorrow night at the Pisgah Brewing Company, and Pancho will be playing and singing as well. Here's some info from the Black Mountain Music Scene Newsletter:

Pisgah Brewing Music and Art

Black Mountain Music Venue, Pisgah Brewing, continues it's efforts to merge Beer, Music, and Art with a opening of it's newest exhibit

Portraits of Ukrainian Monkey Trainers
The Art of Pancho Romero Bond
7pm Friday Mar 7

MAP HERE

Pancho is a well-known musician in the area peforming with successful bands such as Sirius.B. "The current show, “Portraits of Ukrainian Monkey Trainers” attempts to capture, primarily through the medium of water color painting, the lives of Ukrainian circus workers. On a personal level, the paintings (and some of my sculptural work) allow me to reconcile my personal feelings about the simultaneous tragedy and dignity of the lives of these individuals."

Want $1,500?

JBo's Facebook page:

"The City of Asheville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department is issuing a call for artists to create the official artwork for the 31st annual Bele Chere festival being held July 24-26. The chosen artwork will be used in all festival merchandise, including the official event poster. The winning artist will receive $1,500, publicity in related press materials, and the opportunity to autograph posters at the festival. All submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Feb. 27."

The East West Asheville Holiday Art Walk

Most folks are familiar with the west Asheville renaissance that took place with the Bledsoe Building at its epicenter. What folks may not know is that on the east side of the west side there's another arts and business surge. Just east of I-240 on Haywood Road, a collection of entrepreneurs have teamed up to present the East West Asheville Holiday Art Walk. It's this Saturday from 10am - 6pm.

From their website:

Until recently, if you were to say ‘West Asheville’, thoughts usually ran to the shops and restaurants along Haywood Road at the Bledsoe Building and generally west of State Street. But in the past year alone, several new businesses have inhabited buildings along and adjoining Haywood Road immediately east and west of I-240. These new additions have expanded the mercantile strip of Haywood Road, creating another hub of eclectic businesses to draw drive by and walk by patrons into West Asheville.

On Saturday, December 6, several artists and businesses, including several that have opened within the past year, will host a Holiday Art Walk to welcome the holiday season and celebrate the diverse and growing small businesses of the area. Designated the “East West Asheville Holiday Art Walk”, the parameters of the event span the area on Haywood Road on both sides of I-240, and include Domino Lane – a side street off Westwood Place. Participating businesses include the Bloom Room, Blue Ribbon Hair, Minx and Runny Bunny, just west of I-240 on Haywood Road. On the east side, Haywood Road merchants include The Admiral Restaurant, Harvest Records, Blue Barnhouse, A Touch of Glass, Bookworks, Custom, Marty Mitchell Glass, Krug Creative and Steebo Designs. Crazy Green Studios, Mimi Strang Design and Pleasant Hugh Studio are located on Domino Lane. At press time, additional businesses were being added but had not yet been confirmed.

With ample street parking on Haywood Road and on adjoining side streets, all businesses can easily be reached on foot.

spoken word et. al. Saturday Night

8PM at Hookah Joe's, October 25th, local spoken word artists Poetix Vanguard (w/ Glenis Redmond) will be performing, among many other acts. This includes  Live Calculus by Josie Mosie, which I don't know what that is and regret I will miss since I am going to see my Momma. This should be a fascinating event, and is named Variable 2.0.

Found Footage

From the Found Footage press release:

"The Found Footage Festival, the acclaimed touring showcase of odd and hilarious found videos, will make a one-night-only appearance in Asheville next month as part of its 2008 North American tour. Hosts Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, whose credits include The Onion and the Late Show with David Letterman, are excited to present their unique blend of video clips and live comedy in two big shows at the Asheville Arts Center (308 Merrimon Ave.) on Saturday, Oct. 11th at 8 and 10 pm. The shows are being sponsored locally by the Media Arts Project (The MAP) and OrbitDVD.

