Review

Stop by and meet Joan Waters at the Herberger Theater Center Art Gallery The Artist’s Reception is Friday, September 19th, 5:30 to 7:00 PM. RSVP by Sept 17th at 602-254-7399 ext. 198

I am having fun following my steps. I seem to be OK with changing the look of a painting in mid stream. As I’ve progressed, the painting starts to get a little too formal. The last painting seems to have lost some tension. My job is to see if I can revive it.

The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, CA Presents

Leonardo: 500 Years into the Future

Sept 27 - Jan 4, 2009

Talented and curious, da Vinci has been acknowledged as mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, painter, sculptor and architect.

200 items including paintings, models, drawings and inventions will be on view.

Tech Museum of Innovation
201 South Market Street

We’ve been used to hearing that China has the largest population in the world, 1.3 billion people. However it is still difficult to get your mind wrapped around that number. It sounds like the national debt, mind boggling.

Olympics Opening Ceremony-Jeff Gross/Getty Images

To actually see 15,000 performers begins to put things into perspective. Lets face it “Cats” is a big production by our standards.

Through out the day, radio and T.V. commentators were bubbling about this spectacle (meant in the most positive of terms) almost to the point that I was willing to let it pass by, a little pissed off that NBC would not show it live.

I’m glad I abandoned my attitude and watched.

One of the fun things about our new media art, the internet, is that everyone gets a chance to participate. Some of the work has been criticized as amateurish, childish etc. These views miss their mark in my opinion. I think the goal always is to play, otherwise you don’t create projects like First Person Impression or Post Secrets.

You got a story, there are plenty of places for people to hear what you’ve got to say.

A National Competition for Memoir and Documentary Writers, Videographers and Photographers.

Each day countless stories unfold. Take a real life experience of your own and tell it in a way that only you can. Craft your story with words, photos or video. Make the ordinary magical, or the exotic familiar. Shock us, amaze us or make us pause to reflect. The only rule is that it is real.

Roberta was one of the first artists I met in Arizona and what impressed me about her was her affirmative and knowing way of speaking.  “Do you know so and so, have you met them, well then we have to get you to meet them, this is what we are going to do”. Spoken in a rapid fire manner that is reminiscent of Katz’s Deli , “you’ll have the Brisket, it will be good for you, you’ll enjoy”. Another great thing about Roberta is that whenever possible, her kids are always with her and welcomed.

At the end of a Perfect day (c) 2003 R. Hancock

As an Artist Activist, Artist and Mom, do you feel that your kids have gotten a balanced school curriculum, one that has them participate in creative arts programs as well as academics?

What an interesting and ironic question! Yes, but primarily because we have personally ensured that for our children. Do I believe their classmates share that experience? No. Unfortunately, Arizona offers substandard education and cultural programming in the primary grades. I only wish we could somehow rapidly inspire our legislative leadership to understand the need to adequately fund education, thereby insuring a quality future for all of us. I deeply respect the educators I have come to know because most are unbelievably dedicated and creative in imparting their skills and knowledge despite underwhelming political and financial support.

I have personally never worried about the level of artistic interaction my children have experienced. The most challenging thing for us has been maintaining the breadth of those experiences and not being tunnel-visioned on [my own area of interest] the visual arts. Both of my children are incredibly creative, however, I think they have been exposed to so much(artistically and civically) that they do not yet know how different they are!

Why do you think it is that with the use of case studies and research data that indicate arts education is a important and critical contributor to a young persons growth, that both the Feds and local governments seem to ignore this.

There are a variety of very weak excuses for this, but I believe the primary reason comes down to the homogenization of our educational and subsequent cultural experiences. It is difficult to be enthused about that which you are not familiar or experienced with. We have witnessed a quiet cultural decline (in our country, but not limited to), dating back at least three generations, from when the Arts were intrinsically woven through the educational experience of the intellectual community and were equally used as a means of cultural preservation through folk experience in the general populous.

In America, our efforts to give everyone the same level of elementary education have actually created a unique homogeneous climate. Cultural differences, traditions and practices (the roots of artistic expression) have been slowly eliminated to encompass only the most common of community experiences. Interestingly, following the Arts in their slow disappearance from our schools’ curriculum’s, Sports and Physical Education are likewise being relegated to after-school care providers to institute.

It is not missed, even on the youngest child, that these after-school activities, albeit entertaining, are not considered as important as what occupies the greatest amount of their time during the day. Joy is being left outside the door of our educational system and I am gravely concerned by the consequences of this short-sightedness.

