DAY MINH LE

I had the pleasure of hanging out with visual and performing artist Day Minh Le.

The piece shown aboved was made with yarn and t pins.

Here's how Day describes his work:

Much of my work is derived from using universally accepted logics (i.e. fibonacci numbers and binary codes) and removing their logic by implementing a personal one. Through constant tweaks to these established understandings, my work takes form through knitted installations. These works are to be inviting for the viewer to climb through the extensions and find themselves surrounded by the piece itself.

My painting is, so far, a slow exploration. My interest at this moment is on the practice of painting large, larger than me anyways, pieces that I become invested in. Painting large is intimate by execution not on scale, which becomes largely time intensive.

MAIRA KALMAN NEWS

I recently asked designer/illustrator/writer Maira Kalman what she's been up to and here's what she shared with me:

So nice to hear from you.
Much is happening.

I have illustrated Michael pollan's FOOD RULES and it will be published in october.

He is sensational, as everyone knows.

After that, in january, a book by Daniel Handler that I illustrated called WHY WE BROKE UP is being published.

He is also sensational, as everyone knows.

And then in february a children's book about Lincoln that I wrote and illustrated is being published.

FREESTYLE: SKATEBOARDING ART AT THE HUDSON GUILD

FREESTYLE / Skateboarding Art - New York, 2011

An Exhibit at The Hudson Guild

Opening Reception: Thursday, 15 September 2011, 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Runs from September 15 - November 19

Viewing Hours: Tuesdays - Fridays 10 am - 7pm; Saturdays and Sundays 1- 4

Organized by artist Rick Kreiger, this exhibit will explore the many diverse strands of skateboard culture featuring decorative ideas and ancillary art related to this popular, daredevil lifestyle. The show will include artwork produced specifically for skateboard decks, paintings, sculpture, photography and sticker art related to skateboarding. The intention of the show is to present the various ways the sport is depicted in these art forms, and the role art plays in this highly selfexpressive lifestyle.

Location : Hudson Guild Gallery / 441 W. 26th Street / NY 10001

Contact : Jim Furlong, Director of Arts / 212.760.9837 / jfurlong@hudsonguild.org

All KINDSA MAGS (KEEP YOUR READING SUPPLY DIVERSE!)

Want to have some fun and get out of your daily mental routine?

Go read a magazine or newspaper you've never looked at before - even better, one you've never considered reading before.

This week, I picked up a copy of the magazine Transworld Skateboarding. My nephews skateboard, my brother used to skateboard, lots of young people around me do this sport, and I am totally fascinated by the incredible athleticism, grace, and physics involved in skateboarding and the whole culture in which it is embedded.

I wanted to understand it more from an insider's perspective, so I purchased the 13th Annual Awards issue from a news stand at a subway stop.

One way I keep my mind fresh and open to new ideas is by reading a lot of different kinds of printed publications - newspapers and magazines. I read some articles fully, and skim other parts of magazines and newspapers for ideas, people, and trends that are interesting to me.

Some mags I subscribe to, others I buy off the news stand or find on people's front stoops. (I'm not stealing; people in my neighborhood put stuff up for grabs when they are done with it.)

When I travel to different neighborhoods in New York, I often pick up free neighborhood-based newspapers so I know what's going on all over the place, not just in Carroll Gardens.

Sometimes I find stuff I want to do more research on and then blog about.

Sometimes I learn about people - authors, film makers, etc. who I end up emailing and writing about on this blog.

Sometimes I discover cultural events and venues that I go and visit.

In other words: by reading different kinds of publications, my world and my mind always get bigger.

In the past month, I have read these rags and probably some I can't remember. Red means I have a subscription to this publication.

• Ebony


• Oprah


• Fast Company


• NY Times (I read this at least 3 times a week)


• Transworld Skateboarding


• Chopsticks NY


• Paper


• Glamour


• Dwell


• Travel & Leisure


• Psychology Today


• Town & Country

SCHEDULE RELEASED FOR NEW YORK SURF FILM FESTIVAL

That's right, y'all. The schedule for the 2011 New York Surf Film Festival has just been released by its Founder and Director Morgan Rae Berk.

The festival will take place from Thursday, September 15 through Saturay, September 17th at Cinema Village in New York City. Tickets go on sale starting September 6.

Here's the films I'm gonna see for sure:

* MANUFACTURING STOKE: My brother and nephew are in this documentary, so of course I am not gonna miss it!!!!! If you are some kind of angel and would like to pay their way to fly from San Diego to New York so they they can be here for the NY premier of Stoke, let me know!!!!

Directed by Pierce Michael Kavanagh
With Legends & Unknowns
Duration: 80 minutes
Website: manufacturingstoke.com

Synopsis: Manufacturing Stoke is an introspective look into the surfing culture’s struggle to be beneficial unto itself, a tapestry of both influential and eclectic members of the surfing community that are constantly striving for positive change amid one of surfing’s greatest paradox: no other sport is as intrinsically linked to nature, surfers are indeed directly connected to the earth’s pulse and yet a majority of the materials used are environmentally toxic.

