Flute mural painted black -- like bummer man!

Maybe my favorite public mural in Chapel Hill-Carrboro was on the side of the Franklin Street building  that houses Andrea Reusing's expanding Lantern Restaurant. You probably know it well:

Not any more as someone painted over the mural with black paint.

The News & Observer had a big article about it, lamenting the loss and noting artist Michael Brown's disappointment. Local officials like my friend Jeff York, public art director for the city, were dismayed. As I am.

But I can't say I approve of the innuendo from the article that Andrea Reusing had something to do with it. Here's the opening line of the article:

The artist is sick about it. The town is upset about it. And the restaurant owner isn’t talking about it.

Later we learn that Andrea hadn't returned calls. Excuse me but she's pretty friggin' busy these days, being a James Beard finalist and running a famous restaurant. Instead of sensationalism, the article should have stated facts without the snide insinuations based on basically nothing.

And if it turns out that Andrea and the restaurant had something to do with it, I'll be pissed, even though it's the owner's legal right. At this point though there is no reason to make unsubstantiated accusations about someone who has a been a valued member of the community and a wonderful chef for the last decade or so.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/03/21/2766542/franklin-street-girl-with-flute.html#storylink=cpy

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

Local artists interested in joining a Chapel Hill gallery?

The Focal Point Gallery at 1215 East Franklin in Chapel Hill is accepting artist applications. The gallery is near Cafe Driad and near the campus. Go here to apply. I haven't visited yet but the photo on their webpage shows a pretty impressive space.

Award to the Town of Chapel Hill for a green artwork

The American Society of Landscape Architects recognized the Town of Chapel Hill for a unique stormwater project that doubles as a sculpture. The project called H2O Flow was designed by artist Michael Roy Layne. Well done Chapel Hill! The project can be seen from the patio outside Council Chambers at Town Hall.

Town of Chapel Hill Locally Grown Rooftop Music and Movies

We (Carrboroites) have music on the grass at Weaver Street Market.  For those in the little town to our east their is music and a movie at Wallace Plaza on top of the Wallace Parking Deck at 150 East Rosemary Street.  Here's what they say about it:

It's official, folks!  This summer Locally Grown brings you an excellent line up of the areas most talented bands and sensational films guaranteed to spice up your Thursday evenings all summer long.  Pssst!  It's always free.

Bring a chair or blanket and come early to find your perfect seats.  Concerts and movies will begin June 23rd and run through August every Thursday night.

UNC Ackland Art Museum store opens on Franklin Street

The long awaited Ackland Museum Store opens today (3 minutes ago actually) on the corner of Franklin and Columbia in downtown Chapel Hill, just a stones throw from the Museum itself.  Here's what they say about the store:

The Store's inventory includes home décor items such as pottery, glass, and metalwork; kitchen and tabletop items; jewelry and accessories; children's toys and books; and stationery. Books about art history and criticism, contemporary art and design, and culture and lifestyles are also available, as well as books by UNC and regional authors and artists' monographs.

Another arts venue???

From the News & Observer Campus Notes Blog. Hmmm?? The idea is to have the old Chapel Hill Museum building at 523 E. Franklin St. become a joint UNC-CH-Town of Chapel Hill space for art and art events.  The blog post includes the UNC-CH proposal by Distinguished Professor of Art elin o'Hara slavik which begins:

523 East Franklin will be named CHART to be able to promote, brand and support the space as a location to be visited. It will be a collaborative project space between the town of Chapel Hill (Jeff York, Public Arts Administrator) and UNC’s Art Department (Professor elin o’Hara slavick), with a 3-year renewable contract/lease with an "out clause" for both parties.

New Ackland exhibit on German art

Two new exhibits of German art open tomorrow at the UNC Ackland Museum.  One exhibit includes  prints and drawings from 1840-1940.  The list of artists is impressive:

This exhibition includes more than 75 prints and drawings by Adolf Menzel, Max Klinger, Käthe Kollwitz, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Emil Nolde, Otto Dix, George Grosz, Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, Max Beckmann, and others.

Maggi Grace's new show!

The Sound of Angels -- new artwork by Carrboro artist Maggi Grace

The Red Bicycle Coffee and Cafe
2805 Homestead Road
Chapel Hill, NC 27516
919-960-6247
www.redbicyclecoffee.com

April 1 - June 1, 2011

Visit:    www.maggigrace.com    
                  

Focal Point Gallery: new gallery in Chapel Hill

Focal Point is a new gallery at 1215 E. Franklin St. next to Caffe Driade. From a press release:

Focal Point artists are local artists, Mira Pawlus, Kathy Alderman, Kelly Alderman, Jamie Hansen, Jolanta Kokot, Windy Lampson, Jude Lobe, Celine Meador, Elaine Pelkey-Herrick, Steven Reinhart, LouAnne Summers, and Emogene Wallace. They are currently taking applications for new exhibitors. Interested artists can get more information at http://ChapelHillFocalPoint.com

Artist and gallery manager, Mira Pawlus, states, "We began this gallery because we believe art is important for people to have in their homes and businesses and we want to provide affordable art to everyone." Jude Lobe, an exhibiting artist, continues Pawlus thoughts. "My motto is, Art is functional. It lifts your spirit every day." All the artists at Focal Point have the same belief, that is, art is important to our well-being.

2nd Friday ArtWalk tonight in Carrboro and Chapel Hill & the Frank opening

Please join local art lovers on the ArtWalk tonight from 6-9.  More info here.  It's supposed to be nice and just a bit cool for the evening, so no excuses!  While there will be interesting art and people all over our two towns, the big event is the open of Frank, the Chapel Hill arts cooperative on Franklin Street.  Stop on by and support one of the biggest recent events in local arts!