The last couple of years has seen a lot of enthusiasm about the growing Phoenix art district. With the economy hitting a wall, are you still hearing the same enthusiasm as in 2006.

I am certain that no one, in any business, is enthusiastic about our current economic climate. I believe we can safely predict that we will see a pause in the Arts District enthusiasm, however, it will ultimately recover as the economy does.

In addition to funding, what else does this art’s community need.

Maturity and responsibility. Part of the underlying dysfunction of our own arts community is our response to the community, as a larger whole, which still does not perceive the Arts as an integral part of its health and vitality. Changing that perception requires patience, commitment and taking responsibility for how we behave, both as artists and community members.

We have an Election coming up and neither one of the candidates seem to be talking education. Do you find this odd and what do you think we need to do in order to have this be a focal point during their campaigning.

No, I don’t find it odd - disappointing perhaps - but with issues like our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; continued Middle Eastern tensions; our failing health care system and our current economic decline, I believe most Americans are overwhelmed with issues deemed larger than educational concerns.

Whether we can engage the presidential candidates in a national discussion on education or not, we should definitely take this opportunity to send a clear message to our local representatives that we insist on higher standards of education for our children. Governor Napolitano campaigned with education as one of her highest priorities. I have been both impressed by the dogged follow-through of her promises, and dismayed by the lack of support from the State Legislature. If we want to see change nationally - we need to start locally.

Do you have any exhibits planned, if so is their a theme.

I’m afraid I don’t have any upcoming exhibits planned yet! I took some time off from my career(s) to support my youngest child through a very difficult educational time. Now that he has successfully regained his confidence and independence, I am looking forward to returning to my studio and catching up on all the beautiful sights, smells and tactile sensations from producing art. I hope to be back in circulation in a year or so. Look for my art again sometime toward 2010!

Going back to those days of hanging out in caves, wall paintings and banging on rocks just looking to tell a good story. A story about ourselves, what we wanted and what we could use a little less of. We also told story in dance, except we didn’t call it dance, it was just talking with our feet.

He knows how to move bodies in space, how to layer his phrases and, above all, how to make dancers look good. GIA KOURLAS NYTimes

Earlier this month Rennie Harris Puremovement preformed in NYC Central Park and in reading the NY Times review along with this photograph of Mr. Harris, I was intrigued. Out here in the desert, during the summer there is no Central Park. Central Park and the free shows, concerts and the park itself are all reason to miss New York every once in while.

YouTube - Behind the Performance Part I.

Mr. Harris who has a powerful presence, like Alvin Ailey with locks, explains what he is after in the this video.

I’m asked “Why did you give a certain name to a painting” and I don’t know. Sometimes it just shows up in my head. Nothing deep or heavy, it just sounds right.

This painting was done this morning, mostly with a pallet knife and some glazes. The edges reminded me of glass. That is about as close as I can get to “why” this name.

NBAF *Atlanta - July 18, thru July 27, 2008

Music, dance, film, theater, poetry, literature - all presented here, all celebrating the vibrant life and art of people of color.

There will also be special tributes to Gladys Knight, minus the “Pips”, and Judith Jamison of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (did you ever see her perform “Cry”?, Stunning).

National Black Arts Festival – 7/18 thru 7/27/08
1230 Peachtree St., NE, Suite 500, Atlanta, GA

“The mission of NBAF is to engage, cultivate and educate diverse audiences about the arts and culture of the African Diaspora and provide opportunities for artistic and creative expression.”

www.nbaf.org

(Image credit: Shannon McCollum/National Black Arts Festival)

The Phoenix Metropolitan area has been about creating different ways to lure its citizens into not traveling during the summer heat wave. The steady increase in the cost of gas has added new incentives. Here is a cool thing to do if you are in town.

Family Fun Day celebrates rich arts and cultural environments in local communities and encourages increasing community engagements for valley families year round.  Free to the pubic, this year’s Family Fun Day provides hands-on activities, such as making dream-catcher and other dream-inspired arts and craft; it also entertains families and visitors with dance, music and theatrical performances suitable for all ages.  CONDER Dance, AZ Opera in a Box and other local groups and volunteers will showcase their best performances throughout the day, spreading all the fun and joy across gallery spaces.

Channel Eight, Arizona PBS (KAET), brings Sister Bear of the Berenstain Bears for photos with children and offers children a fun activity to do.  Rocky and the Puckpatrol from the Phoenix Roadrunners will also be here! China Mist offers free refreshments.

The Annual Family Exhibition and Fun Day are made possible in part through an investment by the ASU Art Museum Advisory Board, IKEA, Changing Hands Bookstore, China Mist and the Friends of the ASU Art Museum.