Visions of Geometry in Painting: Group Show at Carrboro Town Hall May-June

The Town of Carrboro Arts Committee is sponsoring a tremendous show of top regional artists with paintings that reflect a relationship to geometry, geometric patterns and geometric implications, philosophical and physical, on the modern world.

Installed at Carrboro Town Hall, 301 West Main Street, 27510, the show features Bonnie Melton, Ashlynn Browning, Steve Staresina, John Wendelbo, Thomas Teague and curator Steven Silverleaf.

Stop by Town Hall this Friday during the 2ndFriday ArtWalk from 6 to 9 pm.

Here's a collage of their work.

Mark Scalco Smoke Photography May-June Show at Carrboro Century Center

The Town of Carrboro Arts Committee will have two shows opening in May with receptions during the 2ndFriday ArtWalk May 11th from 6-9pm.

At the Century Center (newly painted with a new hanging system), 100 N. Greensboro, Carrboro 27510 we'll have Mark Scalco showing his "Smoke Photography". Here's an example:

The Light Keeper, copyright Mark Scalco

Mark describes his work as follows (from his Flickr page linked above)

My photography has taken a turn, of late. After reading about several different forms of abstract photography, I became addicted to smoke photography. This is a peculiar little niche in photography circles, but I've always been attracted to the more artsy and abstract photos. I also noticed that many of the creations I was making began to have a Rorschach quality about them, a feature I enjoy as a Psychologist.

I want to thank all of the flickr participants who have commented on my photos or listed me as a contact. It has been a rewarding experience to see that others appreciate what I am doing, and to enjoy and be inspired by their successes as well. Please also check out my group Smoke and Mirrors.

I'll followup with info on an exciting shows of paintings at the Carrboro Town Hall

Google Art Project, V2.0 (not about Carrboro)

You may remember a post of mine on the Google Art Project a repository of images from the great museums of the world and the great artists of history. I was impressed, particularly by the ability to zoom in on some of the paintings. For example you could really see the brushstrokes and the depth in Van Gogh's Sunflowers.

So now we have V2.0 which is reviewed by Roberta Smith of the NYT here. She pretty much nails it so go there for details. There is much to be thrilled about and one big thing and some smaller things worthy of big upgrades.

To be thrilled about:

• The sheer size of the project. It contains 131 museums and 32,000 works. You can spend days and days poking around.
• Incredible depth in 19th Century art: Impressionists like Van Gogh, Pissaro, Degas, Manet, Monet, etc, great American painters like Winslow Homer, John Singer Sargent,William Merritt Chase, and Thomas Eakins
• More high resolution images to zoom in on
• Ancient works and works from non-Western traditions
• Real depth and breadth except......

To be sorely disappointed about:

• The 20th Century hardly exists, e.g. nada, nil, naught, nothing by Picasso. Or Pollock. Or Duchamp. One by Joan Mitchell, de Kooning, Clyford Still (and not a very good one), and Diebenkorn (but at least it's a good one). If it weren't for the Todelo (Toledo!) Museum of Art (the only Louis Morris, or de Kooning or Delaunay, one of the few Hoppers and Mondrians) the century would be even more bare. And we can thank the Savannah College of Art & Design Museum for all 7 of the Romare Beardens. It's as if Dada and the Abstract Expressionists never existed. I know there are copyright issues but this is ridiculous!
• Missing some biggie museums. The Louvre anyone?
• Artists are sorted by first name. What is that about?
• The interface still needs improvement

Still it's an art lover's marvel and if V3.0 improves it as much as the jump to v2.0 I'll be one happy camper.

copyright NYT

An interview on the arts in Carrboro

Jeri Lynn Schulke of the ArtsCenter in Carrboro asked me to join her back in March on WCOM 1360 AM on the Arts Spot, a community arts interview program of the ArtsCenter. My interview along with many others can be heard by going here.

 

Saturday and Sunday at 11:30am.
Join Tess Mangum Ocana and other hosts from the Arts Center in Carrboro, North Carolina as they sit down with musicians, actors, actresses, painters, and more from around the Triangle and around the world. The Arts Spot focuses on the cultural enrichment and enhancement of our lives that the arts provide.

We talked mostly about the activities of the Town of Carrboro Arts Committee that I chair but also more generally about the arts in Carrboro, Chapel Hill and the Triangle. We had a fun talk and got into some interesting issues for developing the arts within our area. You can download the interview as a mps or  stream it.

Crafts festival this Saturday April 14 in Carrboro

The newly created Carrboro Crafts Market has its first market this Saturday April 14th from 10am-5pm. Here's a description of the market:

The Carrboro Craft Market is a monthly outdoor event hosting a range of skilled artisans and family friendly activities.  We proudly represent handmade crafts, select antiques and vintage goods, specialty prepared foods and more.  We will have a variety of products for sale, craft demonstrations,  skill shares presented by our talented friends and neighbors, live music, and  a free kids craft project tent each month.   Please come join us in celebrating our local talent and engage with our vendors to learn about what they do and how they do it!

The market will be held on Main Street Carrboro beside the Southern Rail and the Station. I'm assuming that means on the other side from Weaver Street between the railroad tracks and Lloyd Street.

More specifics about the April 14th market including the list of craftspeople and the musical lineup can be found here.

Been away such a long time...but now Mandolin Orange

On the wonderful website (formerly magazine) No Depression comes an article and interview on Chapel Hill's Mandolin Orange. From the article:

Mandolin Orange, a duo consisting of Andrew Marlin and Emily Frantz, is based out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The prolific songwriters have crafted batches of memorable tunes which fuse their infectious harmonies with a wide variety of instrumentation such as acoustic and electric guitars, fiddle, and mandolin.

Copyright No Depression, 2012