Go to their website for more info on Frank and the opening.  If you need directions go here.

FRANK opening in downtown Chapel Hill!

Chapel Hill's new community non-profit art collective will open on April 9th during the 2ndFriday Art Walk.  There is not much yet on their website but put it on your calendar.  I'm hoping this a great opportunity to liven up the Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Triangle art scene.  I also can see it positively improving the  economic impact of arts in the local community and putting more money in the pockets of working artists.

Flyleaf Books -- Great new addition to the CH/Carrboro Scene!

When I was in Montpelier Vermont this past fall I was astounded with the number of indie bookstores (five) in the few blocks of their beautiful downtown.  Montpelier is a town of about 9,000 in a county of 60,000, in other words smaller than Carrboro and Orange County.  I was bitching to Karen about our limited book options and she questioned the feasibility of such a store in CH/Carrboro.

Loe and hehold but soon after that little argument, tiff, squabble, spat, disagreement, a test case opens!  While K questions the sanity of anyone opening indie bookstores in this day and age of the Internet, Amazon and the decline in western civilization, she sincerely hopes I win the bet.  (I won't mention what the bet was but I won't let her renege even if she claims there was no bet.)

So now we have Flyleaf Books in town!  It's located at 752 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd (Historic Airport Rd) by Foster's in Chapel Hill .  As you can see it is quite spacious, bright and lovely inside.  They're friendly folks with grand ideas and a great love of books.  I'll let you visit their web page for the full story but please check it out and buy a book or two.

Yippee! 

Carrboro Community Arts Project

Check out Ron Stutts interview with Jackie Helvey (unofficial Carrboro woman of the century) about the upcoming Carrboro Arts Project.  More details forthcoming over the next weeks but we'd love to have great participation.  Start thinking about creating some art that reflects Carrboro and our community.

Being the inclusive folks we are, we are open to submittals from Chapel Hill, Orange County, Chatham County, etc.  That includes those of you who might not even live here anymore!  It will be a fun time.....

Frank (Franklin Street Arts Collective) to open in January

The new Art Collective in downtown Chapel Hill is now scheduled to open in January 2010.  It's a pretty exciting development both for downtown CH and the Chapel Hill and Carrboro art scene. From the WCHL radio website:

The 3,400 square foot space at 109 East Franklin Street will employ one full-time director, Barbara Rich, who is herself a painter. Twenty-five core members will exhibit their art year-round and work in the gallery. Up to 50 other local and national artists will show their work on consignment. 

So far the only artist I know who's amongst the 25 is Alan Dehmer who works in gum bichromate photography.  His work is exceptional -- it's a good sign for the Frank.

Gotta go to this Friday's 2ndFriday Artwalk!

Don't forget the ArtWalk this Friday in Carrboro and Chapel Hill.  The weather should be nice and cool for a lovely walk between venues (stopping of course at Weaver Street Realty for some wine and a look at some of my new pieces.)

There will be many things to see but there are two that I hate to miss while smoozing at my opening.

The first is collages by my friend Steven Silverleaf at the Fleet Feet Gallery 406 E Main St, Carrboro.  If you haven't seen Steven's collages you are in for a treat!  Bright, vibrant and strong.

The second thing that caught my eye was the showing of some big artwork on shirts and paper by Jenifer Padilla at the Merch 101 Lloyd St, Carrboro. According to the 2nd Friday webpage "Jenifer's most recent, experimental works combine silkscreen with her original drawings and paintings." See some samples at her website. They look really interesting.

A nice article on the 2nd Friday ArtWalk

Here's a nice article on the 101st 2nd Friday ArtWalk of Chapel Hill & Carrboro.  In nine years over a million people have attended the ArtWalk, in rain, shine, snow and heat.  Congrats!

Here's the invite for the show

Photos of pieces here.

Becky Filene Broun's amazing boxes and books!

Becky Filene Broun has been making boxes and books for well over a decade. Here's a bit about her:

Becky Filene Broun is a native of Chapel Hill. She has been making books and boxes for over 14 years. She received a BA from Connecticut College and a MFA in Graphic Design from Yale University. She has studied box-making and book arts at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina and The Center for Book Arts in New York in addition to other workshops. Most recently her work was exhibited at a juried show at Purdue University.

She has recently launched a website of her work with some terrific photos. Stop by and see more.



Photo from beckyfilenebroun.com

Chapel Hill Franklin Street Art Collective materials

Karen and I attended the public meeting at the Chapel Hill Town Hall for the proposed Franklin Street Art Collective. I was fairly impressed with the homework they had done and the balanced view they took. I haven't examined the business plan yet but they seem to be using conservative financial assumptions -- a good thing. Amazingly enough they hope to be open by November!

Details (including the presentation, business plan and artist application) can be found here on the Town website but here are a few details:

- 30-40 artists in the collective who put up $500 to start, $20 month and pay a 25% commission on sales. Members are expected to work 6-8 hours month and make a 2 year commitment.
- An undetermined number of consignment artists can show their work but will pay a 50% commission.
- Artists can apply for both membership and consignment at the same time.
- Both categories will be juried and none of the those judging are involved in the collective.
- The application says that you must live within a 25 mile radius of Chapel Hill but I do not believe that is a hard and fast rule.
- They continually harped on wanting to have the highest quality art.
- Michael Brader-Araje, the building's owner, is a hero!