* SOFIA

Directed by Peter Goetz
With Sofia Mulanovich
Duration : 55 minutes
Website: sofiadoco.com

Synopsis : Sofia is a one-hour documentary film that uncovers the spirit of surfer Sofia Mulanovich, the first female World Champion athlete from Peru. Sofia tells the story of how an unlikely heroine has inspired a new energy within her developing nation. It demonstrates how Sofia embodies Peru’s new wave towards progress, proving the statement, Si, se puede! (Yes, you can!). Sofia’s World Champion victory has ripped apart cultural barriers, by mobilizing an entire generation of young people to believe that anything is possible.

* FIRST LOVE

Directed by Claire Gorman
With Nikki Van Dijk, Jess Laing, India Payne. Co Starring Steph Gilmore, Alana Blanchard, Coco Ho, Georgia Fish, and Cahill Bell-Warren.
Duration : 58 minutes
Website: firstlovethefilm.com

Synopsis : First Love is about love, friendship and following your dreams.This feature length film follows the lives of three passionate young girls from Phillip Island and documents their trip to Hawaii – the first step on their journey to making a career out of surfing. Starring Jess Laing, Nikki van Dijk, India Payne, Steph Gilmore, Alana Blanchard, Coco Ho, Georgia Fish & Cahill Bell-Warren.

GOOD NEWS! NEWSIES IS COMING TO THE PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE!

I am out of my mind with excitement to hear that Disney's Newsies! The Musical is coming to the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey. This production has an all star team behind it: Alan Menken is doing the music; Jack Feldman is doing the lyrics; Christopher Gattelli is responsible for choreography; direction provided by Jeff Calhoun.

I first saw Newsies on DVD. It's not your typical Disney movie, which is why it may have originally flopped commercially when it came out in 1992. (Photo above by Disney. See Christian Bale (!) in center as the lead.) It's about young people fighting for justice by organizing a labor strike against the media big wigs.

To find out more about the show and purchasing tickets for it, click HERE.

If you want to get information about Newsies Fan Day, click HERE.

Here's the NY Times official announcement of the event, written by Dave Itzkoff:

Stop the presses! Or should that be, restart the presses? Either way, “Newsies,” the misunderstood but much-loved Disney movie musical about the New York City newsboys who organize a labor strike in 1899, is getting a second edition. On Monday, the theater said that a stage version of “Newsies” would be the opening production at the 2011-12 season of the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, N.J., and would feature music by Alan Menken (the film’s original composer) and Jack Feldman (its original lyricist) as well as a new book by Harvey Fierstein.

“The truth is, things have a life of their own,” a mildly stunned Mr. Menken said in a recent telephone interview.

Mr. Menken, who also composed music for Disney blockbusters like “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin,” is hardly unaware of the reception that greeted “Newsies” when it was released as a film in 1992. The movie, which starred an 18-year-old Christian Bale as a singing, dancing, paper-pushing urchin named Jack (Cowboy) Kelly and was directed by Kenny Ortega (the future director of the “High School Musical” franchise), was torn apart by critics and spiked by audiences, grossing less than $3 million on a budget of $15 million.

Not that Mr. Menken felt burned at the time. “I won three Academy Awards within the course of three years and one Razzie,” he said. “The Razzie was for ‘Newsies.’ ”

But in the years that followed, “Newsies” sold surprisingly well on home video, and Mr. Menken continued to see it turn up in the lives of his children.
“I’d come to a mall, and there would be one of those areas where people perform,” he said. “They’d be doing ‘Seize the Day,’ I’d go, ‘Look at that!’ And then I’d find out, ‘They’re doing “Newsies” at my school.’ I said: ‘They are? How are they doing that?’ ”

More recently, Mr. Menken said he was contacted by his agent, who told him that Disney was preparing a version for the stage.

Recalling the conversation with his agent, Mr. Menken said, “He told me: ‘You don’t have to get involved. They’ll take your songs, and someone else will come and write new ones. I just want to let you know.’ I said, ‘Oh, no. No, no, no. It’s my baby, no.’ ‘Alan, there’s not going to be any money.’ ‘I don’t care. I don’t care, this is my baby.’ ”

The Paper Mill Playhouse production, which will run from Sept. 15 to Oct. 16 and has not yet announced its cast, has “latched onto exciting elements of what we had in the movie” and is “minimizing the things that were not so great about the movie,” Mr. Menken said.

The principal newsboys, Jack, David and Les, will remain the main characters, and a new female character — who will serve as a love interest for Jack — has been created for the stage show.

“Newsies” die-hards will also be pleased to hear that the newsboy Crutchy — so named for the crutch he walks on — is staying in the story. (“Crutchy’s a bigger character than he ever was,” Mr. Menken said. “Crutchy’s very pivotal. Very pivotal.”)

On the advice of his younger daughter, Mr. Menken said he had been trying to work a female newsgirl character into the lineup as well.

“My daughter went to a girl’s camp where they did ‘Newsies,’ and they invented a character of Swifty for her to play,” Mr. Menken said. “She said, ‘Dad, if you ever do “Newsies” on stage, you’ve got to let Swifty be in the show.’ I’m still working on that one with Harvey.”

Though his daughters, now 22 and 25, are not officially on the payroll, Mr. Menken said their input had been crucial to the development of the “Newsies” musical, even when it was not asked for.