This one-of-a-kind event compiles more than an hour’s worth of footage from videos that were found at garage sales and thrift stores and in warehouses and dumpsters throughout the country. Curators Pickett and Prueher host each screening in-person and provide their unique observations and commentary on these found video obscurities. From the curiously-produced industrial training video to the forsaken home movie donated to Goodwill, the Found Footage Festival resurrects these forgotten treasures and serves them up in a lively celebration of all things found.

Among the new video clips to be featured in the show:

- Highlights from a cable access talent show called “Stairway to Stardom”
- An all-new collection of exercise videos featuring Marky Mark Wahlberg, O.J. Simpson and a group of rapping pregnant ladies
- An instructional video for a cosmetic device so frightening that it will forever haunt you."

Lots more about this here.

Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands

The Southern Highland Craft Guild has donated 4 pairs of tickets for me to give away for the October 16-19 Craft Fair, to be held at the Asheville Civic Center. If you want a chance to win them, you can enter at www.myweaverville.com/CraftFairTix.html. Need to enter before midnight next Tuesday, October 14. I'll be randomly choosing and contacting the winners on Wednesday.

More info about the Craft Guild and Fair at www.southernhighlandguild.org

It’s the 61st season of the bi-annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, October 16-19, 2008. The Craft Fair is an event where connoisseurs and novices alike come to craft a collection, connect with tradition, and invest in regional culture. The Craft Fair takes place in beautiful downtown Asheville at the Civic Center, 10am-6pm Thursday through Saturday, and 10am -5pm Sunday. Over two hundred craftspeople fill two floors with fine handcrafted items, while local musicians play live on the arena stage, and craft educators share their knowledge with children in hands-on projects. Admission is $6 with children under 12 free with an adult.

RiverSculpture time

The date on the website for RiverSculpture is Sept. 27, but NPR this a.m. says it opens today. Regardless it's worth a visit. An enjoyable photography outing.  I'll miss it being @ the French Broad River park, but I am happy it's soldiering on. Curious how it will feel @ Reynolds Mountain.

A Non-Extrava Moment

Art in Autumn is tomorrow.
Main Street, Weaverville, 100 artists, 4 bluegrass bands, food, free parking, free admission, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., www.artinautumn.com.
Ya'll come.

I'll be there all day. I'd say look for me, but most of you don't know what I look like. Plus I just cut off all my hair.

Seeking Asheville Artist to Put Artwork on Display!

Faces of Asheville is an amazing community project that has been put into the world thru the visionary Jenny Bowen & her fearless helper Spyce.

We're at beginning of year 2 (final year) for this amazing project & as always, are looking to involve as many Ashe-villians as possible.

Our next part of the project will involve a Get Your Freak On Foto Booth that will make it's debut at this year's Lexington Ave Arts & Fun Festival on Sunday Sept 7th.

There will be tons of freaky fun costumes donated by the wonderful Costume Shoppe for folks to come by and get freaked out in. Jen will snap your shot, and within minutes you'll have the best memento ever of you and your friends getting fun and freaky!

All monies raised will go to the final completion of the Faces of Asheville Portrait Documentary Project and the Community Forums that will take place throughout the year.

There will be 6 forums - each addressing a specific challenge that faces Asheville's community as it continues to grow. The forum tropics were taken from surveys completed with the nearly 350 portrait participants from last spring.

The forum issues will be:
-Diversity in Asheville
-Artist Resources in Asheville
-Ecological and Green Living in Asheville
-Local economy, focusing on local business and currency in Asheville
-Alternative Health and Human Services in Asheville
-Interfaith and Spirituality in Asheville

We're looking for talent to design and then help paint a backdrop for the photos that will be taken at Lex Fest.

We will provide all the supplies, the artist provides the talent, creativity, and the oversight of the backdrop painting. Your art work will be all over town as the backdrop for the many photos that will be the talk of the festival!

This is a wonderful chance for a local artist to be involved in this history making project & get their name and talent out there to be seen by all of Asheville!

Artists will be compensated with proper credit and a free place to exhibit other work at the festival.

Interested in filling our artist void? Email: Spyce618@gmail.com

If the project has peeked your interest and you'd like to assist in volunteering at the photo booth, or helping coordinate the Community Forums - please email Jenny Bowen at DocJen@gmail.com