Happy Twitter-versary

As of tomorrow, July 13, 2012, I've been on Twitter 4 years. Wow, how times flies. Twitter continues to be for me a source of grace, beauty, laughter and friendship.

This video is an example of grace and beauty, found via Twitter, in an airport of all places. In the departure hall in Terminal 1 of the Singapore Airport, this brand new kinetic sculpture greets visitors. Motors in the ceiling control two sets of 608 copper-covered aluminum raindrops, suspended on wire, that perform a 15-minute long choreographed dance.

"Kinetic Rain" Changi Airport Singapore from ART+COM on Vimeo.

into the ether - photography show

 Hope to catch my cousin Greg's show while we're in town next month. Here are the details from the Judson website: 

The Howson Gallery at Judson Park presents "…into the ether" May 18-June 22, 2012, featuring wet plate collodian photography by Greg Martin. The Howson Gallery is located at the Judson Park community of Judson at University Circle, 1801 Chestnut Hills Drive, Cleveland Heights, OH 44106. Call (216) 791-2885 for gallery hours. Free admission.

About Wet Plate Collodian process
The wet plate collodion process is an early photographic process introduced in the 1850s by Frederick Scott Archer. It consisted of three basic types: Ambrotypes (positive images on clear or opaque glass); Ferrotypes (positive images on black-jappaned metal); Glass Plate Negatives (negative images on clear glass used for printing). In the wet-plate collodion process a glass or metal plate is coated with a salted collodion emulsion, and sensitized in a silver nitrate bath. It is then exposed "in-camera," developed and "fixed," and then varnished, resulting in the final image. Because it requires "in-camera" exposures, each image is one-of-a kind, and the image is shot directly onto the plate surface.

About Greg Martin
Greg Martin is an artist and designer who grew up on the eastside of Cleveland and currently resides in South Euclid, Ohio. He has been using the wet plate collodion process as a means of artistic exploration and expression since 2005. His fascination with the cityscape of Cleveland manifests itself in a series of images exploring the city as filtered through the wet plate collodion process. He has exhibited work in a variety of group shows throughout Ohio as well as upstate New York, and his work resides in several collections, including that of Fred and Laura Bidwell.

Larger-than-Life Photo Project

I'm fascinated by this larger-than-life photography project that we found and shared with my cousin who is a professional artist. A photographer plans to build an enormous camera (see picture below the video) in a semi-truck trailer and drive around the country taking photos of vanishing cultures. Because the camera is so big, the photos it takes will be larger than life and more detailed than ever possible before. So interesting that an old-fashioned technology can be more powerful than digital. Watch the video and read the article here. You can also "chip in" to help out on kickstarter here.


Vanishing Cultures: An American Portrait by Dennis Manarchy from Distortion Design on Vimeo.

Artopia Recap

Saturday evening, five of my friends and I volunteered at Artopia, the major fundraiser for Big Bend Cares. Big Bend Cares provides education and comprehensive support to people infected with or affected by  HIV/AIDS. Literally hundreds of artists donate pieces of art, and local businesses contribute gift certificates and items. Most goes to a series of silent auctions, but the best of the art (as judged by a jury of local volunteer experts) is sold in a live auction.

 

we all wore volunteer badges

The Director of Development and Support Services, Perry Thomas Snead, is an Alpha Chi Omega alumna. This event was her baby, and it was great to get out and support her as well as a great cause.

here we are at the event: from left to right me, Marc, Jenn, Perry, Britain, Chris & Kate

We were excited to see that local business owner Susan, of Chrysalis (another Alpha Chi alumna) donated this great butterfly pillow to the auction.

   

We all had different tasks while volunteering. Britain, Chris, Kate and I worked to gather silent auction bids after each gallery closed, and placed winning bids on the board for all patrons to view. Jenn & Marc worked the live auction noting winners and the final selling price. Kate worked as a ring girl, notifying patrons when the galleries would be closing, giving everyone a ten-minute warning to get in their last bids. Chris, Kate and Britain worked to display and showcase art pieces during the live action.

When we first arrived, we had a chance to tour all the galleries. Jenn, Britain, Chris and I placed bids on a few items. I didn't win any of mine, but Britain and Chris took home three pieces (see below) and Jenn won at least one gift certificate.

 

Kate admires the art in one of the silent auction galleries

Chris with Accession One - Emergence by artist Peter Barry, which he and Britain won. It is the 3rd painting from a series of 5 and is about the process of personal emotional/spiritual change.

The second piece B and C won is an abstract by Linda Van Beck. The artist noted that originally the billows were to represent water lilies however as the painting evolved it felt more like the wind became more important than the water lilies.

The last piece B and C took home is titled the "Eiffel Tower in Winter." It is a simple but evocative black and white photograph taken in 2005. 

Overall, it was a great event, very well attended, and tons of fun (especially the live auction - lots of audience cheering and encouragement of deep pockets! I saw one piece go up to $2500!). I hope we're in town for next year's event and can attend!

Celebrating the Peace Corps' 50th Anniversary with Jenn

On March 1, 1961 President Kennedy signed the legislation that created the Peace Corps. The first week of March 2011, our local Returned Peace Corps Volunteers celebrated the 50th anniversary with a whole series of events including a gallery showing of art the volunteers have brought home from countries they've served in. I went to the Opening Reception to support Jenn and see the great art.

Jenn and Tiona both served in Botswana.

They had such a nice variety of objects on display in the gallery.

Tara (right) also came to the Opening. I brought Jenn carnations to say Bravo for all her hard work, which really made her day. We are standing in front of a tapestry she purchased in Botswana. It reminds me of a batik I brought home from Uganda for Mom - about the same size and colors and both have goats. Jenn's depicts a typical village scene. It was woven in Oodi village which is near the capitol city, Gaborone. Oodi is famous for its weavers.

I'm so glad we were able to get out and support Jenn and the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers! Happy Anniversary, Peace Corps!

Mark Lindquist 40-Year Retrospective Opens Friday

I am hoping to be able to go to the Opening of this show on Friday but it may be tricky as all my art-loving friends are out of town this weekend. The Gadsden Arts Center is in Quincy, which is about a half hour drive west of Tallahassee. 

MARK LINDQUIST

Friday, September 10 / Opening Reception 6–9pm / Gallery Talk 6:30pm
Exhibition continues through October 23

The Gadsden Arts Center is honored to host Mark Lindquist, a forty-year retrospective exhibition of the work of this legendary woodturner and wood sculptor. Recipient of the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Woodturners and a Fellow of the American Craft Council, Lindquist’s tireless exploration of the expressive possibilities of this medium has helped to define its past, present, and future in the fine art world. In 1995, the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum honored Lindquist by hosting his 25-year retrospective exhibition. His work has been acquired by major museums in the United States and Europe including the Victoria and Albert Museum (London), Smithsonian American Art Museum (Washington, DC), High Museum of Art (Atlanta, GA), and Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York). The exhibition will present the broadest range of Lindquist’s work ever seen in one venue, a major cultural event for our region.

Welcome New Director at Cleveland Museum of Art

Love this exclusive video interview with David Franklin, who will become the new Director of the Cleveland Museum of Art on September 20th. Thank you Cool Cleveland. (If you want to know all the fun and interesting things going on around town, you must subscribe to their weekly newsletter!)