“They are more protective about ‘Newsies’ than all the other projects I’ve done, combined,” Mr. Menken said. “It is ridiculous. It’s really ridiculous. When I told them about a certain song that got cut, they got viscerally angry at me. ‘Oh no you don’t. Oh no. No, Dad, no.’ It’s like they own it and I don’t.”

Mr. Menken said he had frequently encountered similar reactions from fans in their teens and 20s.

“It’s like ‘Newsies’ is actually owned by this generation of kids,” he said. “Of course, I’ll be the one to collect the royalties, thank you very much.”

DAVID DORFMAN AND THE PROPHETS OF FUNK

Photo by Kate Enman


Before heading into watch David Dorfman's The Prophets of Funk at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, I sat on the back porch steps outside the theater to listen to dance scholar Maura Keefe provide a context for the piece we were about to see. Here's what I learned:

* Growing up, Dorfman was an athlete. He played baseball and football and his highly-athletic choreography is informed by that.

* Dorfman grew up in the 1960s. His life and his work reflect his commitment to social change and his belief in democratic engagement

* Much of his choreography has elements of contact improvisation. His dances reflect his belief that anyone can lift anyone as long as the mechanics are right.

* His choreography is about the politics of identity; he presents and challenges ideas about gender, race, and sexuality

*His work is inspired by the music of the 1960s and 70s, particularly "its call for freedom"

* Prophets of Funk is set to the utopian music and collaborative essence of the music of Sly and the Family Stone. The Family Stone was one of the first racially and gender integrated bands in American music history

*To choreograph the piece, Dorfman watched old footage of the band

* Dorfman is interested in the personal as it relates to the social and historical

The first thing that happened when we sat down at our seats to watch David Dorfman's The Prophets of Funk is that a young woman invited audience members to come down to the stage to learn a dance - a funky dance. We had our eyes on a couple of elderly gentleman who were really getting down on the dance floor!

At the end of the show, Dorfman invited all of us to come and dance on stage - so we did! This final gesture was definitely democratic engagement at its finest!

JACOB'S PILLOW: THE EPITOME OF ARTS HOSPITALITY

It has been years now, I don't know how many, that I've seen photographs of dancers performing on an outdoor stage that overlooks trees and hills, and thought to myself "Wow, it would be great to be there." There is Jacob's Pillow. Set in the Berkshires, it's the country's oldest ongoing dance festival.

I guess the Gods of Dance wanted me there too: After paying 50 cents for a local Berkshires newspaper in the cafe of Mass MoCA, I flipped to the arts section ans spotted a listing for a dance performance that would be happening that night at Jacob's Pillow. It was a show I had wanted to see here at NYC's Lincoln Center - David Dorfman's The Prophets of Funk, but had missed for some reason.

I called the number listed on the event, and a friendly woman answered the phone. She spent a generous amount of time giving me the run-down of that evening's events at the festival.

When we arrived at Jacob's Pillow, it was dusk and magic was in the air. People were milling around the many cabin structures around the site, enjoying the ambiance and each other's company. We checked in with the welcome tent, where we were handed a gorgeous press packet. Toni Bolger, the Marketing & Communication Assistant at Jacob's Pillow Dance, warmly greeted us, and gave us a tour of the grounds while describing the festival's long and interesting history as well as its current offerings.

I've never experienced quite this level of hospitality and generosity at a cultural event or institution and I thank Ms. Bolger and her team for creating such a memorable experience for Mike (my husband) and myself. After interacting with Ms. Bolger and other Jacob's Pillow staff, I have a better picture of why this festival is such a huge success!

Here are some interesting facts I learned about Jacob's Pillow:

* 2012 will mark Jacob's Pillow's 80th year

* It is a National Historic Landmark

* At The White House, President Obama recently presented JP with the National Medal of the Arts

* It was once part of the Underground Railroad

* The land was originally settled in 1790 by the Carter family as a mountaintop farm

* In 1931, modern dance pioneer Ted Shawn bought the farm as a retreat. Ted and his wife, Ruth St. Denis, were America's leading dance couple. Together, they formed the Denishawn Company, which "popularized a revolutionary dance form rooted in theatrical and multicultural traditions rather than that of European ballet." They paved the way for other dance pioneers such as Martha Graham.

* In 1933, Ted Shawn recruited 8 men - some of them physical education students, to start a new dance company. Ted wanted to make dancing a viable career for men. The company gave dance-focused tea lectures and demonstrations on Ted's property and around the world. In 1940, the group disbanded when some of the members went off to war.

* In 1942, the Ted Shawn Theater presented world premiers and US debuts of artists from the world over to the Berkshire community in Western Mass. From there, various folks ran the festival and from 1998 onward, Ella Baff has been running the show.

To keep abreast of what's going on at Jacob's Pillow, sign up for their E-Club HERE.

ON SEPTEMBER 12, INTERNET GURU EVAN BAILYN IS GONNA ROCK YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

Evan Bailyn Sizzle Reel from Bradley Bailyn on Vimeo.

The New York Arts & Business Council sez:

After rave reviews of our sold-out SEO & social media workshop in February, Evan Bailyn, CEO of First Page Sage, is returning to present another marketing workshop exclusively on using social media to drive real world action. Are you trying to sell tickets to a show? Increase your Facebook likes? Encourage your supporters to give more? Then you should attend this session. Using case studies and on-the-spot analysis of audience members' online presences, this workshop will enlighten, entertain, and illuminate the short list of strategies you should be focusing on to have your constituents take action.

