Monday, September 10, 2007

NextGEN JaxCAL

Folks the time has arrived. I'm been working on how to take JaxCAL to the next level, and well I think I'm there now. I thank everyone for their input on this little Blogger site. JaxCAL has grown up now and is now using Wordpress. Anything you want to do we can now do.

The new url is now http://www.jaxcal.org/.

This site will now be suspended. All contributors please go over to the new site and register by clicking here. Super easy. Once registered you'll be able to add posts and use the Events Calendar. Read the About page as it has a some instructions if you need them. It's really easy though. No worries.

You add an event to the Events Calendar the same way you write a post but at the bottom you'll see an option that says Event Editor. Set the time and date, and click publish.

Also there's a little chat feature that I think I would like folks to use. Really anything you want to do we can now do it on the new platform.

I also have a page at the top called Shows. I'm hoping it will turn into an Art Show Reviews section. Anyone who'd like to review shows please shoot fell free to. Shoot any reviews to jaxcaleague@gmail.com

Long live JaxCAL. Thanks everyone for turning this blog into a living breathing arts community.

2007 Soho Art Parade




photo by N!fer


This is why I love Flickr. Great set of art parade pics here

and

here

and here

Friday, September 7, 2007

Do you want your Art in Public Places??--Public Art Workshop

A FREE workshop describing the public art process will be held at the Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum on September 8 from 1-3pm. The workshop is for artists as well as those interested in learning more about the public art field. The artist Susan Cooper will specifically address the unique concerns of public art.

Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum Braided with PUBLIC Art





A new public artwork entitled LaVilla Braid has been installed at the Ritz Theatre & LaVilla Museum at 829 North Davis Street, as part of Jacksonville’s Art in Public Places Program. LaVilla Braid will be dedicated on Saturday, September 8 at 7pm. The Colorado-based artist, Susan Cooper will lead a nighttime tour showcasing the complete installation.

LaVilla Braid is Cooper’s visual interpretation of LaVilla’s history and culture in a multi-media art installation. The work is composed of three separate “braids” named for their locations at the site: the pedestrian braid, the motorist braid, and the community braid. Eight colorful, aluminum, wall-mounted sculptures, are the “pedestrian braids” (pictured). They represent film, music, art, the St. John’s River (from left to right), and will flank the entrance at the northwest corner of the facility.

The motorist braid, a sculpture made from woven, colored LED light tubes, will wrap around the southwest corner of the building (pictured). The community braid, an installation of crisscrossed lights, will be projected onto the top level of the building, displaying a braided pattern of lights viewable from a considerable distance (pictured).

For LaVilla Braid, Cooper was inspired by MaVynee Betsch, better known as the “Beach Lady,” who worked for over 30 years to preserve American Beach, the community founded by her great-grandfather, A.L. Lewis. Like Betsch’s complex braided hairstyle, Cooper weaves metal, color, and light to reflect the Beach Lady’s intertwining of history, culture, and philosophy.

To learn more about Susan Cooper’s work, visit www.susancooperart.com.

Jacksonville’s Art in Public Places Program (APPP) uses designated funds from city construction and renovation projects to purchase works of public art to display in the community. The Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville administers the APPP on behalf of the City of Jacksonville. For more information, contact Allison Graff at 904.358.3600.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Vestal Show 9/7!!!

Some entertainment for Friday night, the Vestal art and music show. Over 50 artists, a bunch of bands, drink specials, I think the last show generated of 1500 people, so be one of them!

Call for Shows

Hi there, most of you know that I work here at the local art mag, Arbus. Well, we are begining to put together our annual "Holiday to-do" List, and I'd like to feature some art-related events...so, if anyone has anything exciting planned for Dec...email me at mp@arbus.com.

thx-mp

Art Group Calendar

Hey artists. I've just created an art calendar using Google Calendars, something I just stumbled across. I know I know, pathetically slow to keep up with generation Y (or is it generation zzz). Once I started fooling around with the features of the calendar, it just seemed like a great way for the JaxCAL group to share events like art openings or face-to-face meetings all in one place. Recently, I found myself searching through archived blog entries trying to find that specific one where somebody mentioned a show coming up and that seems unnecessary.

I don't even think you have to join anything new (not sure). But I think by being on Blogger you're already able to use Google's calendar and I think I have it set so everyone can view, edit, and post events.

So if you guys are into it you can view it here Art Calendar and join here Subscribe.

The only event on there to see how it works is on November 9th, my own show the only event I knew of. So check it out, post an event, or even just let me know the links worked.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

NAVEL GAZERS

I'm ready for someone to say something nasty, not critical then followed by a "but I understand" kind of thing. I'm talking mean, spit in your eye, talk about your mama, pistol whip, kind of nasty. Name names! How about a drunken artist fight? I bet I could get Morrison to be in one corner. Who wants to go toe to toe?

We're all too nice.

Scott Allen posted a critical comment about the portent show, but then he wouldn't back up his words, then he almost apologized for making them, then he said he didn't like one person's work, but the rest was good. He should have stood behind his comments. He should have explained why he didn't like that particular artist work.
If you're going to criticize a show, explain why, then stand behind it. It's fine to tell a couple of friends on the way home that you didn't like the show, but don't blog about it.
Moreover, I would like to take Steve and Mark's comments to task.
I don't apologize for the portent show. I think it was the best show in this town in a while. And I don't think we were misleading anyone with the idea of really good things to come (portent). I also happen to think that I'm a damn good artist and I challenge anyone to prove me otherwise. The same goes for Mark and Steve and the rest of the Beaver/Pedestrian crew.

The line has been drawn in the sand. Who's stepping over it?

KP