art show. more info.
saturday, november 18. 7pm to 10PM. tim stokes, kate nelson, ron radwanski, nevada hill, john holt + dj sober. 1837 corinth at park. dallas.
it's either the worst idea ever. or it'll be great. as with anything.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006 @ 12:00 AM gallery events
gallery stop
the and/or part of the texelectronica festival was excellent. a few more pics here.
Friday, October 27, 2006 @ 08:32 PM
breakin
seriously, who breaks into a 91 volvo with a car seat in the back trying to steal a cheap stereo? fer reals. good thing paul rocks and already picked up a new window from the junkyard and can install it himself in about 5 minutes. the sucky part is now i have no tunes in the car!
Sunday, October 22, 2006 @ 01:01 PM my family
my crazy-a church is at it again
tonight. 7-9PM. City Church.
the passle of us each took a disposable camera with a word attached to it. today my project is to install the pictures so everyone can come check them out tonight. some are just awful and others are simply brilliant.
Friday, October 20, 2006 @ 08:20 AM
art show
mark yer calendars. i'm producing an art show nov 18. more info to come.
Sunday, October 15, 2006 @ 09:33 PM
La Reunion in Cliff Dweller
A Permanent Home for Art – and Artists – in Oak Cliff
If art is the soul of a community, Oak Cliff’s fledgling La Reunion artist residency project is poised to become a leading source of inspiration and sustenance for that soul.
KERA reporter Catherine Cuellar, president of La Reunion, kicked off the artist residency project in January 2006 alongside executive director and art photographer, Sarah Jane Semrad. Ten months later, both are hard at work, realizing their dream of creating a permanent place in Dallas for artists from around the world to live and work, interact with the local community, and stimulate follow-on artistic and creative endeavors.
Something Old, Something New
Semrad and Cuellar, both Cliff dwellers, plan for La Reunion to become part of the nationwide Alliance of Artists Communities network, offering a unique focus on the conversation between traditional media (paintings and sculpture, for example) and new media (things like digital video and music that people can access via cell phones, PDAs or other electronic devices). Artpace San Antonio is Texas’ only existing Alliance program thus far. And, while La Reunion will share Artpace’s commitment to hosting artists and fulfilling community obligations, the Oak Cliff facility program is being designed from the ground up to be more accessible to a wider variety of participants, inviting applications from local, national and international artists rather than hand-picking potential residents.
Thus far, the two have been wildly successful, already securing the donation of 35 acres of land along West Jefferson, next to Chalk Hill Trail and across the street from the Dallas National Golf Club. “I approached Sarah Jane with the idea of creating an artist residency program, and she was immediately on board,” Cuellar states. “By May she had already secured the land, and by July we had our first volunteer party to clear the property.”
They’ve filed La Reunion’s 501 (c) (3) paperwork seeking non-profit status with the IRS, and are actively recruiting business and community leaders to serve on the program’s Board of Directors and Advisory Board. They were also able to raise the funds needed to cover the fee for filing for nonprofit status with the IRS.
Welcome Addition
La Reunion has also been busy forging alliances within the local art community, garnering the support of organizations like Oak Cliff’s Ice House Cultural Center, Arte Oak Cliff, and Art Conspiracy, the annual benefit concert-and-art-exhibition event at the Texas Theatre that’s rapidly become a fixture on the Oak Cliff holiday scene.
Things don’t appear to be slowing down for La Reunion anytime soon. Cuellar and Semrad have recruited a building committee of advisors and directors who are brainstorming ideas for both the project’s facilities and ways to fund the costs of its design and construction, which are expected to run about $500,000. The two hope to build residences and facilities comprising at least two studios – one for new media and one for traditional media.
Fundraising efforts for the artist residency program are pressing forward as well, with this year’s Art Conspiracy at the Longhorn Ballroom benefiting La Reunion. “It’s crazy,” Cuellar says. “I’m not sure things could go any faster if we wanted them to.”
Favorite color:
Green. La Reunion needs $500,000 to construct two artist residences and a central “living room” exhibition space. The facility is also being designed from the ground up as a “green” space, making the most – and taking the best care – of its wooded location.
Favorite history lesson:
“We named the project La Reunion after the French utopians who established a colony in the 1850s along the banks of the Trinity River, just west of what is now downtown Dallas,” explains Cuellar. “It’s the perfect name for celebrating the arts in Dallas and Oak Cliff.”
Favorite place in the Cliff:
The non-profit’s newly secured, 35-acre tract along West Jefferson, by Chalk Hill Trail.
Deepest secret:
The family who donated the land. “They’ve asked to remain anonymous, and we’re strictly observing that request,” Cuellar says. “Suffice it to say, they’re extremely generous. We can’t thank them enough.”
Next big thing:
Art Conspiracy, at the Longhorn Ballroom, Dec. 1, 7 p.m. Proceeds of the event, which will feature five local bands and the work of more than 100 artists, will benefit La Reunion.
by Melody Townsel
Friday, October 13, 2006 @ 04:15 PM La Reunion
state fair
we like going to the state fair, we semrads. we try to eat dinner when we go, although i'm not sure why when we're up all night with rumbly tummies.... with deep fried tater twisters and oleo-soaked ears of corn as are our options.
of course we always ride the ferris wheel. and the kids are awfully brave, even though it's soooo high up.
paul says i have the same look on my face as jiri does when he rides a ride.
and eva, my darling stoic child, well, she's almost at the age where she's embarassed i'm taking her picture.... but i can't help it because she's so beautiful.