This workshop speaker is a for-profit business professional who will give a presentation tailored to nonprofit arts organizations.

Monday, September 12, 2011
6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Midtown Manhattan (exact location TBD)
$35 members; $55 non-members

Register HERE

Questions? Contact vquinones@artsandbusiness-ny.org

Evan Bailyn is an Internet entrepreneur, author, speaker, and child advocate. He is best known for being an expert at search engine optimization, having used his ability to rank at the top of Google to build and sell five businesses, including one of the largest children’s websites online. His Facebook page, which provides daily inspirational thoughts, has over 90,000 “likes,” making it one of the most popular non-celebrity pages on Facebook.

He has been interviewed on ABC and Fox News and featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Post, The International Business Times, and Crain's. He is a frequent speaker and television guest, and will be featured on an upcoming segment of Joan Rivers' reality show "How'd You Get So Rich?"

In 2010, Evan established The Evan Bailyn Foundation, which awards grants to groups that promote emotional awareness in children. His first book, Outsmarting Google, will be published with Pearson Press in March, 2011

ASANA ALPHABET OFFERS CLASS ABOUT TEACHING CHILDREN'S YOGA

A Note from my friend Ann:

Hello teachers and administrators,

Welcome back to another great school year! Asana Alphabet provides high-quality yoga trainings for bringing children's yoga into the schools. We wanted to let you know about our upcoming professional development opportunities because full-time school teachers and administrators always receive a discount with us! Incorporating yoga into your school day is easy and beneficial to you and your students. Here's what is coming up:

Asana Alphabet's Basic Training: Teaching Children's Yoga

Sep. 17-18th on the Lower East Side, NYC;

10am-4pm Saturday; 11:30am-5:30pm Sunday

Commercial Rate: $475; Full-time Teacher/Administrator Rate: $395

This workshop covers appropriate and authentic yoga techniques for kids of all ages and how to combine them with fun games and activities.. Yoga poses, meditations, relaxation and more! Includes sample lesson plans, teaching guide and yoga goodies.

Please feel free to pass this message along to others who may be interested. For more information you can look at our website at http://www.asanaalphabet.com/ or to register, please email AsanaAlphabet@gmail.com.

We hope to work with you soon.

Namaste, Ann

Ann Robideaux
Director and Founder
www.AsanaAlphabet.com
646.321.9383
AsanaAlphabet@gmail.com

ELLEN, MAIRA, AND ME

Earlier this week, I stopped in friend Ann Lopatin's Blue Ribbon General Store and thumbed through the pages of The Essentials of Fabulous: Because Whatever Doesn't Work Here Anymore written by Ellen Lubin-Sherman and illustrated by Susan Sugar. Annie told me how Ellen had self-published the book, and how it had been flying off the shelves. I thought that any woman who self-publishes has a lot of chutzpah, so I brought a copy home with me.

Ellen, in a highly-entertaining and down-to-earth writing style, describes how we can upgrade various parts of our lives and do them with more finesse, panache, style, and care for quality and impact. She covers, for example, how we treat people, how we conduct our virtual/online presence, how we write emails. She talks about the importance of writing hand-written notes, being warm and accessible, dressing with flair, treating everyone we encounter with respect, showing a passion for life.

I loved this book so much that I wrote a note to Ellen, who promptly wrote me back. Here is our correspondence, accompanied by the framed letter from Maira Kalman to Ellen which Ellen refers to in her email to me.

My Email to Ellen:

Subject Line: Totally Grooving on Your Book / Interview with Maira

Hi Ellen -

I know I should be writing a thank you for your AWESOME book on gorgeous stationery (which is actually something I would ordinarily do) but I wanted to include my interview with Maira Kalman in the note. (I saw that you liked one of her books, so thought the article would be of interest to you.)

After hearing the story behind your book from my friend Annie L. at Blue Ribbon, I decided to buy a copy. To say that I DEVOURED your book would be an understatement; I read it and savored it during all my subway rides over a 24-hour period.

Growing up, I had a grandma who was born at the turn of the century. She wrote letters to me all the time and sent articles that pertained to my personal interests. From the time I was about six, my family wrote each other "blessings," or letters of appreciation at the end of each year. I still have most of those treasures! I'm the person that my friends know as loving stationery and stamps and sending birthday and anniversary cards. (Congratulating someone for special occasions on Facebook just does not cut it!) So it was wonderful to read the words of someone who also takes a stand about the personal touch.

Loved watching your tv interview (and that sassy yellow jewelry - wow!) and will post something about The Essentials on Creative Times and Facebook.

My interview with Maira is below my signature. She just had a magical exhibit at The Jewish Museum!

Keep up the inspiring work, Ellen, and I hope to meet you in person down the road.

Ellen's Email to Me

Subject Line: whoooooooooooooooooooosh

WOWEE!

I am just speechless as not only did I go to the Jewish Museum, I ransacked the gift shop!

Eleanor Traubman, I am just so delighted to hear from you! What a wonderful note and so heartfelt. I'm touched when readers let me know how the book has resonated. When I completed it, I sent it to Maira and inscribed it to her for all the wonderful moments she gave to me and "my" two boys. Of course she wrote back in her inimitable handwriting on Verge de France paper (which I've stockpiled). I framed the note including the envelope. Of course I have everyone of her children's books in my library. I still look at the illustrations.

Then The Principles of Uncertainty. And I knew how to proceed with my book.

Eleanor, you are so fabulous for writing to me. You have given me a whoooosh of excitement for the day ahead.

I wish you well..all good things...they're much deserved...and you are a treasure. Loved your interview with Maira and thrilled to hear she has a "new beau" and I know the loss of Tibor was devastating.

Sending love

RUN, DON'T WALK, TO SEE NEW YORK PREMIER OF MANUFACTURING STOKED ON SEPTEMBER 15

MANUFACTURING STOKE from misfit pictures on Vimeo.

Hey, y'all. Make sure you set aside September 15th to see the New York Premier of the surf documentary Manufacturing Stoke at the New York Surf Film Festival. I'm proud to say that my nephew, Niko Traubman, and brother, Adam Traubman, are both in the movie. Stoked is directed by Pierce Kavanaugh.

Tickets go on sale September 6.

Here is the movie synopsis:

No other sport is so intrinsically linked to nature. Some call it a spiritual experience, most call it indescribable. And yet, in becoming the multi-billion dollar industry it is today, a great paradox has risen. Surfers are indeed directly connected to the earth’s pulse and yet a majority of the materials used are environmentally toxic.

The story begins in the 1960’s, the golden era of surfing, a time of innocence and discovery. Surf culture erupted onto the collective consciousness and became the epitome of cool. Fast forward to December 5th, 2005 and the closing of Clark Foam for environmental reasons, the largest surf blanks manufacturer in the world. Not only was the event a wake-up call for many to shift from petroleum-base products to more ecofriendly materials, it also re-framed the foundation of a stagnant culture. Enter surfing’s renaissance, an era where the new generation is completely changing what it means to be a surfer. And amid timid efforts from the industry’s biggies, a plethora of grassroots up-and-comers is redefining what a surfer is supposed to ride. From wooden surfboards, handplanes and alaias to recycled blanks and organic clothing, wave riding is taking on a new soul.

Taking California as its focal point, the birth place of the surf industry, the film travels from San Diego to San Francisco, via San Clemente, to capture the diversity of the Californian coast, while interviewing an amazing variety of people in their respective environments. Let it be a shaping room, an office, a beach, a blank factory, an art gallery, or a wood shop, you will be transported to a world rarely-ever-seen. Framed through the eyes of the youth, the documentary features for the very first time three up-and-coming surfers:

Lucas Dirkse, 16, Niko Traubman 13, and Tiare Thompson, 9. From riding the unconventional and bodysurfing, to bringing back the stoke, they are now dictating what the industry will become. Also featured are icons of the industry, including John Baker Dahl and Carl Ekstrom. From the invention of surf wax to those who created the modern board, these individuals have shaped the surfing world for the last 50 years and they now share their invaluable insights on the evolution of the industry.

Inspired by the great innovators of surfing's golden era, a myriad of inspired individuals are taking a stand and changing the rules. From Danny Hess in San Francisco who is proving that a board made out of wood can be just as performing as a traditional foam board, to Local Clothes in the Central Coast who are completely redefining how the clothing industry operates. Manufacturing Stoke is an introspective look into the surfing culture’s struggle to be beneficial unto itself, a tapestry of both influential and eclectic members of the surfing community that are constantly striving for positive change.

DUMBO ARTS FESTIVAL IS LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS

The Dumbo Arts Festival is a feast for the senses that attracts 200,000 visitors over 3 days with the participation of over 500 artists from a variety of disciplines, 100 studios, 50 galleries and stages and 100 programming partners. This year, the Festival will take place on Friday, September 23rd, Saturday, September 24th and Sunday, September 25th.

We are reaching out in hopes that you will join the 2011 Dumbo Arts Festival Volunteer Team!

This year we are searching for volunteers who can devote some of their time between Friday, September 16th and Thursday, September 22nd, as well as, the three days of the Festival itself.

The activities you might engage in include assisting exhibiting artists with installation of their works, guiding attendees through and between the various exhibits, lending a hand at one of our performance stages, or helping the next generation of artists at our children’s creation station.

We are also looking for a number of volunteers to start early on in September, to work on specific projects.

This is an amazing opportunity to get involved with one of the biggest and most cutting-edge art festivals in New York City.

For more information or if you are interested in applying, please visit http://dumboartsfestival.com/volunteer/, or call 718-488-8588.

Erica Finkelstein

Dumbo Arts Festival
1115 Broadway, 12th Floor
New York, NY 10010
dalzellproductions.com
212-647-1877
erica@dalzell.com

THE MAGIC OF MARIMEKKO AS PORTRAYED IN A DWELL MAG SLIDE SHOW

While skimming the September issue of Dwell magazine, this photo of Marimekko fabric caught my eye. There's a great article and slideshow to accompany it called "Helsinki Ink."

Check out the slideshow HERE and the article HERE.

Photo from Dwell mag. September 2011 taken by Alex Subrizi.