Friday, October 13, 2006 @ 08:47 AM my family
art conspiracy : you in?
Last year was SO AWESOME AND SO MUCH FUN, we're going to do it again!
what: www.artconspiracy.org
when: december 1, 2005 time: 7pm - 11pm
where: The Legendary Longhorn Ballroom
who: you!
why: to impact the local art/music scene in a tangible way.
beneficiary: La Reunion, a non-profit artist residency program forming on a donated 34 acre property in west oak cliff. The program will facilitate dialogue between traditional and new media artists on the local, national, and international level through residencies ranging from one week to one year. The facilities will include housing and studio space, as well as a 'living room' which will be multifunctional as installation/gallery/performance/classroom space. The structure will be as environmentally sustainable and energy efficient as possible. www.lareuniontx.org
community impact: as a hub for new/traditional artists in dallas, La Reunion will allow educational insight into green living, art, and community outreach. cities that cultivate their artists and help them reach a wider audience become cultural centers for new ideas and interpretation of a culture itself. future art conspiracy events will benefit an ever-rotating local art/music non-profit from now on whenever possible.
money will be made in several ways: door ($10 admission, artists get in free), t-shirt sales, art sales, cash donations, among others.
how: (the conspirators)
music: several bands including The Happy Bullets, Peter Schmidt and His Gentleman Scholars, Salim Nourallah and two others not yet confirmed. they'll provide live entertainment for the evening from the stage.
art: huge plywood easels will be set up with cut primered plywood 'canvases' lining them as completely as possible in the four main areas of the space. artists will come in on assigned shifts throughout the day, thursday, november 30 and be assigned one 'canvas' to paint, draw, collage, create something to go on top of it. artists will know the work will be taken off the walls in a punk-rock-live-on-the-spot-auction-kind-of-way. (think www.stevekeene.com for inspiration.) no silent auction. artists donate their time in much the way a musician would, knowing full-well they won't make 'market value' or whatever somesuchnonsense, although they may, for the nonprofit. the goal is for ALL art to be gone at the end of the night with a simple cash donation (large or small) by the taker. art may go for twenty bucks or for ten thousand. it's totally insane, we know, but somehow it worked last year. the money will be collected in a secure way and all of it goes to the benficiary. check out the website to get a feel for this event, if you weren't able to make it.
now, why aren't we asking you to create something in advance? because the whole installation will be photographed/filmed and potentially made into a documentary. the creative process will be the focus of this event, not entirely the finished artifact. each artist will have approx 2 1/2 hours to complete his or her piece on an 18x18 square inch piece of plywood. the purpose of assigning shifts is so each artist has space to spread out and work as he or she see fit and also potentially collaborate with other artists on the same shift.
OTHER INFO:
- should you participate, your name will be listed on the art conspiracy website with a link to your website, if applicable.
- you will need to agree to be photographed and or filmed for the installation. model releases will be available at the time of installation.
- subject matter is open but the art must be appropriate to be seen by people of all ages.
- artist provides all materials to create something on top of their designated canvas. this includes paint, collage materials, brushes etc.
- many minor details are still up in the air and there are many volunteer opportunities available if you don't want to be a part of the creation process.
IF YOU WANT TO PARTICIPATE: *** IMPORTANT ***
email sarah@artconspiracy.org by 11/15 changing the subject line to say "I'M IN!" with the following information:
full name
mailing address
email address
website
phone number
medium you will work in
the goal is 150 artists this year. yikes!!!
Monday, October 09, 2006 @ 11:32 AM
october fullmoon croquet
Saturday, October 07, 2006 @ 09:05 AM proof that i'm a nerd
art conspiracy details coming together
holy schmoley. it's confirmed. art conspiracy lives again at the historic longhorn ballroom on friday, december 1. bands still tba. suffice it to say, we're thrilled.
the space is amazing with a kitch factor that's sky high. see you there.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006 @ 06:20 PM La Reunion
get yer mugshot
i affiliated myself with the dallas county young dems for one night only at a 'rally' on monday night. when approached with coming up with a cool interactive idea for this rally about a month ago, this is what i came up with and i knew it couldn't be done alone. so i enlisted friends hal and carissa to help. we tag teamed shooting portraits, live shots, and manning the computer to run the slideshow. although honestly, i think i only took mugshots and didn't take even one candid shot. (well, ok, maybe one, but that's it.) the night was a cross pollenation of camera equipment, memory cards, and personalities and the questions attendees were to answer was "why are you here?" or "why is it important to vote?" the results were sometimes obvious, sometimes obnoxious, and sometimes silly. the dude above? he's with ppt, my new favorite dallas band. that photo kills me and i'm honored to have been the one to take it. the rest of the mugshots are here.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006 @ 10:48 AM
my living room is a great place to be