ALL KINDSA CRAZY COOL STUFF AT JIM HENSON'S FANTASTIC WORLD

Last Saturday, I made my first venture out to the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens (actually, right by where they film Sesame Street) to see the new exhibit called Jim Henson's Fantastic World.

One thing I liked about the exhibit was that it featured many of the sketches Jim created, the sketches that were the groundwork for his commercials, Muppets, films, and television shows. I appreciated that the show revealed the creative process behind the final product. With everything so computer-generated in today's world, there's something so reassuring about seeing pencil and pen drawings that come straight from the artist's mind.

During my visit to MOMI, I had the pleasure of attending "Hands Up! Puppets Down!": An Inside Look at Puppetry for Television. Writer/producer Craig Shemin and veteran Sesame Street puppeteer and wrangler Lara MacLean shared behind-the-scenes footage and live demonstration to show how puppetry magic is created for television.

Great fun was seeing the Muppet which Craig's wife and Sesame Street performer Stephanie D'Abruzzo had created in Craig's image. Craig and Lara together were a great team.

They fielded questions from Muppet fans in the audience who ranged greatly in age. Like Star Wars, the Muppet shows and movies have a fan base that spans generations. One young person in the audience asked "Is it true that Tim Burton was a Muppeteer in a scene from one of the Muppet Movies?" Craig confirmed that yes, it is true. Wow, how do people get their hands on this info?!?!?

Click HERE for the full list of Henson-related workshops and screenings. Be sure to note that some events require advance ticket purchase to guarantee a seat.

Here are two that I am particularly excited about:

* September 18 at 4 pm: An Afternoon with Jane Henson: "Look Both Ways and Go"

* September 24 and 25 at 1:00 pm: Muppet Music Moments: A Weekend Celebration of Jim Henson's Birthday (Jim would have been 75 on the 24th)

Photo of Lara MacLean from Muppet Wiki

60TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION OF MUPPETEER RICHARD HUNT AUGUST 16TH AT BLUESTOCKINGS BOOKSTORE

I was heartened to see the listing for this event dedicated to the life and work of Muppeteer Richard Hunt in L Magazine and the Bluestockings website:

Tuesday, August 16th @ 7PM – $5 suggested

Presentation: Jessica Max Stein “The Rainbow Connection: A 60th Birthday Celebration of Gay Muppeteer Richard Hunt”

August 16th would be Richard Hunt’s 60th birthday! Come join his biographer, veteran zinester and CUNY English teacher Jessica Max Stein, for a sneak peek at “The Rainbow Connection: The Life and Times of Richard Hunt,” including plenty of Muppet clips and rare behind-the-scenes footage. Hunt performed beloved Sesame Street and Muppet Show characters such as Beaker, Scooter and Janice, while living joyfully in Manhattan’s liberating post-Stonewall era. He was only 40 years old when he died of AIDS-related complications. Let’s celebrate his birthday by appreciating his life and work!

Photo from the website of Jessica Max Stein.

EVERY FRIDAY IN AUGUST IS 12 ANNUAL KIDFLIX FILM FEST OF BED-STUY

MoCADA and African Film Fest Proudly Host

The 12th Annual KIDflix Film Fest of Bed-Stuy

In collaboration with Creative Outlet, Sweetbeatz, Violin Diva and Aamir Smith’s tribute to Michael Jackson

Sponsored by: Travelers Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, Assemblywoman Annette Robinson, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Councilman Albert Vann and District Leader Robert E. Cornegy Jr.

KIDflix Date: Every Friday Night in the month of August (5, 12, 19, 26)

Rain Date: Final two Saturday’s in the month of August (20 & 27)

Time: 7:00 pm

Location: Fulton Park (corner of Utica Avenue and Fulton Street)

A or C Train to Utica Avenue

Cost: Free to the Public


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The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) and African Film Fest (AFF) proudly celebrate the 12th Annual KIDflix Film Fest of Bedford Stuyvesant this August! This year’s festival promises to be the most exciting line up ever with newly released film’s of the African Diaspora, live performances, Q&A opportunities with directors, art workshops for children and as always we will end with our grand finale dance party for The Wiz! In addition, MoCADA is thrilled to premier MoCADA TV prior to each feature film, which is an exciting new revolution that takes the African Diaspora outside of its Museum walls and into the world of television!

Marking the 12th Anniversary of the Annual KIDflix Film Fest of Bed Stuy, this year’s selection will feature a very exciting and eclectic line up including:

August 5th – Performance: Jamel Gaines’ Creative Outlet Dance Academy - Feature: Brownstones to Red Dirt with director and actors attending the screening
Featured Film: Brownstones to Red Dirt, directed by Dave LaMattina, Chad N. Walker
Children from Marcy’s Housing Development in Bedford – Stuyvesant and orphans from Sierra Leone are featured in Brownstones to Red Dirt, a feature-length documentary, which tells the story of how these children find one another through a pen pal program that not only expands how they see the world but also shows them how much they have in common through shared experiences.

August 12th – Performance: Violin Diva (Jazz, RnB, Soul) - Short: Mwansa the Great - Feature: Soul Boy
Featured Film: Soul Boy, directed by Hawa Essuman and Tom Tykwer
Soul Boy is a 2010 Kenyan drama film, written by Billy Kahora and directed by Hawa Essuman. When his father falls ill a teenager sets out to find the cure, only to learn that a witch has stolen his father’s soul.

August 19th – Caribbean Night: A Night of Animated Shorts and Performances presented by CariBBeing Film Festival and Trinidad & Tobago Film Festival
This evening will include children specific, African Diasporic film shorts from the Caribbean. Additionally, there will be performances from CASYM Steel Orchestra. This event will be a festive evening of Caribbean film and culture!

August 26th- Performance: Dance Like Michael workshop with Aamir Smith - Feature: The Wiz
Featured Film: The Wiz, directed by Sidney Lumet
Starring the beloved late Lena Horne as Glenda the Good Witch and the late Michael Jackson in his award winning role as Scarecrow, and the talented Diana Ross, The Wiz is a 1970s urban adaptation of The Wizard of Oz. This film version of the Tony award winning Broadway sensation will have you up out your sit, ready to “Ease on Down the Road”.

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About MoCADA
MoCADA is committed to creating a greater awareness and appreciation of the African Diaspora as it relates to contemporary urban issues through innovative exhibitions, public programs and educational interactive tours. Our mission is to undertake the responsibility of rewriting history in order to give a more accurate portrayal of our contributions to the historical, artistic and cultural landscape of the world.

About MoCADA TV
The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Art has for the past ten years been at the vanguard of contemporary African Diasporan culture, now the museum has partnered with Media MVMT to present to you the first season of MoCADA TV, a half hour television program dedicated to profiling, artists, cultural institutions and business of the African Diaspora.

About African Film Festival New York
For the past decade, African Film Festival, Inc. has bridged the divide between post-colonial Africa and the American public through the medium of film. We are particularly mindful of the many ways in which cinema is as much a medium of cultural exchange as an educational gate-way.

About Travelers Foundation
Travelers offers a wide variety of property and casualty insurance and surety products and services to businesses, organizations and individuals in the United States and in selected international markets. Travelers also provides support for charitable organizations

About Assemblywoman Annette Robinson
For the past seven years, Assemblywoman Annette Robinson has served the Bedford Stuyvesant community. She was elected in 2002 by an overwhelming majority of 90% of the vote. Her dedication to the youth in the community extends as she is a generous contributor to this year’s KIDflix celebration.

GOOD NEWS FOR LOVERS OF THE SNOWY DAY AND THE ART OF EZRA JACK KEATS

If, like me, you grew up with The Snowy Day and other magical books written and illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats, you will be delighted to know about this upcoming exhibit at The Jewish Museum.

Here's the 411, straight from the website of the museum:

THE SNOWY DAY AND THE ART OF EZRA JACK KEATS
September 9, 2011 through January 29, 2012

The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats is the first major exhibition in this country to pay tribute to award-winning author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats (1916–1983), whose beloved children’s books include Whistle for Willie, Peter’s Chair, and The Snowy Day—the first modern full-color picture book to feature an African-American protagonist. Published in 1962, at the height of the civil rights movement in America, the book went on to become an inspiration for generations of readers, transforming children’s literature forever.

About Ezra Jack Keats
The author and illustrator was born Jacob Ezra Katz in Brooklyn in 1916. His parents were Eastern European Jewish immigrants and very poor. Primarily self-taught, he drew upon memories of growing up in East New York, one of the most deprived neighborhoods in the city. Yet his work transcends the personal and reflects the universal concerns of children.

Keats’s experience of antisemitism and poverty in his youth gave him a lifelong sympathy for others who suffered prejudice and want. “If,” he once remarked, “we all could really see (‘see’ as perceive, understand, discover) each other exactly as the other is, this would be a different world.” A visit to Keats’s neighborhood is restorative: Peter and his friends remind us of the simple joy of being alive.

Ezra Jack Keat's Illustrations
Inspired by Asian art and haiku poetry, Keats used lush color in his paintings and collages and strove for simplicity in his texts. He was often more intent on capturing a mood than developing a plot. “Each drawing is considered not in itself, but in relationship to the rest of the book,” he explained, while keeping in mind “drama, continuity, contrast, and mood.” His preferred format was the horizontal double-page spread, which freed him to alternate close-up scenes with panoramic views. In his illustrations Keats makes dilapidated urban settings beautiful through his mastery of collage as well as his dramatic use of color. By the end of his life in 1983, he had illustrated over eighty books, most of them for children, twenty-two of which he also authored.

About the Exhibition
The exhibition features over 80 original works by the artist, from preliminary sketches and dummies or preparatory books, to final paintings and collages, including examples of Keats’s most introspective but less-known output inspired by Asian art and poetry. One of the spaces in the galleries will be transformed into a reading room for visitors of all ages inspired by Keats's art and stories.

Claudia J. Nahson, Curator

SPOKE THE HUB YOUNG ARTIST SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS ON SEPTEMBER 9

YOUNG ARTIST SCHOLARSHIP AUDITIONS

What: Spoke the Hub's Young Artists' Scholarship Auditions

Where: Spoke The Hub's space @ Gowanus Arts, 295 Douglas Street, Brooklyn, New York

When: Friday, September 9th, 4:30 – 6:00pm

Contact: Marlena Oden - (718) 408-3234

Information: http://www.spokethehub.org/

SPOKE THE HUB (STH) is offering both full and partial scholarships to young dancers aged 8 to 18 years, with or without previous experience, based on financial need and merit. The audition will take the form of a modern dance class and will include warm-up, improvisation, and combinations across the floor. (Students do not need to prepare any material in advance). Dance scholarships will be awarded for classes in Modern Dance Technique, Ballet,
Improvisation/Choreography/Performance, and others to be selected.

The fall term for scholarship students will begin Monday, September 12, 2011 and run through February, 2012.

Teenagers may also be considered for work/study internships in our office. Applicants must call to set up an appointment and families must bring a copy of their most recent tax return to the audition. For further details and to receive an application form, please call: (718) 408-3234, or email us at spoke@spokethehub.org.

Students involved in dance at STH have plenty of opportunities to create and perform their own original choreography throughout the year. They also work with professional guest artists, and are often invited to participate in SPOKE THE HUB's professional adult productions.

Over the years, SPOKE THE HUB's Young Artists have earned additional scholarships to the American Dance Festival, the Alvin Ailey School, and the Feld Ballet, in addition to colleges throughout the country. They have also performed with STH's adult company at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, at the World Trade Center, and at Lincoln Center, as well as performing independently at the Kitchen, P.S. 122, DTW, and with Meredith Monk/The House

All youth company members are required to take a minimum of two technique classes a week at SPOKE THE HUB, and must be available for occasional additional weekend rehearsals and performances throughout the year. This pre-professional program is geared toward developing tomorrow's most outstanding and creative theater artists.
Spoke the Hub, founded by Artistic Director Elise Long, has been trailblazing in Brooklyn and beyond since 1979. Called a "neighborhood treasure," "cultural pioneers" and a community "staple" by the press and public, Spoke offers a wide spectrum of classes, performances, and special community events for all ages, 7 days a week, all year round.

Visit our website for a full schedule of Current and upcoming classes and events: http://www.spokethehub.org/ (718) 408-3234

WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY TOUR OF LINCOLN CENTER

If you need a place to get out of the heat and be with your laptop, book, or the company of friends, I highly recommend the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center between 62nd and 63rd Streets on Broadway. There, you will find a most pleasant public space which features Wi-Fi access, a fountain, wall plants, 'Wichcraft for sandwiches and salads, and the opportunity to purchase half-price tickets for cultural events.

Events taking place in the Atrium on Thursdays are FREE.

After several times of going to the Atrium, I decided to go on one of their guided tours of Lincoln Center. Our guide was Judy, who was full of good information, and the other folks on the tour were from other countries. (My only suggestion is that they have translators on hand.)

Here's some of the fun facts I learned during the tour:

The David Rubenstein Atrium

Like other buildings at Lincoln Center, it's named after someone who gave a ton of money. As Judy pointed out, in the United States the government gives very little money to the arts so as a country we rely heavily on private donors. The atrium is known as a POPS - a privately-owned public space. Which means that since the space can be used by the public, there are tax breaks involved.

This particular space has been all kinds of things over the years, including a place where folks like Charlie Chaplin were performing. In more recent years, it was home to a rock climbing wall.

The wall decor consists of a huge work made out of wool, and the artists owns the sheep. Bonus: the wool absorbs sound! There are also a couple of vertical gardens, which are made up of thousands of plants and definitely add to the peaceful feeling of the place.

Lincoln Center (on the whole)

* Celebrated its 50th birthday in 2009
* Spans 16 acres of land
* Is home to 9 million visitors per years
* Has 9 thousand employees
* Recently had a $1.2 billion renovation
* The renovation included a makeover of its famous outdoor fountain. This fountain, a gift of the Revson family (of Revlon fame) serves as the meeting place * for people in real life and people in the movies.

Avery Fisher Hall

* Built in 1962, it was originally called Philharmonic Hall
* Home to the NY Philharmonic
* First building that went up at Lincoln Center
* Everything in it is designed for acoustical enhancement
* Bernstein, its first conductor, started out as a substitute for another conductor!
* West Side Story was filmed here
* There are 2700 seats
* In the early 70s, Avery Fisher, an owner of an electronics company, came along and gave $10 million to fix acoustical problems in the building
* AFH relies on ticket sales and private donors to keep going
* Its current conductor, Alan Gilbert, is a younger man and helps to bring in a younger audience
* His mom is the first violinist
* The hall can be rented by any group or organization

The Lincoln Center Theater

* Home to these theatres: the Beaumont, the Newhouse, the LCT3 and Claire Tow
* LCT3 was built to promote new artists
* The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a Greek amphitheater with 3 quarter wrap around seating
* The stage thrusts out into the audience
* It is a Broadway theater with 1100 seats, and is the largest stage in Broadway
Its current show, The War Horse, is based on a children's story that was written in the 1980s
* There are lockers outside the theater where you can store your stuff (genius!)
Julliard (closed to public on day of the tour so we could not see inside)
* Only 6% of applicants are admitted to the school
* It was started by the Damrosch family

The Metropolitan Opera House (closed to public on day of tour so we could just see part of the lobby)

* There are 21 chandeliers made of Swaroski crystals